She reached over, picked up a bouquet of pink and yellow flowers from the first row of chairs lining the other vacant room. Then she did a double-take at Amelia’s outfit, raised her eyebrows at Linc.
He shrugged. “Don’t ask.”
Judge Morrow dipped his head as he moved behind a small podium, gray mustache lifting in a welcome smile. “Lincoln. Ready to get started?”
He started to correct him, but since Lincoln was the name on the official marriage license they’d secured yesterday, not much point. He nodded, cleared his throat. “Yeah, let’s go.”
Amelia slumped into one of the chairs in the front row.
“Want to stand with us?” Zoey inclined her head toward the podium, which Linc just then realized had been draped in some kind of white lacy cloth.
Amelia’s face said no, but to Linc’s surprise, she grudgingly stood and moved to stand just offset of Zoey.
Zoey tugged a few pastel flowers free of her bouquet and handed them to Amelia with a wink. A small smile tilted his daughter’s lips as she looked down at them, and for a moment, it was like the sun had come out. Full blast. She was in there, his kid—somewhere under the layers of baggy clothes and attitude. And Zoey was helping her emerge.
If that didn’t confirm they were doing the right thing, well. Linc drew a looser breath than he had all morning, and turned to face Zoey as the judge instructed. They could do this.
This was going to work.
“Wait.” Zoey pulled another flower from the bouquet, bent off the bottom of the stem to make it shorter, and reached to tuck it into the pocket of his shirt. The scent of roses, mixed with whatever citrusy perfume she wore today, wafted toward him, her hands warm on his chest as she patted to make sure the blossom would stay. “There. Perfect.”
She looked perfect, but he couldn’t say that. Could he? Itwastheir wedding day. Should probably say something nice. Linc cleared his throat, eyes flicking to meet hers, then bouncing away. “You look…nice.” He dared a glance back.
Amusement danced in Zoey’s face. Amelia groaned.
“I mean.” He shifted his weight, loafers pinching his big toe. “You look pretty. Really pretty.” Ugh. Would this awkwardness be the new dynamic of their life together? That’s not what he wanted. He wanted everything to stay the same, just as they’d discussed. He cut his eyes to Amelia. Regardless, he’d do whatever it took.
He had a lot of time to make up for.
Thankfully, his edited compliment seemed to land, because Zoey’s eyes softened and she smirked at him. “You clean up halfway decent, yourself.”
Whew. There she was. The teasing eased his nerves—he had to admit that’s what it was at this point, collar be darned—and his shoulders loosened. He and Zoey had always made a good team. Now they were just going to level up the commitment a notch.
Nothing else had to change. Well, except one thing.
He adjusted the flower in his pocket. “Ready for a new last name?”
“Thought you’d never ask.” Then she grinned at him, and for a moment, he forgot it was all a show for Amelia’s sake. Forgot Goldilocks was just a fable, a way for Zoey to torture him with porridge.
Forgot that this marriage scenario wasn’t supposed to fit just right.
He turned to Judge Morrow. “Let’s do it.”
* * *
This was really happening.
Zoey was grateful for the excuse to stare at Linc as they grasped hands in front of Judge Morrow, repeating vows as the scent of roses and Linc’s spicy aftershave permeated the small room. The man looked too handsome for his own good with his slicked-back hair. Linc rarely wore it that way, but a little piece of Zoey’s heart always rejoiced when he did.
Linc’s gaze held hers, the steady eye contact doing all kinds of things to her heart. “For better, and for worse…”
Zoey swallowed.Please, God, let there be some better on its way.
“For richer, or poorer.”
Well, she had that part covered.
“In sickness and in health…”
