by Lacey Black
“Yeah, that’s probably for the best,” I reply with a slight chuckle. The things I want to do to his daughter…
We spend the next hour laughing and enjoying a bit of food. Not that any of us are hungry – not after the big burgers and fries we all consumed at Lucky’s. I think we’re all just anxious for the wedding and doing whatever to keep our hands busy. And later, I can keep my hands busy with my wife…
“How is the school year wrapping up?” Rhenn asks casually, a beer in his hand.
“Good. The baseball team did well,” I tell him, recalling how we went to the county tournament and made it to the championship game. We lost, but the guys played their hearts out. I’m definitely proud of the season we had.
“I heard. One of my karate students is on the team. He’s always telling me about the games and his awesome coach who used to play in the olden days,” Rhenn says, his eyes lighting up with laughter.
“Olden days? Ouch,” I reply with a laugh. “It’s funny they all recall that I’m a former pro player, but since it happened when they were still in elementary school, it was a lifetime ago to them.”
“Only a few years, man, but you better get used to it. I’m approaching mid-thirties, but in their eyes, I was one of the survivors on the Titanic,” Rhenn says, shaking his head.
We visit for a bit longer, and I’ve discovered that Nick’s best friend and I actually have a lot in common. He’s an electrician by day, and spends his nights at his dojo uptown teaching karate and self-defense classes. His last classes were this past week, so he’ll have the summer off to hang out and sail.
“Anytime you want to go out on the boat, just let me know. We could do a guys trip later in the summer,” Rhenn offers.
“That sounds great,” I tell him, though part of me wants to include my wife. Guys trips are nice and all, but I actually prefer the company of the woman with my last name as opposed to a room full of guys. I did enough of that shit when I was playing ball. Plus, with this group, we all have it bad enough that all we do is sit around and talk about our wives anyway.
“Guys, it’s time to start getting ready,” Dean announces, his son in his arms. We all glance over to find Nick practically jumping up out of the chair and make a beeline to the room where his suit awaits.
The rest of us decide to take turns getting dressed, so we have a little help with the extra humans we’ve acquired this afternoon. I’m grateful Nolan is still awake. Maybe he’ll nap during the wedding and not give me fits. He might even take just a short nap and be awake for the reception. Then, fingers crossed that he sleeps well for his grandpa later tonight.
Just as I’m ready to take a seat and wait for my cue to throw on my suit, my phone dings a message. I grab it quickly, surprised to see Lexi’s name instead of my wife’s. When I open the notification, a picture pops up, and I instantly start laughing. There’s my wife, wearing the same shirt and stretch pants as earlier, her long hair pinned up on the sides, yet cascading down the long column of her slender neck, and sitting in the rocking chair in Nolan’s room. She looks amazing, gorgeous, and frankly, just as stunning as the night I met her. She’s always been the only woman to completely steal my breath and my sanity, all at the same time. My cock actually starts to perk up a bit, as images of our pending night alone start to play through my mind.
She’s also very much asleep…
Chapter Eleven
Meghan
I thought this day would never arrive. I thought any hopes and dreams of a beautiful wedding were crushed the night Josh died.
I was wrong.
As I gaze at my reflection in the mirror, I’m feeling both elation and sadness sweep through me. For so long, I thought this would be my life with Josh. That was quickly replaced by a profound grief that I thought would accompany me through the rest of my days. And then Nick stepped in and showed me that life was worth living. It wasn’t easy. In fact, some days I made it damn hard on him, but do you know what? He stuck by me, held my hand, and reassured me that I would be okay.
And I was.
I am.
I miss Josh every day. Every. Day. But when I think back on our short time together, I smile. He was my friend and lover, but not my forever. Yes, it still hurts to say that, and probably always will.
Now I have Nick. A man who gets me, understands my anxiety and pain, and stands beside me with nothing but love and support in his eyes. I can’t change the past, but I can embrace the future. My future.
Our future.
This white dress is perfect. Not even close to the one I had my eye on before (you know, when I was planning my first wedding). This one is simpler. It’s white with a lace overlay, but with not one ounce of poof. It hugs my curves in a seductive, yet classy way, and I can’t wait for Nick to see it.
My hair is pulled back, a long braid-ish style hanging down my back. It’s not something I would have picked on my own, but I trusted my sister to come up with a unique style that fit me, and man, did she knock it out of the park. She added a few flowers that Payton brought, and the end result is stunning.
Deep breaths.
“It’s time,” AJ says at the doorway of her bedroom. She turned over her bedroom for me to finish getting ready, while the rest of my sisters got dressed in the other rooms down the hall.
My sister looks stunning. Her hair is swept back, and the dress fits her perfectly, like the rest of my bridesmaids. All five of my sisters. My best friends. I couldn’t imagine this day without them standing by my side.
“Did you have a nice nap?” I ask, grabbing the delicate lace and satin of my dress and hiking it up just a bit so I don’t step on the material.
“Shut up,” AJ grumbles with a smile. Before we took photos of all of us girls down by the gorgeous trellis Ryan built, someone noticed AJ missing. We all giggled and snapped photos of her sleeping in the rocking chair in Nolan’s room, and have now teased her mercilessly since.
I follow my sister down the stairs and join the rest of my family in the living room. The door to the deck is open and soft music filters through the screen with the breeze. It’s a gorgeous May day, one that couldn’t be more perfect if it had been specially ordered from the heavens. A day that will see me professing my love to one man and ending with new titles of husband and wife.
Glancing around the room, my smile is instantaneous. All five of my sisters are there in matching dresses. My oldest niece is wearing an adorable little white dress, her own hair swept up in a braid and flowers. My dad is there too. His eyes are on mine, a soft, yet sad smile playing on his lips. There’s one person missing from today, someone who should be here.
My mom.
I return his sad smile, knowing all too well what he’s thinking. It was hard to plan this wedding without her. Like all of my sisters before me, I’m about to say “I do” without the woman who gave birth to me by my side. But I know she’s here. I know she’s looking down, with love and happiness in her green eyes.
With Josh.
They’ll have a front row seat together.
“Ready?” Payton asks, handing me a white bouquet.
“Definitely,” I reply, my heart starting to race.
I watch on as one by one, my sisters start to make their way out the door, down the stairs, and toward the beach. Payton first, followed by Jaime. Abby goes next, and then Lexi. AJ, my matron of honor, turns around and gives me a smile. I can see the emotions in it, feel them pouring from her. I feel the same way. It’s that same mixture of jubilation and sorrow that I’ve felt all day. No, not because I’m not happy to be married, but because of the events that led to today.
She squeezes my bare hand with the one not holding her own bouquet before turning and walking out the door, leaving me alone in the house with my dad. He turns his full attention to me, his eyes shining brightly with unshed tears. Stepping forward, he places both hands on my upper arms and pulls me into a hug. “I’ve never been more proud to be your father than I am today,” he whispers as he
places a kiss on my forehead, just as he’s done my entire life.
“Thank you, Daddy.”
“She’d be so proud of you too. They both would.” I don’t have to ask who he’s referring to. I already know.
A single tear slips from my eye as I nod my head in understanding.
“Nick is a lucky man, but he already knows that,” he says with a soft smile. As he extends the crook of his arm toward me, he adds, “Shall we?”
Smiling up at him, I take his proffered arm. “Yes. Definitely.”
My dad guides me toward the open door and into the sunlight. It’s not too bright, thankfully, but it instantly warms my back. Carefully, we walk down the stairs and to the beach. Toward my future.
Family and friends all stand as I approach, but my eyes are riveted on one man standing at the front. Nick. My Nick. He’s smiling widely, drinking in my appearance. As I approach, I notice how bright his eyes shine, unshed tears filling those perfect hazel eyes.
When we reach the front row of chairs, Dad and I stop. I glance to my right and smile at Nick’s parents. His sister Natalie is there, too, while Stuart, Natalie’s husband, stands up at the front by Nick’s side.
Then I glance to my left and my heart starts to gallop in my chest. There stands Cindy, smiling brightly, unchecked tears streaming down her face. My own tears threaten to fall as I convey just how much her love and support has meant to me these last few years. We never say a word, but I know she understands when she gives me a head nod and reassuring grin.
My grandparents sit on the other side of her, their own happiness reflecting in their eyes. I can’t help but wonder if Nick and I will have the kind of marriage they have. Maybe with a bit less over-sharing on the sexual details, but one where you adore the other person so much you can’t help but tell them and show them every moment of every day.
I glance back at the second row, and even though I know they’re there, my heart starts to pound when I see them. Josh’s parents. John and Angie. Their own eyes are swimming with tears. My vision clouds as my eyes connect with Angie, who just gives me a knowing little grin.
Then, my eyes return to the row in front.
To the two empty chairs on the end.
To what those two chairs signify.
One for each of the two people who aren’t here today.
My mom.
Josh.
A single corsage sits on the first chair, one that would have been worn by the mother of the bride.
A single red rose sits on the other, an ode to love that once flourished wildly in my heart. It’s still there, that deep love, but now it occupies a bit less real estate than before.
Closing my eyes, I feel the breeze pick up in that moment, and I know he’s here.
Just like he told me he’d be last night in my dream.
I offer a small smile and send up a silent thank you to the man who once loved me, and how he let me go. To the man who once held my heart in his hands, and then gingerly handed it over to another. To the man who will always watch over me, as I build and grow a life with someone else.
“Thank you, Josh,” I whisper in the breeze, letting myself feel it as it washes over me.
When I open my eyes and look forward, I’m staring at my future.
My forever.
Nick gives me a knowing, reassuring smile. He knew how hard it was on me, as this day on the calendar drew closer. I’ll probably always be afraid that it could all be ripped away – that Nick could be stolen before our time was completed. That’s why he reminds me to live for today. As Josh’s mom once said, ‘Tomorrow isn’t a promise. Hold onto today with both hands.’
“Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” the minister says from beneath the trellis.
“I do,” my dad replies confidently, though I pick up the slight hint of emotion in his voice.
Turning to face the man who has been right by my side since day one, I offer my dad a bright smile. “Go,” he whispers. “Live.”
“I will. I promise,” I reply right before he pulls me into his arms and kisses my forehead.
Then he lets go.
And I take a step in the opposite direction.
Toward Nick…
Chapter Twelve
Nick
The moment I see her, I feel something so profound, so completely in my heart that it just makes everything right in the world.
It’s her.
Stunning.
Breathtaking.
That’s the only way to describe the incredible woman who now stands at my side.
I grab her hand as soon as she’s within reach and bring it to my lips. There’s a slight tremble, though I’m not sure if it’s her hand or mine. Probably both. She looks up at me with so much excitement, so much happiness, that I don’t pay any attention to the man standing in front of me, speaking.
I should probably pay attention, right?
But I can’t.
I only see her.
My Meghan.
“Repeat after me.”
And I do. I say the words, feeling them with every fiber of my being, as I vow to stand by her side, to love and protect her, till death do us part. It’s an easy proclamation to make, since it’s nothing but the truth. Her eyes fill with tears as she repeats the same vows as me, but she never wavers, never falters.
I know what is next.
When she suggested this part in the ceremony, I was completely one hundred percent behind her – or beside her.
Holding her hand tightly in mine, we walk over to the two empty chairs. Sobs echo around us as she reaches down and grabs the corsage and the single red rose. There’s definitely a shake in her hand, but she remains steadfast and collected. She also squeezes my hand with everything she has.
Together, we walk to the shore. The waves are gentle as we approach. I help her hold her dress up as she kicks off the white flip-flops she insisted on wearing. I do the same, removing the tan slip-on boat-style shoes I’m wearing for my beachside wedding. I let go of her hand, only long enough to grab her dress. Side by side, we step into the cold water until it’s lapping against our ankles. I reach for the corsage, the one made with the same white flowers as her bouquet, and together, we gently set it in the water. The corsage bobs up and down before slowly floating out into the Bay.
Then, she takes the rose. The single red rose that symbolizes love. Her love for a man who is no longer here. The one who held her hand and her soul before me. The one who died, leaving behind an amazing woman with the biggest heart, and I’m the lucky bastard who now holds that heart in my hands, cherishing and loving it with everything I have.
With trembling hands, we set that rose in the water and watch it slowly drift away.
The symbolism isn’t lost on me, and I’m sure, not on Meghan either.
We stand together, our fingers entwined, as we watch both flowers float away. When I turn in her direction, she’s not staring at the flowers in the water. She’s looking at me. She’s smiling with so much love and hope in her watery eyes that I almost drop to my knees right there in the water and thank the stars above for this gift I’ve been given.
Her love.
I switch hands, making sure that her dress doesn’t fall into the surf (and let’s not forget how much I want to rip that dress off her later), and guide her back to the sand. Our feet are wet, so we decide to forego shoes and simply walk back up to the trellis and finish this thing with bare feet. I love it, almost as much as I love her smile.
The minister says a few things, but I have no idea what. Her eyes sparkle like emeralds, and that’s all I see. Her.
“You may kiss the bride,” the man says with a knowing grin.
You don’t have to tell me twice.
I pull her into my arms and steal our first official kiss as man and wife.
Wife.
She’s mine.
Forever.
Epilogue
Meghan
It’s a Summer sister tradition
that on the first Saturday of each month, the six of us get together. We take turns picking the location or activity, anything from margaritas and a movie to wine and painting classes at the small gallery uptown. One thing, though, is as certain as the sun rising over the Chesapeake Bay every morning: there will be alcohol involved.
Always.
Tonight, the alcohol is flowing like water. We’re celebrating. Everyone is dancing around AJ’s backyard under the big white tent, carrying on and enjoying themselves. It makes me smile to see their happy faces, hear their jovial laughter. My family is the best, and I can’t wait to share them with Nick.
“Still hanging in there?” AJ asks, her eyes starting to glaze over just a bit. Her son left just a few minutes ago, along with the rest of the kids. Dad and Cindy volunteered to take them all for the night, so we could all hang out and celebrate.
“Yes, though I have to admit, I’m a little anxious to get to the later part of the evening,” I whisper to my sister.
She gives me a knowing grin. “He still hasn’t told you where you’re going?”
“Nope. Just to pack a bag for warmer weather,” I reply excitedly. I knew he was surprising me with a honeymoon, but that’s all I know. My new husband has kept his lips tightly sealed on this one.
AJ just grins like a loon. “You know, don’t you?” I accuse, and know my assumption is correct the moment her eyes light up with laughter and guilt.
“Maybe,” she draws out, her eyes glancing around the yard and landing on her husband. He looks like he wants to eat her alive right then and there, before excusing himself from the group he’s talking to. He keeps his eyes on his wife as he slowly makes his way to the house, disappearing through their screened living room door.
“Will you excuse me?” she says, a subtle blush creeping up her neck.
“Where are you going?” I ask, though I already know the answer.
