“You two need to go get dressed,” her grandma tells us.
Ellison’s smile could light up all of Tennessee.“We’ll be quick,” she says, tugging on my hand and leading me around the side of the house.Once inside, we move quickly down the hall to my old bedroom.
“Have you decided yet?”I ask, stripping out of my clothes to get into my dress blues.
“Yeah, I don’t think I’m going to wear it.Not because of her keeping the letters from me, but I want us to have something of our own.We’re building something new, something stronger, and I don’t want anything from the past to taint that.”
“Baby, wearing her dress won’t taint that.”
She nods.“I know, but my gut tells me not to wear it.If my sisters want to when they get married, they can.I bought something I love.I want to feel like me today.”
“You can wear a burlap sack, and you’d still be the most beautiful bride Magnolia Ridge has ever seen.”
“I already said yes,” she teases, pulling her tank top over her head.
“Fuck, warn a guy, Ells,” I say, letting my eyes roam over her body.
She laughs, a beautiful musical sound that fills the room.“You’d better get moving.We have a wedding to start.”
“Yes, ma’am.”We both work on getting ready, and I keep my back to her.I want that moment.When I see her for the first time.We’re walking down the aisle together, so this is it.I finish getting dressed and sit in the chair at the desk, facing the wall.
“What are you doing?”She laughs.
“I’m waiting until you’re ready.I want the first look at you, but I don’t want it until you tell me you’re finished.”
“Copeland James, are you trying to make me cry?I just touched up my makeup.”
“You don’t need it anyway,” I tell her.She doesn’t.She’s naturally beautiful.
“Not helping.”She laughs.
I listen as she finishes getting ready, and finally, she says, “You can turn around.”Standing, I slowly turn, and my heart skips a beat.She’s got her hair pulled back, just the top and sides, and the rest is in soft waves down her back.Her makeup is barely there and flawless.Her big blue eyes are shining as she watches me take her in.
“That dress—” I nod my approval.It’s a lace number that is high around her neck, sleeveless, tapered at the waist, and stops just above her knee.To top it off, she’s wearing her worn-out scuffed cowboy boots.The ones I bought for her for Christmas the year before I left for the Marines.“You still have those?”I ask, my voice betraying me, cracking with emotion.
“Yeah, they’re my favorite still today.I don’t wear them often anymore, but today seemed fitting.”
“I got you something.”I reach into my pocket and pull out the new ring.“I know you said you wanted the original, but this one, it’s fresh, kind of like the dress,” I tell her.Her left hand trembles as I slide the two-and-a-half-carat diamond halo ring onto her finger.
“Copeland, it’s beautiful.It’s too much.”
“Nothing is too much for you, Ells.”I lean in to kiss her.“Fuck, I forgot I’m not allowed,” I say, pressing my lips against her cheek instead.She giggles, and it only makes me want to kiss her more.
“Thank you.”
“One more thing,” I tell her.Moving back to the desk, I reach into the top drawer and pull out the long, slender box.“I had your original ring made into a necklace.They used the solitaire diamond for the center, and I had them match the halo setting of your new ring.”Opening the box, I hold it out for her.
“Cope.”She peers up at me, eyes misty with tears.
“Now, you have both of them.Our past and our future.”
“Thank goodness for waterproof mascara,” she says, fanning her face as if that will help keep the tears at bay.“Will you put it on me?”
“Turn around.”She does as I ask, lifting her hair from her neck, and I clasp the necklace into place.When she turns, her blue eyes are blazing with love.
“I have something for you, too.”She grins.“I was going to wait to show you, but now seems like a good time.”She turns her back to me and glances at me over her shoulder.“Can you unzip me?”
“Baby, I don’t know if that’s the best idea.We have a wedding to get started, and if I unzip you, we might never leave this room.”She chuckles and keeps her back turned, so I reach for the zipper and lower it.
