Page 40 of Spark

The song finally ended and the silence stretched out, excitement growing as people anticipated the bride’s arrival. He just wanted it over with so he could fucking leave.

There was a bump at the door and the sound of it being flung open. Dex kept his head down, not wanting to turn around like everyone else had and risk accidentally catching the eye of a member of Chloe’s family or one of Zane’s asshole friends. And he had no interest in watching Chloe walk up the aisle while people watched him, scrutinizing him and his reaction.

“Bride or groom?” the dude at the door could be heard asking someone in the quiet church. Not the bride, then. Another guest.

“Um…the groom, I guess,” a familiar voice said.

Dex spun round in his seat.

Hattie stood at the door, face flushed, eyes bright, while she scanned the room. She was in a pink dress that hugged every inch of her and heels to match, and she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

Still, even with her standing right there, he tried to squash the hope building in his chest.

Her gaze finally found and locked on him, and she started moving, striding down the aisle toward him, eyes full of purpose. She was so fucking gorgeous he struggled to breathe past his pounding heart. All gazes followed her as she approached him, as she sidestepped into the row he was in and stood beside him.

Dex stared up at her, speechless, his heart in his throat.

“I’m sorry,” she said and grabbed one of his hands, clutching it in both of hers before bringing it to her lips and kissing it. Her gaze lifted to his again, and she swallowed hard. “God, Dex, I’m so sorry. I was afraid, and I…I was letting my parents control me, my life. I let them back into my head. I did that to myself and I hurt you, trying to prove them wrong. I hurt us both.” She kissed his scarred hand again. “I love you, too. So much.”

He groaned, shot out of his seat, and scooped her into his arms right as the wedding march began, as everyone stood around them. He didn’t give a shit and kissed Hattie hard and deep, lost in her, the feel of her back in his arms where she belonged. He only stopped when the person behind them tapped him on the shoulder, telling him and Hattie to sit like everyone else in the church.

He forced himself to stop kissing her and sat, pulling her down beside him, and clutched her hand in his, afraid it was all a dream, that she’d suddenly disappear and he’d be sitting there all alone, aching for her.

He glanced up, and Zane was scowling at him. Dex grinned back, because he had his woman at his side. And she loved him, too.

As soon as the ceremony ended, he led her from the church and out to his truck, but he didn’t leave, not yet. He pulled Hattie onto his lap and kissed her again until they were both breathless.

Her eyes were glossy and heavy when he finally stopped, when he cupped her cheeks in his hands and took in every inch of her beautiful face, reassuring himself that she was there, that she was his.

“You love me?” he rasped, needing to hear the words one more time.

She nodded and curled her fingers around the side of his neck, thumb brushing over his bearded jaw. “Yes, Dex. I love you, so much.” She smiled and shook her head. “This is…I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Me either,” he said. “Fucking glad it is, though.” He grinned so wide his face hurt.

Hattie laughed and kissed him again. Against his lips, she said, “Let’s go get your things and go home.”

Dex nodded, but they didn’t leave right away. They kissed some more, a lot more.

Epilogue

One year later

“Okay, Mills, let’s get started,” Hugh said to his daughter.

Milly looked at her brothers and cousin and rolled her eyes when they all started yelling at once. “Me! Me first!”

Brody, Connor, and Rhett were never far from each other when the family got together. An adorable, loud trio of mischief.

Hattie grinned at them, knowing their parents were probably going to kill her and Dex when the boys opened the gifts they’d gotten them. But she hadn’t been able to resist the fire trucks when she saw them, and Dex had loved them as well. She’d caught him looking them over closely, making the sirens go, and was more than a little excited to see how far the working fire hoses could shoot water.

“Could you give the boys their gifts from us, Mills?” Hattie asked.

Dex grabbed Hattie’s hand and pulled her onto his lap. She grinned at him, threading her fingers with her husband’s, then watched the boys tear into them.

All three boys were obsessed with trucks and their shrieks of delight made both her and Dex laugh. They all hit the buttons for the sirens at the same time. Gracie giggled and Evie, Adam and Lucy’s baby girl, currently sitting on her daddy’s lap, stopped her chant of “dada dada,” and clapped her hands.

“Why do you hate me,” Joe said to Dex. “What did I ever do to you?”