Page 108 of The Wedding Toast

She nodded slowly."In a moment, we'll drink to us, and to our future."She reached for his hand."To all the years we'll get to spend together, all the babies we'll have, and the happy times, and the sad ones, and the fights that will come, and even to the days when it all feels hard and we wonder if..."

He squeezed her hand."I'll never wonder.This is the best decision of my life.I know we'll face tough times, but I'll always be glad that we're in it together.Okay?"

"Okay.I agree, but Jacob...this first toast isn't to any of that."

"What then?"he asked with a smile, wondering what she'd come up with.

Her eyes shone with tears as she said, "This one is to you, Jacob, the smiley little boy who didn't get to have his parents there today.I know you loved our day.I know they've been gone a long time, and the last thing I want to do is make you sad right now.But I know, Jacob.I know they were on your mind, and they were on mine too.I know it might seem weird to other people, but I wanted us to raise a toast to them.You see, I wish I could thank them, for raising you to be the man that you are, the man I'm now lucky enough to call my husband."

Jacob squeezed his eyes shut and sucked in a deep breath.

"Thank you."

She shook her head.

"I know you're not doing it for my thanks,” he added quickly.“I know it means something to you, and that's what I'm thanking you for.Not just for caring about me and how I feel, but for being who you are."

She nodded and raised her glass a little higher."I could say the same words to you."

He raised his glass and tapped it against hers."Here's to my folks; I wish you'd met them.It's sad, but it's true – they're the past.Here's to everyone we did get to share this day with; all the family and friends we love.We're lucky that they are our present."He leaned in to press his lips to hers before he added, "And here's to you and me – to the amazing future ahead of us."He chuckled."And when we're done toasting each other, I'd like to take my wife to bed."

She tapped her glass against his."I love you, Jacob."

He rested his forehead against hers and looked down into her eyes."And I love you, Becca.Today, tomorrow, for always."

"Aww!"

That made him laugh."You and your aww.Come on, let's go sit out on that balcony and watch the stars for a while, shall we?"

He sat down on the rattan sofa out on the balcony and pulled her onto his lap.They laughed as they fought through the fabric of her dress just to get to each other.He was looking forward to getting her out of it, but first, he wanted to sit here with her a while.For them to enjoy the moment – and to start to get used to being Mr.and Mrs.Jacobs;

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