Chance held on to my hand, still trying to keep me behind him.
The intruder hung his head and ran a hand through his brown hair, making it stick up all over in a wild array. “I ran all the way here.”
He leaned over and placed his hands on his knees, sucking in breath or holding back tears. I couldn’t tell which.
The officiant performing our wedding held up his hand. “Ella just left. We finished her wedding about fifteen minutes ago.”
Wow, they planned these things close together. I hadn’t even seen another bride.
The man jerked his head up. “Seriously?” He looked like he might lose his shit.
The official raised his book, which hadMoby Dickembossed on the cover. “Sorry.”
Elle’s lover or long-lost lover or… whoever flopped his head back to the ceiling. He took a deep breath and then resumed his posture and turned toward the exit. “Marriage is the worst,” he said as he reached the door, stepped outside, and let the doors close behind him.
“It has to be a full moon,” the officiant whispered to himself.
Chance laughed.
Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve. I didn’t think it took a full moon to bring out the crazies to Vegas this time of year.
“Shall we continue?” the non-priest asked?
“Yes, please.” Chance grabbed my hand and we stepped back to our spots.
The witness who’d stayed completely silent during the outburst retook her seat and pulled her phone back in front of her face.
“I’m going to skip to the good part,” he said and opened his copy of Moby Dick. “Do you, Hope Halliday, vow to place Chance above all others and be unmovable in support of him in good times and bad?”
“Yes,” I answered quickly.
“Do you, Chance Jones, vow to place Hope above all others and be unmovable in support of her in good times and bad?”
Chance squeezed my fingers in his. “Yes.”
The officiant, whose qualifications I was being to question, closed his book. “You may now exchange rings.”
Chance’s eyes widened, and my mouth dropped open.
“Shit, we forgot rings,” I said, looking at my naked hand. I only cared about the dress. Shiny things never really mattered to me.
The man beside us closed his eyes and sighed.
“Wait,” Chance jerked the smooth black band from his pinky—a ring I’d given him after a trip to the Acadia National Forest in Maine. “Use this.”
The officiant nodded. “Whatever.”
I watched as Chance slipped the band on my ring finger.
“You can give it back to me after I buy you a real one,” Chance said.
I didn’t care at all. It didn’t matter what ring I wore. “Okay.”
As soon as the ring was on my finger, he said, “I now pronounce you man and wife yada yada. You may kiss the bride.”
Chance kicked my flowers with the toe of his shoe as he grabbed me around the waist and jerked me to him. “Thank you for trusting me with the rest of your life.”
His firm lips pressed against mine, and I tugged against his suit lapels so he didn’t stop. My toes curled, and I leaned into his kiss, letting him sweep me away. Forever.
