His eyes go wide, his mouth parts slightly, and even from this distance I can see the sheen of tears he's trying to blink back. His hand comes up to his chest, like he's trying to physically hold his heart in place.
John appears at my elbow, we asked him to walk me down the aisle, and the tough old veteran had cried when we did. "You ready, sweetheart?"
"So ready."
We start down the aisle, and I barely register the faces turning to watch, my students and their parents, filling three whole rows; Mabel from the diner, already dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief; Mayor Hartwood standing beside his wife, both of them beaming; Tom from the garage with his wife; half the town, it seems, packed into this space.
But all I see is Silas.
He's wearing a dark suit that fits him perfectly, his hair neatly combed, every detail making him look effortlessly handsome. And he's looking at me like I'm the only person in the world.
When we reach the front, John places my hand in Silas's, then leans in to whisper, "You take care of her, Northwood."
"Always," Silas promises, his voice rough.
John steps back, and suddenly it's just us, facing each other, hands clasped tight.
"Hi," I whisper.
"Hi." His thumb strokes across my knuckles. "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
"You're not so bad yourself."
Red, standing before us in his role as officiant, clears his throat. "If you two are done making eyes at each other, we've got a wedding to conduct."
Laughter ripples through the crowd, and I feel some of the nervous tension ease.
Red's ceremony is short and sweet, he talks about love found in unexpected places, about second chances, about two people who were brave enough to take a leap. When he gets to the vows, Silas squeezes my hands.
"I didn't write anything fancy," he starts, and I can hear the emotion threading through his words. "I'm not good with words. But Iris, a year ago, I was lost. Broken. Just going through the motions of living without actually living. And then you raised your hand at that auction and everything changed."
My eyes are already filling with tears.
"You saw me when I was trying my hardest to be invisible. You fought for me when I'd given up fighting for myself. You took a chance on a damaged ex-soldier, and you loved me back to life." His voice cracks slightly. "So I promise you this: I will spend every single day proving that I'm worth that two hundred and fifty dollars you spent on me. I will love you fiercely and completely. I will be your partner, your protector, your best friend. I will choose you, every single day, for the rest of my life."
I'm crying now, unable to stop the tears streaming down my face. Nora appears at my elbow with tissues, and I take one gratefully before starting my own vows.
"Silas, a year ago, I was playing it safe. Staying small. Letting life happen to me instead of actively living it. And then I saw you on that stage, and something in me just... woke up." I take a shaky breath. "You make me braver. You make me want to take chances, to dream bigger, to believe in possibilities. You taughtme that it's okay to let someone take care of me sometimes, that accepting love doesn't make me weak, it makes me stronger."
His grip on my hands tightens.
"So I promise you this: I will be your safe place. I will stand beside you through whatever comes. I will love every part of you, the strong parts and the broken parts, because all of it makes you who you are. And I will choose you, every single day, for the rest of my life."
"Rings?" Red asks, and Jonah steps forward, producing two simple gold bands.
We slide them on each other's fingers, and I watch as Silas stares down at the ring on his hand like it's the most precious thing he's ever seen.
"By the power vested in me by the great state of Montana," Red says, his voice suspiciously thick, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. Northwood, kiss your bride before I start crying like a baby."
Silas cups my face in his hands, gentle and reverent, and kisses me. It's soft and sweet and full of promise, and when we break apart, the room erupts in applause and cheers.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Red announces, "Mr. and Mrs. Silas Northwood!"
Applause ripples through the room as the reception unfolds right there in the center, tables set with white linens and simple centerpieces.
True to her word, Mabel handled the catering, and there’s enough food to feed an army. But the real showstopper is the dessert table, filled with heart-shaped waffles, her special touch from The Waffle Den, made to celebrate love, stacked high with every topping imaginable.
"Heart-shaped waffles in February?" Silas teased, sliding his arm around my waist, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
