Happily Ever After (Forever and Always #7)

by Todd, E. L.

  When we came closer, Ryan extended his hand to Sean. Sean took it. “Take care of my sister.”

  “I will.”

  “And Good luck.”

  I chuckled despite the seriousness of the situation.

  Sean did as well. “Thanks.”

  Ryan placed my hand in his then kissed me on the forehead. He looked into my eyes before he stepped to the side, taking his place as the maid of honor.

  Sean held my hand without shaking and he pulled me to the pastor. His eyes were still rimmed with tears. He stared into my face, a look of wonderment and adoration. I never felt more beautiful or loved in my life.

  The breeze gently blew through my hair, making it tickle my skin. I felt my dress tighten around me slightly as I breathed. When I listened to the noises of the crowd, I realized other people were crying as well. I wasn’t the only one.

  Sean’s eyes never left my face. It was a look I had never seen before. When we made love, he gazed at me like I was his whole world, even more than that. When he told me he loved me, his eyes softened every time like it was the last opportunity he would ever have. The look he gave me now was different. I felt nothing but love and devotion, sheer appreciation that I was the one standing across from him and no one else.

  He stepped closer to me, his face a few inches from mine. I just looked at him and forgot about everyone standing around us. I wanted a small and simple wedding, something intimate. That’s exactly what I got. It was just him and I.

  The pastor conducted the ceremony. Sean looked into my eyes the entire time, saying his vows without an instance of hesitation. When it was my turn, he took a deep breath. I finished the vows, saying I do with as much conviction as I could. His eyes grew watery as he listened to me.

  “Now for the vows,” the pastor said. “Ladies first.”

  Ryan came behind me and handed me the paper. I just shook my head. He stepped away.

  I was quiet for a long time before I found my voice. A microphone was pinned to the pastor so I could speak in a normal voice without worrying about being too quiet. I looked into Sean’s eyes as I spoke. “I prepared a speech knowing I wouldn’t use it. When the most important moments in your life come to pass, you never know how you’re going to feel. There’s no way for me to predict what I feel now. I can’t explain how happy I am that I’m standing here, looking at you.

  “I didn’t grow up with a family, at least not a normal one. My dad has been gone for years and I never had a mother in my life. The only family I’ve ever known is Ryan. It’s never been conventional. He’s the one who always took care of me, made sure I got to school on time, checked my homework, made me dinner when our mom didn’t, and—protected me against other things.” My voice trailed off, remembering the abuse for a moment in time. Sean stared at me, his tears starting to drip. “But now I have what I’ve been missing. You are my mother and my father. You are my family. I know I have everything I’m ever going to need.

  “With you, I feel safe. With you, I feel loved. With you, I feel whole. When Carl touched me, you defended me. When you were taken away, you put my first, asking me to go to Cortland even though that made you uncomfortable. I knew then that I would always be first. You would always take care of me before you took care of yourself.

  “I’ve known you since college and I never expected to marry you one day. I never expected to get the man of my dreams. I never expected him to be my best friend in the world. There’s nothing that I can’t confide in you. You’ve never judged me for anything, always loving me despite my shortcomings, quirks, and odd habits. If anything, I think you love me more. I’m not sure what I did to get the love of one of the greatest men I’ve ever known, but I won’t question it. I’m just I got it.” The tears fell from my eyes. “I love you so much, Sean.”

  “I love you, Scarlet,” he whispered.

  “And you’re amazing in bed.”

  He smiled wide, a slight chuckle coming from his lips.

  People in the audience laughed at my words. I heard Ryan laugh the hardest. “That’s my baby sister.”

  Sean’s smiled dropped and he became serious again. “That’s why I’m marrying you. You’re spontaneous and brave, fun and just a joy to be around. When the sun lights our bedroom in the morning, it still pales compared to the light that leaves your eyes. You say you’re lucky to marry me, that I’m one of the greatest men you’ve ever known. Well, Scarlet, you’re the most inspiration, bravest, most amazing person I’ve ever met. I’m beneath you. But I waited to tell you this until after you said I do.”

  A few chuckles erupted from the audience.

  “We didn’t start off right. I was an asshole that only gave you a fraction of what you were worth, but that mistake turned out to be the best decision I ever made. Because of it, I’m marrying my soul mate. I don’t know if they exist. I don’t know if destiny exists. But when I think of us, I start to believe in it.

  “When I had fallen apart, practically killing myself, you still came back for me, never leaving me behind. Before you were my lover and my spouse, you were my friend, my best friend. I’d rather watch the Yankee game with you beside me on the couch. I’d rather split a pizza with you, even though I only get like three pieces, than share it with anyone else. And I would rather make love to you than anyone else in the whole world. I’ve never felt my soul touch someone else’s in the way that I touch yours every night. When I’m with you, the world is absolutely silent and it’s just the two of us. When I look into your eyes, I see my entire world. Without it, I would be left in the dark.

  “I can’t believe how far I’ve fallen in love with you.” Tears started to fall down his eyes. “I never thought I would feel this way for anyone, that someone could make my heart beat so fast. You’re everything to me.

  “And you were never second best, Scarlet. I never told you this, but the first time I saw you in college, I thought you were one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. When I went to talk to you, you were already gone. I searched for an hour then gave up, hoping I would run into you somewhere else. When you turned out to be Theresa’s friend, I felt my heart fall. I knew you were too good for me, that you would never give me a chance because of the asshole that I was, so I settled on being your friend rather than losing you altogether. So don’t ever think I didn’t want you first. We were always meant to be together. We just took a really, really long time to get there.

  “There are some odd things about you that I love. Even though you eat food off the ground, I’ll still love you and kiss you every day. Even though you drink three milkshakes a week, I’ll never tell you to stop. Even though you have a sick codependent relationship with your brother that’s borderline psychologically insane, I’ll still accept you exactly as you are. And even if you don’t have a family, you have me. I’ll be everything you need. I promise that I’ll never let you down—ever.

  “And not to mention the other things I love about you. You have a smoking body that makes me want to cry. Your eyes shine in the light when I make love to you, bursting like fireworks. You always have sarcastic remarks to mine. You call me out on my shit even when I don’t want to listen to it. You make me recognize my faults and learn from them. And most importantly, you make me want to be a better man, someone who is actually worthy of your smile, intelligence, and beauty. Scarlet, I love you. And I’m so glad that you were dumb enough to marry me.”

  Despite the tears in my eyes, I laughed.

  He smiled, his tears still pouring.

  Everyone awed. I heard Diane weeping in the background.

  Sean placed his hand on my waist and held me closer to him, rubbing my nose against his.

  The pastor looked at us. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

  He smiled at me before he pulled my face to his, sealing his lips over my mouth. He massaged me gently, his hand still cupping my face. Everyone clapped and yelled, shouting their congratulations to us. When Sean slipped his tongue into mouth
, he gripped me by the waist and pulled me into a dip, kissing me as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

  He broke our kiss and rubbed his nose against mine. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

  “Me too.”

  He kissed me again, forgetting about everyone else in the area. It was just me and Sean.

  “Alright. We get it,” Ryan said. “You love each other.”

  Sean stood up and pulled me with him. He grabbed my hand. “Shall we, Mrs. Preston?”

  “Yes, Mr. Preston.”

  We walked down the aisle, feeling the rice and flowers fall around us. Everyone clapped and whistled, smiling at us. When we reached the end, Sean kissed me again. “Thank you for marrying me.”

  “Well, I’m dumb, right? It doesn’t mean much.”

  He laughed. “I’m dumb too. I married a girl who eats hotdogs off the ground in Manhattan, the dirtiest place in the country.”

  “Yeah, you’re pretty stupid.”

  “Looks like we’re two idiots in love.”

  “Yeah. I think we are.”

  16

  Sean

  “I need a picture of the bride and groom,” the photographer said.

  I was too busy kissing Scarlet to notice. Now that she was my wife, I had never been more aroused or excited, never felt so much happiness or love burst from my chest. I just wanted her—all the time.

  “Um, excuse me?”

  Scarlet pulled away and chuckled. “We should let him take his pictures.”

  “He can take all the pictures he wants. I’m not stopping him.”

  We were standing outside near the ocean. The photographer had us line up with our wedding party to take pictures. I only had eyes for Scarlet. She looked so beautiful that it was impossible to describe. The dress she wore was perfect on her. I couldn’t wait to take it off.

  Scarlet pulled my forehead to hers and looked into my eyes while the photographer snapped the photos. When he was done, I dipped her and kissed her, wanting to reenact our first kiss.

  “This is great,” the photographer said.

  I just held Scarlet to me, lost in my own world as I touched her and kissed her. She smiled at me while I cherished her, rubbing her nose against mine. The moment between us was intimate, but we didn’t care about what was happening around us. It was just her and I.

  “If you wait a few minutes, you can get a shot of them going at it on the green,” Ryan said.

  Without breaking our kiss, Scarlet extended her arm and gave her brother the finger.

  “Take the picture, take the picture!” Cortland said.

  Ryan laughed. “That’s going on the refrigerator.”

  I chuckled as I kissed her.

  “Can we have some pictures with the rest of the party?” the photographer asked.

  I didn’t hear him. “I want to make love to you so bad right now.”

  “We have a whole week.”

  “That’s it?”

  “And then the rest of our lives.”

  “Let’s sneak away.”

  “Sean, we have to wait.”

  “Just so you know, we can hear everything you’re saying,” Ryan said.

  It was my turn to give him the finger.

  Ryan laughed. He turned to the photographer. “Sorry, man. I tried to help you.”

  Scarlet pulled away from me. “I want to take a picture with my maid of honor.”

  Ryan sighed. “Can we at least give it a better name? Like, dude of honor?”

  Cortland raised an eyebrow. “Dude?”

  “Whatever. It’s better than maid.”

  Scarlet grabbed his hand and pulled him to her. “Just shut up and take a picture with me.”

  He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close. He smiled at the camera and took a few photos with her. I stood by and watched Scarlet hold her brother, her best friend. I was grateful that I got to be a part of her family, the odd assemblage of her friends.

  Scarlet took a few pictures with Monnique and Janice then took a few with my mom and dad. Finally, it was my turn to take photos with my groomsmen and my family. I pulled Cortland and Ryan into the pictures because I considered them to be family long before we got married. Scarlet smiled at me, moved by the gesture.

  Mike and I took a few pictures by ourselves.

  “This is where it ends,” he said into my ear.

  “What ends?”

  “Your life. You just threw it away.”

  I laughed. “I just started living it.”

  He patted my shoulder. “I’m there for you when you start to go insane.”

  “Scarlet couldn’t drive me insane if she tried.”

  He laughed. “That girl is crazy and you know it.”

  Scarlet came over and grabbed Mike’s arm. “Can I have a few pictures with my brother?”

  He smiled and hooked his arm around her waist. “How do you feel about incest?”

  She rolled her eyes and looked away. “I can never tell if you’re joking or not.”

  “That’s what makes it interesting.”

  I stepped away so they could take their pictures together. As soon as Mike released her waist, I pulled her to my chest.

  “Sean, I’m hungry.”

  “Don’t worry, the cooks are have a special plate for you.”

  “They do?”

  “Yep. I told them to dump your plate on the ground.”

  She hit my shoulder. “It’s our wedding day. You have to be nice to me.”

  “I’m just kidding, baby,” I said with a smile. “Let’s go.”

  We walked back to the outside terrace and waited for the master of ceremony to make our announcement. I held Scarlet’s hand in the air as we made our entrance, showing our victory. I walked her to the table and pulled out her chair, making sure she didn’t trip on her dress or her heels.

  I pulled her chair close to mine and kissed her ear. “You look so gorgeous. I forgot to tell you that.”

  “I think it was implied.”

  I placed my hand on her thigh, feeling the fabric of the dress. “I love this.”

  “Ryan picked it out.”

  I laughed. “Of course he did.”

  “And he did my makeup on the way here.”

  I looked over at Ryan. “I’m starting to think Janice is a cover story.”

  “Shut the fuck up,” he snapped.

  I laughed then kissed Scarlet’s neck. “You taste so good.”

  “Thank you, I guess.”

  I rubbed my nose against hers and felt the flash of the camera. “I hope this is everything you wanted it to be.”

  “It’s more than that, Sean,” she said as she kissed me.

  The waitresses brought the food and placed it before us. Like usual, Scarlet practically inhaled her food. I watched her with a smile on my face.

  “I didn’t eat anything all day,” she said.

  Ryan picked up a ravioli and dropped it on the ground. “Just for you, baby sister.”

  Cortland grabbed a grape, stepped on it, then picked it up. “Now it’s Manhattan style.”

  “I’m this close to getting into a food fight with you,” she said.

  After we finished our dinner, the speeches began.

  Ryan took the microphone first. “Good evening everyone. I’m Ryan, Scarlet’s older brother. When she asked me to be the maid of honor, I’ll admit I wasn’t too excited at first. I don’t know anything about dresses, cakes, flowers, or center pieces, but after I heard her talk about the wedding, I realized how important it was to her. That’s when I realized how honored I felt that she chose me.

  “Scarlet and I are closer than most siblings, so close that people wonder if we’re Greek.” The crowd laughed at his words. “I admit our relationship is odd, but when two people love each other as much as we do, of course we’re going to be a little different. My sister was the first person who told me it was okay to pursue my dreams. When I told her I wanted to draw tattoos for a living, I knew she wasn’t excited a
bout it, but she was supportive anyway. When my shop almost closed and went into bankruptcy, Scarlet gave me her entire savings to avoid that when she had her own loans to take care of. My sister has always put me first, puts up with my jokes, tells me I’m being an asshole when I deserve it, and she loves me unconditionally.

  “My sister always tells me that I’m the better sibling, that I’m strong, smart, and caring. I never told her this because I didn’t want her ego to get too big, but she’s the better person. I give into the darkness sometimes and let myself fall. She never does. When she came to me because she had fallen on hard times, she picked herself up and started over. She claims I was the one who fixed her, but that couldn’t be more wrong. She did it herself.

  “I love my sister more than anything, even though I hate her at the same time because she’s an annoying brat that I just want to punch in the face sometimes, but the love I have for her is forever. And I know the love she has for me is just as strong.

  “When I knew she was going to marry Sean, it was hard for me. Not because I don’t love Sean like my own brother, but because I knew I wasn’t the man in Scarlet’s life anymore. Now she has her husband to deal with her problems, thank god.” The crowd laughed again. “And I’m not the one she runs to. But I realized that our love will never change. She’s married now, and I’ll be settling down too. Even though we have our spouses, the love between us will never change. I’ll always be her best friend and she’ll always be mine.

  “Now, I have a few words to say about Sean. I’ll admit he wasn’t my favorite person for a while. He did a few things that warranted an older brother ass-kicking, but he picked up the slack and made amends from his mistakes. Nobody is perfect, and I know I’m certainly not. I see the way Sean looks at my sister. While there’s obvious heat there, as everyone has seen tonight, there is the love he has for her every time he looks at her. The reason why I recognize it is because I give the same look to my own girl. I don’t doubt Sean’s love for my sister. I know there will be fights, nights when Scarlet ruins my sleep because she wants to bitch about something Sean did, but I know their life together will be happy and full.