Chapter 46
My heels dig into the cool sand, anchoring me as if I”m bracing against a storm that”s yet to come. The ocean breeze tugs the hem of my slacks. The scent of salt is heavy in the air. My pulse thrums through my veins. It’s a relentless beat that wars with the restless shushing of the ocean.
”Easy, River,” I mutter to myself. I scan the horizon where blue sky meets a deeper blue sea. The families from our two worlds are about to collide. A billionaire playboy turned hopeless romantic, waiting for a very practical diner waitress.
Is it a match made in heaven? For most people, it would not work. But I love Pearl so much that if I think about her for too long, I get short of breath. So in our case? Yes.
A car door slams and my head whips around. The first of the guests appears. She’s a lone figure shuffling across the sand, eyebrows knitted together in confusion. It”s Aunt Glory, her usually tense expression giving way to bewilderment. She spots me and waves a hand.
”River! Where is Pearl? And what”s all this?” Her voice carries over the sound of the waves with a touch of irritation lacing her words.
I stride over to her, clasping her hand with both of mine. Pleading with my eyes for her to approve. ”Trust me, Aunt Glory. You”re going to want to be here for this.” Pasting on a nervous smile, I try to appease her. She is Pearl’s family, after all, and she affects how Pearl will feel about today.
“Aunt Glory?” She narrows her eyes at me. “Today’s the wedding, then?”
She looks at me, searching my face for a hint of today’s events. But she finds only earnest excitement. With a resigned huff, she claps me on the shoulder and heads toward the makeshift gathering area.
One by one, our families arrive. They trickle onto the beach, each face a reel of the same emotions. Confusion softening into surprise, speculation turning into curiosity. Lucy and Savannah arrive, their eyes as wide as can be. Cole follows them and stops briefly to shake my hand. He moves on quickly because more of my family begins to turn up.
”River, you sly dog,” my brother Rex says. He gives me a quick one-armed hug. As he pulls away, a smirk appears on his face. ”What”s the big secret?”
”All will be revealed.” I tap the side of my nose. The conspiratorial gesture has him chuckling and shaking his head. Then I move on.
”I never thought I”d see the day when River Taylor got us all riled up for anything other than a wild party,” Eden teases, her laughter ringing clear and bright.
Her dickwad boyfriend is nowhere to be seen. Hallelujah.
”Today we redefine ”wild”, Eden,” I reply. My palms are sweaty.
I hug my mom and clap Sam on the back, ushering them into the party. Rhett jogs in right after them. Brooks shows up a little late and goes to hang near Eden, whispering something in her ear that makes her snort. Malik and Crisanto show up next holding hands.
But before I can focus on that, Pearl’s mom arrives. I make sure to greet her, and walk her over to the small confluence of people that mill around, chatting. Pearl’s mom is the final guest that must be here for a surprise wedding.
As I watch both of our families assemble here on this stretch of sand, something settles within me. The playboy, the pragmatist, the boy with a faraway dream of what someday could be like. They”re all me, different chapters of my own book. Today, I will write a new chapter.
One that”s been waiting to be written since the day Pearl walked into my life. God, I can’t wait until she arrives.
”Welcome everyone,” I finally call. My gaze sweeps over the gathered crowd. ”Thanks for coming. Especially under such mysterious circumstances. I think you’ll be glad you came.”
The sun dips lower, casting a golden sheen over the beach. My mom seems to spot Pearl first, because she turns with a gasp.
Every muscle in me tightens. I turn my head.
That”s when I catch sight of her. Pearl glides across the sand like she”s walking on clouds. Her blush rose, off-the-shoulder lace dress makes my jaw drop. It has a loosely fitted top and midsection that stops just below her bellybutton and flows outward in layers of sheer pink and lace. It emphasizes her curves and trails behind her, lifted by a gentle breeze.
I have an odd moment where time seems to slow down. She’s drifting toward me, her black hair pinned up quite elegantly. Then she lifts her eyes, looking at me with a knowing smile.
My hand goes to my heart. It seems to have exploded in my chest. I’m fairly certain that I’m now dead and somehow being rewarded in the afterlife.
”Wow,” is all I can muster as she reaches me. Her smile is brighter than the glints of diamond light shimmering off the ocean behind us.
”Hey,” she whispers, coming to a stop before me. Her eyes skate over my suit jacket and up to my face. Her smile widens.
God damn, it feels good that she approves of me. All ego aside, it’s nice to be looked at as an object of desire by the one woman that makes my world keep spinning.
I catch her hand, my fingers rough against her soft touch. Her fingers are so delicate and they slip neatly between mine. ”Are you ready for this?”
Pearl”s eyes meet mine, her gaze steady, brimming with certainty.
”With you by my side, I feel ready,” she responds. Her words wrap around me like a promise.
It”s my turn to smile now. I let it spread across my face, unguarded and full of the love. I clear my throat. My heart pounds like a drum against my ribs. When I speak, my voice is strong and clear.
”All right, everyone!” I call out. I clap my hands.
The attention of the crowd has been pinned squarely on us this whole time, but now they fall silent. I give them a sarcastic little bow. ”If you”ll all follow us, we have a little surprise in store.”
There”s a communal shuffling of feet. A symphony of murmurs and rustling fabric sounds as they exchange looks. Aunt Glory”s eyebrows hitch up like she”s just been offered a front-row seat to the greatest show on earth.
Rex tilts his head, the smirk still playing on his lips. ”Surprise, huh?” he says, rubbing his hands together. ”Lead the way, River.”
With Pearl by my side, I guide our procession across the sand. A trail of Bennett-Taylors and Jacksons are in tow. Each step feels deliberate, significant.
”Ready to shock them?” I lean in. My lips brush the shell of Pearl”s ear.
The grains of sand shift beneath our feet as Pearl and I weave a path down the beach to the waiting reverend. The rhythmic crash and hiss of waves is loud in my ears. I sneak glances at Pearl, noting how the sunlight plays off her dress. She’s an ethereal figure, a goddess held down to the ground only by the touch of my hand.
”Look at you,” I murmur. ”You”re so damn gorgeous.”
Pearl”s laughter is light, like the sea breeze that toys with strands of her hair. ”Speak for yourself, River.”
The reverend stands waiting against the backdrop of the restless ocean. A prettier picture could not be bought.
”Here goes nothing,” I whisper. I say it more to myself than to Pearl, though she hears me. Her lips turn up and she gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.
”Welcome, everyone.” I turn to face our families, my voice carrying over the shore. ”Thanks for coming this far. I plan to make it worth your while.”
Aunt Glory”s eyes dance with curiosity. Rex”s smirk has bloomed into a full-fledged grin. Sam”s gaze is heavy with something like pride. My mom is fully weeping already.
”River, what”s all this?” Aunt Delta”s voice is tinged with trepidation.
”Trust me. You”re going to love it.”
I turn and take Pearl”s hands. They are cool and steady in mine, a stark contrast to the warm rush of blood pulsing through my veins. I glance down at our interlocked fingers briefly before I lift my gaze. When I meet her eyes, I feel like I’m freefalling into a warm pool of hazelnut chocolate.
Diving, willingly. I just have to say the words. I open my mouth and somehow, the vow begins to pour out of me.
”From the day you walked into my life, you challenged every idea I had about what it meant to be happy. I had never really thought of what it meant to be truly… fulfilled.”
Her smile is subtle, but it shines brighter than the sun overhead. The guests lean in, listening closely to catch my voice over the waves.
”The first time we met, I didn’t even know that I was looking for you.” My voice cracks a little. It sounds raw and real. ”I am so glad that you gave me a chance. I know… I know that we had a rough start. That’s my fault. But from here on out, I’m going to be everything you need.”
A murmur ripples through the crowd. But I’m looking at those mesmerizing pools of mahogany. It”s the squeeze of Pearl”s hands that lets me know that I”ve hit the right chord.
She takes a deep breath and gives me a smile.
”Today, I’m vowing to be your partner. Through thick and thin. For better or for worse. Together, we”ll stand the test of time.”
She says through a sheen of tears, “Today, I take you as my husband. My one and only dance partner for the rest of our lives. Together, we’ll be the happiest couple on earth.”
The reverend steps forward, his presence gentle but firm. ”Now, by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Time stutters to a stop as I lower my lips to hers. The taste of her is electric and it surges through the both of us. Someone whistles enthusiastically. When we break apart, our families on the beach burst to life with cheers and applause. I see my mom out of the corner of my eye, her face the very picture of elation. Tears stream down her cheeks unchecked as she holds onto Sam for dear life.
Yeah, she didn’t get to plan the wedding. But the look of radiant happiness on her face right now means a lot to me. When mom finally leaves Sam’s side, it’s to come straight to me, cupping my face tenderly.
”River!” She sniffles. ”You really did it. You got married.”
I wrap an arm around Pearl, pulling her close. ”Yeah, Mom, I really did.”
My mother offers Pearl a hug and Pearl takes it with a pleased grin.
This is perfect. Better than I could’ve dreamed.
Pearl grips my mom’s hand and squeezes it. “There’s more.”
“More?” My mom looks like she’s going to faint. “What more is there?”
She turns slowly to our assembled families. I watch the soft sweep of her hand as it finds its way to her stomach. It’s flat as a board still. But Pearl rests it there like a whisper of things to come.
“We have one more surprise!” Pearl calls out.
The chatter ceases, the air charged with anticipation. Every eye is fixed upon us. More specifically, everyone looks at Pearl.
”We”re expecting a baby,” she announces. Then she blushes and beams at the same time.
God, I do love her.
A collective intake of breath ripples through the crowd. Then it turns, erupting into exclamations of sheer astonishment and joy. My heart swells beyond the confines of my chest. Pearl”s gaze meets mine. I see nothing shining there but love and excitement.
The family crowds in, ready for hugs and well-wishes. Aunt Glory muscles her way up to us with her boisterous laugh. She opens her arms and drowns us both in a hug. ”Congratulations, you two!” she bellows loudly.
”Thanks, Aunt Glory.” I chuckle, squeezing back just as fiercely. ”We”re pretty excited.”
I cup my hands around my mouth and shout to be heard over the crowd. “If you will all join us at the Cape Bistro, we’ll have a little feast.”
Leading Pearl from the beach is something special. For the first time, I hold my wife’s hand.
My wife.
I’m drunk on that idea for whatever reason.
After we settle in on the patio of the bistro, I can finally relax a little bit. It feels unreal to me still. The buzz of conversation is a gentle hum in my ears. The salty tang of ocean air on my lips. Sam”s hand lands on my shoulder, heavy and reassuring.
”You”ve made me proud, son,” he says, his smile broad.
”Thanks, Sam.” My voice is thick with emotion. I have to work to keep it steady. ”It means a lot coming from you.”
His grip tightens for a moment, a silent echo of the sentiment. Then he releases me and steps back. The pride in his eyes doesn”t wane.
If anything, it burns brighter. Sam isn”t a man of many words. But his few words carry the weight of entire conversations.
”You know, your mother and I are always here for you both,” he says. He nods toward Pearl, who”s laughing at something Savannah has just said.
”Wouldn”t want it any other way,” I reply. He nods and moves back to my mom. I’m left thinking that I’m still getting used to hearing compliments from Sam, but it’s starting to grow on me.
There”s a soft touch on my arm. I turn to see Aunt Delta. Her silvering hair is caught in a loose bun, wisps escaping to frame her face. It is etched with lines of a life well-lived. She”s always been like another grandmother to Pearl.
Now, by extension, she will be one to me. At least, I hope so.
”River,” she begins. She takes my hand between her trembling ones. Her eyes shimmer with unshed tears. ”Take care of my grandniece and that little one.” Her voice cracks, but it”s strong with conviction. ”You”ve proven yourself to be a good man.”
”Thank you, Aunt Delta.” I squeeze her hands gently. ”I promise, they”re my world. Nothing comes before them.”
”Good.” She nods, satisfied. She pulls me into a hug that smells faintly of lavender. ”Keep that promise and you”ll live a good life.”
”I plan to,” I assure her.
When she steps back, there”s a twinkle in her eye that tells me she believes me. ”Go on, then,” she says, releasing me. ”Your bride looks like she needs a dance.”
I chuckle. I catch Pearl’s eye, signaling with a tilt of my head toward the makeshift dance floor we’ve set up on the sand. Her grin is all the confirmation I need.
”Careful,” she teases. I draw her close, our bodies aligning with ease. ”Don”t drop me now, my bad boy billionaire.”
”Never,” I promise. I spin her out, then back into my arms.
”Ready to show everyone just what we’re made of?” I ask. “I mean, dancing-wise.”
”Always,” she replies.