Chapter Fifty
AYDA
I’d never felt more confident and clear-headed in my life. Having Drew next to me, holding my hand as Sutton began the ceremony was like a ship being put to anchor.
I felt good, happy, and so alive.
I heard the formal part of the ceremony as though it was a song playing in the background. Most of my focus seemed to be on the man holding my hand, smiling over at me with as much happiness and rightness as I felt in every pore of my body. As much as I tried to concentrate on the ceremony so I could hold it in my memories, I always found my attention drifting back to Drew. I could only imagine how dewy-eyed and love-struck I must have looked.
As Howard Sutton read through the usual formalities, I finally relented and let my eyes stay on Drew, my future finally rolling out in front of me in a happy image of laughter, love, and children. When he turned and met my eyes again, all I could do was stare back in wonder at the man.
“Ayda?” Sutton whispered quietly.
“Hmm?” I said, hearing a small chuckle from our friends.
“Your vows?”
My cheeks warmed again, and I closed my eyes for amoment to center myself as I beat back the sudden surge of emotions that rushed forward. I couldn’t remember why I’d insisted on going first now. Not until I met Drew’s eyes again and let myself drown in them for a moment.
“Right,” I said, letting out a long, steadying breath. “Drew, I think I loved you before I’d even met you. You were like this beautiful dream I forgot to have, a longing wish I’d forgotten to make. You were the perfect future I never saw coming. From the first time I met you, you’ve surprised the hell out of me, and you’ve kept me on my toes every day since.” I stopped, my throat growing thick with emotion as tears blurred everything in my line of sight but him. “We’ve been through the worst of times, both alone and together, but we’ve also been through some of the best. No matter what was thrown at us, no matter what we endured, we did it together, and it only made the two of us stronger, both individually and as a couple. You know, from the moment you kissed me under the bleachers at Babylon High, I figured out two unshakable facts that have never once changed from that moment. I knew you would always be my shelter in the storm, and I knew I would belong to you for the rest of my life, whether you wanted me or not. Thank God you did,” I added with a full, tearful smile. “You consumed me in every way possible. You make me feel safe, you make me feel loved, and when you look at me, sometimes I feel like we’re the only two people on the planet. The more time we spend together, the more I know my life will never be a life worth living without you in it. I’m yours, Drew. I’ve always been yours, and I always will be. I’ll weather every storm by your side. I’ll be your can when you can’t because you’re my person, forever.”
Drew’s eyes were heavy with unshed tears, but he wore them with pride, his smile fixed in place as he reached up and brushed his thumb under my eye and rested his palm against my cheek, holding me when he knew I needed him the most.
“Drew?” Sutton urged him to go.
Pushing his lips together, he rolled them back and forth, his nostrils flaring before he swallowed and unleashed his smile on me again.
“There’s an intimacy in me that I never knew existed before you brought it out. The thought of speaking this way in front of my brothers would have sent me shrinking into a dark corner only twelve months ago. Now, here I am, ready and willing,desperateto let all the things I need to say to you fall free. That’s what you do to me, Ayda. There was a version of me that existed before you, and that man was robotic, hard, miserable, and always seemed to be searching for some warmth. I could never find the warmth. The whole world seemed heavy and cold until you opened your mouth outside your home that night—the night you caught my attention. I haven’t looked back since.” He blew out a breath. “No other woman would have stood by me the way you have. No other woman would have forced me to believe in myself when all I wanted to do was fail, admit defeat, and give up on everything. You saw something in me before I saw it in myself. More importantly, you saw something inus,and you fought for us, baby. You fought for us and showed me whattruestrength is. This life you’ve accepted as your own hasn’t been easy on you. At times, it’s broken me to see the way you’ve been tested and forced to endure things you should never even have witnessed. But through all of that, I’ve looked on at you in awe because I’ve never seen another human being heal hearts the way you do. I’ve never witnessed anyone hold a group of men together the way you do. I’ve never wanted to be everything for someone the way I want to be everything for you. I’m stronger now. Life is brighter, and I’m a man I never knew I could be. So, my vow to you is that I’ll be everything you need me to be and more. You’ll never have to doubt my love. You’ll never have to question my adoration. You’ll never have to layawake at night wondering if we’re going to go the distance because I can promise you with every beat of my heart that you’re it until the day I die. You’re my girl. My wife. My old lady.” He paused and released his slow smirk. “You’re my darlin’.”
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. He had stolen my breath away. I couldn’t see him through the tears that slowly tracked down my cheeks, but I felt him everywhere. Felt his words coursing through me.
It seemed to take a moment for anything to happen. Even Sutton let off a subtle cough of his own before he continued. I listened to what was going on better now, but my eyes stayed on that magical color of Drew’s, even when we exchanged our rings. Truthfully, I really wasn’t sure that I wanted to see anything but him for the rest of my life.
If nothing else stayed with me from the whirlwind that was our wedding day, I knew his vows would be with me in my heart for eternity. Drew Tucker had effectively ruined me for anyone but him in this life and any other life that followed.
I could tell we were getting close to the end of the ceremony when the buzz started working through every one of our family and friends. It was like an electrical current that beat over the two of us and even pushed Sutton along, his words coming in a steady rhythm until he stopped altogether and smiled down at the two of us looking nothing short of satisfied.
“By the powers vested in me by the great state of Texas, I now pronounce y’all husband and wife,” he said, rocking back on the heels of his boots for a moment before raising a hand as though to ask what we were waiting for. “You can kiss your old lady now, Drew.”
And boy, did Drew kiss me…
