Clara, Flora, and James start toward us from the path down the sand, the girls tossing flower petals as they hurry along in their cute, poufy dresses. James, who’s wearing shorts and a Polo shirt, carries the rings, looking bored. Next comes Tessa with a huge smile on her face as she makes her way toward us.
And now, I see her—my beautiful bride, on the arm of her father, who at this moment doesn’t resemble a king, but a proud dad. I get a lump in my throat at the sight of them, wishing for a second that my own parents could be here. But somehow, being out here in the fading light, with the first stars appearing in the sky, I can’t help but think maybe they are.
I clear my throat and dab at my eyes, and Harrison, who’s standing next to me, nudges me on the shoulder. “I know.”
And he does.
The waves roll in and out behind me and I can smell the tropical air, and I know I’m going to remember this moment for the rest of my life. This is the happiest I can ever imagine being.
King Winston looks like he’s going to cry (and I kind of hope he does because it really couldn’t hurt to have another cry baby in the family). Finally, he and Arabella reach me. They turn to each other and hug. He tells her he loves her more than anything and then he takes her hand and places it in mine. “Take care of her, William.”
“I will, sir.”
And now, Belle and I are staring into each other’s eyes and everyone else seems to disappear for a few seconds. She’s smiling up at me, just on the verge of tears as we hold hands.
“You are so beautiful,” I tell her, leaning in and giving her a kiss.
The preacher, Father Timothy, clears his throat and says, “William, you’re jumping the gun a bit.”
Everyone chuckles, and Belle and I turn to him so we can finally start our life together. The next few minutes somehow are both slow and a blur at the same time. Each word I speak is the most important one that’s ever come out of my mouth. I listen as she vows to love, honour, and cherish me for all the days of our lives. I feel the cool gold as she slides the ring onto my finger. I breathe in the scent of her perfume while I promise to be her partner, champion, and soft place to fall.
And now, Father Timothy gives us the go ahead and we kiss each other like there’s no tomorrow. I lift her off the ground and spin us slowly around on the beach while we kiss and laugh and, yes, maybe even let a couple of tears fall.
“I’m going to love you forever,” I say.
“And I’m going to love you right back,” Arabella tells me.
Later in the evening, as we’re sitting next to each other at a dinner that Emma and Pierce host for us, Arabella leans her head on my shoulder and sighs.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“I have never been happier or more content in my life, but I was just wondering if I’ll ever be this happy again.”
“This is just the beginning of happy.”
Chapter 30
And Now for the Big, Fat, Royal Wedding…
St. Stephen’s Church - 2:00 p.m. - June 3rd
Arabella
ANN Royal Wedding Special Event
“Hello,I’m Nigel Wood. Welcome to this ANN Royal Wedding Special. I’m here with special correspondent and VP of Productions at the Avonian Nature Network, Veronica Platt, who will be co-hosting today’s festivities.”
“That’s right, Nigel,” Veronica says. “It’s a beautiful afternoon here in Valcourt. There’s not a single cloud in the sky as we await the arrival of the Duchess of Bainbridge, Princess Arabella. She’ll be arriving shortly in a horse-drawn carriage, along with her father, King Winston, for the wedding of the decade to Avonia’s most eligible bachelor, Will Banks.”
“Indeed, Veronica,” Nigel adds. “This truly is a momentous occasion and cause for celebration as two worlds join in holy matrimony—that of commoner and royal. So many people with so many opinions about their union, but today, the only two points of view that really matter are that of the bride and groom.”
“We’ve got a camera crew at the palace, waiting for them to emerge from the gates, and we’ll be following them the entire way to the church,” Veronica says with a wide smile at the camera. “The entire kingdom is abuzz with the excitement that can only be brought about by a royal wedding. And it’s about to happen.”
“That’s right. Any second now, they’ll be appearing.”
“They sure will…” Veronica says, her smile frozen on her face.
“Indeed.”
