“More than ready. We’re witnessing two people we love tie the knot. How could I not be ready for this day?”
Grinning, he agreed.
“By the way—I’m in love with the most amazing man in the world. You’re all I see. It’ll never change.”
Tugging me by the front of my bralette, he brought me to him.
“Bumping into each other was the best thing that ever happened to me. What’s even better is I got to know my best friend before she became my woman, my soulmate. What we’re going to witness today is heavy on my mind because I can’t wait to make you Mrs. Smith.”
My heart started racing, and he wasn’t even proposing.
“Just know that there’s a picture painted for us, and it looks damn good. The vision is clear to me, and I intend to see it through until my last breath.”
Brooklyn kissed my parted lips, then left the bathroom like he hadn’t just reached into my chest and stroked my heart.Everything about him was perfect. Everything about the way he loved me was perfect.
Preparing for Naomi’s wedding was nothing like being at the church, preparing for her to walk down the aisle. My makeup had been touched up twice now because I couldn’t stop crying. Naomi looked like a dream dressed in a pretty gown. Gianna put her whole foot in the dresses, and I could not wait to see us on the cover of several magazines.
Naomi opted for the wedding to be exclusive with only a few allowed access outside of the Smith and London families. My parents were there, no doubt concocting a way to get me down the aisle.
Throughout the ceremony, it seemed like such a dream. Everyone marveled at the vows, including the men. This was truly a special day, filled with beautiful affirmations of love. I tried not to watch Brooklyn during the service, but it was hard. He looked damn good in his tux, with his face and hair neatly groomed. We were a couple now, however, this stage wasn’t where we were yet. Putting eyes on him would make me start seeing him that way, and I was too scared to venture down that mental road, although he’d dropped that nugget in my head this morning.
Regardless of what anyone said, marriage was an entirely different ball game. Telling someone you wanted to marry them, actually marrying them, and then actually living as though you’re married was a concept many seemed to have missed when reciting their vows. I was old school in that, once married, there was no going back. Not that I’d stay in a loveless marriage.However, I saw too many living that way, and I refused to be one of them.
Brooklyn wanted to marry me—he’d said so. But would he actually marry me? Would he actually live as though he was a married man? If I went off what he’d already done for me thus far, then I’d say yes to all the above. However, fear told me to be careful.
Once ‘I dos’ were exchanged and photos completed, the wedding party moved to the reception, which was taking place at an event center the Smiths owned. I’d never met a family as large and loving as the Smiths. The men seemed one way on the outside, but by the way they interacted with their better halves, it brought a longing to my heart.
Like now, across the way, the older cousin, Stephan, stood behind his wife, with his arms around her waist, speaking into her ear. They were such a fine ass couple. Mariah had her eyes closed, with a serene smile gracing her face. Her hands gripped her husband’s. Whatever he was saying had her smiling bigger. Then, it was the kisses he placed down her neck like no one else was in the room but them.
According to Brooklyn, the two had been married for quite some time and had three children. The way he discreetly rubbed her belly, I wondered if she had another one on the way. They created the picture of a healthy, loving couple.
“Nosey ass.” Brooklyn’s voice caught me off guard. I played it off by smiling.
He’d been in the restroom, while I held up our table. PJ and Zoo were supposed to be at our table, too, but neither one of them were in eyesight. PJ’s pregnant ass had done fine through the wedding, but as soon as it was over, she collapsed in Zoo’s arms. He probably had her somewhere taking a nap.
“So. You don’t think they look amazing?” I sipped my champaign and continued watching the emotions play over Mariah’s face.
“I know… they’re two of the dopest people I know.” He wrapped his arm around my waist and brought my back against his chest, taking me in the same embrace that I’d just been admiring in the other couple.
His lips touched my neck, sending electricity through me. The vibrations from the music the DJ played didn’t compare to the vibrations Brooklyn’s touch did to me.
“You know how fuckin’ good you look in this dress? Naomi knew what she was doing picking this scandalous shit.”
“Scandalous?” I had to laugh at that.
“Scandalous. Good thing all these people in here are either related to me by blood or some other type of way. Otherwise, I’d be showin’ my whole ass in here.”
“Please don’t do that, Babe. You know I’m not going anywhere. I refuse to go anywhere.”
Tangling my fingers with his, I wondered how I ever went through life without Brooklyn. He was the sweetest, sexiest man I’d ever met. He took care of me in every aspect of who I was on another level of love—a level where I could never go back from this. He’d introduced things to me that I wouldn’t let slip away from me too easily. As long as he let me, I was going to let him know how much I loved and appreciated him.
“You spittin’ real shit,” he said. “If you think about leaving me, I’ll get my sister’s on you again. They come up with the craziest shit.” He said that like he wasn’t the one putting them up to said crazy shit.
“What’re you gonna do when it’s time for them to date? If a boy disappoints them, then what?”
Brooklyn’s low growl caused me to giggle.
“It’s gonna happen whether you want it to or not,” I added.
