“He’s going to show up tomorrow, right?”
Lara glances over at me. “He’ll be there. Guaranteed. If he doesn’t get there himself, Ottar and I will get him there.”
“Now that’s romantic, having the groom’s security detail shove him down the aisle with brutal force. That’s what dreams are made of. A true happily ever after.”
“He will be there, Lilly,” she reassures me.
“Okay,” I answer as I look out the window.
For the rest of the drive, we’re silent. Lara most likely is replaying her many responsibilities and checklists off in her head, while I take even, steady breaths, reminding myself of last night, the way Keller touched me, controlled me...loved me. Even how he held me last night, like I was the most precious thing in his life that he didn’t want to let go.
Stop letting doubt creep into your head.
Stop letting fear slip into your bones.
Everything will be good.
He missed lunch because he’s working with Ottar on tightening things. Nothing more, nothing less.
When we arrive at Norse Temple, guards greet us and open the door. Lara briefly looks around before moving to the side to let me out. Dressed in a white coat dress with my hair in curls, I look up just in time to spot Keller inside the arch of the door, waiting for me.
Perfect in a dark-blue suit, white button-up shirt with the top few buttons undone, he looks so dreamy as he stands there, his eyes set on me.
Smiling, I move past the guards, straight into the arch where he lightly moves his hand to my back and pulls me in close to him. He lifts my chin and lowers his mouth to mine for a chaste but perfect kiss.
“I’m sorry about lunch,” he whispers.
And just like that, the fears are washed away and replaced with the same feelings I had last night.
Security.
Love.
Affection.
See, everything is perfectly fine.
“It’s okay.” I smooth my hand over his chest. “You missed a good time. I really went to town on a cucumber sandwich.”
He chuckles. “Something I’ll always regret missing.”
Adela walks in, clipboard in hand with her assistant following closely behind. What’s her name again? Cornolia?
I think that’s it.
Her large glasses and bangs cover up most of her eyes, but they always seem to be downturned, like she can’t gather enough courage to make herself known.
“There’s the happy couple,” Adela says. “How are we today?”
“Good,” I say. “How are you? Busy, I’m sure.”
“We are, but the good kind of busy with our final preparations. Everything has come together beautifully. Wait until you see the temple.” She gestures her arm to the door that leads to the main temple.
Hand in hand, Keller and I walk through another arched doorway and into the vast main area, but instead of the impersonal space I initially saw, the stone walls are covered in dark green drapes and gilded in birch trees, extending toward the ceiling, almost giving the same feel as Frigga’s Sanctuary. White and yellow flowers descend the aisle and up the pews, bringing a very vibrant, earthy feel to the space.
“Oh my God,” I say, taking in as much as I can. “It’s breathtaking in here.”
“Do you like it?” Adela asks just as Katla walks up from the front of the temple. “We wanted to bring the sanctuary into the temple since you loved it so much.”
