CHAPTER 40
As the music started, Beth took a deep breath and stepped forward, letting her father lead her.
At the front, Bryce stood still—shoulders tense, heart hammering. He wasn’t nervous about the vows or the crowd or the ceremony itself. He was waiting for her. He hadn’t realized how tightly he was holding himself until movement near the corner of the house caught his eye.
When they rounded the side of the house, her eyes found Bryce—standing at the front, next to Pastor Steve, looking impossibly handsome.
When their eyes locked, everything else faded. The people. The flickering fire pits. Even the mingled scent of wood smoke and fresh evening air.
Bryce visibly relaxed—like part of him had been holding his breath, afraid she wouldn’t come. Then he smiled.
Beth forgot to go slow like they had rehearsed. Her heels sank slightly into the grass as she hurried to the front, but she didn’t care. Her fingers tightened on her dad’s arm for just a second as they reached the front.
Then her fingers slipped into Bryce’s palm and he exhaled. He hadn’t felt like he could breathe until she touched him.
“You’re breathtaking,” he whispered, feeling like their galaxies had finally collided.
Her cheeks flushed. “I wore my old shoes.”
He leaned in slightly, a grin tugging at one corner of his mouth.
“Well, it’s a good thing I’ve made it pretty clear what I think of your limbs—regardless of how they’re dressed.”
Beth’s face went up in flames.
Pastor Steve cleared his throat, clearly amused. “Now that the bride is officially bright red,” he said, “what do you say we make this marriage official in front of your friends and family?”
Startled by his voice, Beth turned—only now seeming to realize everyone was watching. Laughter rippled through the crowd as she buried her face in Bryce’s chest, her shoulders shaking with quiet embarrassment.
It was the perfect start to a ceremony they would actually remember.
Beth’s fingers trembled slightly as she handed her bouquet to Kim, who stood just behind her.
She gave a small smile to Lynn, positioned just beyond Kim on the other side.
As Beth’s fingers slid back into Bryce’s hand, she became hyper-aware of the breeze tugging at her veil, the warmth of his touch, and the weight of their mothers’ tearful gazes. None of it mattered. Not really.
“I didn’t plan to marry you,” she said, voice barely above a whisper. “But God knew I needed you before I ever realized it.”
The sun dipped lower. Shadows stretched long across the grass.
Bryce smiled, his eyes locked on hers.
“I know I don’t deserve you,” he said, his voice softening as he spoke this part of his vows. “But then God gave me you anyway. My personal miracle.”
Kim dabbed her eyes. Lynn sniffled though she wasn’t crying. Beth smiled through the blur.
“Note the shape of your rings,” Pastor Steve said, his voice carrying over the crowd. “In the Christian faith, circles are also seen as symbols of God’s love—because they have no beginning and no end.”
The fire hissed nearby as the logs surrendered to the flames, warming the bodies gathered close.
“It’s not plastic this time,” Beth whispered, giggling as she slid Bryce’s ring onto his finger.
The wind carried the scent of woodsmoke and fresh grass. Brock shifted beside Bryce, his joy rivaling that of the groom.
“I promise to lead us toward Christ,” Bryce said, voice cracking. “To hold your hand when you’re hurting. And to never stop chasing you.”
Beth’s eyes filled with tears. Her fingers curled tighter around his.
She hadn’t remembered the first time they said I do.
Bryce kept his promise.
This time, she would remember every second of their wedding.
The ceremony blurred at the edges, as if she was drifting in and out of her body.
Bryce’s hand never left hers.
Pastor Steve said something about the mystery of marriage—Christ and the Church—about the sacredness of covenant. Beth heard the words, but mostly she heard her heartbeat and felt the weight of her gown.
Finally, the words Bryce had been waiting for.
“You may kiss your bride.”
Bryce didn’t rush. His hands slipped gently to her waist as he leaned in, and when their lips met, the crowd disappeared completely.
He kissed her like he meant it.
When he pulled back, they both exhaled—at the same time.
The reception unfolded with a relaxed rhythm as Beth and Bryce made their way around the porch, greeting guests and soaking in the warmth of the evening.
The string lights overhead cast a soft golden glow, and the laughter of family and friends drifted through the cool mountain air like music of its own.
The firepits were glowing now, drawing small clusters of guests closer as twilight deepened. Their warmth pushed back the chill, and each pit had its own little stash of marshmallows, graham crackers, and three kinds of chocolate—classic milk, dark, and chocolate peanut butter cups.
Beth’s bare feet padded across the wooden porch—her shoes long forgotten somewhere in the yard. She didn’t care. Her dress skimmed the floor, catching the breeze, and her hand stayed in Bryce’s whenever possible. Everything felt light.
Somewhere in the background, Frank Sinatra crooned through the speakers, followed by Dean Martin and the rest of the Rat Pack lineup that Bryce had quietly slipped into the playlist just for her. The music made the night feel dreamy, like something lifted out of time.
When Bryce pulled her into a slow dance under the moonlight, Beth didn’t protest—even though she warned him—for the third time—that she was terrible at this kind of dancing. She stumbled once, then twice, laughing into his shoulder as he steadied her with both hands on her waist.
“So you said,” he laughed, “but I’ve never seen you look more graceful.”
They slow danced, a little awkward at first, but completely wrapped up in each other.
The cake was simple at first glance—but the closer you looked, the more it pulled you in.
Three soft tiers wrapped in ivory frosting, with smooth ripples of stormy blue marbled through each layer.
Gold leaf edged the torn textures like sunlight catching on water, giving it just enough shimmer.
It was the kind of cake you paused to admire before cutting.
A little modern. A little wild. Completely Lynn.
Beth hesitated to cut into it, until Lynn appeared at her side, arms crossed, and eyes narrowed.
“If you two don’t slice that thing in the next ten seconds, I will personally smash it in your faces.”
Beth and Bryce exchanged a look. With a good-natured laugh, they cut the cake and fed it to each other, no frosting-smearing, much to Lynn’s dramatic disappointment.
Beth caught her rolling her eyes and muttering, “Cowards,” as she walked away.
The night was perfection.
The new porch swing had been turned into a cozy place of honor for the bride and groom. Tray tables had been fastened to the armrests like old-school desktops, giving them the perfect perch to eat, talk, and simply be together.
Bryce leaned close, his shoulder brushing hers as he gestured toward the swing with a smug grin.
“See? Isn’t this so much better than sitting on that nasty old rotten one that still stank from what’s-his-face’s cooties?”
Beth choked on a laugh, pressing her hand to her mouth.
“Bryce! You’re making it sound like I had some grand romance.”
He just wiggled his brows, proud of himself. “What? I’m just saying. You deserve better, so I’m setting the bar higher. Better seating, better romance, and…” he paused, letting the quiet clink of forks around them fade into the moment, then leaned in and whispered, “…better kisses.”
Beth shook her head, still giggling as he brushed a kiss against her cheek. She turned toward him just enough to whisper,
“You’re unbelievable.”
He grinned. “Yeah, but you love me.”
Her lips found his once more, before whispering, “Yeah. I do.”