“Ready to marry me?” I murmured as I kissed the top of her head.
“Yeah. I am.” She wrapped her arms around my neck as she inched closer. “Maybe one kiss wouldn't hurt.”
I tilted my head and was about to crash my mouth against hers when she pressed her finger to my lips.
“Then again, maybe we should wait. Ready to go?”
She sashayed over to the closet and pulled out her coat.
I laughed and shook my head. When I first met Ellie, she was sweet but so serious. As I began to break through the wall she built around herself, the playful side came out. I loved the giggle that always escaped her when she would ask for theDirty Dancingkiss and the blush that crept up on her cheeks whenever I’d call her beautiful. She never asked for anything, but she deserved everything. I intended to spoil her for the rest of my life.
“What?” Her lips twitched as she raised an eyebrow.
“You know you’ll pay for that later.” I stalked over to where she stood and slid my arm around her. The bump made it harder to pull her body flush to mine, but we were close enough.
She drifted her hand down my cheek and along my jaw.
“Marry me, Nicholas Patrick.”
Ellie bit her quivering lip. I wasn’t sure if her tears lately were from happiness or hormones or both.
“It would be my pleasure, Ella-Jane. Let’s go.”
“I spent so much time worrying about a dress and makeup, I forgot to get flowers. Would it be weird to stop on the way?” I stepped into Nick’s truck and sighed. Yes, this was an informal and private ceremony, but I didn’t want to marry Nick with a five-dollar carnation bouquet from the supermarket.
“I got you covered, sweetheart.” He motioned to the bouquet of yellow daisies tied with a blue ribbon on the back seat next to Jack.
“Smurfette’s bouquet?” A smile tilted my lips. “Seems fitting.”
Nick picked up my hand and laced our fingers together. His brow furrowed as he turned my wrist over.
“Matches my bracelet.” I wore the sand art bracelet Nick made me almost a year ago. I counted it as my ‘something blue.’
“You kept it?” I smiled at the crack in his deep timbre. “The friendship bracelet?”
“Yeah, you said friendship.” I fiddled with the rope around the sand art charm. “But, we were never really friends, were we?” I arched an eyebrow as I buckled my seat belt.
“This no kissing rule is getting on my damn nerves,” Nick whispered as he pulled away from the curb.
“Thanks for doing this.” Nick shook the judge’s hand after we entered his office.
I smiled politely at his wife in the corner, who I imagine was our witness for the marriage license. My son was our unofficial best man, and he gave me away, but he was too young for his signature to count.
“No problem. With the online certifications, I’m seeing fewer and fewer marriages come through the door. Just about anyone can marry people now.”
“Can I do it?” Jack asked from where he stood between us.
“I think you have to be at least ten,” Nick answered in a loud whisper. My son sucked on his teeth and folded his arms.
“I’m guessing you want the short version.”
“Yes,” Nick piped up right away. “I want to get to the kissing the bride part quickly.”
The judge chuckled and breezed through the formalities before he got to the vows.
“Repeat after me: I, Nicholas.”
“Nicholas Patrick,” I corrected the judge as I eyed Nick with a smirk.
