“Aye, I did. But I found ye just the same. Here is my vow tae ye. I promise tae always leave my cleats in the locker so they dinnae stink up the hoose.” There is more laughter.
“I will promise tae never go tae a party withoot ye, definitely naw with my sister.” She grins at me, giggling softly. I can’t stop grinning at her.
“I promise tae always help ye clean up after any drunken orgies yer roommate has. I also promise tae cherish ye in all ways, defend ye until the blood leaves my body, and love ye into the life after this.” Claire runs her hand gently down my face, cupping my jaw in the palm of her hand.
“Now, my turn,” she says gently to me. “Alexander or Alex or Xander or Ali or whatever alias you’ve chosen now.” I can hear sniffing among the laughter now.
“I know there’s a God too, because he sent the most obstinate man he had into that library that day with his funny language and beautiful smile. When I pushed you away that day, you found me anyway. When I turned away from you on the pitch, you chased me down in the locker room. When I left you in the parking lot, you followed me to the door of my apartment. When I pushed you back to Los Angeles, you rented a hotel in Fort Worth.”
“I knew I needed you from that first day and I guess he knew that too, because he kept sending you back to me. So when I needed you the most, when I was laying in that bed in pain, I cried. Not because of the pain, but because I knew you would come. I heard you running down the hall in your cleats looking for me. You didn’t even bother to change out of your kit.” I feel one single tear slowly slide down my cheek as I look at her.
“Ye were all that mattered. I had tae find ye,” I say to her.
“I know, Alex. I’ve always known. So here is my promise to you. I promise to always keep up with your stinky workout clothes. I promise to always welcome you home after a night of poker with our friends. I promise that you will be my only roommate now no matter where you choose for us to live. I also promise to love you into the next life. I asked you once why you weren’t scared to sign with Man City. Do you remember what you told me?”
“I said as long as ye were there, I had nothing tae be scared of.” My voice rasps out hoarsely as she nods her head.
“I promise you to never run again. As long as I draw breath, Alex, I promise to be by your side. You told me that if you and I are together there is nothing we can’t conquer.”
“I love you, Alexander Ross. I promise we will conquer everything God throws in our path together, until time ends.” I’m positive there is no longer a dry eye here. I can even hear George clearing his throat trying to work the knot out of it.
“I love ye,mo ghoal,” I say, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
“Mo ghoal? Can somebody please tell me what the hell that means!” Claire growls breaking the serious vibe that’s encased us. As laughter booms out around us, I grin down at her.
“It means, my love. He’s been calling ye his love from the day ye met, ye just dinnae know it.” Robbie laughs out before stepping back. After quickly repeating our promises to each other, we slide our rings on. The noise around us is getting louder as we approach the end of the ceremony.
“For Christ’s sake, Alex. Kiss her now, ye married arsehole,” my brother-in-law yells above the cheering. He doesn’t have to tell me twice. Catching Claire’s face in my hands, I bend, taking her mouth with mine. The noise turns into a mutiny of sound around us as I kiss Claire with everything I have.
I’ve done it! I’ve finally won the love of my life! I hold one fist up in the air as I meld her body against mine, taking everything I want. The bagpipe begins helping to drown out the crowd.
“I now present, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Ross,” Preacher screams over the noise. Wrapping Claire’s hand in mine, we follow the piper to the house with our family falling in behind us.
I’m not disappointed in the spread laid out next to the house. I’m almost positive there is not an animal or vegetable still left alive in the Highlands by the looks of it. I have to turn loose of Claire when two of my aunts throw their arms around me in a hug. I’m not too worried though, I can hear her laughing somewhere behind me.
“Claire,” I call to her, reaching blindly behind me when I’m set free. I only wait for a moment before I feel her warm hand join mine. Pulling her to my side, I tell her, “We have tae go through the line first, so everyone else can eat.” We both blink at each other when a flash goes off in our face.
“Got a good one there!” my cousin says. She’s brought her camera from her photography studio in Thurso. “I got the whole ceremony, tears and all!” she announces in triumph.
Laughing, I pull her in for a quick hug before joining Claire in line. She bravely takes a little of everything. I love her even more knowing she doesn’t want to take a chance of offending any of my family. It should be interesting to see if she likes the haggis she just put on her plate. God, I love this woman!
17
Claire
I’ve done it! I’ve married Alexander Ross, the kind, caring, strong, soccer-playing god who’s sexy as hell to boot. I have his ring on to prove it even. Bryce has assured me that she will drop our marriage license off personally on Monday to be filed.
I study my plate of food for a second, pushing it around with my fork. What the hell is all of this? How come I don’t recognize most of it? Looking up at Alex sitting across from me, I catch him watching me with a grin.
“What?” I ask him.
“I dinnae say anything,” he says, taking a bite of food, his eyes never leaving me.
“Oh, it’s something or you wouldn’t have that shit-eating grin on your face,” I narrow my eyes at him. I’m sure he thinks it's hilarious that I don’t know what the hell I’m trying to eat.
“Shite-eating grin? Shite eating?” He tries to feign an innocent look at me, but I’m not buying it. “I dinnae know whit ye mean.”
“Ye dae too,” Rory says, replacing Claire’s plate with one that looks a little tamer. “I agree with Claire, it is a shite eater.” She lightly bumps my shoulder with hers. “Just because there’s haggis on the table disnae mean any of us really expect ye Yanks tae eat it.”
