by A. M. Myers
“It’s perfect,” I whisper.
“Well, perfect or not, unless you want to get rained on, we should do this now.”
I nod, turning back to her. “You and Ali head down to the beach and get the guys ready, okay?”
Carly nods as she flashes me a smile. “I’m on it. Come on, preggo.”
“When I finally catch you, I’m smacking you for that comment,” Ali growls, struggling to climb off the bed. Theo rushes over and helps her up. “Thank you.”
The girls leave and Theo throws his arm around my shoulder, smiling down at me. “Ready to do this?”
“More than ready,” I answer with a nod.
“Me, too. After today, you won’t be my problem anymore.”
I roll my eyes and give him a little shove. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Teddy.”
“I told you to never call me that again,” he gasps and I laugh as I take one last look in the mirror, tucking one of the little white flowers behind my ear. When it came to the wedding, Ali kind of took over and I was happy to let her since I don’t know the first thing about planning a wedding. Honestly, if it had been up to me, Lincoln and I would have been at the courthouse months ago but now that we’re here, I’m glad she convinced me to let her plan things.
“Let’s go get me married,” I say, turning to Theo and he holds his arm out, allowing me to hook mine through it as he turns toward the sliding glass door. Speechless by Dan + Shay begins playing and I smile as Theo pulls the curtain back and we step out. All the guys, Rodriguez, Carly, Ali, Nix, Emma, and Mia are lined up on either side of our makeshift aisle and they all turn toward me but my gaze is solely focused on the man waiting for me by the water.
His smile lights up his face and his gaze never leaves mine as I slowly close the distance between us, my heart pounding and tears welling up in my eyes. A part of me can’t believe this is real – like maybe this is all just a dream and I’ll wake up any moment with only a figment of this happiness lingering in my heart. He bites his lip as his gaze drops down my body and warmth floods my system as my pulse spikes.
God, how did I ever get this lucky?
“You’re stunning,” Lincoln whispers after Theo passes my hand to him and a blush creeps up my cheeks. “I love you.”
“I love you,” I reply, staring up at him and the minister clears his throat.
“Shall we get started?”
Smith scoffs. “You’d better before we all get wet.”
“Yeah, maybe we should just jump right to the vows,” Storm says, glancing out at the ocean as the clouds roll closer.
“It’s fine with me if it’s all right with you two,” the minister answers, glancing at us and I nod at the same time Lincoln does. “All right, then. Lincoln and Tatum have prepared their own vows so I’ll let them take over. Lincoln?”
Lincoln clears his throat and pulls a slip of paper out of his khaki pants. “Tate, my gorgeous girl, I wasn’t looking for you when you walked into my life. In fact, I would even say I was actively avoiding what you represented but all it took was one look, one smile, the sound of your laugh and I was a goner. All my reasons for running didn’t matter anymore because running was no longer an option. You took me, a broken down man, and made me feel whole again. With you by my side, I know I can take on the world and for you, I would in a heartbeat. No one would ever say that you’re easy…” Chuckles ring out around us. “But you are emphatically worth it. Every time. I love you more than any words could express so I hope you’ll give me the next eighty years to prove it to you.”
A tear slips down my cheek and he grins as he reaches out and wipes it away.
“Tate?” the minister prompts and I pull the slip of paper out of the top of my dress. Lincoln’s gaze zeroes in on my cleavage and I roll my eyes, snapping my fingers in front of his face as everyone laughs. He meets my gaze again and blows me a kiss.
“Lincoln,” I breathe out, resisting the urge to roll my eyes at him as I recite my wedding vows. “I waited for you for so many years and along the way, I think I stopped believing in you – not you specifically – but I lost faith that you were out there, waiting for me. I lost faith that you and I would ever find each other and then you walked into my diner and pissed me the fuck off.” The minister coughs through his surprise as the guys laugh. “Even in that very first moment, you broke through my barriers and affected me like no one else ever had and I started to hope again. The road hasn’t been easy but it’s shown me the kind of man you are – one I can depend on, one I can build a future with – and I have faith again. Faith in you, in us, and faith that no matter where I go, you’ll always come for me because even when I was pushing you away, you never gave up on me. I love you with every piece of my soul and I’m so lucky to spend this life with you.”
The minister steps forward and smiles at us. “Do you have the rings?”
Lincoln digs them out of his pocket and hands them over as thunder cracks right above our heads. I duck and glance up at the sky, hoping we get a few more minutes before the heavens decide to open up on us. The minister hands the rings to us and we slip them on each other’s fingers at the same time, grinning like little kids.
“By the power vested in me by God and the state of Louisiana, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride,” he calls as the wind picks up and our guests cheer and yell as Lincoln pulls me into his arms and claims my lips in a kiss that screams ownership.
Another crack of thunder sounds over our heads and the skies open up, pelting us with rain as everyone starts running back to the cars. I pull away from Lincoln and meet his gaze as I start laughing. I pull away from him and lean my head back as I spread my arms out and let the rain wash over me.
“You’re crazy!” he yells over the rain and I meet his eyes again as I shrug.
“Get used to it, husband.”
Growling, he grabs me and throws me over his shoulder as he marches across the beach back toward our room.
“What are you doing?” I yell and he smacks my ass.
“I made you a promise, Mrs. Archer.”
“And what promise is that?”
He steps into our room and closes the sliding glass door before he slides me down his body. “Have you forgotten already? Eighty years starts tonight.”
“Oh, that promise,” I whisper, grinning up at him as he wraps his arms around me. I shove the straps of my dress off my shoulders and it pools at my feet. “Get to it, then.”
Flashing me a wolfish grin, he runs his hand down my side and leans in, his lips hovering over mine. “Yes, Ma’am.”
The End.
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Other books from A.M. Myers
The Hidden Scars Series
- Hidden Scars: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014B6KFJE
- Collateral Damage: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G9FOS20
- Evading Fate: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L0GKMU0
Bayou Devils MC
- Hopelessly Devoted: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MY5XQFW
- Addicted to Love: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B6RPPPV
- It Ends Tonight: TBR: September 2018
Standalones
- It Was Always You: TBR Dec. 2018
About the Author
A.M. Myers currently lives in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina with her husband and their two children. She has been writing since the moment she learned how to and even had a poem published in the sixth grade but the idea of writing an entire book always seemed like a daunting task until this story got stuck in her head and just wouldn't leave her alone. And now, she can't imagine ever stopping. A.M. writes gripping romantic suspense novels that will have you on the edge of your seat until the end.
When she's not writing, you can find her hanging out with her kids or pu
rsuing other artistic ventures, such as photography or painting.
