“Luckily for me, she decided to claim what was meant to be hers—my heart. And Lilyvale.”
A chorus of awws echo throughout the crowd. “Hey, that’s my part,” Ms. Angela jokes, taking our hands in hers. “Look at them,” she says to the audience. “Aren’t they just perfect for each other?”
“Woot! Woot!”
“We know these two were meant for each other. We just want to hear it from them.” She turns to Willow.
My wife’s deep brown eyes set on mine, and she’s all I can see now. “Noah, ever since I can remember, you’ve been my rock and my protector, even when you didn’t know it. I think I’ve always loved you, as long as I’ve known you.” She pauses, and I can hear my heart pounding. “I didn’t think I’d ever…” her voice breaks a little, and she takes a beat. “I didn’t think I’d ever become your wife, but…” Now her chin is wobbly, and I can’t stand to see her like that.
I caress the tremble away. “But?” I whisper to encourage her.
She takes a deep breath. “But it’s…” Tilting her head, she says just for me, tears in her voice, “it’s been the best year of my life.” She shakes with nervous laughter and joy, and I wrap her in my embrace.
“She said he’s on probation, and if he makes it, we’ll have another party next year,” Ms. Angela shouts to the audience.
While everyone’s laughing, Willow whips her head toward Ms. Angela, her mouth rounded in a shocked O.
I lift our joined hands in the air. “Challenge accepted!” I boom.
“You’re supposed to renew your vows,” Ms. Angela quips from behind us. Then in a lower voice, she snaps. “This isn’t a joke, you know.”
It doesn’t matter thatshejust made a joke at my expense—she’s right. Turning to face Willow, I take both her hands in mine. “It’s been the best year of my life too,” I start, then forget the words I was supposed to say.
“This is when you reaffirm your wedding vows,” Ms. Angela whispers.
Right. “Since we became husband and wife a year ago, my feelings for you have grown immensely. I couldn’t be a happier man, and it would be my honor to cherish you for years to come, be by your side through the seasons of our lives, and help you through whatever trials might come our way. I truly don’t deserve you, and every morning I have to pinch myself.” I take a deep breath. “So, this is me. What do you say?”
Willow jumps into my arms, and I swirl her around. “I think we’re good for another year!” I shout to the audience. Half of them are laughing, half seem to be wiping away tears.
“And this concludes the feud between the Callaways and the Fontaines!” Ms. Angela declares.
I set Willow down carefully and turn to her. “The what now?”
She spreads her hands. “The Feud! which started when a Fontaine set fire to the house that used to stand here, then continued when the Callaways stole—”
“Enough!” Willow and I both shout at her.
Ms. Angela rears back at the power of our words. “It’s just like I said. It’s over,” she says quietly, her eyes rounded at us like we’re a pair of lunatics.
And although this is not a wedding, all our friends cheer and clap as we walk between them to get the party started.
Willow stops us on the way to give Beck a long hug. “Thanks so, so much for all your hard work. You’re the best gardenerever. I can’t wait to see what you do with your landscaping business.” She looks him in the eye, and he smiles briefly before letting her go. “Something wrong?” she asks.
“Nothin’.”
He takes me in a bear hug and slaps my back. “Happy for you.”
“You do realize we’ve been married a year, right?”
Another shrug. “But were you really?” he teases before leaving.
“What’s up with him?” Willow asks once he’s out of earshot. “He’s been acting weird all day.”
“You haven’t heard?”
“No!?”
I take my time savoring this little piece of gossip that has my brother’s panties in a tizzy. “You know how the resort heard about the décor he did here for us today?”
