by Tessa Walton
He pulled into the driveway, then ran up to the door, knocking hard, incessantly.
“Yes?” Dove asked without opening the door.
“It’s Nate. Nathaniel. O’Bannon.” She opened the door. He thought of how beautiful she was, golden hair in curls and pure blue eyes. “I wanted to ask you out for lunch.” He found his breath catching even though he knew exactly what would happen. She would say yes, and everything would be perfect, and they would live happily ever after. God had arranged for them to be together, and they would be.
“Oh. Is this about the conviction? I heard what happened.” As if this could be about this conviction. Their relationship had stopped being related to the conviction a long time ago.
“It’s not about the conviction. It’s about you and me. Will you go out for lunch with me tomorrow?”
“Let’s make it dinner,” she said. Dinner sounded even better. They could spend more time eating and talking and laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Maybe she’d wear another dazzling dress.
“Great! Dinner. 6. I want to take you somewhere out of the city, where people won’t be watching.” He wanted to take her to somewhere nice, maybe even a little posh, and impress her socks off. Hopefully, with the dress, she wouldn’t be wearing any socks to begin with.
“I think I’d appreciate that,” she said.
“Great,” he said, and he leaned down and in, and a moment later, their lips touched.
Epilogue
Dove had set everything up to be absolutely perfect, and Nate had let her. There was a string quartet playing “Jupiter” in the background. All the chairs were white and completely unstained from the rich green grass they sat on. Pastor Felix stood at the pulpit, yet all eyes were on her.
She wore a long, A-line, sleeveless dress, and her bobbed hair had turned to long curls once again. Most of them were piled high on her head, but one swung down around the right side of her face and graced the pale skin of her collarbone. It had taken hours to prepare, and every second was completely worth it.
She wore pearls around her neck, and pearl earrings, mostly to please her mother. Her mother sat in the front row next to Nate’s mother and constantly cried. Her shoes had high heels and bits of lace around the toes. She stepped gingerly, as her modest train splayed on the ground behind her. Lilies were thrown by the flower girl in front, Nate’s niece, and the smell of them filled the air almost like they might in a flower shop.
Dove had had no one to walk her down the aisle. It was something Nate bemoaned, but not something that bothered Dove quite so much. She was choosing to give herself to Nate, fully and completely, and she didn’t need permission from the man who called himself a father. This was her day, and she was happy to walk up alone.
Nate was up front in black and white, with a freshly pressed blue tie. She walked up to meet him, and when she had to take a small step onto the raised platform, he offered his hand. She took it and stepped gracefully up.
They had written their own wedding vows. So after the pastor introduced the ceremony, and the first part of 1 Corinthians 13 was read, they got to the part Dove had been waiting for.
Nate took her hands in his. “Dove Alexa Babcock, I must admit I didn’t love you from the very beginning. Sometimes it takes me a while to warm up to people. But when I fell in love, I fell hard and fast. I fell in love with your confidence. I fell in love with levelheadedness. I fell in love with your eyes and your smile. I promise to love you through whatever happens. I promise to never fall in love with another. I promise to always be your hero. I promise to grow closer to God, and through that grow closer to you. I promise to keep these promises to the end of time, and hopefully beyond.” He slipped the ring on her finger, then held her hand once more.
She took his ring and smiled, a tear dripping down her cheek. “Nathaniel Henry O’Bannon, I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I pray that this lasts forever. I pray that there is no end to our love. I pray that I learn each day to love you better. I pray I learn how to love the rottweiler you will eventually convince me to get. I pray we always have love, and we always have God, and we always have each other. I can’t wait to be your wife.” She slipped the ring on his finger.
“You may kiss the bride.” And he did.
About the Author
Tessa Walton enjoys sunsets, bird watching, and small cafes with outside tables. She gathers inspiration for her sweet romance books from all parts of the world.
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