“Welcome, we are here today to witness and celebrate the joining in matrimony of Sebastian and Lucia on this beautiful winter day, with Christmas on its way and a setting which I have to say is outstanding. Many of you have come from far and wide to support these two people and this is a testament of the love and support that this couple have around them. Seb and Lu want to personally thank you all for being here.
Their love is a love which has been building for many years, first as friends and later as partners in life. Now they wish to demonstrate their commitment to one another in front of you all. If anyone here knows of any lawful impediment to this marriage, they should declare it now.
I glance around the room, my fears of Leo Peterson, still cloying at my coat tails. I sigh as no one comes forward. Lucia remains transfixed on the registrar.
“Good. Sebastian and Lucia, I have to remind you of the bond of the solemn and binding character of the vows you are about to make. Marriage, in this country means a union of two people, voluntarily entered into for life, to the exclusion of all others. I shall now ask both of you, in turn, to declare that you do not know of any lawful reason as to why you should not be married to each other.” His eyes assess us both individually.
“No.” Lu answers clearly
“Not a chance.” I answer and a ricochet of male laughs boom from the guests. Lu was the only one for me. Finally, we can turn to face one another, taking our hands in each other’s, our eyes searching as we answer the Registrar and then repeat him in succession.
“Ok. Lucia, If you could repeat after me…
We go through solemnly declaring that we’re not already married and then the guests are asked to stand.
“Do we have the rings?”
Nathan steps forward, as does Gino, to collect them from Finn who is standing in the aisle, holding the silk ring cushion up above his head. They both untie them and hurriedly hand them to us respectively. Lu mouthing ‘thank you’ to Finn. He’d done his duty and his little pigeon chest was out and proud.
I take Lu’s hand and slip the diamond pave wedding band onto her third finger. It fits perfectly. “I give you this ring, as a token of my love and affection. I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, Sebastian Gabriel Silver, do take thee, Lucia Amelia Myers to be my lawful wedded wife.”
Her eyes fill, and I take a breath as she repeats the process, sliding my own thick platinum band with its single diamond across my knuckle and comfortably onto my finger, before speaking her own vows. I smile as she says the words ‘to be my lawful wedded husband.’
“I understand you both have your own vows?”
I nod and Nathan passes me mine and I inhale. I’d never struggled with public speaking but this was different - this was wearing my heart on my sleeve.
“Lu, you and I met a decade ago, crossing paths as fate intended in a bar that would lead you to later have Finn.” I look up at her and see her tears, knowing she gets me. “The years went by and I struggled to see what was staring me in the face. A beautiful woman, full of love and passion and more guts than anyone I’ve ever known. We’ve had a tough year, but it’s brought us closer, made us stronger and has given us the foundations to begin our marriage. You are quite simply the love of my life. I promise to spend my life supporting you in your dreams and allowing you to have your voice, and speak your mind.” I laugh nervously at this part, as do other guests who know my controlling alpha ways best. “I know! It’ll be hard” I direct to them, before returning to my bride. “I will spend the rest of our lives making sure that you know how loved you are, how loved Finn is - how much of a son he is to me and I can’t wait to raise him with you, as our own.” I squeeze her hand at this, watching as she mops at her eye-makeup with a tissue.
“Quite simply, I love you, always and forever. You’ve tamed me, are the only one for me and will always be my one. Today I vow to cherish you for all eternity.”
I can’t wait a second longer, as I lean in and grab her. Her body moving to me like a magnet as we kiss, a soul-wrenching kiss that makes me love her more with each second. Slowly, we pull apart, both so full of emotion and she readies herself. I watch her beautiful green eyes flicker back and forth between me and the paper she is holding as she speaks.
“Seb, today I marry my best friend, my lover, my life. Today I’m truly whole. We’ve spent a decade of dancing around the inevitable and today it ceases - instead, we’ve walked purposely towards our fate. These few spoken words will seal us together legally as ‘one’. Taking that last leap of faith, has shown me that you truly love me. You’re my soulmate, Sebastian. I don’t know why we’ve waited but we’ve finally found one another. Like the engravings on our rings say, ‘You and me, always and forever. I love you’.”
The tears well once again, as I squeeze her hand in recognition of her words. The Registrar begins to speak and I’m rushing him along in my head. Hurry up mate, pronounce us, come on!
“Now you have both made the declarations……”
Jeez mate come on!
“…from this moment on, I am delighted to pronounce that you are husband and wife! You may kiss your bride.”
At last! The guests erupt in cheers and applause but I cannot hear a thing as I take Lu in my arms and bend her backwards to the crowd’s delight to kiss her thoroughly. The cameras click and we are oblivious to everyone in that one special moment.
“Hi, Mrs. Silver.”
“Hello husband.”
“Ooh, I like the sound of that.”
*******
We move up the aisle to the sounds of Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of ‘Somewhere over the rainbow’, my face beams, my hand in my new husband’s and the wedding party trailing behind. I’m reminded of Suzie and Gino’s wedding five years earlier - so much has happened since then. Seb and I are about to walk up the aisle together once again, this time as man and wife.
The Narnia style wedding aisle is picturesque and we pose for an age for the photographer before being given a glass of champagne which I ditch the second I can and hope that Seb doesn’t notice. I’d decided to wrap the pregnancy test and give it to him for Christmas so I just needed to fool him for another two weeks and meanwhile book in with my gynaecologist, and get this coil removed.
I glance across at my handsome husband, a smile on his face, so that his dimple is on show, his free hand punching the air. This moment would stay etched on my memory forever - the day I took a leap of faith and jumped into his awaiting arms. I look down at my stomach and can’t believe how fortunate we’ve been - the feeling of knowing his child was inside me filled me with such a feeling of overwhelming emotion I have to swallow to coat my thickening throat.
We reach the bar area, to cheers and ovations and we kiss to raucous applause.
“You wait, Mrs. Silver. Give me 30 minutes of mingling and we’ll get you out of that dress and slip you onto something more comfortable.” His eyes are full of passion and I believe him. He had no intention of pacifying his guests if it meant missing out on time with me. We always came first.
“Ok.”
“No arguments.”
“None.”
His liquorice blacks assess me. “Good.”
“I want you too.” I lean up on tiptoes and kiss his full mouth.
“Oh fuck, Lu - I’m hard again.”
I giggle. “Sorry.”
He leaves to get us a drink, moaning about my ‘blasted dress’ and I grin - it had done the trick, I must remember to thank Camilla at Unveiled.
For the next few hours we’d be milling around in the receptions areas about the hotel, enjoying drinks and canapes and having our wedding photographs done, both externally and internally before sitting down for the meal. Finn thought it was great fun, running around like a wild cat, I had visions of him looking like a ragamuffin by the time we required him for pictures.
I wander through the crowds of smiling people, some familiar, others from Seb’s side of the family,
not so much and politely show them my rings, accept their gracious compliments of my dress and how wonderful the place was decked out. I notice a few of the wifes eyeing up my sexy husband in his silver grey morning jacket and silk fitted waistcoat, his sharp, duchess satin white cravat with pearl and diamante pin, a stark contrast against his tanned skin and black eyes. He is utterly delicious - I couldn’t blame them as I watched his long, lean legs in the pinstriped charcoal dress pants, muscular thighs, broad shoulders, and those sexy hands, one of which now wore a wedding ring.
My ring. My heart.
He catches my eye across the hallway, the guests chattering around us and my breath hitches. The way he looked at me was obscene, like he was undressing me with his eyes and mentally contemplating his next move. My core clenches in reaction to him, heart beating faster.
When can we disappear upstairs without being missed? When was it deemed acceptable?
I smile knowingly at him and he nods his sexual frustration, interrupted by my Grannie Annie, and finding it hard to tear his eyes from me. I smother a giggle. He had no chance of escape now. She’d cling to him for the next ten minutes.
I mouth ‘I love you’ before giving him my back and moving deeper into the mix of guests.
I grin as I watch men catching females unawares in the ‘Mistletoe kisses’ photo booth corner and remind myself to congratulate Gigi for that idea - it would run, all day and into the night. We’d thrown in plenty of festive props, but the large rectangular white box, with realistic snow scene inside was pure genius, and so Christmassy.
I move on and see James Marcell is chatting with my parents, happily regaling stories of Seb’s Stag- Do and I kiss him on his ruddy cheek, before locating Nathan and Gino at the bar. He was master of ceremonies later and was doing us a huge favour working whilst enjoying the party.
“Now then, Mrs. Silver” Na booms. “That sounds a little odd - like my mother!”
I laugh with him. “Tell me about it!”
“Where’s Seb? Can I get you a drink, Sis.”
“He’s been cornered by Grannie Annie. And yes please, a lime cordial.”
“Seriously? Come on, it’s your wedding day - let me buy you something special, Malibu and pineapple, you always love that.”
“Nope, I’m good - I want a clear head today, but thanks.”
“Poor, Seb - he copped for GA? I managed to duck into the Gents before she grabbed me to talk about my responsibilities to the baby. That woman is batty!” Gino, downs his scotch in despair.
“She’s gorgeous and means well.” I admonish him. “Just a little bombastic at times.”
“Just a little.”
Na passes me my drink, “Speaking of gorgeous, you look stunning, Lu - honestly banging dress!” Gino concurs.
I do a quick twirl for them and lift my shoulder shyly. “Why thank you kind sirs. I feel like the most lucky bride in the world.”
“The groom feels the same. God, he was nervous this morning. I’ve never seen him like that.” Na shakes his head grinning.
“Really? Why?”
“You know Sebastian - he likes to be in control of EVERYTHING!”
I nod with a smirk. “Sounds a bit like you.” I sip my drink through the straw and assess his body language. It was time to have the conversation I’d been trying to have for weeks in relation to Abby. Her move to New York had been in the forefront of my mind since last night and he needed to step up, or he was going to lose her. “So, Na, you and Abs?” I had hoped to go in a little subtler than that but never mind.
His face drops a little and his eyes watch the ice swimming in his glass. “Don’t hold back will you Lulu! Not really sure what’s going on, Lu - she’s changed.”
Oh for fucks sake of course she has you clod, she told you she loved you and you didn’t respond. Sighing I touch his forearm gently. “How do you feel about her, Nathan - I mean really? Was she just a bit of summer fun or do you see her as more than that?” My eyes meet his, trying to read him, so I could give my best friend something, anything.
“She was more. So much more.”
“Then why push her away, when she told you she loved you?”
“It was moving too fast - we don’t have what you and Seb have - the years to support us.”
“You sound scared?” I interrupt.
“I am bloody scared.”
“Well, all I’ll say, it’s none of my business but I love you both, she’s my best friend and you’re my brother now - a word of warning to you - don’t leave it too long to fight for her.”
He looks up at this, chewing his lip in thought but is reluctant to let me in any further so I drop a little further bit of a hint.
“Or, you may just find she’s no longer available.” I watch his face for some flash of fear but see none - perhaps Abby was correct and they just weren’t meant to be together. That thought made me sad. I lean in and kiss my new brother and then peck my brother-in-law
“Right, you handsome men, I’m going to go find my husband and try sneak away for a moment of ‘us’ time.”
“Good luck with that!” Gino laughs. “At our wedding, Suze and I got caught making out in the toilets - I ‘ave been there, my sweet Lucia - all you want to do is go bed each other but the wait is worth while - well it wasn’t for us - I fell asleep, but I’m sure Seb has more stamina than me.” He winks. “You’ve got your incredible honeymoon to look forward to after in the New Year - God I envy that.”
I grin, thinking about 10 day on a beach with my new husband - it sounded like bliss. “Yes, we’re going back to The Maldives.” Back to where it all began - where we fell madly in love.
“It’ll do you the world of good, after what you’ve been through.” Na agrees.
At the moment I’d be happy with an hour with the groom - our night would be amazing at this rate, if my controlling alpha was correct - we’d waited far too long. Sebastian was always going on about ‘the build’, the thought of the inevitable, the wait, but right now I’m as horny as hell and need some alone time before the meal - if we didn’t get an opportunity then he would have to wait until we retired for the night.
I’m about to head out to rescue him from Grannie Annie when I see Meg. She is sipping Prosecco with her daughters and ‘a friend’, who upon closer inspection I recognise. I’d not seen her since the Hen-Do and the whole nightmare with Leo. We’d been in contact regularly, had had to for the purposes of the Police but I had been worried she would’t come today and seeing her now makes me so happy.
“Meg - so lovely to see you.” I embrace her immediately, smiling at Lexie and Phoebe.
“Lu, you look stunning.”
“Thank you.”
“You remember your new tenant don’t you?”
I smile genuinely. “ Of course I do. I invited him. Hi, Andre. Thanks for coming.”
“Not at all - thanks for having me. This place is amazing - one of your jobs I hear.”
I nod. “Not everything but some, yes.”
“Lovely wedding, Lu.” Meg affirms. “Honestly, it was beautiful. I’m so happy for you and Sebastian.”
I reach out and rub her arm. “I know you are, hun. We are so pleased that you are Ok, and getting through this and we’re here for you if you need anything - anything at all.”
She bites her lip. “Andre would you mind taking the girls to get a refill, so I can just have a little chat with Lucia.”
If he is shocked he doesn’t show it and does exactly that, leaving us alone. We move to the nearby leather Louis chairs and settle. “I’m so sorry again, Lu.” Meg’s eyes flitter nervously over me.
“Meg, you didn’t know. You have nothing to be sorry for. Leo is gone - it’s sad to think that someone dying is better for everyone, but in this case it is. He was pure evil and would never have left us alone if he’d served time.”
“I know.” She plays with the stem of her glass. “I wasn’t in love with him you know.”
I encourage her to continue.
“I just liked the attention he gave me. He was horrid to the girls if I’m honest and now that I can see the difference…”
“With Andre?” I ask gently
“Uh huh. He moved into your old place and we hit it off immediately - I mean we’re only early days - it’s only been a month but I like him, Lu - really like him.”
“He’s one of the good guys, Meg.” I agree. They would be a good match. “I’m happy for you, hun.” I hug her to me.
“I don’t know, who’d have thought all those weeks ago, that he was a psycho? I still can’t get my head around it.” She shakes her head, blonde GHD waves tumbling.
“I know what you mean, I feel the same but he didn’t deserve our time or energy in life, don’t give him it to him death.”
“Bloody hell, girl that’s pretty insightful. I like that.” She juts out her chin and takes a swig of her drink. “Your wedding is the start of good things to come.” She winks.
“It is, definitely, for all of us. However, if I don’t go and find Seb, he’ll throw me over his shoulder in front everyone and carry me out of here.”
“Ooh how divine.”
“Not in this dress. I’ll love you and leave you. See you in a bit.”
“We’ll catch up on the dance floor, babe.”
“You’re on.”
*******
An hour later and we seated for the meal, which is out of this world, with spicy parsnip soup, and warm crusty brown rolls, followed by a choice of beef, salmon or lamb with winter vegetables and potatoes dauphinoise, served on silver platter with glass plates layered on top and silver cutlery shining in the candlelight. The table settings were exquisite - as though they had been dusted with a sprinkling of winter, with the tall elegance of the centrepieces holding the sparkle dusted callas and peonies, with chrysanthemums all reflecting again in the mirrors; the candles flickered continually, created a warmth to the cool frosted colour scheme.
The One Adored (The One Trilogy Book 3) Page 34
