“Yes, if you want to get married today, I could perform the ceremony in an official capacity.”
Max pushed their bench back from the table, released her, and stood. He was staring at Braun, his humor now gone, his expression serious. “Do not jest with me, Braun.”
Braun stood now too. “Have I ever jested with you, Your Highness?”
Max held Braun’s gaze. “I suppose you have not.”
“I would not start now about such a serious matter.”
The cabin grew suddenly silent. Or maybe Emberly’s heart and lungs had ceased to function. Was Max really considering having Braun marry them today? And if so, would she agree to it?
As if hearing her silent questions, Max turned to her, his eyes shining with hope and love—the kind of hope and love she’d seenin her dad’s eyes many times over the years when he’d looked at Mom.
Was Max love-crazy for her? He was sure making her feel like she was the most important person in his life and all that really mattered to him.
A thrill wound through her, tingling down to her toes. She’d never thought she could have the McQuaid legacy of love, had always believed she would have to settle for a marriage and a man who would come close but never quite be able to live up to her family’s standards.
It looked like she was wrong. She and Max were experiencing something powerful—a fast, furious, and forever love.
“What do you think, Emberly?” Max asked softly. “Should we get married today?”
Should they get married today? At this moment, all the reasons to say no to Max seemed to fade away and were no longer important. It didn’t matter what anyone else would say or think. He was more important than any of her excuses. Their love was more valuable than anything else. And their being together was essential.
A swell of love rose inside her so swiftly and powerfully that she closed the gap between them, wrapped her arms around him, and met Max’s gaze again. “I’m willing if you are.”
He bent in and touched his lips to hers in a sweet kiss that was over before it could begin. “I am more than willing. I can think of nothing else I want more.”
18
He was getting married. After so many years of searching and trying and failing, how had this happened so swiftly and with such certainty?
With Winzig standing beside him as a witness, Max faced Emberly, holding both of her hands as she finished stating her vows. His chest ached with all the love he felt for her. It simply could not be contained inside him.
“Your turn, Your Highness,” Braun said as he stood in front of them, attempting to look stately. But having no way to groom himself, he was decidedly rumpled with his hair messy, his beard no longer neatly trimmed, and his clothing wrinkled.
Max was curious to know how Braun could recite the order verbatim. Perhaps he had memorized the ceremony when he’d performed his previous marriage ceremonies. Whatever the case, Max was grateful for Braun’s many talents.
Max repeated the words, holding Emberly’s gaze and hoping she could see that he meant every single one. “I Nikolaus Constantin Maximillian Karltenberg take you, Emberly McQuaid, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish till death us do part, according to God’s holy will.”
He would love and cherish her with every breath he had. He brought her hand up to his lips and placed a kiss on her knuckles. “I love you, darling.”
Braun shook his head. “That is not part of the ceremony, Your Highness.”
“It should be. I would like it to be.”
Braun pursed his lips.
But as Emberly’s eyes crinkled at the corners with the beginning of a smile, Max persisted. “In fact, I would like to be able to express my love to my bride whenever it suits me.”
“You cannot—”
Max cut Braun off with one of his most severe glares, one that demanded acquiescence as his superior. Max was not above using his royal privileges to get what he wanted from time to time. At the moment, he needed to assure Emberly how much he loved her, needed her to know so that she had no reservations about what they were doing.
He had witnessed her silent doubts over the past few hours since Braun had first offered to marry them. Of course, Max had wanted to have the ceremony right away and not give her any time to overthink their relationship and change her mind.
But they had agreed they would make the most of the remaining hours of daylight, especially because the wind had grown calmer. They had attempted to climb to the highest spot near the cabin, hoping to get a cell phone connection. The way up had been precarious, and he and Emberly had not gone far before turning back.
They had also begun shoveling a path to the nearby lake. Emberly indicated that they could ice-fish there if necessary. What she left unsaid was that they might run out of food and need the sustenance.
