How To Wed A Billionaire (How To... Book 3)
Page 20
Certainly, I don’t feel like I’m on the brink of failing anyone anymore. Especially not myself.
“Her makeup, however,” Molly says. “I’m doing.”
She pats the stool in front of the powder table, and I take a seat. Even if Mom doesn’t get why we’re having a down-to-earth wedding, since Aaron is totally loaded, it’s okay. I don’t need everyone’s acceptance and understanding all the time.
A few minutes later and Molly is done with my makeup. It’s light, dewy, and absolutely perfect.
“I love it.” Standing, I give her a big hug right as there’s a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I call.
“As long as you’re not the groom!” my mom adds.
The door opens, and my dad takes a tentative step into the room. At the sight of me his eyes light up.
“Aw, Rachel, look at you.” He waves his hand at me. “There couldn’t be a more beautiful bride.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“I’m just checking on the progress in here. We’re ready whenever you ladies are.”
My next breath feels strangled. Since I didn’t expect to feel nervous at all, the reaction takes me by surprise.
“It’s okay,” Molly whispers, resting her hand on my shoulder. “Just think about who’s waiting down there for you.”
Aaron, that’s who. The love of my life. The bright light that’s illuminated my way this past year. Every time I’ve been confused or doubted myself, he’s been there. With him around, I could never stay in a dark place for very long.
The activity in my stomach settles, and my breathing returns to normal.
“I’m good.” I smile at Molly. She squeezes my shoulder. “And, yeah, I’m ready to go.”
The whole walk downstairs, my mind is preoccupied with thoughts of Aaron. His taste. His touch. His smell. It’s only been since last night that I saw him, but it’s felt like much longer. I’m nearly shaking; the need to have his arms around me again is so bad.
After leaving the Santa Monica house we filmed in, I lived in my apartment with Molly for another four months. Aaron was often at work in Silicon Valley, but whenever he was in LA, we were usually at his downtown penthouse.
It was Molly who pushed me into moving in with him when I felt unsure about leaving her on her own. But I wouldn’t move to the Valley, and Aaron knew that. My career and best friend were in LA.
Which is what led to his buying a house for us in Beverly Hills. As far as the getting married again part, that always seemed like a given. Aaron proposed to me officially on our six-month anniversary, while we were visiting my sister and parents on the family ranch.
And now, today, we’re getting married. For real, this time.
Emerging from the house, I spot the wedding arch on the beach. My hands tighten on my bouquet. It’s the good kind of nerves filling me, nothing like the ones I had that day in Santa Monica when I walked down the aisle to a stranger.
We reach the peak of the hill, and the full setup is revealed. About twenty guests sit in white folding chairs facing the ocean. In front of them, a wedding arch woven with flowers marks my destination. And under it…
Aaron stands next to the wedding officiant, a clergyman we found through a recommendation. Unlike at our first wedding, his back isn’t turned to me. He’s facing straight ahead, an expectant look on his face. When he catches sight of me, he instantly grins.
Which makes me grin as well. I wouldn’t be able to stop it if I wanted to.
Annie and Molly go ahead in their robin’s egg blue dresses, the most beautiful bridesmaids who ever held the title. The guitarist seated near the wedding arch plays a joyful tune. The wind carries half of it away, but what I do hear lifts my heart.
Standing tall, I put my hand on my father’s arm. Go time.
The wedding guests, each one of them dear to either Aaron or me, stand and look my way. The music switches to a new song, and I make my way across the sand and to my groom.
He’s still grinning when I get to him. My joy escapes as a little laugh, and I hand my bouquet over to Molly.
Aaron’s gaze sweeps down my figure. I did a good job hiding the dress from him—even though he nearly found it once in my closet at home—and I can tell he likes it.
Then again, he has told me more than once that I could wear a burlap sack and still be sexy to him.
The ceremony begins, and it’s not the wind or the sound of the crashing waves that makes it hard to pay attention. I can’t hear half of what our officiant has to say because Aaron’s hogging all my mental energy. The softness in his eyes and the woodsy, smoky scent coming off of him have my body responding in ways that are completely inappropriate with all of these people around.
“…exchanging of vows,” I catch. “Rachel, will you go first?”
Right. The vows!
I might have forgotten about them, but Molly’s on it. She hands me the folded piece of paper I composed mine on a few weeks ago.
“Aaron,” I read, “I always wanted to get married on a beach. Lucky me, I get to live that fantasy out not once, but twice.”
Aaron chuckles, our friends and family joining in with their own rounds of laughter. It’s the reaction I hoped for.
“What’s best about it,” I continue, “is that I get to marry the love of my life.” I pause at the catch in my throat. “Thank you for being my support, my rock. For being the friend I’ve needed so many times and the lover who has made me feel cherished beyond words. I’m excited to take this next step in life with you. There’s nothing I feel we can’t do together. I’m there by your side through everything…unless you ever steal my parking spot again. If that happens, there’ll be hell to pay.”
There’s more laughter.
It’s Aaron’s reaction I care about the most, so it’s good to see he has a smirk on. Drawing a piece of paper out from his suit’s breast pocket, he clears his throat.
“Rachel,” he reads. “It’s good to see you made it here on time, since the first time we met, you were running late.”
I gasp and cover my smile with my hands. There are hoots and laughter because everyone there knows our story. The audience is getting quite worked up.
Going funny with my vows meant taking a gamble. Aaron and I didn’t discuss being humorous with them ahead of time. Thank goodness it worked out.
Aaron’s smile softens. He becomes serious. “But I’m glad to see you here. In fact, I’m glad to see you every day. Every hour. Whenever there’s so much as a minute where I don’t get to set eyes on you, I feel something isn’t right with the world.”
Tears come to my eyes, which I desperately blink back. I don’t want to ruin Molly’s good makeup job, although I have a feeling that might be inevitable.
Aaron puts his written vows away. Whether he’s reciting them from memory or improvising, it’s hard to say. What is clear is that he’s speaking from the heart.
“You’re the brightest light in my life,” he says, his hazel eyes gazing down at me. He takes my hand and squeezes. “Even when we first met, I knew you’d have a big impact on me. Granted, I didn’t know exactly what kind of impact that would be…but now, I’m glad to say it’s the biggest kind possible. You’ve shown me what true love is, and for that, I’m eternally grateful.”
Yep. Sorry about the perfect mascara application, Molly. Tears slide down my cheeks, and I swipe at them with the back of my hand.
“I love you,” I whisper.
“I love you back,” Aaron says.
I’m sure the officiant says something next. I’m sure he pronounces us man and wife. I’m sure that someone hands Aaron a ring to slip on my finger. And likely, a big cheer goes up when we kiss.
But if any of that happens, I miss it. All I see is the man in front of me, and all I’m thinking about is the future we have together, and how it goes on and on, a road paved with possibilities. And many parking spots to share along the way.
The End
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