“If I ever will have one,” she mutters under her breath. I’m about to say something when she says, “It’s your wedding. You don’t need to make me feel better.” She slips her phone out of her bag. “Where is that boy?”
I take a peek at her phone. “So Armando does plan to show up?”
She chucks her phone into her bag. “Of course. He owes me for when he dragged me to a fund raiser his father threw last week.”
It’s not that I don’t like the guy, I just wish she would try to find a suitable guy instead of distracting herself with someone she knows she’ll never end up with.
Ruthie runs over. “I can’t wait! I can’t wait.”
Bobby stomps toward us, still tugging on his tie. “You’ll ruin it,” I say.
He shrugs. “Maybe then I won’t have to wear it. Why do men have to wear these stupid things?”
“Because it makes you look so devilishly handsome.” I pinch his cheek.
He pulls away. “I’m too old for that.”
“You wish. My uncle Jim abused my cheeks until I was practically a teen.”
He rubs his cheeks. “Doesn’t mean you have to do that to me.”
Mom’s door opens and she steps out. She’s wearing a breathtaking light purple dress. “Mom, you look amazing.”
She holds out her arms and does a slow spin. “Who said women over forty can’t look good?”
“Um, no one?” Leah says.
“Forty is sooo old.” Ruthie spins. “I’m never going to be forty. It’s sooooo old.”
Mom gives her a mock glare. “Careful what you say or you might have to leave the wedding early.”
“No I won’t. I’m the flower girl.”
“Yes, but your services are only needed at the beginning of the wedding,” Mom continues to tease.
Ruthie pouts. “I’m sorry. Forty is soooo young. I can’t wait until I’m forty. It’s sooooo young.”
We laugh.
Then the butterflies start again. “Can we just get there already before I throw up?”
Mom takes my hand and leads me out of the door, with Ruthie and Bobby lifting the bottom of the dress. Leah hurries after with my bouquet. I don’t pay attention to my surroundings as Mom leads me to the beach. The sounds of traffic, people, the roar of the wind…it all disappears. The only thing on my mind is one thing: Damarian.
My heart hasn’t stopped pumping violently. I’m pretty sure the hand clasped in Mom’s is beyond drenched. Mom keeps patting it, sending me smiles and holding back tears. When we reach the entrance to the beach, I spot Syren, Kiandra, Doria, Kytero, and Kyle.
“Oh, great,” Leah mutters before making herself scarce.
Kiandra flings her arms around me. “You look exquisite.” She kisses both my cheeks.
“Thanks. And thanks so much for coming.” My eyes sweep over their outfits. “You guys look amazing.” Kiandra and Doria are dressed in pretty dresses and the men have suits on.
Syren, Doria, and Kytero give me hugs and kisses, too. “The fry, Ryter, Flora, Kiander, Fiske, and Shoney are watching from a distance.” Syren nods toward the ocean. “They send their best wishes as well.”
“I’m so glad they’re celebrating with us.” Thanks to their merpeople eyes and ears, they’ll be able to see and hear everything as though they’re on land with us.
“Cassie.” Kyle gives me a quick hug and a grin. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thanks.”
His eyes skim around, and I see the question in his eyes. He’s looking for Leah. But when he sees me watching him, he forces a smile and gives me another quick hug. “I’m so happy for you and Damarian. Really. I wish only the best for you.”
“Thanks. And I hope you meet the right one soon.”
“Me, too.”
As soon as he and the other merpeople walk back into the beach, Leah appears with a tall man hanging onto her arm. None other than Armando. I have to admit that he’s one smoking hot guy. Olive skinned with the darkest hair I’ve ever seen—even darker than the merpeople of the Emerald clan. Striking blue eyes and an amazing physique. Definitely the right material for a fling, but not for a long-term boyfriend.
“My congrats to the bride,” he says.
“Thanks.”
Leah’s looking around—two guesses for who? I try not to grit my teeth. This is my wedding day and I will not play matchmaker. I crane my neck to get a glimpse of the setup. Mom and Leah took care of everything. From what I can see back here, it looks amazing.
Mom steps before me, rests her hands on my shoulders, and looks into my eyes. “Are you ready?”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m ready.”
She turns to the kids. “Do you have the rings, Bobby?”
“Yep.”
“Your basket’s all ready, Ruthie?”
“Yeah, I’m so excited!”
“And I’ll make sure they do their jobs,” Leah promises.
Mom tucks my hand in her arm. “I guess I’m ready to give my daughter away.”
I know it’s traditional for the father to walk the bride down the aisle, but obviously we can’t do that. Louis or Uncle Jim would have been great, but I really wanted my mom. It’s been the two of us for so long. She sacrificed so much for me, gave me everything she could. I can never repay her for any of that. But one thing I can do is give her the chance to share one of the most special moments in my life.
The next part passes in a blur. I see familiar faces as Mom and I make our way down the aisle, specifically Damarian’s family, but I can’t see, hear, or even think past the hammering in my heart. I see Kytero standing down there, since he is the best man.
Then I see Damarian, dressed in a crisp black tuxedo, his long hair hanging loosely over his shoulders. As soon as his ocean-blue eyes meet mine, the air gets knocked out of me and I momentarily freeze in place. Mom’s forced to give me a slight nudge. I can’t breathe. I think I might die.
“Breathe, honey,” Mom whispers to me. “Just remember that today marks the beginning of the rest of your lives. Revel in the moment, Cassie. This day is all about you and Damarian.”
Damarian’s eyes soften and shower me with nothing but aching love. My body starts to relax. In just a few minutes, I will be forever bound to that wonderful merman, the guy who stole my heart the moment he washed up on shore, the guy who opened my heart to love and made me realize that dreams can come true and that anyone, no matter who they are and what they’ve been through, can have their happily ever after. This is the guy who’s shown me what it’s like to be truly and deliriously happy.
Ruthie is totally basking in her moment. She takes baby steps and drops a petal every five seconds. But no one seems to care because she’s so adorable. I’m glad for the extra seconds because I can make sense of my thoughts. Or at least try to.
Somehow, Mom and I make it to Damarian. He takes my hands and we stand before Barry, the man who is going to marry us. He’s a good friend of Louis.
Damarian rubs both my hands with his thumbs. I see his sapphire bracelet sticking out of his sleeve. I glance down at mine and smile, my chest feeling warm. “You look so beautiful, my sweet, amazing Cassie,” he says. “I love you so much.”
“And you look so handsome, Damarian. I love—”
Barry clears his throat. “Perhaps we should save that for the vows.”
Some members of the audience laugh. I force my eyes away from Damarian and look out at them. I catch Damarian’s family and Kyle, each of them looking beyond joyous. Kiandra has tears in her eyes, which seems to surprise her a little because she normally doesn’t see her tears. My eyes move to my friends and coworkers, Uncle Jim and his family, other relatives, Leah’s parents and siblings, and then Timmy and his parents. He waves enthusiastically.
Then my eyes drift over to the ocean. I can’t see any heads sticking out of the surface, but I know the rest of Damarian’s family and our sharks are there. I can sense them. They’re far enough for people on the be
ach not to spot them but close enough to see and hear every word. I can’t feel Shoney’s emotions completely since I’m in my human form, but I get a taste of happiness and pride.
“Are we ready?” Barry asks.
And so it begins. I don’t pay attention to much of the words because I’m once again lost in Damarian’s gaze, but when it’s time to exchange vows, I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut. I don’t know why this part of the wedding has me all bent out of shape.
“Damian,” Barry says.
Damarian nods before squeezing my hands. “Cassie Price. You are the most amazing person in the entire world. I truly believe fate brought us together. I loved you the moment I first saw you and my love has only grown over the past two years. And it will continue to grow in the years to come. It is limitless, like the abyss of the ocean. When I look at you, at your expressive beautiful brown eyes and loving face, I know I can do anything. You inspire me to be the best person I can be. You have a heart of gold, are loyal to those you love, and always strive to do the right thing. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without you. I am so happy I washed up on shore that day two years ago. I’m so happy you were the one who found me. I didn’t realize then that my life would forever change. I didn’t know I could have the dream I’ve always wanted.”
He swallows. “I vow to you on this day, my love, that I will love you for all eternity. Nothing and no one will come in the way of our happiness. I have fought for it many times in the past and I will continue to fight. Because the bond we share is rare and special, even from where I come from. I will love you until there is no more air in my lungs, when my hearts stops pumping, when I am at death’s doorstep. And I vow to always make you happy, to never hurt you, to always put a smile on your face. I vow to be the best mate—sorry, husband—in the entire world.”
Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Though I don’t know how I can’t when it looks like Damarian is fighting his own tears.
Now it’s my turn. I take a deep breath. “For many years, I didn’t think I could ever find true love. I thought it was something that happened to other people, or something that only happened in movies and fairytales. But then you washed into my life. A man like no other, claiming my heart, my body, and soul. You have taught me so much, opened my heart to a love I thought I could only have in my dreams. But I don’t need to dream anymore. It’s time I wake up, because what’s going on right here and now is not a dream but a reality. My reality. I also vow to love you with my very last breath. I can’t wait to start our next chapter. And I don’t need to be scared, because I have you in my life. I don’t need anything else, as long as you are by my side.”
Damarian’s tears break through and gush down his cheeks. That causes my tears to fall, too. I hear a few sniffs from the audience.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Barry announces. “And now you may kiss your bride.”
Damarian gathers me to his chest, dips me a bit, and slowly, antagonizing slowly, brings his lips toward mine. I swear a space shuttle can get launched in the time it takes for our lips to make contact. But when they do, I am engulfed with so many emotions that I don’t know what to do with myself. Our lips come together in harmonious bliss, moving as one, because we are now bonded as humans. Our lips don’t leave each other’s, not even to breathe. The audience goes crazy with applause, but I tune it all out and just focus on kissing Damarian and showing him how much he means to me. It holds an extra meaning, because we were so close to losing each other again. This kiss symbolizes the power of our love. We will fight for it as long as we live.
When we break apart, the audience once again erupts in cheers. Damarian spins me around and holds me close to his chest.
“Can the mother of the bride squeeze in a hug?” Mom asks.
Damarian reluctantly releases me. “I do not wish to ever let her go.”
Mom wraps her arms around me. “She’s not going anywhere, Damarian.” She presses a million tiny kisses on my face. “I love you so much, honey. I’m so proud of the woman you’ve grown up to be.”
I give her a wry smile. “You’re proud of every part of me? Every part?”
She plays with my veil. “I don’t love that part of you, but I know it’s made you a stronger person and a happier person. Damarian is the right man for you, and I know how happy he makes you.”
“Beyond happy.”
“That is all a mother can ask for.” She kisses my forehead. “Just please no more sea serpents or broken bonds.”
“We’ll try our hardest.”
Louis gives me a strong hug, almost crushing my lungs. When he pulls back, he’s got tears in his eyes. “I’m so proud of you, too. I know I’ve only been in your life for a short while, but I truly feel like you’re my daughter.”
“Thanks.”
“I know I can never replace your father, and I sure as hell would never try to. But I hope you see me as a father figure and can come to me if you ever need help or advice.”
I put my arms around him. “I told you at your own wedding that I do see you as a father figure and that I will definitely come to you if I need to.”
“I know. I just want to remind you.”
I kiss his cheek.
Louis shakes Damarian’s hand. “You are a great young man. Now that you two are married, I see you as my son. I want you also to know that you can come to me with whatever you need. Even for money problems. Don’t be ashamed.”
“Many thanks, Louis. May I hug you?”
“Of course!”
Damarian envelops him in a huge hug, even lifting him a few inches off the ground.
“Give me a ride!” Ruthie squeals.
“And me!” Bobby says.
“No, you’ll ruin your clothes,” Mom says.
I hug Ruthie. “Thanks so much for being my flower girl. You did an amazing job.”
“Really? Because Bobby said I went too slow and held back the whole wedding.”
I give my brother a look. “Now why would you say that to your sister?”
He shrugs. “Because it’s my job?” He looks out in the distance and his face lights up. “There’s Timmy. Later.” He runs off.
“Wait for me!” Ruthie calls as she races after him.
The merpeople and Kyle step up, each giving Damarian and me hugs, kisses, and well wishes. I hold onto Kiandra and Syren for a few minutes, so thankful they’re here and are able to share in our celebration.
I notice Kyle’s eyes move to someone to the left. When I follow his gaze, I spot Leah and Armando chatting, with Leah laughing a little too loudly. Her eyes dart in Kyle’s direction every so often.
I shake my head but keep my lips sealed.
“Hey, Cassie?” Kyle rubs the back of his head. “That guy Leah’s with…”
“Not serious,” I say.
“He’s good looking.”
“So are you.”
He snorts.
“Dude, you’re a merman.”
He removes his gaze from her. “Not everyone finds them as irresistible as you.” He forces a smile. “Congratulations. And may you enjoy many, many moons together.” He lowers his head and walks away.
“Perhaps I do not understand human ways,” Damarian says. “But is Leah fond of Kyle and is he fond of her?”
“I think they both are but are too scared to admit it.”
“That is not only the ways of humans,” Kiandra points out, stealing a glance at her husband. He gives her a warm smile. She’s referring to their own journey of love. They grew up side by side and both had feelings for each other. But both were too scared to admit it. Syren finally did when Kiandra’s father suggested another merman to her.
Damarian slowly nods. “I see. But if Kyle—”
“There’s my girl!” Uncle Jim yanks me in for a hug. “She can be stubborn at times and maybe a little irresponsible—especially when it comes to showing up for a surfing class—but damn it if we don’t love her to death.”
My aunt and cousins each take a turn hugging me. I can’t breathe until I’ve received one from every one of the guests.
Timmy skips up to me. “Hi, Cassie and Damian! Thanks so much for inviting me to your wedding. I don’t usually get invited because I’m a kid. It’s so cool that it’s on the beach.”
I ruffle his hair. “I like to think so.”
“But when are we going to eat?” His eyes jet to the area few feet away, to where tables and a buffet are set up. “I’m starving!”
“Soon,” I promise.
“Cool. I’m going to catch up with Bobby and Ruthie.”
Timmy’s parents wish us congratulation as well and thank me for being supportive to Timmy.
We all head over to the reception area. The little kids waste no time grabbing plates and forks and piling mountains of food on their plates. Mom calls for attention. “Now Mr. and Mrs. Sapphire will have their first dance together as husband and wife.”
Mr. and Mrs. Sapphire. Husband and wife. Someone please pinch me.
Damarian offers me his hand. “My love, will you do me the honor of dancing with me?”
I place my hand in his. “Nothing would bring me a greater pleasure.”
Damarian and I have danced together many times, but that was when I wasn’t wearing a poofy dress that drags the sand around. I laugh as he trips over my dress. “Somehow, I find this even more romantic.”
He leans forward to whisper in my ear, “You are the most exquisite being I have ever laid eyes upon. When you walked down the aisle, I thought I was experiencing the most wonderful dream. But like you said during our vows, this is not a dream. You are here dancing with me with the largest smile I have ever seen on your face. All I wish is to make you happy.”
“You don’t have to wish it. You’re doing a damn good job.”
He dips me, then straightens me. “I am so glad we have many supportive friends and family.” He stares out toward the ocean. “I cannot see the rest of my family and friends, but I know they are there and that they are celebrating with us.”
“And they couldn’t be more thrilled.” I lock my arms around his neck and gaze into his eyes. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy.”
“Me either, Mrs. Sapphire.”
Merman's Forever (Merman's Kiss, Book 6) Page 16