Luca doesn't look at me, but replies, "You're doing great. Keep quiet."
The wind starts to kick up, lifting Julia's dress. Kai steps closer to her without thinking, placing a hand on her back. She looks up and smiles at him, and I follow suit, going to her other side.
"Marriage," Luca says, "is not about perfection. It's about choosing the same people over and over again, especially when they're unbearable." His eyes flick up to Kai, then go to me.
Kai snorts. Luca gestures to me. "You first. Vows."
I don't hesitate. I take both of Julia's hands and turn her to face me. The warmth of her touch steadies my racing heart.
"Julia," I start, trying to keep my voice easy, "I promise to love you loudly when you need it and quietly when you don't. I promise to choose you every day, even when you pretend you don't need to be chosen. I promise to protect what's ours-- and to never let you forget you're wanted." I smile at her, then continue. "Also, I promise to keep things interesting." Then I wink at her.
Julia's laugh breaks through the wind on the rooftop, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.
Luca nods. "Kai."
Kai looks like he might bolt, but instead, he steps in. Julia turns her whole body to him, smiling at him. Kai doesn't take her hands at first, just looking at her like he's memorizing this moment.
"I don't do speeches," he says. "You know that."
She nods, and a tear slips down her cheek. He reaches up to wipe it with the pad of his thumb and then licks it off.
"I promise to be the place you land. To choose you when things get ugly, to love you even when I don't know how to say it right." There is a beat of silence. "And I promise not to leave you. Ever. You are stuck with me."
Julia swallows hard. Luca hands her a piece of paper with generic vows on it, but she doesn't look down.
"I was supposed to be temporary, a one-night stand. I wasn't supposed to fall in love, and I did. Twice."
I can't help the grin that spreads on my face, and she squeezes my hand.
"I choose you," she says. "Both of you. The chaos, the protection, the way you see me, even when I try to hide. I promise to fight for us. To stay honest. To stay." Then she turns and looks at Kai. "You are stuck with me." Then she looks at me. "And I will keep you on your toes always."
Luca exhales. "Rings."
Julia turns and looks at me with panic in her eyes. "I don't have rings for you."
I pull out another ring box and hand it to her. When she opens it, she sees two silver bands, one with a ruby and one with a sapphire.
"When?" She looks at me.
"We ordered them all online, and then Kai went and picked them up with the Marriage certificate."
She nods and slides the sapphire ring on my finger and the Ruby ring on Kai's, then wipes away her tears. Damn, she looks beautiful even when she is crying.
Luca lifts his chin. "By the extremely questionable authority vested in me—"
"Luca," I warn.
"—I pronounce you married." He steps back. "You may do whatever it is you've been doing this whole time."
I lean down and kiss Julia first. She is all warmth and laughter. Kai follows right after; his kiss is slower and deeper. You can tell that he is sealing this forever. He always told me he would never get married, but he just did, and I have never seen my brother so happy.
Julia grabs our hands and pulls us to the edge of the rooftop, and we look out at the skyline. Vegas is screaming, the lights are flashing...
And on this rooftop, we chose Julia, and she chose us... Forever.
Chapter 38
Julia
