Chapter 30
“Fuck,” I muttered, scowling in the mirror as I whipped off my tie and restarted the knot for the third time.
My dad appeared in the mirror behind me. “Let me help you with that, son.”
I sighed and turned to face him. “I don’t know why the ridiculous thing isn’t cooperating with me.”
Dad chuckled. “When I married your mother, I was so nervous that it took me five tries to properly tie my shoes.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Really?”
He nodded. “Absolutely. You can be one thousand percent certain of your choice of partner and ready to start your lives together and still be nervous about saying your vows in front of several hundred guests.” He finished the full Windsor knot and stepped back, his hands on my shoulders.
“And I know without a doubt that you have chosen wisely, Oliver. You and Adelaide have a beautiful future ahead of you.”
“Thanks, Dad. For everything.”
He pulled me into a tight hug. “I love you. And I’m so proud of you.”
“I love you, too,” I said, squeezing him once before pulling back.
I finished getting dressed, tucking the tie into my navy waistcoat, fastening the golden cufflinks with my family’s seal embossed on them that Adelaide had gifted me the night before, putting on my shoes, and slipping on my black morning coat.
One last look in the mirror to confirm that my hair was still perfectly in place, and I was ready. Or at least, as ready as I’ll ever be.
Knox approached, clad in matching morning dress, and clapped me on the shoulder. “It’s about time to head down to the cars.”
I nodded. “A year ago, could you have imagined we would be here? You engaged to Birdie and me about to walk down the aisle?”
Knox threw his head back. “A year ago, if you had told me anything about what our lives would look like now, I would have laughed you out of the building. And I wouldn’t trade where we both are for anything in the world.”
I stood at the front of Wexstone’s oldest cathedral, willing myself to breathe.
The ornate stained-glass windows sent a kaleidoscope of colors dancing across the white marble floor, offering my mind a bit of an escape as I waited for my bride.
It was a good thing I would be changing before the black-tie reception later; I had already sweat through my shirt.
Dash, Adelaide’s man of honor, was currently making his way down the aisle, followed by Knox, my best man, and Birdie, the maid of honor.
Birdie looked beautiful in her silk bias-cut dress that draped perfectly over her body, though it was hard for me to focus on anything other than my excitement at seeing Adelaide.
She had spent the night at The Sheridan Hotel with Birdie, Dash, Mel, and Mel’s girlfriend Sam—who happened to also be Birdie’s American best friend and had flown in from New York two days ago for the festivities.
I had yet to lay eyes on Adelaide and was crawling out of my skin in anticipation.
Knox and Birdie made it to their places and there was a pause as the music changed, the string quartet playing the opening chords of “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.”
“Please rise,” Archbishop Rose intoned, motioning upward with her hands.
I thought my heart would beat out of my chest as I watched the guests stand, each of them turning to face the back of the church.
I spotted Xavier watching me from his spot beside Mum and Dad; he nodded at me briefly, a slight smile on his lips as he placed an arm around Alexandra, who was cradling a sleeping Aiden in her arms.
The doors of the church opened, and Adelaide floated down the aisle, her hand in the crook of her father’s arm.
This is it. I’ve died and have gone to heaven. There’s no other explanation; no human being could possibly look as perfect as she does. She must be a literal angel.
My mouth fell open as I took her in. Her dress was unbelievable—the neckline perfectly framed her breasts, and the full skirt had a slit that allowed her leg to peek through as she walked. A long veil flowed behind her but did not obscure her face, which was the most breathtaking part of her.
She was utterly radiant, joy shining from her as though she was lit from within. A tendril of her blonde hair framed her cheeks, which held a hint of a blush. My eyes trailed to her lips, which were painted in a mauve that complemented her natural coloring perfectly.
“Remember to breathe, buddy,” Knox whispered from beside me. I all but gasped for air, realizing at the same moment that my cheeks were soaking wet.
Knox nudged my elbow and I looked down, finding a handkerchief in his hand. I took it, forgetting to thank him, and wiped at my blubbering face as Adelaide and her dad arrived beside me.
“I…you…holy shit,” I whispered to Adelaide, whose eyes, I could now see, were also brimming with tears.
Her mouth tipped up in a smile. “You, too,” she whispered back.
Somewhere, like a dream, I was vaguely aware of the archbishop starting the ceremony, asking if I would take Adelaide to be my wife. Somehow, despite my inability to take my eyes from her face or form coherent thoughts, I heard myself say, “I will.”
Archbishop Rose repeated the question to Adelaide, and from my place up in the clouds I heard her say, “I will.”
Soon, and yet not fast enough, I was taking her hands in my own and repeating my vows to the perfect woman in front of me.
“I, Oliver, take you, Adelaide, to be my wife. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle.” Here, my voice broke, and I had to choke back another round of tears.
“I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple and when it is an effort.”
I was sobbing again, my words barely intelligible through my crying.
Adelaide reached up, wiping my cheeks with her own handkerchief.
I let out a choked laugh as I finished, “I promise to cherish you and to always hold you in highest regard. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life.”
Adelaide sniffed, smiling at me radiantly as she finished wiping my face.
She spoke, “I, Adelaide, take you, Oliver, to be my husband. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you”—she winked at me—“and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple and when it is an effort.” She squeezed my hand hard, just once, before she continued, “I promise to cherish you and to always hold you in highest regard. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life.”
I slid the diamond wedding band on Adelaide’s finger, and she slid the gold ring inset with three small emeralds onto my own, settling it on top of the string I still had yet to remove.
As Archbishop Rose pronounced us husband and wife, I truly thought I might explode with joy. There was surely nothing in the world that could top this feeling, knowing that I was truly Adelaide’s, and she mine, for the rest of our lives.
“We will now be joined by High Priestess Eze, Father Tudor, Reverend Biss, Rabbi Heller, and Iman Baker to begin the coronation,” the archbishop announced as the other religious leaders rose.
I walked Adelaide to the edge of the dais where her crown waited for her on a long wooden table.
Gram and Mum had been very intentional about choosing which crown they would bestow to Adelaide today, and it meant the world to me.
They had selected a diamond-encrusted piece featuring three large fleurs-de-lis connected by swirls and scrolls, gifted to our family by the royal family of Spain.
How fitting that this crown would carry such significance to Adelaide’s and my story.
As the religious heads surrounded Adelaide, High Priestess Eze removed Adelaide’s veil, handing it to Birdie who, in turn, passed it to an attendant for safekeeping.
Each of the leaders took turns repeating many of the same blessings that had been spoken over me during my own coronation as Adelaide nodded her agreement and vowed to be a good and fair queen.
As Archbishop Rose lifted the ornate tiara from the velvet pillow and placed it on Adelaide’s head, I saw two tears roll down my bride’s face.
“Many have come before, but none will be you. May you lead with mercy and fairness,” Archbishop Rose intoned.
“Long may she reign,” the religious leaders said in unison.
“Long may she reign,” we all answered back.
“And for the moment you’ve all been waiting for,” announced the DJ later that evening at our private black-tie reception. “It is my great pleasure to introduce you to King Oliver and Queen Adelaide Courtwright!”
Cheers erupted throughout the Lexington Manor ballroom as Adelaide and I entered and made our way to the center of the dance floor.
I lifted my arm and spun Adelaide, showing off my beautiful bride to our family and friends.
I was fairly certain I heard Birdie’s wolf whistle pierce through the shouts and applause.
Unlike the elegant but relatively modest wedding gown she had worn for the ceremony and that afternoon’s public reception at the palace, the dress she wore now was pure sex on a stick.
The white fabric hugged her curves, with a higher neckline in the front and the back dipping low, exposing the creamy skin over her spine.
A line of buttons trailed over her ass and down to the dress’s short train.
“I cannot wait to get you out of this later,” I said quietly as I pulled her into me.
Heat flashed in her eyes as she roamed them up and down my body. “Could say the same to you about this tux, Ollie.”
I hoped the combination of the tuxedo jacket and the black of my pants hid my instant, raging erection at her words.
Taking her hand in mine and snaking my other arm around her waist, I held her close as the beginning notes of our first dance sounded throughout the room.
As we began to move in time to the music, I paused briefly, caught off guard. “This isn’t the song we agreed on, is it?” I asked. We had landed on Céline Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” given its history as “our” song, but a different Céline song was playing now.
Adelaide smiled slyly. “I asked the DJ to make a bit of a switch. Do you recognize it?”
“It’s ‘The Power of Love.’”
She nodded. “I know that ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me Now’ has been our song up to this point, but the lyrics felt like they belong to our past. This one…it feels like a song for our future. I’m not a lyricist, but if I were, this is the song that I’d write for you.”
Around us, Céline’s iconic voice sang of heading for something new and, despite being afraid at times, being ready to learn about the power of love.
Leaning down, I captured my wife’s lips with my own as I moved us across the dance floor. “Thank you, my love.”
As the song continued to play, I wrapped my arms around her, dipping her back. She reached a hand up to steady the delicate, less extravagant pearl-lined tiara she now wore.
“I can’t wait to take this off. I feel so silly wearing it.”
“Oh no, my love. Some of the plans I have for you later include just that tiara.” I winked.
“Is that right?” She laughed back. “I don’t think that will help the impostor syndrome I’m feeling.”
I pulled her close to me, lowering my head to speak into her ear. “Do you remember what you told me in the carriage on the way to my coronation?”
She nodded. “Most of it.”
“Well, anytime you need to borrow some of my confidence, just let me know. You are going to be the best queen this country has ever had.” I placed a kiss on her cheek.
“Ooo, I’m so telling Gram you said that.”
I threw my head back in a laugh and spun her out and back into my arms as the song ended and applause resounded throughout the room.
“How does it feel to be a married man?” Chauncey asked, clapping me on the shoulder as I collapsed at a table with him, Knox, Vince, Tej, and Anton.
I gazed at the dance floor where Adelaide was currently surrounded by Birdie, Mel, Sam, Dash, Carmen, and Cora.
“I have never been more exhausted and more elated all at once,” I told him truthfully.
Anton threw his head back in laughter. “That sounds about right. Do you remember my wedding? The reception ended at one in the morning and the afterparty went until nearly four. I was running on pure adrenaline by the end, but I think Carmen and I slept for eighteen hours straight when we got to the hotel.”
Vince reared his head back in alarm. “Wait. Do you mean you didn’t…” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Anton chuckled again. “If you must know, we did sneak in a quickie during cocktail hour. But by the end of the party, we were far too beat to do anything other than crawl out of our clothes and collapse into bed.”
Knox shot me a glance, lowering his voice so only I would hear him. “Do I need to go guard any supply closets for you?”
I smirked at him. “Okay, smartass.”
I didn’t tell him that Adelaide and I had already taken care of consummating our marriage earlier that afternoon, when she had ducked out of the public reception to use the restroom.
I followed her and within moments had her pinned against the sink in one of the powder rooms, her voluminous skirt pulled up to her waist, my cock deep in her pussy as I told her all the ways I planned to worship her body for the rest of our lives.
We had both come so hard that I saw stars and Adelaide was left weak-kneed for several minutes afterward.
The song changed and the familiar notes of “Unchained Melody” echoed across the ballroom. Groups dispersed as couples took to the dance floor. Adelaide turned, spotting me, and held out her hand.
I rose and swept her into my arms. Her cheeks were flushed from dancing, and she had a slight sheen of sweat across her hairline. I tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear as we swayed to the music.
“Are you having fun?” I asked, losing myself in her sparkling green eyes.
“This is the best day of my life.” She kissed me. “But even though part of me doesn’t want it to end, a larger part of me can’t wait for what’s next.”
I smiled, pulling her closer. “And what’s that?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“The beginning of forever with you.”