Silence.
“Uh, hello?”
More silence.
“I’m going to take this off in five seconds,” I threatened.
I started counting but stopped when someone touched my arms, and then the bag was gone.
I squinted as I got used to the light again, but I didn’t need to see to know who was with me. His cologne always gave him away.
“Lioreo, what in the fresh hell is this?”
He cradled my face and kissed my forehead.
“Our families had an idea?—”
“Say no more. Let’s run to another country. I’m sure I can get us into Portugal with ancestry links or something,” I said as I looked down at the clothes I’d been dressed in. Thankfully, it wasn’t a clown outfit. My guess on the suit was correct. It was one of mine.
“As I was saying, your parents, brothers, and my mom wanted us to have a wedding with an actual reception since we didn’t have a proper one in Vegas.”
“Yeah, we did. That cake was the best cake I’ve ever had in my life. The only criticism I have is that I didn’t get to eat it off your abs.”
He leaned over and kissed me gently. “Today you can…later.”
He turned us around until I faced the other way where all my family, Tanner, Jax, Ellie, Meatball, Lior’s family, West, Drew, the kids from Star Finders, and even Pierce were all gathered in their finest clothes.
They parted like the Red Sea to show an aisle made of flower petals leading to the glass gazebo.
“Oh my god, I’m gonna cry.” I leaned against his chest.
“You? Noah No Feelings Spencer? Cry?”
“Shush, it’s Noah No Feelings Van Stern now.”
Changing my name was a decision I hadn’t taken lightly, but it had felt so right for me. Yup, I was that person. Nope, I never thought I would be.
Adam and Lex agreed that at work, I’d still go by Spencer so we wouldn’t have to change all our stationery, emails, business paperwork, and god knows whatever else my name was printed on.
Lior took my hand and led me to the aisle.
“This is crazy, but thank you, everyone, for being here,” I said as we walked toward the gazebo.
I screeched when we got to the top and the same celebrant who married us in Vegas was right there, holding her cards.
“Oh my god, you’re here!” I ran to give her a hug.
“Are we getting any butts this time?” she asked, smiling.
“I’ve graduated to—” Lior covered my mouth with his hand.
“Don’t you even dare.”
Everyone gathered around us. The perfect lighting of the gazebo bathed everyone in color.
I leaned over to the celebrant and whispered, “You did marry us for real the first time, right?”
“I did. We’re doing a vow renewal and celebration.” She turned to Lior. “Thank you for getting in touch. I have family out this way, so it was the perfect excuse to see them.”
