“I know you will.” Tegan smiled a million-watt grin. “I, Tegan, take you, Wyatt, to be my husband. I promise to stand by your side through life’s ups and downs. Through tough times and joyous ones, too. I will celebrate all of your successes, support you in everything that you do, and never let go of your hand when things get hard. I will be your mate. You have my heart.”
Heather raised her hands in the air, and as one, the group did the same, a circle of fists drawing up to the sky. Before Frank could react one way or the other to the intense woo moment, it was over. The camp director-turned-wedding officiant exhaled and dropped her hands, a glorious smile on her face.
Sort of like a prayer, he guessed. He could roll with that.
“Tegan and Wyatt, you have exchanged vows from the heart. Let these words be your guiding path as you navigate the world together, hand-in-hand. Know also that you are surrounded by a powerful circle of friends and family. Lean on them in difficult times. Trust them to support your marriage when things get tough, and celebrate your successes, just as you will do so for each other. Marriage is a vital pillar of your community, and your community is a pillar in your marriage.”
It was true, Frank realized with a jolt. He’d always thought of his marriage as an island, his refuge from the intensity of his career. But Bianca had been there for his SEALs and their spouses, and when things for tough for him, his SEALs had been there for him.
Tegan and Wyatt kissed, a sweet, long embrace that everyone cheered, then the delicate flute music returned, and they were showered with flower petals as they took to the path, leading a procession back down the trail for their lunch reception and an afternoon of dancing and drinking.
He found himself drawn to Grace as the circle dissolved.
“That was beautiful,” he said, meaning every word.
She waved a handkerchief at him before tucking it into an invisible pocket in her dress. “I know!”
He chuckled and leaned in. “You look lovely, by the way.”
She blushed.
Would they ever get a chance to have a public relationship? Frank wasn’t sure if he ever wanted to get married again, but Heather’s hippy-dippy words about marriage and community had him thinking.
And all of his thoughts right now were about this blonde pixie beside him.
* * *
“Could I have this dance?”
He’d been eying her for an hour. There was not a single cell in her body that wanted to deny him this request, and so she didn’t. Maybe it was the champagne talking, or maybe she just really liked Frank so much she wanted to dance with him. “Absolutely.”
“How much wine have you had?”
“Not enough to crawl into the wrong bed,” she said primly.
“Enough to crawl into the right bed?”
“Definitely.”
He chuckled as he turned her around the dance floor.
“Are you having a good time?” she asked.
“I am. I really am.” He sighed contentedly. “This week ended up quite differently than I’d expected.”
“For me too.” She said it softly, but there was no masking the wistfulness in her voice. Damn it, champagne. That was not the influence she’d been looking for.
“This doesn’t need to be goodbye.”
She’d been thinking about that. It didn’t need to be. But maybe it should be. It would be easier that way. They could forever think back on this week as a lovely moment in time.
“Grace?”
She couldn’t say anything. Couldn’t say those thoughts, couldn’t bring herself to hope that maybe she would see him again and they could keep exploring whatever this was between them. “Tonight,” she whispered, not meeting his eye. “Let’s talk about this later.”
“I want to talk about it now.”
“But I don’t know what to say,” she admitted, the words tearing from her chest in a panic.
