As he broke eye contact, I looked up too, my gaze darting across the ballroom. Sterling, Mom, and Michelle had done an incredible job with the place. It was breathtaking, with gleaming chandeliers, autumn-colored floral arrangements, and candles flickering on every available surface.
It was supposed to have been an intimate ceremony. So naturally, Mom had invited as many people as she’d thought she could get away with. I didn’t mind, though. Frankly, I wasn’t even seeing any of the guests or much of the decorations right now.
Not once the music swelled and the doors opened, and there she was. Maisie Morgan, my bride.Fuck, I really can’t believe it.
Matthew walked beside her, her arm linked through his. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from her face obscured by a thin, shimmering veil. She looked radiant. Otherworldly. The only thing in this room worth looking at.
Sure, I’d already broken the rule about seeing her in her dress, but this moment was something else entirely. This was her walking toward me. Toward saying yes to being with me forever.
Somehow, she’d managed to put her gleaming, dark hair back together. Her gown hugged every lean curve like it hadn’t been shoved around her hips less than half an hour ago. Heat sparked in my blood at the memories and I swallowed hard, knowing this wasn’t the time or place, but shit.How lucky am I?
Sterling leaned closer, his voice a low murmur. “Are you doing okay?”
I couldn’t tear my eyes off her, but I smiled past my hammering pulse and nodded. “I’ve never been better in my life.”
Brody tugged at my sleeve, whispering, “She looks like a princess.”
“She does,” I said, my voice rough. “She always does.”
Maisie’s father gave me a slight grin as he placed her hand in mine. Her fingers slid against my palm, warm and trembling. I knew that whatever mistakes I’d made, whatever years I’d lost with them, I was never letting go again.
She smiled up at me. The officiant began, but all his words about love, commitment, and forever blurred into one. Judging by the smiles and murmurs among the guests, they were good words. Probably important ones, but none of them felt strong enough to match what I felt as I held her hands in mine, looking into those green eyes and knowing I was going to be waking up to that beautiful face for the rest of my life.
When it was time for our vows, she went first, smiling with her eyes shining like she might burst into laughter, tears, or both.
“I never thought I’d be standing here, and it’s not only because you’re Callum Westwood and my friends swore I had no chance getting you to settle down,” she began, her voice soft but certain. A ripple of laughter cut the tension in the room and she flashed a smile at our families before looking back at me. “It’s because when life got messy, you were the last person I thought would show up and stay.”
She gave my hands a gentle squeeze, pausing for a beat to inhale when her brow puckered like she was about to start crying. “But here you are. You showed up for me, Callum. You’ve been showing up for me, and for Brody, and somehow, through all the craziness and the uncertainty, you decided to stay. You’ve even managed to make me believe I deserve this. Deserve you.”
Her voice cracked and she blew out a slow, measured breath, but her gaze never left mine. “You’re infuriating and stubborn, but you’re also funny, and warm, and so much better than I think you know. You are, without a doubt, the love of my life and I cannot wait to spend the rest of it with you. I honestly can’t believe I’m going to get to.”
She paused for half a second to regain her composure, then tightened her grip on my hands. “I love you, Callum. I promise to keep loving you, no matter what. I promise to stay by your side, even when you’re doing ridiculous things like trying to buy a hotel just because there’s been a double-booking. I promise to cheer for you, even if it’s only a beer league now. I promise to protect you from getting more black eyes from my brothers and, most importantly, I promise to believe in you. To trust you, and to be honest with you. I love you so, so much.”
My chest cracked open and I cleared my throat when the officiant nodded at me, but I honestly didn’t remember how tostring words together anymore. It took me a few moments, but looking into her eyes, the words finally came. “Well, that’s a tough act to follow, but I’ll do my best.”
That earned another laugh from the room and even Maisie’s lips quirked, but her eyes were wet. I lifted our joined hands and brought them to my mouth to press a kiss to her knuckles. “Maisie Morgan, I don’t deserve you. I know it, you know it, and everyone else here probably knows it too, but I’m selfish enough to hold on to you anyway.”
Sterling snorted and Jameson laughed, another chuckle murmuring through the crowd, but I hadn’t tried to be funny. It was the honest truth. “You’ve given me more than I ever thought I could have, your love, a family, and a chance to live the kind of life I never would’ve dreamed of.”
A grin spread across my lips even as my eyes burned. “You’re beautiful, and fierce, and so much smarter than me. I promise to never stop reminding you how much I love you. Even when you’re mad at me. Even when I screw up. Especially then. Because this is it for me. You’re it.”
The officiant spoke again, presumably moving through the rest of the formalities, but I barely heard him. Our vows had already bound me tighter than anything he could say. We slid rings onto each other’s fingers and the cool metal of mine felt foreign against my skin, but I already loved having it there.
When he finally told me I could kiss her though,thatI heard. I leaned in, hooking an arm around her hips to kiss her slowly and reverently. Our guests clapped and cheered, but I didn’t bother listening to them either. All I wanted in this moment was my wife. I smiled against her lips, lingering there for just another moment before we finally had to turn and face the room.
Our mothers were still dabbing their eyes, our fathers wearing matching, beaming grins. Our brothers swarmed around us, sweeping us up in a massive group hug while Laneyand Sadie fussed with Maisie’s train, trying to bend over to straighten it out even though both of their baby bumps were getting in the way.
Jameson clapped me on the shoulder as we all broke apart, smirking as his gaze held mine. “I told you it would work if you just kept trying.”
I laughed, feeling lighter than I probably ever had. “Yeah, I really hate to admit it, but you were right.”
“I know.” He pumped his eyebrows at me before he took Sadie’s hand and led her to the grand hall where the reception was taking place.
Sterling grinned at me. “That was beautiful, man. So heartfelt. I never knew you had it in you.”
I snorted. “Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Always.” The teasing faded from his features, leaving them sharper and much more familiar. “I really am proud of you, though. We’ll talk sometime, but I suspect I know what was going on, and if I’m right, then we have even more to celebrate today.”
