Page 110 of Runaway Bride’s Husband

CHAPTER 48

MAGGIE

The Ferris wheel carried us higher, creaking softly as it paused to let someone off or on. Ryan and I sat in a car almost right at the peak, swinging slightly back and forth as we looked down at the riot of lights and color that was the carnival below.

I leaned a little closer to the metal bar, peering down at the wedding reception that appeared to be devolving into complete chaos across the lawns. “Look at them all. It seems impossible that these people arrived here with terribly strong opinions about the thread count of the table linens.”

Ryan chuckled, his arm slung around my shoulders pulling me closer. “If you ask me, it’s just good to know there’s some humanity in them. Tomorrow, they can go back to debating the thread count of a tablecloth. For now, let them cut loose a little. That’s what you wanted, right?”

“That’s true. There’s nothing uptight or formal about what’s going on down there.” I leaned into his side, resting my head on his shoulder as I tried to believe how this day had turned out. “We’re married, Ry. How on earth did that happen?”

He chuckled, turning his head toward mine and burying his face in my hair. “Honestly, I have no idea. I wasn’t even going to come until I got your voicemail.”

“Really?” I pulled back a tiny bit to glance up into his eyes. For someone who’d derailed a wedding a couple hours ago, he seemed completely relaxed, happiness shining brighter from his eyes than the stars above and a lazy, satisfied smile on his lips. “Are you serious? You were going to let me marry Daniel until I tried calling you?”

“It’s not up to me to let you do anything,” he said, bringing a hand up to my cheek and stroking it with the pad of his thumb. “It’s your life. Your decisions to make. I wasn’t going to come because I couldn’t bear the thought of watching you marry him, but then I got your message and I couldn’t stay away either.”

“I’m glad you didn’t,” I murmured, so positively overwhelmed by everything that had happened that it all felt entirely surreal. “Why didn’t you tell me how you felt before?”

“Oh, you mean, why didn’t I tell you that I’m in love with you while I was planning your wedding to another man?” A slow smile spread on his lips. “I don’t know, Mags. Maybe because I didn’t think I stood a chance?”

“It should’ve been our wedding all along,” I replied, moving my head forward to rest my forehead against his. “I just didn’t think you wanted that. You told me you hadn’t met your wife yet and that you’d know when you did. I was convinced that meant it wasn’t me.”

“It’s always been you.” He exhaled a long, slow breath before pressing a kiss to the tip of my nose. “I adore you, Maggie. I love you. I worship you. From now until the end.”

Happy tears flooded my eyes. I wrapped my arms around his neck and sealed my lips over his for a kiss that stole my breath, murmuring against his mouth once I pulled away. “I love you too. I can’t believe how close we got to never getting to be together.”

“Too close,” he agreed, sliding his arm around my shoulders again and turning to lean back against the seat when the ride resumed its slow movement. “I don’t want to think about that, though. Not tonight.”

I inhaled a deep breath, smiling as I cuddled into his side once more. “You’re right. Not tonight. Let’s just enjoy our carnival.”

He chuckled and tightened his grip on me. “It’s still your carnival, baby. But everyone else seems to be enjoying it too.”

I peered back down at the guests. All of them seemed to be having a roaring good time. One of my mother’s friends was riding a mechanical bull instead of clutching her pearls. A group of my father’s business associates were hogging a games booth, evidently challenging each other to some kind of ring toss.

Meanwhile, Cathy was barefoot in the grass and I laughed when I caught a glimpse of her from the corner of my eye. “My mother is going to kill her.”

Ryan squinted in her direction and his eyebrows shot up. “I don’t think so. Look again. Your mother is currently dancing with her.”

When I leaned forward and got a clear view of what was going on down below, I realized he was right. My eyes nearly bulged out of my head, but there she was, Adelaide Pembroke, with one hand in the air as she rocked back and forth on her heels.

“Oh my God,” I muttered. “They’re so going to regret this tomorrow.”

Ryan laughed. “Nah, they’re having fun.”

As we watched, a carnie danced his way up to Cathy, leaning closer to say something that made her shriek with laughter. My mother didn’t even flinch, simply laughing along before excusing herself and joining her friends at another ride to give them some space.

I half expected Cathy to wave the guy off, but she didn’t, flirting with him and pulling him closer for a dance instead. Ryan gaped at the scene for a moment and grinned. “That guy looks like he could fix a transmission with his teeth. I didn’t know that was Cathy’s type.”

“It’s not,” I said, struck dumb but giggling before I swept my gaze from one side of the carnival to the other.

The view from up here was incredible, kids running around with cotton candy while someone seemed to have started a conga line. Clusters of people surrounded every game, ride, and booth, and while I’d never seen them do anything like it, they all really seemed to be enjoying themselves.

The only person who wasn’t was my dad. He sat alone at the bar, nursing a drink. Holden appeared beside him as we started our descent and clapped him on the back, saying something I hoped was uplifting.

Dad looked up at him when he spoke, but I lost sight of them before I could see if whatever Holden had said made him smile or scowl. I sighed, feeling tension return to my muscles the closer we got to the ground.

Ryan seemed to sense it, reaching over and gently turning my face toward him. “Hey. Don’t worry about it now.”