by Sierra Rose
“Tatiana, it’s beautiful.” I spun around in delight, “I feel like I’m wearing a winter cloud.”
The room burst out laughing, and even Tatiana ended up joining in. “I’m going to take that as a compliment,” she answered. “In fact, it’s one of the best I’ve ever got. The dress looks lovely on you, Rebecca. I am proud to have been a part of it.”
My mother dissolved into a fresh fit of tears, but Amanda walked forward with a very serious, almost solemn look on her face.
“You are, no joke, the most beautiful person in the world right now.” She looked up at the ceiling so she wouldn’t cry. “I’m so happy for you!”
I reached out to hug her, but Tatiana raised a stiff hand in between us. “No one hugs the dress,” she commanded. “Not until after the ceremony.”
We pulled away laughing, and I thanked her again as she hurried off to find her seat. We were in the final moments now—just a zipper here, an accessory there. It was easier than usual because I wasn’t wearing any jewelry. The only piece I’d decided to bring was the bracelet Marcus gave me with the engraving We belong together. That, and the new ring Marcus had given me the night before.
In what felt like just seconds later, someone announced that “It’s time” and we all hurried down the stairs and out the door.
A long aisle of white chiffon had been stretched down into my favorite side yard—the one with the hanging trees right next to the garden. White peonies let the way to an arch under which Marcus and his groomsman were to be waiting.
Then the music started and we were off.
I took my time with the walk, trying to savor each moment. Wearing this dress, with the scent of flowers hovering in the air, I felt more like I was floating than walking—drifting along in some kind of fairytale, ready for the next chapter to begin.
Then I saw him.
All the breath rushed from my body in one silent gasp, and I suddenly couldn’t wait to be at the end of the aisle. I quickened my steps and beamed without restraint as I gazed into his radiant face. Those magical, ocean eyes beamed back at me.
The music suddenly stopped, and he took my hands, fingers caressing the ring before he looked up into my eyes. And suddenly, everything was so simple. It didn’t matter how we met; it didn’t matter the steps we took to get to this point.
This was the man I loved. This was the man I was going to marry.
The gazebo was all decked out in pretty roses. The wedding party was all lined up outside it, waiting for us. Several rows of white chairs were occupied by close friends and family, but I barely saw any of them; I was far too zeroed in on Marcus, who was standing up at the front, next to his best friend. He looked amazing in his tux, with his bowtie and vest, his eyes shining with love as he looked at me and only me. I swallowed against the sudden lump in my throat, tears stinging my eyes.
“You’ve got this,” Max murmured in my ear. “I promise.”
He began to lead me down the aisle, and the Wedding March played steadily from a set of speakers that had been set up by a DJ. I would never forget the millions of smiles as everyone looked at me. It was just amazing. I followed along, keeping my eyes on Marcus to steady myself.
The way Marcus looked at me was simply magical. The smile on his face was priceless. It was one of the most vivid, happiest moments of my life. His entire face lit up in awe. My heart skipped a beat, and tears welled in my eyes. I was blown away by how handsome he was, how beautiful he was. I truly felt like I’d stepped into a fairytale.
I could feel all eyes on me, could see all the smiles and teary eyes out of the corner of my eyes as I walked down the aisle, but I didn’t trip once. Max kept me steady, being the rock for me that he had always been. By the time I reached the gazebo, we were both grinning.
I looked at Marcus, the love of my life, and smiled.
“You look like an angel,” he whispered as I joined him.
I blushed, looking him up and down. “So do you.”
He winked at me as we joined the minister in the gazebo, and the rest of the wedding party gathered in around us.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, choking on his own words, with tears glistening in his eyes. “You’re my soulmate, and I can’t wait to make you my wife.”
I couldn’t stop my own tears from flowing; my makeup didn’t stand a chance.
“You’re my soulmate too,” I whispered.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…” the minister began, but the words just washed over me for the most part as I looked into Marcus’s face again. I was just so happy to be there with him, so happy we were finally going to be a family and start our lives together.
“Jerry,” the minister said, drawing our attention back to him, “have you a ring?”
“I do.” Jerry pulled a gold band from the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket and handed it to Marcus. I didn’t know Jerry at all, had just met him once briefly.
“Excellent. Marcus, are you ready for your vows?” the minister asked.
Marcus nodded, then took my left hand in both of his before speaking. After reciting the standard vows, Marcus melted my heart with some words of his own. He stared deeply into my eyes and said, “Bex, you know me better than anyone else in this world, yet you still you manage to love me. You are my best friend, my one true love. I can’t believe I’m the lucky guy who gets to marry you. I’ll never forget the moment we first made eye contact in that coffee shop. You truly stole my heart that day, and I want you to keep it forever.”
I held it together until his lip began to quiver. As he continued his vows, the emotion brewing in his eyes made mine pool up again. Even the most immovable people in the crowd were crying. We all were, and it was beautiful, the happiest moment of my life.
He wiped his eyes and continued, “I promise to be your lover, companion, and friend, your partner in parenthood, your ally in conflict, your greatest fan, your comrade in adventure, your consolation in disappointment, and your accomplice in mischief. On this day, I give you my heart, my promise that I will walk with you, hand in hand, wherever our journey leads us, living, learning, and loving together forever. You are the love of my life, and you make me happier than I could ever imagine. You make me feel more loved than I ever thought possible. I promise to be loving, patient, and faithful. I will be the very best husband I can be to you and the very best father I can be to our baby.” With that, Marcus slipped the ring on my finger.
At that moment, I felt like I was going to explode with overwhelming emotion. I knew Marcus loved me more than anything or anyone in the world, and I loved him just the same. The guy had chosen to stick by me for the rest of his life, and that feeling was so powerful and humbling. I had never felt more blessed. I was so happy, and I felt so lucky to call him my husband.
Fate seemed to be playing a very fair hand for us, and that day marked the real beginning of the rest of my life with my beloved spouse. Finally, all my dreams, hopes, and that elusive happily-ever-after seemed possible.
There really wasn’t a word for the emotion I felt at that moment. Nothing in the dictionary could encompass all the excitement, humility, happiness, speechlessness, joyfulness, and love I felt. I only knew I loved Marcus with all my heart, and I knew he felt the same about me.
I blinked away the tears that insisted on welling up at Marcus’s heartfelt declaration of devotion. It was such an intense, moving moment. When he reached up to wipe the tears from my cheeks, “Aw…” rippled through the crowd, lessening some of my embarrassment for crying at the proverbial altar.
Between Marcus’s comforting touch and the encouraging smiles of my wedding party, I was able to recite the traditional vows, with some guidance from the minister. After that, I just couldn’t resist speaking from my heart as well. “Baby,” I started, “over the past year, I’ve learned how tough life can be. We’ve been to hell and back. So many twists and turns and crazy rollercoaster rides tested us, but when most guys would’ve run, you stuck loyally by my
side. You never gave up on us.” I couldn’t make it through the words without my voice cracking. “I-I learned that when life gets crazy around us, all we have to do is look at each other and remember that we are perfect together. I am not perfect alone, but you complete me. Today, I promise that I will never take that for granted. I will give you all my love for the rest of eternity. I want to wrap my arms around you and never let go. I promise to love and care for you, and I will try, in every way, to be worthy of your love and to be the best wife I can be. I will love you, hold you, and honor you, Marcus. I will respect you, encourage you, and cherish you, in health and sickness, through sorrow and success, for all the days of my life.”
When I finished, I slipped the ring Amanda had given me onto Marcus’s finger. Though I didn’t think it was possible, my heart swelled even bigger with emotion as I finished saying the words. I felt so full, so complete after pledging myself to Marcus and hearing his pledge to me.
“And now, with God and these fine people as my witnesses, I pronounce you husband and wife,” the minister proclaimed. With a smile, he added, “You may now kiss the bride.”
Laughing, Marcus swept me into his arms and gave me a long, deep kiss that made my head spin. I clung to him, giddy with laughter and emotion, ignoring all the whoops and catcalls and cheers as I held on to him, and the crowd erupted as we pulled together, and Marcus’s lips met mine again. My arms wound up around him without restraint as a feeling of the utmost relief washed over me.
It was done. We were together now. Forever.
When we pulled away, he had tears in his eyes. At this point, we were supposed to turn and face the crowd, but he wouldn’t let me go. In fact, he didn’t let me go the entire walk down the aisle. He just picked me up and walked us both down himself.
“I can’t believe we just did that,” I whispered in his ear. “I can’t believe I’m a wife.”
A beaming smile lit up his whole face as he heard the word for the first time. “You better believe it, lady. I’m all yours now. You’re all mine.”
He twisted the ring around my finger and kissed me again.
This time, the crowd leaped to their feet, and a hundred flashbulbs went off at once. I knew it was going to be front-page news. I knew the press was waiting just on the other side of the garden gate, along with about five hundred other people who would require us to smile, and wave, and pose like it was their day too. I even knew that logistically, at some point or another, I was going to have to let go of Marcus’s hand.
But none of that could touch me now. We were in our own little world. Just the two of us. Soon to be just the three of us.
Marcus’s head seemed to be in a similar place. Without warning, he set me on my feet and dropped to his knees, pressing his lips tenderly against my stomach.
“What do you think, baby? You glad mommy and daddy got married after all?”
I laughed softly and ruffled his hair, feeling almost dizzy with emotion as I gazed down at my new family. “Marcus,” I chided playfully, “when you’re talking to our child, you’re going to have to be a bit more specific.”
He looked up with a question in his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I just think that if you’re going to be having a conversation, you should have a better idea of who you’re talking to.”
He shook his head blankly as I pulled him up to his feet. I stroked back his hair with a smile. Then, stretching up on my tiptoes, I pressed my lips softly against his ear and whispered,
“It’s a boy.”
Marcus couldn’t stop smiling. Neither could I. We didn’t start off on the right foot, but everything came together in the end. I had found the love of my life.
He kissed me, soft and tender. I was so happy we found each other and could begin our lives together as husband and wife, starting this very second!
Epilogue
One year later…
Marcus and I embarked on our wonderful adventure of marriage and parenthood. We both loved it and enjoyed every bonding moment. We both got to know each other quite well. It was like we were perfect for each other, a perfect match.
Marcus was an excellent father, and I was a wonderful mother. I didn’t know I had it in me, but I did. Boy, was my mother right. I loved my baby more than anything. He and Marcus were my world. Speaking of world, the world said that I had tamed Marcus Taylor. But I think he just fell in love, and wanted to settle down and be the best husband and father he could be. Did I tell you both Marcus and I cried when our baby came into the world? It was one of our most favorite memories ever. Dillon weighed six pounds and two ounces. That little man just took our breath away.
It seemed as if the world was happy Marcus had settled down and found true happiness. He showed the world a new man who loved his son and wife more than anything. Marcus’s image was greatly improved, and the negative perceptions in the media just kind of disappeared. They focused on his new life and not his old one. And I was grateful for that.
I got a big break when a movie producer came to one of my shows at the theater. He said I’d be perfect for the role of Julie Showers, so I tried out. It was a spy flick. He said I nailed it. I wondered if Marcus had anything to do with it at first. But then later, I learned the producer was a neighbor of Barry’s cousin. Amanda had tried out for the role and didn’t get it. She admitted she wasn’t right for the role and highly recommended me. Amanda told him, “You’ve got to see this girl in action! She’s not like any other actress you’ve ever seen.” The producer came to my show, loved what he saw, and gave me a shot. I couldn’t be happier.
Amanda got a job on a soap opera and played sexy vixen Laura Hartman. It was only supposed to be for three months, but everyone loved her, and she ended up getting the role full time. She and Barry are still going strong. And they still have Deevus, the three-legged cat. I still go to visit him. And he’s still ornery as ever. But he’ll always have a special place in my heart. Amanda and I are still best friends. We love to take walks in the park. I think my new baby, Dillon, really loves the stroller ride. He enjoys being outside just like his mama. Dillon had smooth skin, blue eyes, and black hair. He was the cutest baby ever. Of course, I was impartial.
Eduardo and Dolly hit it off. It was fun having two peacocks. And I swear Eduardo started to like me. I think he was thankful I brought a woman into his life. He’s much happier now. They roam the grounds carefree without a single worry in the world.
I was on the set working when I got a nice surprise. I smiled as Marcus walked up to me carrying Dillon.
“Hey, you guys came up to the set,” I said.
I kissed Marcus, then Dillon. When my darling baby boy grinned at me, my heart melted.
I laughed. “Hey, his shirt is on backward.”
“Sorry, hon. I was in a hurry,” he said. “I didn’t want to miss your lunch break.”
I grinned. “It’s okay. You’re doing great without a nanny.”
He smiled, then kissed me again. We agreed on no nannies or boarding school. Marcus was doing a great job and I was so proud of him.
“Wanna grab a bite to eat down the street?” I said.
“I would love to,” Marcus answered.
I stared into Marcus’s eyes as so many thoughts consumed me. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I tried to blink them away.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Bad day at work, honey?”
“No,” I said.
He touched my cheek. “Then what, baby?”
“Well, it’s just that everything is perfect. Absolutely perfect. I got the role of a lifetime, a wonderful husband, a beautiful son, and two peacocks. My life is absolutely perfect.”
He kissed my lips, soft and tender. “And so is mine.”
The End
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http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00FXAG6MS?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
She thinks he’s despicable. He wants her back…with a vengeance.
Short blurb: A woman must travel around the globe with her despicable ex in order to get her hands on her inheritance.
Available now! http://www.amazon.com/Seduced-My-Billionaire-Boss-Book-ebook/dp/B0185Z25TK/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0185Z25TK?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
Jenna Harks left Goldman Sachs. Left the two hundred thousand starting salary on the table. She left to make her name with something bigger, better. Even if it did mean starting out as a low-level assistant without recognition or the chance of dental. But when mistaken identity gives Jenna the job of her dreams, she isn’t sure what to make of it. She knows she has the skills and determination, that’s for sure. So she rises to the challenge.
There is Michael Larchwood, younger son of the legendary Abe Larchwood. Second heir to the keys of the castle. He was also a notorious playboy who flirts with Jenna. The thing is, not only does the company have a zero tolerance policy toward inter-office fraternization, but Michael was well known for flouting those rules. At least four women in the last two years were fired after being seen leaving his apartment, and Jenna was in no way interested in making that list.