My father makes his way down the aisle alone, gaining muffled reactions from the guests. No one knows why I’m standing back here by myself. No one but Reese. And as my father takes his seat next to my mom, Reese begins his walk toward me.
Actually, it’s more like a sprint.
I hear the familiar laughs of our friends from the front of the room as Reese gets to me in record timing. He cradles my face in his hands and drops his forehead to touch mine.
“Thanks for coming to get me,” I whisper for his ears only.
“I’ll always come to get you, you know that.” He leans back and looks down my body. “You have never looked this beautiful, and you always stun me, Dylan. This dress…”
“Wait ‘til you see what’s under it.” My tease gets the reaction I was hoping for out of him. I’m quickly being escorted down the aisle, almost at the same pace with which he reached me moments ago with. The hall becomes filled with everyone’s laughter as they take in my flustered fiancé. Once we reach the front of the room, I hand my bouquet to Juls who can’t seem to stop giggling. Reese positions me across from him, steadying me with his hands on my upper arms before releasing me.
He looks up at the preacher. “Hurry up.”
We run through the majority of the ceremony without any glitches. When it comes to our vow exchange, I turn around and grab a few tissues from Juls. If last night was any indication to how I’m going to react to this, and given the fact Reese has never looked sexier than he does right this moment, I’m going to need these.
I go first, with the steadiest voice I can muster, repeating after the preacher. I only shed a few tears but quickly wipe them away before my makeup is affected. Reese keeps his eyes on me the entire time, giving me the sweetest smile I’ve ever seen as I promise to love him forever.
And then I prepare myself for his turn.
The preacher doesn’t ask him to repeat anything. In fact, he doesn’t say anything after I finish reciting mine. I look up at him and then to Reese with what I can only assume to be my most perplexed expression. Reese reaches into his inner jacket pocket and pulls out the familiar brown card he’s always sending me notes on.
I crush the tissues in my hand as my breath lodges in my throat.
He steps closer to me, holding it out for me to take. “Did you really think I’d ever use someone else’s words on you?”
“Oh, my God,” Juls chokes out behind me.
I hear Joey’s annoyed reaction, too, but can’t respond to it. I have to put all my focus into taking the card from him. It’s a difficult task. My hands are shaking so bad I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop them enough to read the card. I go to unfold it when his hands cover mine.
“No, love. That’s for you to never forget the words I’m about to say. Right now, just listen.”
I bring the card against my chest, holding it there while he barely leaves an inch of space between us.
“Dylan, until today, the day you fell into my lap, the day you came back to me, the day I knew I was going to marry you, those were the best days of my life. I promise to always look at you this way. To give you every part of me, and to cherish every second I share with you. Because you have always been mine, ever since I first saw you in this room. And I will spend the rest of my life being yours.” He looks down, breaking our contact briefly as I wipe underneath my eyes. “I feel like I’ve been waiting for this day forever. I still can’t believe I’m the one who gets to marry you.” He finally lifts his eyes and I see the tears in them. “I want you in every way, Dylan. I want the woman who fell into my lap, and the one who’s slapped me across the face more times than I care to remember.”
I laugh through a cry, hearing everyone’s chuckles around me.
Reese’s lips curls into a smile. “I want the woman who dances around her bakery every Friday, and the one who lets me watch her from across the room and acts like she doesn’t know I’m doing it.” His hand tucks my hair behind my ear, and my throat suddenly feels too dry to swallow as he holds my face. “I want the woman who protected her heart when she had to. The one who gave it to me when she was ready. And the one who is now giving me the best day of my life.”
I can’t control myself now, nor can any other woman in the room, I’m sure. Even Joey is blubbering behind me as I reach up and wipe the tear that’s trickled down Reese’s cheek.
“I promise to always love you. To send you deliveries when I want or when I think you need them. Even if it’s every day. To hold your hand and your hair when you’re hung-over. And to let you take care of me when I’m at my worst. I promise to give you every day of my life. To always protect you, even if it means breaking my hand in the process.”
My eyes widen. “What?”
He gives me a half smile. “Yeah, I… it might be broken.”
“Oh, my God,” I grab his hand and hold it out in front of me. I barely glance at it before he puts it back on my hip. “I wasn’t finished.”
“Neither am I.” He pulls my body against his, wrapping his arms completely around me. “I promise to laugh with you and comfort you. To love you when life is easy and when it’s hard. And to be the man you deserve.” He sighs, his face breaking into a smile. “Okay. I’m finished.”
“That was the best note you’ve ever given me.” Instinctively, I tilt my head up to kiss him but am stopped when the preacher clears his throat. Reese and I both turn our heads.