She smirks. “Try not to pass out when you see me.”
And with that, I’m out the door with my heart pounding, grin in place, and more ready than I’ve ever been in my life.
The music shifts and a breathless silence settles over the crowd. The kind you only get right before the rest of your life begins. I’m standing at the altar, every part of me braced and buzzing. My fingers flex at my sides. My heart? Hell, it’s a drumline in my chest.
And then the doors open.
And I forget how to breathe.
There she is.
Charlotte.
My bride.
She steps into the room like it was made for her, light pooling around her like it knows who she is. Her dress—Jesus, that dress—clings to her in all the right places, silk and lace and something ethereal. Her bump is framed justright beneath the empire waist, her shoulders bare, her collarbone kissed with a hint of shimmer.
Her hair is pinned up, soft curls falling loose like she just rolled out of bed and made the sunrise jealous. And her eyes? Locked on me.
I feel it happen, just like she said I would. My knees go weak. Not from nerves. From knowing. This woman is mine. Has been from the second she showed up during the middle of a flood.
Tish is crying. Phern’s wiping her face with one of those tissues she always pretends she doesn’t carry.
But me?
I’m still frozen in place, jaw tight, chest full. And when she reaches the end of the aisle, her hand slipping into mine, it’s like a spark jumps between us.
“You okay?” she whispers, eyes dancing.
“Ask me again after I make you my wife.”
She grins, and just like that, we turn to the officiant together, fingers intertwined, hearts already there.
When it’s my turn for the vows, I turn to her. I clear my throat, but my voice still comes out thick.
“Charlotte Diana Wilson. You wrecked my plans from the second you walked back into my life. And thank God for it.”
A soft laugh ripples through the crowd.
“I thought I knew what love was. I thought I understood devotion. But then you showed me what it really looks like. To fight for someone even when they’re impossible, to stay even when things get messy, to love without rules or limits or timelines.”
Her eyes are already shining. Mine? Probably worse.
“I’ve watched you chase truth and bravery in every hard choice you’ve made. You carry storms and light and gracelike they were stitched into your skin. And somehow, you chose me.”
I pause, swallowing hard.
“I promise to never make you doubt that choice. I’ll stand by you in the chaos and the quiet. I’ll hold your hand when you’re strong. When you’re tired, I’ll hold you up. I’ll love you when you’re radiant. I’ll love you when you're stubborn. I’ll even love you when you steal the blankets.”
She laughs, blinking fast.
“I vow to be the man who deserves this life we’re building. To protect it. To protect you. Always. Even if that means crying during Disney movies with our kid.”
A softawwfrom somewhere in the back.
I reach out and brush her thumb with mine. “I love you, Charlie. And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life proving it.”
She takes a slow breath, eyes locked on mine. Her voice trembles at first, but it doesn’t break.
