“Look at you,” Katie said with a brilliant smile. “Ready to get married?”
“Yes,” Jamie replied fervently.
Jamie opened his arms to greet Katie with a hug, squeezing her tight but not hard enough to hurt. Katie had been by his side as a teacher and a friend since he’d been a wet-behind-the-ears second lieutenant. She was almost like a sister to him and he was glad to have her in his life.
Katie pulled away, the smile never leaving her face. “Alexei says they’re on the move. They should be on time.”
Jamie’s heart did a triphammer beat in his chest. He was never one for nerves, but the wedding was bringing out a host of emotions that tangled together in a knot in his chest. Cold feet wasn’t an issue, but the overwhelming knowledge that everything he had ever wanted was finally coming true made him swallow tightly.
The bedroom wasn’t big enough for the entire group, but the crowdedness wasn’t annoying. The photographer moved about, taking pictures with the focused intent Jamie knew he would appreciate later. He knew her partner had shown up at their home earlier that morning to take pictures of Kyle getting ready. Between the photographers and everybody’s personal camera functions on their tablets and phones, Jamie knew they wouldn’t miss a second of every moment leading up to them finally getting married.
“Liam told Katie you didn’t have any champagne up here, so we brought you some,” Donovan said. He set an ice bucket holding two expensive bottles of champagne on the side table beneath the window.
Trevor gestured with one hand, telekinetically guiding the two hovering trays holding champagne glasses over to the table.
“Feel free to pass it out,” Jamie said.
Donovan saluted him before going about popping open each bottle and filling the glasses. There was just enough to go around, with the last of the champagne hastily split into two glasses for Leah and Anthony when they finally arrived.
Jamie gazed around at his family and friends—the people who meant the most to him in the world after Kyle—and smiled so hard it hurt.
Liam raised his glass in a toast he directed at Jamie. “Congratulations on finally making it to the altar.”
“He’s not quite there yet,” Madison said with a laugh.
“He’s just gotta get downstairs,” Annabelle replied.
“Don’t get lost,” Trevor said with a teasing glint in his eye.
Katie snorted. “Kyle would never let him live it down if he did.”
Everyone’s laughter rang in his ear as they all raised their glasses for a toast. The multitude of voices sayingcheersechoed in his ears, and the champagne he swallowed did nothing to settle the knot in his stomach, but it tasted good.
After ten more minutes of everybody mingling and talking, Katie clapped her hands together and pointed at the door. “All right, everyone. Time to move out. Jamie needs to finish getting ready.”
As with all the times before, everyone obeyed her. Jamie gave Katie a thumbs up as she herded their friends out of the bedroom, a gesture she reciprocated. That left only Jamie, his family, Liam, and the photographer in the bedroom.
Charlotte approached Jamie and stood on her tiptoes to give a glancing kiss to his cheek, careful not to transfer her lipstick to his skin. “I should get downstairs to start greeting people. I can’t wait to watch you walk down the aisle.”
She deftly ushered Leah and Anthony out with her, and Liam discreetly left behind them, gesturing for the photographer to follow him out. Then it was only Jamie and his father, and the quiet between them wasn’t immediately filled. Jamie stared at Richard, tracing the lines of age on his face and the white in his hair, wondering just how much his father would age over the course of the next four years of his presidency and the possible four after that if he won reelection.
But that was in the future, and they were in the now. Where once Jamie had only ever seen anger or frustration in his father’s eyes, today he saw something different, something almost warm that Jamie couldn’t recall seeing in years.
Richard came closer and initiated a hug that Jamie returned. When they pulled apart, Richard kept his hands on Jamie’s shoulders, studying him. “We’ve had our differences, Jamie. We always will because you’re our son and you’ve always been stubborn like us. But your mother and I are glad you’re happy, and I want you to know that I’m proud of you.”
Jamie swallowed hard. The quiet pride in his father’s voice was a rarity. It wasn’t enough to erase all the friction and harsh words that had existed and been said between them over the years, but Jamie chose to believe that his father meant it with sincerity.
“Thank you, Father.”
Richard let him go and went to retrieve his cap, passing it over. Jamie took it and settled it firmly on his head. He knew Kyle would be arriving shortly and they’d be starting the rest of their lives together. It couldn’t happen soon enough.
Jamie retrieved his Mameluke sword from where he’d laid it out on the bed earlier. He was hooking the sword and scabbard to his belt when Liam wandered back into the bedroom with the photographer. The woman made a beeline for Jamie, taking pictures of him and his father, small moments that Jamie hoped to appreciate in the future.
Liam jerked a thumb at the door. “Most of the guests are here. I’ve been told that Kyle is a couple minutes out.”
“What time is it?”
Liam smiled. “Almost time for you to get married.”
