by E. L. Todd
My heart didn’t race like it did before. My hands didn’t shake. The uncertainty I felt earlier didn’t exist. Slade’s words gave me reassurance. Something about the way he spoke told me everything would be okay. I loved him and had given him my heart long ago, and I knew he gave me his in return. Even though we were mismatched, we made perfect sense.
I sat at the vanity and listened to the voices trail through the open window. The guests talked and laughed while they waited for the wedding to begin. I recognized a few voices, and that made me smile.
“Can I come in?” Dad knocked.
“Sure.” I turned to him, seeing him in his black suit. He looked the way he usually did when he was at work. But today, there was a light in his eyes I hadn’t seen before.
He sat beside me. “The show is about to start.”
“I know.”
“Are you ready?”
“I am.” Confidence was in my voice.
He stared at me then felt a strand of my soft hair. “You look beautiful, sweetheart.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
He continued to look at me, and I knew he was imagining me as a little girl playing with my toy ponies.
“I’ll always be your little girl.” I knew this was hard for him even if he wouldn’t admit it. Giving me away was difficult. I could see it in his eyes.
“I know.” He rested his hand on mine. “And I’m very happy for you. Slade is a great guy. I’m grateful to have him as a son.”
“Yeah, he is pretty great.” I smiled and couldn’t stop.
Dad watched me, noting the happiness in my face.
Skye came into the room. “Everything is ready. The ceremony is about to start.”
“Okay.” Again, there was no anxiety. I didn’t feel nervous at all.
Dad stood up then extended his arm to me. “Come on, sweetheart.”
“My dress is long so don’t let me trip.” My arm glided through his.
“I’ll never let you fall.” He led me out the door.
We moved to an area behind the ivy-covered wall. There were a few small cracks in it, and I managed to look through and see the rows of white chairs with pink, white, and yellow flowers hanging from the lace. Then my eyes moved to the front, where I saw Slade standing in his collared shirt and slacks. He looked handsome like usual, and I couldn’t wait to get down the aisle and make him mine forever.
The music played and the ceremony began. Paired together, my bridesmaids and his groomsmen walked together. Silke went with Arsen, and Cayson and Skye walked together. Abby was the flower girl, and she moved down the aisle with a basket of roses. She sprinkled the pedals on the ground, and everyone smiled as she passed. Arsen stared at her fondly, a smile on his lips.
Everyone was lined at the end and now it was time to make my entrance. I suddenly felt nervous, but it was a good kind of nervous. The orchestra played their song, and I gripped my dad tightly for support.
“It’ll be okay, Trinity,” Dad said. “I got you.”
“Okay.” I took a deep breath and felt the adrenaline kick in.
“Ready?” he asked patiently.
“Does my hair look okay?”
He smiled. “You’ve never looked more beautiful.”
I nodded. “I think I’m ready.”
Dad guided me forward and around the wall. The cement walkway was lined with rose pedals, and the aisles of white chairs were hard to see since everyone was standing, watching me. The vineyard had a distinct smell of sweetness, and I could feel the slightly cool air on my skin. It was exactly how I wanted my wedding to look.
I looked up as we moved and my eyes met Slade’s. He stared at me, not smiling or appearing emotional. His eyes honed in on me, taking me all in. His hands rested together in front of him, and the sleeves of his tattoos were exposed. He stood out from all his groomsmen, and he didn’t look stiff like the rest of them. He had his own look.
His eyes were a lighter shade of blue, and they looked at me intently, like I was a prize he already claimed. He watched me closely, looking at me like there was nothing else in the world that mattered. I’d seen that look countless times, so I knew what he was thinking.
I stared back at him, feeling my heart slow. I was no longer scared I would trip and fall, and everyone else faded to the background. All I saw was him, the man I was spending the rest of my life with.
When we reached the halfway point, Slade’s eyes started to glisten and become wet. Tears didn’t fall but the emotion was in his eyes. I always hoped my husband would cry when I walked down the aisle, but I never expected Slade to. He was passionate and emotional, but only at certain times. I didn’t anticipate a moment like this to move him. He took a deep breath and tried to blink the moisture away but it didn’t work. They remained wet, reflecting the light from the sun.
My eyes watered too, and nothing I did could stop it. This ceremony was unnecessary because Slade and I committed to each other long ago. Our souls had joined together in an unbreakable way. I wasn’t sure when it happened exactly, but it did. No one at that ceremony would understand what we had. It was something beyond the description of words. But the only thing that mattered was the fact we understood it.
My father and I reached the end of the way, and Slade stepped forward to take me.
Dad flinched slightly before he handed me over. “I know you’ll take care of my little girl.” Then he placed my hand in his.
“I will, sir.” Slade spoke to my father but he only had eyes for me. His prominent cheekbones and classical handsome features made me melt. His hair was slightly messy like it always was but he pulled it off. The muscles of his body were outlined in his shirt, and I kept thinking about the tattoo on his torso, the one of me. His hand grabbed mine with strength, like he wasn’t nervous either. Then he interlocked our fingers as we turned to the pastor.
Slade’s eyes were locked on mine, still wet. He held both of my hands in his. “You look so beautiful.”
The crowd released a collective awe.
I smiled and blinked quickly, trying to dissolve my tears.
He chuckled slightly and wiped his eyes. “I can’t stop either. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
Slade held me close and looked into my face, watching my eyes intently.
The pastor began the ceremony. I wasn’t really listening because all I did was stare at him. I noted the bright color of his eyes, and the look of his thin lips. I thought about our life together as the years passed. He would be a man I would never grow tired of. Our love would only grow in the passing years.
Slade mouthed to me while the pastor spoke. “I love you.”
My eyes watered again. “I love you too,” I mouthed back.
The pastor finished then cleared his throat. “The bride and groom have chosen to provide their own vows. Ladies first.”
Skye handed me my notes and I took it with a shaky hand. I opened the paper then began to read. “When I pictured my future husband he had a distinct look to him. And you look nothing like him. Instead of being the strong and silent type you don’t know when to shut up. Instead of doing whatever I say and agreeing with me, you challenge me. It’s been really annoying at times.”
The crowd laughed at my words.
Slade smiled slightly, his eyes on me.
“While you aren’t what I imagined, you’re so much more than what I hoped for. With you, I have a best friend. When I come home I can tell you anything and everything. You know every secret I possess and you accept me exactly as I am. You tell me I’m beautiful when I think I’m hideous. And you love me for who I am, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
“I’d given up on love before you came into my life. Every guy I dated was a jerk or a liar. It didn’t seem like I’d ever have a story of true love like my cousin Skye. It didn’t seem like I would have the perfect love story like they did in the movies. But here I am, talking about the greatest love story of all time.
“We were friends before we were
lovers, and that only makes us stronger. We understand one another in a way no one else could ever compete with. And I’ve seen a side to you that most people will never witness. You’re sensitive, compassionate, beautiful, and so much more underneath all that ink. You’re a man I admire for his generosity of spirit. I take things too seriously and behave like an old woman rather than a young adult. But you keep that young part of me alive. You balance out all my negativity. And you love me with everything that you have.”
Slade took a deep breath, and his eyes watered.
“I know we’ve had our difficulties and our bumps in the road. I know things haven’t been easy. But you and I always fight to keep this relationship alive, and that’s all that matters. We will continue to fight until our final breaths escape our body. It’s you and me against the world—forever.” I folded the paper and handed it back to Skye.
“Now Slade,” the pastor said.
Slade didn’t turn to take a note from Cayson. He continued to stare at me. “I didn’t prepare a speech. I knew this moment would make me feel things I never thought possible. And instead of reading something I already wrote, I decided to let my heart do the talking.”
That didn’t bother me. The sweetest things Slade said came from spontaneous moments. His brain was wired different than everyone else’s. But that’s what made him beautiful.
“When you and I first got together you told me you were looking for Prince Charming. But after searching endlessly you came to realize there were no gentlemen left on the planet. You said chivalry was dead, and there was no hope for you to find the perfect man. When you looked at me, you just saw an average man.
“I knew I felt something for you when I realized I wanted to be that man. I started doing things I never did before. I asked my best friend for advice on how to treat you. I started buying you flowers, taking you to dinner, and holding your hand when we took a walk around campus. But I quickly realized you needed a lot more than that.
“When I fell madly in love with you, I realized you were the only thing that mattered. My whole life was dedicated to you. When I wasn’t with you, I always thought about you. When we were together, I still missed you. And when we made love, it was always beautiful—every time. I started to realize that my world had been flipped upside down. Instead of living my life for myself, I started to live it for you. And that became the only thing I understood.
“I know I’m not perfect. I ink for a living and I like to play around on my guitar. I’ll never be worthy of Trinity Preston, the most beautiful, intelligent, and graceful woman on the planet. But this is my pledge to you. I will spend the rest of my life trying to be worthy of you.”
Slade ran his thumbs over my knuckles while he held me. “I will worship you every day, and if you ever forget that I love you with everything I have I will remind you. If I’m not doing a good enough job, I will make sure I change the pace. Because you are the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me and I couldn’t go on if I lost you. I want you by my side every day and I’ll do anything to make that happen.
“You’re my Penelope, my lifelong lover. You’re the one woman I will ever have. If we ever drift apart, I will break my back trying to get back to you. My heart will always sing your name, and yours alone. You’re carved into my skin and you’ve claimed my heart. Not only is my body, my heart, and my mind yours—but so is my soul.
“I know most people don’t believe in soul mates, and I didn’t believe in it before you were mine. But there isn’t a doubt in my mind that we were made for each other. It just took us a long time to figure it out.
“Whenever I’m alone I can feel you sitting in my chest. It’s an extra weight I carry with me, but a good kind of weight. When I’m dreaming and we are apart, you are still there, just sitting in my subconscious. And when we are together, our souls our intertwined like two vines on a tree. Nothing can keep us apart. Mortality, time, and space have no bearing on us. Because when our bodies decay and we are just dust on the wind, our souls will dance together, enjoying the rest of eternity as a single entity.”
I hadn’t realized tears were falling down my cheeks until he finished speaking. They were warm on my skin, and they dripped to my chin. My vision was slightly blurry so I blinked the moisture away.
Slade wiped them away with the pads of his thumb, looking into my eyes as he did it. “And I love you.”
“I love you too,” I said with a voice full of emotion.
Conrad sniffed loudly and blinked his eyes quickly.
Cayson was choked up too, and he discreetly wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his suit.
“Slade…” Silke’s voice came from behind me.
“Dammit, my make up,” Skye said.
The pastor cleared his throat. “And now the rings.”
Slade grabbed the single band from Cayson then held it out to me.
I extended my left hand and allowed him to slip the ring on my left finger. It sat next to my engagement ring, complimenting it perfectly.
Then he looked up at me, longing on his face. “Can I kiss the bride already?”
The crowd chuckled at his words, but they didn’t realize that Slade was being completely serious.
The pastor laughed. “By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
“About damn time.” Slade grabbed me then dipped me quickly. His strong arms held me in place as he leaned down and kissed me hard on the lips.
My hands wove around his neck and I massaged his lips with mine. I knew this kiss wouldn’t be PG because that’s just how Slade was. He slipped his tongue into my mouth as he kissed me passionately, like there was no one watching us.
“Okay…there are kids here,” Skye said.
“Leave him alone,” Cayson said. “It’s his wedding day.”
Slade continued to kiss me as he pulled me back to my feet. “My wife.” He looked into my eyes as he said it. “I have a wife. So cool.”
“And I have a husband.”
“Ooh…I like that. It’s hot. Say that more often.”
“Okay, I will,” I said with a chuckle.
“So, can we go somewhere private so we can…consummate this marriage?” He kept his voice low so only I could hear him.
“There’s the rest of the wedding first.”
“Oh.” Disappointment came into his face. “I guess I can wait.”
“You’ll have to.”
Everyone in the seat cheered and threw rose pedals into the air. They sprinkled down and landed on our clothes and in our hair. The bridal party cheered the loudest, clapping and whistling.
“Slade is finally a man,” Roland said.
“They are so cute together,” Skye said.
Slade grabbed my hand and pulled me down the aisle. “Now let’s start the rest of our lives together—and be madly in love.”
Chapter Twenty
Cayson
I kept making eyes at Skye because she looked so fine in her dress. It clung to her curves in just the right way, and her breasts looked delicious. I wanted to suck her nipples until they were raw.
But I couldn’t do anything because I was stuck at my table next to Slade.
Slade only had eyes for Trinity as they ate dinner. His arm was around her chair, and more times than not they were kissing instead of eating. When people clanked their utensils against their glasses to get them to kiss, it was pointless because they were already kissing.
“I can’t wait to take that dress off,” he said to her. “I’ve wanted you for weeks now.”
“You can have me as many times as you want, husband.”
I tried to pretend I couldn’t hear them. I was happy for them so I didn’t tease them. But it was incredibly disgusting.
“Ooh…I like it when you call me that,” Slade said.
“I like it when you call me wife.”
“Then I’ll call you that from now on.”
I turned to Conrad, hoping for a better conver
sation. But he was making eyes at someone at a table. He winked then wiggled his eyebrows. When I followed his gaze, I saw Lexie staring back at him, giving him a flirtatious look. She was sitting with Mike and Cassandra, looking like she fit right in. if I didn’t know Conrad better, I would say he was in love.
Janice sat next to Cassandra, and she had Abby in her lap. Abby was dressed in a pink dress with a matching bow in her hair. She was cute, even to me. Sean and Scarlet sat on the other side of Janice, touching each other like usual.
I was honored to sit by Slade’s side but I wish Skye were there too. She couldn’t dress up like that and look hot as hell without me touching her. It wasn’t possible.
Ryan clanked his fork against his glass as he stood up. “I think it’s time for the speeches.”
“No embarrassing stories, alright?” Slade said.
“We’ll see.” Ryan adjusted his tie. “I’m Ryan, and those of you who don’t know, I’m Slade’s father. It’s unusual to have a parent be a groomsman, and even though I told Slade this he still wanted me to be in the party.” Then he turned serious and averted his gaze. “I was very moved by the request.
“I’ve been a parent to Slade all of his life, but we’ve had a relationship as friends too. But after Slade became an adult and he was no longer under my roof that relationship changed. We’ve become great friends that trust each other and rely on each other. And now he’s one of my best friends.”
The crowd awed at his words.
“I’m immensely proud of the man my son has become. He had his days of being feisty and ornery but he quickly grew out of it—when he met Trinity. I was the first one to know about their relationship. In the beginning I feared it was purely physical and meaningless. But every time Slade spoke of Trinity it was clear he was wrapped around her finger. I knew my son was in love before he even realized it.
“Trinity is a blessing to this family. I always feared my son would end up with a trashy woman, and when it became clear he was serious about Trinity, Janice and I were relieved. She’s already a daughter to us so it was a match made in heaven. This wedding is even more special because Trinity’s father is my best friend. We never expected ours kids to get married but we’re thrilled about it.” He turned to Slade as he raised his glass. “I wish you a lifetime of happiness, son. I love you.”
