She took my hand, studying the ring on my finger. The large round-cut diamond in the center was being held in place by smooth, reaching platinum on either side, curling around the stone. Many smaller diamonds, there had to be almost fifty, cascaded down the sides of the ring in both directions.
“This is the most amazing ring I’ve ever seen,” Kate whispered, turning my hand to see it from every angle.
“I’ve been thinking the same thing,” I said, smiling at her. “So, you’re okay with this whole ... impromptu wedding?” I asked.
“If I know anything about my son, it’s that he’s never been happier than he is with you. I know you’ve been there for Trey when things have been hard lately. He’s grinning like a little boy on Christmas morning out there,” she gestured out the tent door. “And the rest of the boys in the band can’t stop talking about you. I think they’re all smitten. That’s all I need to know.”
“Thank you,” I told her, squeezing her hand.
“Oh, and I brought you something,” she said, reaching into her purse. She pulled out a string of brilliant pearls, moving to attach them around my neck. “They belonged to my mother,” she said. “I always knew one day I’d pass them on to my daughter, and now I finally have one.”
Her giving gesture literally stole my breath away. “I ... I don’t know what to say,” I muttered as I glanced in the mirror again. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome,” she said. “They’re quite fitting for a beach wedding, actually.”
“How does it look out there?” I asked her, unable to contain my curiosity.
“Like the perfect rock star wedding,” she said with a grin. “My son wouldn’t settle for anything less when it comes to you.”
“I’m beginning to see that,” I said with a soft laugh.
“I better go,” Kate said, giving me another hug. “Paul will be waiting for me. We’ll see you out there.” Kate slipped out of the tent, and I turned around to look in the mirror again but another voice called to me from outside the tent.
“Knock, knock.” It was O’Shea.
“Are you allowed in here?” I said with a grin before he poked his head inside.
“I’m pretty sure there are no rules against the best man seeing the bride before the ceremony,” he added as he approached me. “Well, one of the best men,” he added. “There are three of us, technically, unless you count the dog ...” His voice trailed off, and he grinned at me. “You look amazing.”
“Thank you. You clean up pretty nice yourself,” I added. He was wearing a black tux with a white shirt underneath, the top button undone, and a pair of expensive sunglasses.
“How are you holding up with the whole surprise wedding thing?”
“First of all, I’m surprised you all managed to keep this from me. I have no idea how you pulled that off.”
“Neither do I,” he admitted.
I smiled and met his gaze. “Honestly, I feel like the luckiest bride ever. I get all the glitz and glamour without any of the headaches.”
“Trey was hoping you’d feel that way,” he said, the look on his face growing serious. “You know, I’m pretty sure he’d take a bullet for you.”
I smiled, surprised by his sincerity. “I’d do the same for him.”
He nodded. “I know you would. Do you have a ring I should take for the ceremony?”
“Oh, yes.” I handed him the ring box with Trey’s band in it.
“Don’t worry, I won’t lose it,” he said, grinning. He leaned forward and kissed my cheek. “See you at the other end of the aisle.” With that he was gone again. I took a deep breath because it just felt like the thing to do and picked up my bouquet.
Chapter 20
Trey
I’D PULLED OFF A surprise that would surely land in the history books. Today, I would become a married man, and my bride-to-be hadn’t had a clue what I was planning. I smiled, remembering the astonishment on Aurora’s face as I’d gotten down on one knee in the sand to propose. I straightened my green tie, did the last button on my jacket and adjusted the boutonnière Ashlee had pinned on for me. I did all this with only minor difficulty, considering my shoulder didn’t want to cooperate. The ceremony would be starting in about ten minutes. Aurora had been right about one thing. The Emissary would certainly catch up with us. The chances of it taking them all night were slim to nothing. I wasn’t sure exactly what I would do when they found us, but I would figure something out. I wasn’t going to let a little kink in my plans ruin this day for me and Aurora.
“Looking good,” O’Shea said as he slipped inside the tent behind me.
“You think so?” I looked down at my tux and white shirt. “Nobody is going to be looking at me anyway,” I said with a grin.
“No,” O’Shea said. “Just the beautiful woman two tents down who is madly in love with you.” I took a deep breath, feeling anxious. “Those butterflies in your stomach are just pre-wedding jitters,” he added, “Or, so I’ve heard.”
“Butterflies? I think hummingbirds on steroids is a more accurate description.”
O’Shea chuckled and checked his own reflection in the big mirror. I raised an eyebrow at him and he looked at me innocently. “I get to escort Kacie down the aisle,” he said.
“Are you trying to pick up girls at my wedding?” I asked, feigning surprise.
“Yes,” he admitted shamelessly. “Come on. It’s time to get out there.”
I stepped out of the tent behind him, filling my lungs completely with the calming scent of the sea in the air. Ashlee was standing a few feet away, talking on her cell phone and giving last minute instructions. She hung up when she saw me approaching.
“Are we almost ready?” I asked.
She nodded, smiling. “Everything is in order.”
“Did everyone make it? How about Antonio?”
“He’s with the bride right now,” she assured me. I followed her around the side of the tent to the spot where the ceremony would take place. A small number of chairs were set up facing the water, separated by an aisle of sand covered in flower petals. The chairs were covered in white material with black and green ribbons tied in giant bows on the back. At the bottom of the aisle was a black cabana, topped with white material that hung down to the sand on all four corners. Large palm fronds came out of the sand and rose up above the cabana on all four sides. Aurora was going to love it.
The minister was in position, and people were already seated and waiting for the ceremony to begin. As I took my place up front, I paused for a moment to enjoy the sun’s descent toward the horizon. The slightest of breezes blew along the shoreline, meeting up with the rolling waves as they licked the sand. I couldn’t have asked for things to be more perfect than they seemed at that moment. I turned around to face my friends and family when the speakers, hidden by palm fronds and flowers, crackled to life. The opening notes of “Everlong” by Foo Fighters began to ring through from a single, acoustic guitar.
I looked up and everyone twisted in their seats to see Kacie and O’Shea making their way to the aisle. O’Shea had an acoustic guitar strapped on and was playing the notes flawlessly as he and Kacie slowly came down the aisle and took their positions at the front. I’d given O’Shea free reign to choose a song for the bridal party to walk down the aisle to, and in true O’Shea fashion, he was rocking it out. I smiled at him, not surprised that he’d decided to play the song himself. He continued to pick out the song on his guitar as the rest of the procession came forward.
Chase and Serena walked down the aisle together next, Serena on Chase’s arm. Chase’s date, who sat near the aisle, didn’t look too pleased by the grin on his face as he and Serena approached us and took their places. Jonas and Tara came down the aisle next and when they reached the end, they paused and turned around to face the crowd instead. Tara patted her knee and Cowboy came trotting down the aisle toward us. He had a black handkerchief, trimmed in white, tied around his neck that said ‘Ring Beare
r’ in big lettering. A white bow at the bottom had the rings tied to it. Tara held Cowboy still and Jonas untied the rings and held onto them for safe-keeping. Then Cowboy followed Jonas to his position, sitting at his feet.
O’Shea wrapped up the Foo Fighters song in a few notes and then did a seamless transition into the wedding march. Everyone who had been seated stood up and turned to look down the aisle. My heart jumped into my throat in anticipation and I swallowed in an effort to cram it back down.
This was it. The moment I’d been waiting for.
Aurora’s hand was on Antonio’s arm as they came out from behind a small tent and began to make their way down the aisle. The bottom of her dress moved with the breeze, playing around her bare feet in the sand as she walked. She looked like an Egyptian Goddess. I’d told Ashlee that Aurora might like a dress that wasn’t so traditional, but this was above and beyond what I’d imagined. The green detail on the dress made Aurora’s eyes look even more bright and piercing as they landed on me. She smiled, and I had to remind myself to breathe. I grinned like a fool as she made her way toward me, knowing she could hear my heart pounding out of my chest. Aurora paused a few feet in front of me, and Antonio kissed her cheek and took his place in the front row next to Beck. My bride stepped toward me then, and I took her by the hand as she stood across from me. From the corner of my eye, I noticed everyone take their seats again. The minister smiled at us and then addressed the whole group.
“We gather here today to celebrate the love between Trey and Aurora,” he began. “The groom requested that we begin with a poem from an ancient Egyptian text.” The minister held up his notes and read aloud. “I take in as my breath the sweet air that comes from you. I witness your beauty every day. I desire to hear your voice on the north wind each day so the strength in my arms may be reborn with your love. Call for me through eternity, and I will always be there.”
Aurora’s eyes were locked with mine as I mouthed the words of the last line while the minister spoke them. Call for me through eternity, and I will always be there. I meant every word.
“The couple has written their own vows and will recite them now,” the minister said. He nodded at me, and I took a deep breath, squeezing Aurora’s hand gently before I began.
“Aurora, in the whirlwind that is my life, you’ve shown me what is really important. You’ve loved me for who I am, and not what I am. I’m a better man when you’re here. It feels so natural it’s hard to remember what life was like before you. I’m no artist,” I added, making her smile widen. “But if I could paint the perfect future for myself, this is what it would look like.... I, Trey, take thee, Aurora, to be my wife. I promise to stand by your side through thick and thin, to support you in all that you do, and to love you like there’s no tomorrow.”
Aurora squeezed my hand tight as the minister nodded at her. She looked at me, the intensity in her gaze softened by her beautiful smile. “I never actually expected to fall in love,” she said. “People only get swept off their feet in movies. Then you came along and turned my whole world upside down. I was lost until you showed me what it means to be alive.” My heart pounded in my chest as the truth of her words resonated there. “You’re my best friend,” she continued. “You’re my inspiration and the one I trust with all of my secrets.... I, Aurora, take thee, Trey, to be my husband. I promise to love you with everything I am, and even though you have millions of people listening to your music and coming to your shows, I’ll always be your biggest fan.”
The grin that spread across my face was so genuine it felt like nothing could tarnish it as the minister spoke again. “The couple will now exchange rings.”
Aurora handed her bouquet to Kacie and Jonas stepped forward to hand over the rings.
“The wedding ring originated in ancient Egypt,” the minister said. “The people considered it a gift to both the old and new worlds. It was tied to the supernatural and symbolized immortality. It is a band that never ends, representing eternal love.” Then the minister turned to me. I took that as my cue and slid the band on Aurora’s finger, lining it up to fit against the engagement ring I’d given her only hours before. I’d rehearsed this line over and over in my tent. Hopefully, that was enough.
“I give you this ring as a symbol of my love for you and as a promise to be with you as long as I live.”
Aurora took my hand and slid a black, metal ring onto my finger. I gazed into her watery green eyes as she repeated the words. “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love for you and as a promise to be with you as long as I live.”
“And now the couple will share in a special blending of the sands ceremony,” the minister added. Two of Ashlee’s helpers brought forward a small table and set it before Aurora and me, placing three vases on it. The center vase was empty while the vase in front of me held black sand and Aurora’s held white sand. The look of curiosity on Aurora’s face as she studied the vases on the table was priceless.
The minister smiled at us and said, “Let the sand from this beach serve as a foundation for the joining of your lives.” He reached down, scooping up a handful of the sand at our feet, and let it slide through his fingers into the bottom of the center vase. “Trey, your vase represents everything that you were before this day. Aurora, your vase represents everything that you were before this day. Like you, these vessels can stand alone with their own strength, character and beauty, but when combined, they create something entirely new and extraordinary.” Then the minister gestured to me, and I slowly poured some of my black sand into the middle vase. Aurora picked her vase up and looked at me, hesitating. I smiled and nodded for her to do the same. I added more black sand on top of her white layer, and she followed my lead.
“Together now,” the minister encouraged. We simultaneously emptied the rest of our colored sand into a blended layer at the top and set the empty vases down again. “Just as these grains of sand can never again be separated, your lives are forever joined together in union on this day.” Then he addressed the small crowd. “Friends, we have witnessed on this day the joining of this couple in marriage.” He looked at Aurora and me in turn and added, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
I caressed Aurora’s cheek softly with my hand, smiling as our lips met to the sound of applause and cheering. We’d come so far since the night I’d first kissed her at The Waking Moon. Now, here we were, kissing for the first time as husband and wife. When the kiss ended, we stared at each other in awe for a moment and then turned to face everyone else.
“I give you Mr. and Mrs. Trey Decker,” the minister said.
Kacie handed Aurora’s bouquet back to her, and she took my arm. A new song was blaring through the speakers now, and Aurora and I both laughed when we realized it was REM’s “The End of the World as We Know It.” The applause continued as we walked back down the aisle together as a married couple.
Chapter 21
Aurora
TREY LED ME STRAIGHT to the nearest little tent, and we snuck inside. He grinned at me, his blue eyes blazing. We both laughed for a second, and then he pulled me close, his lips brushing mine. There aren’t words to describe the feelings, his or mine, that rushed around inside of me. Trey and I were married now, and I was surprised by the realization of how much I wanted this now that I had it.
“We did it,” I said to him.
“Yeah,” he said. “We definitely did.” He brushed a strand of hair away from my face and said, “What are you thinking right now?”
I took his hands and said, “None of this would have happened if you hadn’t surprised me.”
He smiled and looked down at our fingers, intertwined, and his eyes settled on his wedding band. He studied the design for a second and grinned up at me, noticing the detail for the first time.
“Whenever you look at it, you’ll remember my favorite song,” I said.
He leaned forward and kissed me again, and pure joy rushed over me through the bond the kiss created. I stared at hi
m when we pulled back.
“What is it?” he asked.
I shook my head, feeling the sting of tears in my eyes. “It’s just that I thought all my girlish fantasies of getting married one day had ended with my mortal life.” Trey grinned and wiped away the single tear that escaped and ran down my cheek.
“Hey, I just figure that if you’re going to be stuck with me forever, you might as well enjoy the tax write-offs,” he teased. I laughed, blinking back the rest of the tears. “And worst case scenario,” he continued. “If a vampire does rip my head off in the next few days, you’ll get my house and my fortune.” I smacked him on his good arm, incredulous, which only made him laugh. “Come on, that was funny,” he urged, giving me that irresistible half-smile of his. “The photographer is probably waiting for us now. You ready for our first photo shoot together?”
I nodded and we stepped out of the tent again. The photographer was waiting just as Trey had suggested, but everyone else had disappeared. I guessed they’d gone into the larger tent that I hadn’t seen inside of yet. Trey and I spent twenty minutes having the photographer take pictures of us together and individually. Then he called for the bridesmaids to come and I got pictures with them as well. When Catalyst came out to get some shots with Trey they all rolled up their pant legs and took off their jackets and stood in the water for several shots. Then they came back onto the sand and insisted on holding me as I lay across all of their arms. We laughed until I’m sure their sides all hurt as the photographer snapped some candid shots of Trey and I with the band.
Before I knew it, Trey was leading me to the large white mystery tent where everyone else was waiting for us. We ducked inside to the sound of cheering and applause again. The first thing I noticed was the twinkling lights strung all along the top of the tent. There was black carpet inside, and tables with emerald green table cloths and black place settings all along the edges of the tent. The black and green theme from the ceremony carried over into the reception tent. Trey led me forward to a far corner of the tent where a semicircle white sofa awaited us. It was sectioned off by a wall of long, black tassels that hung from the ceiling in the shape of a circle, encompassing the entire corner of the tent. We sat on the sofa and a waiter brought us each a glass of champagne. I took a sip, grinning at Trey and trying to take in everything.
Immortals And Melodies (Blood And Guitars #2) Page 11
