After an exchanged glance, he stood and addressed the group. “In case I don’t get a chance to tell you all again before madness descends, I want you to know how much your friendship means to us and I appreciate everything you have done to bring us to this moment. I won’t ever forget how you’ve gone out of your way, first to make us feel welcome, and then helping to bring this wedding together.”
He looked down at me, love swimming in his eyes, and then glanced back to our new friends. “I don’t ever want to spend a second apart from this woman, but if I have to – and I know there’ll be many times that I will – I can rest easy knowing she has all of you. So cheers to each and every one of you.”
He raised his glass in one hand, his other holding my hand tight. I lifted it to my lips and placed an affectionate kiss on his open palm. When he looked down at me I silently mouthed, “I love you,” while jovial toasts took place all around us.
The morning of our wedding, I woke up alone in bed at the house where we were getting married today. Cameron, in an uncharacteristically traditional move, had spent the night at our new place with Mike, his dad, and his brothers. He’d explained it wasn’t so much a bachelor party as it was a group of guys he’d known forever hanging around drinking beer and telling “remember when” stories.
I knew Carly expected I’d ask her to stay with me, but when I told her I wanted to be alone, she’d taken one look at me, understood exactly what I needed and why, and then swept me up in a quick hug before saying goodbye and heading back to the hotel. My mother, however, had not been so intuitive. She had offered – demanded, really – to stay with me. Not wanting the added stress of entertaining or placating her the night before my wedding, I politely declined.
She hadn’t taken my dismissal well. At all. Standing in the empty living room, it having been cleared of furniture and decorations in advance of the decorators coming in a few hours, she’d placed her hands squarely on her hips and lectured me on the importance of having my mother by my side at such a crucial point in my life. I’d tried to explain to her how, as a woman who hadn’t lived with my parents since I was seventeen years old, that wasn’t necessary but instead of conceding my point she had scoffed, once again pushing aside my wants and desires in favor of her own selfish whims.
When I wouldn’t budge, she’d gone from trying to convince me she was right to trying to bulldoze over my wants. When she began casting aspersions on the size and intimacy of our wedding and then bemoaned the remote location and lack of her country club friends in attendance, I called my dad and told him if he didn’t want to become a widower, he needed to come get her immediately. Within twenty minutes they were gone, having driven the half-mile down the road to the Lester Beach Inn, a luxury five-star resort that fronted the same beach our rental was situated on. Of course she’d managed to find fault with the hotel as well, despite the fact that it was the highest rated resort in all of Canada and part of the most prestigious hotel group in the world. Nothing, it seemed, was ever good enough for Jane Travers.
After three more text messages within a five-minute period telling me the Compton Mansion back home would have been a much better location to hold our wedding, I blocked her number and texted my father to let him know if there was an emergency he’d need to be the one to contact me. I explained that I was done catering to her childish behavior and asked him to keep her in hand until they left in two days. I pictured his weary face as I read his response, telling me he would try his best, before he texted me one last time to wish me goodnight.
And now, after a miraculously solid eight hours of sleep, I stood in the sun-dappled living room, my second mug of steaming hot coffee in hand, and took in the scene around me. Because of the unpredictability of the weather, we’d decided to forego even attempting to have the wedding outside and would instead get married in front of the fireplace. The florist had come by yesterday and draped the mantel in thick boughs of cedar, spruce, fir, and pine that was interspersed with rosemary, seeded eucalyptus, hypericum berries, pinecones, anemones, and roses in shades of white, peach, and pink. A matching bouquet for me and boutonniere for Cameron were tucked away safely in the kitchen, staying fresh in the refrigerator. In less than an hour the wedding coordinator we’d hired at Drea’s insistence would arrive to set up the cedar benches Cameron had wanted for seating during the ceremony.
The cocktail hour would take place on the deck, which had been covered the night before in a clear plastic tent that was swathed in thousands of white twinkle lights, its corners holding heat lamps that would keep everyone warm and toasty against the elements outside. And, fearing the worst of what winter could throw at us, we’d arranged for baskets filled with matching gloves and pashminas, umbrellas, and hand warmers to be scattered around the property. At the edge of the deck was a row of brand new wellies ready for anyone who wanted to take off their fancy shoes and venture down to the beach.
For the half hour immediately after the ceremony that Cameron and I would be taking photos on the beach, our guests would mingle in the tent while an event crew transformed the cavernous living room with tables set for dinner and a small dance floor. Finally, at a quarter to midnight, we’d lead our forty or so guests onto the beach where we’d pass out sparklers and treat them to a fireworks display to welcome in the new year.
I looked down at my watch. With all details squarely in the hands of the capable wedding coordinator, I made my way upstairs to take a long, hot bath before getting dressed. Carly would be here in two hours to do my hair and makeup, and two hours after that, I’d make my way down the staircase to an acoustic instrumental version of John Legend’s “All of Me,” played by Hal’s brother Jeremy.
Against all the odds, this was happening.
***
I stood at the top of the staircase, ready to make my way down to Cameron. As the first chord of the processional struck, all of my nervousness floated away and I wondered why I had ever doubted Cameron’s love for me, our ability to stand by each other’s side through the vagaries of stardom. I wondered how I had ever doubted my own self worth. Everything we had been through, all of our hidden emotions and suppressed longing, had brought us to this moment and despite past tears and bouts of loneliness, I wouldn’t have changed a thing because it was ours. Our love story.
At the wedding coordinator’s signal, I took a deep breath and then put one foot in front of the other. The notes of the piano ringing in my ears, I focused on Cameron standing below. His tall, athletic frame was clad to perfection in a charcoal suit that seemed cut specifically for his body, his blue eyes bright. When I’d almost reached the bottom step I watched as his right hand swiped quickly at his eyes. Capturing his gaze with mine, I smiled, joy infusing my features, and he returned the gesture, his lips kicking up and his deep baby blues twinkling with happiness and warmth.
After what felt like eons later, I was finally standing by Cameron’s side. Breaking protocol, he reached out and braced his hands gently on either side of my face. And then, looking deep into my questioning eyes, he leaned down and placed a feather light kiss on my brow before dropping his forehead to rest against the top of my head. Distantly I heard some of our guests sigh as he slid his hands from my face and stepped away. Out of my peripheral vision, I saw Carly discreetly wipe away a tear with the handkerchief she’d told me she’d carry in case I needed it. Smiling wryly, I handed her my bouquet and placed my small hands in Cameron’s larger ones.
“Welcome friends, family, and honored guests. We are gathered here on the dawn of a new year to celebrate the love of Sarah Anne Travers and Cameron Samuel Scott. The greatest gift bestowed upon humans is the gift of love freely given between two persons. Sarah and Cameron stand here ready to pledge their love for one another, surrounded by those who who mean the most to them,” Stewart’s voice rang out over the candle-lit room.
As mayor of Eagle Harbour, he’d offered to perform the ceremony rather than having us hire an unknown officiant from the list of available o
nes the coordinators had supplied. Without needing time to even discuss it, we’d thankfully accepted his generous offer.
“Marriage is a promise between two individuals who love one another, and trust in that love to see them through all the days of their lives,” he continued. “It is a bold step into an unknown future. It takes who we once were as individuals and asks us to look to the future and imagine who we could be, together.”
I listened, my eyes never leaving Cameron’s face, as Stewart shared a passage from Edmund O’Neill’s A Promise of Love, one we’d immediately known we wanted to include in the ceremony when Drea had shown it to us.
“Marriage deepens and enriches every facet of life. Happiness is fuller; memories are fresher; commitment is stronger; even anger is felt more strongly and passes away more quickly. Marriage understands and forgives the mistakes life is unable to avoid. It encourages and nurtures new life, new experiences, and new ways of expressing love through the seasons of life. When two people pledge to love and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique to themselves, which binds them closer than any spoken or written words. Marriage is a promise, a potential, made in the hearts of two people who love, which takes a lifetime to fulfill.”
“I love you,” Cameron mouthed as Stewart recited the remainder of the passage.
“Forever,” I answered back on a small breath.
Stewart continued delivering the words we had agreed upon a few nights prior and then before I knew it, we were exchanging our I do’s.
“Marriage is a voluntary and full commitment. It is made to the exclusion of all others, and it is entered into with the desire and hope that it will last for a lifetime. Sarah, do you come here this evening, freely and without reservation, to give yourself to Cameron in marriage?”
“I do.”
Cameron squeezed my hands in his.
“Cameron, do you stand here in front of your family and friends, to give yourself to Sarah in marriage freely and without reservation?”
“I do.”
I squeezed back and then slid my hand free to wipe at a stray tear that had broken free. I wanted desperately to fast forward to the part where I could step forward and gather Cameron in my arms but it was time to say the vows we’d written. We’d purposely kept them secret from one another so that we’d be surprised during the ceremony. Now, I hoped I could hold it together long enough to get my words out, much less when Cameron recited his vows to me.
I took in a lungful of air and expelled it slowly. There was no need for me to pull out a piece of paper because I’d memorized what I wanted to say to him, the thoughts and feelings I wanted to express at this, the most important moment of my life. The room was silent but outside I heard the winter waves pounding the sand and rolling ashore.
“Cameron, you are my best friend and my greatest love. I promise to stand by your side during good times and bad, to celebrate life’s victories with you and to wash away the tears of defeat. I pledge to honor, listen, and support you as you trust me with your thoughts, fears, and dreams. To create a home with you that celebrates love, laughter, and respect. To honor you both as an individual and as my equal, my partner in crime and my biggest champion. I vow to love you deeply and honestly until I take my last breath.”
I watched as a single tear streaked down his cheek and fell onto the lapel of his suit. I dragged my eyes from his chest and back up to his face and met his teary gaze. Cameron dropped his head, took a deep, steadying breath, and then raised his eyes back to mine.
“Sarah, you are my best friend and my heart’s desire. I have loved you for so long and am so humbled that you feel the same, that you took a chance on me when I didn’t deserve it. I promise to never let you down.”
When his voice broke on that last word, he looked down at our hands, intertwined, took another deep breath, and tried to speak, but his voice failed him again. He closed his eyes and I saw the rigid tension in his body as he tried to hold back his emotions. I wanted nothing more than to have a moment alone with him where we could share our vows privately to the exclusion of all others. More than anything though, I wanted to hold him in my arms.
Screw it, I thought. He’d already broken protocol when he kissed me when I’d stepped to the alter, and sine so much of our relationship had been the exact opposite of traditional, there was no reason to go the prescribed route now. I slid my hands from his, catching him by surprise. I stepped forward and wrapped him in my arms and held tight and leaned my cheek against the soft wool of his suit.
I don’t know how long we stood like that, the rest of the world having fallen away. After several long moments, maybe two minutes or twenty – who could tell? – I felt him inhale and then slowly exhale. I took a slight step back, making sure our bodies never lost contact, and looked up at the love of my life. He gazed down at me with love, devotion, and adoration.
He nodded, and having gathered his emotions, began speaking. “I will honor and cherish you every day for the rest of my life. I love you for so many reasons, not the least of which is because you are the absolute best, most giving, and humble person I know. When I close my eyes at night, it’s your face that I see, and when I wake up in the morning, yours is the only voice I want to hear. I cannot imagine a world without you by my side. I vow to never stop showing you how much I love you.”
I didn’t know how much longer I could wait to get him alone, but there were still a handful of minutes left in the ceremony. Slowly I became aware of our guests sitting in front of us, many of them sniffling into handkerchiefs and wiping away tears of their own.
Stewart let out a shaky laugh, coughed to clear his throat, and continued. “Okay, where was I? Right. Your wedding rings are the outward and visible sign of the inward and invisible bond that unites your two hearts in love. Mike, please hand Cameron the ring.” Mike dropped the antique platinum band into his palm.
“Cameron,” Stewart intoned. “Place the ring on Sarah’s finger and repeat after me.”
In a clear voice that filled the room, Cameron echoed his words as he slid the ring on my bare finger. “With this ring, I thee wed. With my body, I thee worship.” His mouth hitched up in a sly smile and I could only imagine what he was thinking. “With my heart, I thee love.”
Carly handed me Cameron’s ring and I repeated the same verse as I slid a plain, platinum band on the ring finger of his left hand.
“And now, by the power vested in me, it is my honor and privilege to declare Cameron and Sarah husband and wife. Cameron, you may now kiss your bride.”
Cameron’s strong arms came around me and pulled me up tight against his hard, muscular chest. His lips descended to mine and captured them in a kiss that merged our souls, took all of my dreams and wishes and desires into him and returned them. Vaguely, I heard hooting and hollering but it sounded a million miles away. When he finally stepped away, I couldn’t have stood on my own, such was the power of that kiss.
“Ladies and gentleman, may I present to you for the very first time, Cameron and Sarah Scott.”
We were enveloped in a wave of cheers and good wishes and as I looked out across our gathered friends and family, I had never been happier. Had never felt more complete.
Cameron and I walked hand-in-hand down the make-shift aisle to the sounds of Ben Harper’s “Forever” and straight out the door where we kept walking down the redwood stairs and through the fern-lined path to the water, our path lit by a full silver moon. When we reached the quiet solitude of the beach he pulled me into his arms and captured my mouth with hungry urgency, kissing me deeper than he had at the conclusion of the ceremony. Our public kiss had been designed to show me how much he loved me, how profoundly moved he was by the vows we’d shared. This kiss, however, was designed to steal my breath, to melt by bones, to absorb the very essence of me into his cells. He tilted my head to take the kiss deeper while his tongue made sweeping, swirling motions inside my mouth as he fed from my lips. Gently, he slowed the fervor of the long, drug
ging kiss and pulled away to stare down at me.
“Hello Mrs. Scott,” he said and then captured my mouth once again.
“You ready to do this?” I asked, taking Sarah’s hand in mine.
“If I said no?” She smiled to let me know she wasn’t really saying no.
Even if she had meant it, I didn’t have to think what my answer would be. If ever this became too much for her, I knew exactly what I’d do. “We would turn this car around and go back to the hotel where I’d worship your body until it was time to board the plane and go home.”
She hummed low in her throat. “Mmm, when you put it like that, maybe I should say no.” She laughed and kissed me lightly. “But as good as that sounds, this is more important.”
“Nothing’s more important than having my way with my lovely wife,” I answered, meaning it completely and without question.
Life had been good to us lately and I had a lot to be thankful for, but nothing more so than the woman by my side. I still couldn’t believe she was mine for the rest of our lives. Never in a million years would I have seen our friendship playing out like this. In fact, there’d been a few times I’d convinced myself I was going to have to live my life without her, watch while she fell in love with some other man. I hadn’t thought I could be enough for her but I thanked my lucky stars that one night, many long nights before, we’d gotten completely shit faced and had sex with each other. The immediate aftermath of that encounter had been less than stellar, but it had gotten us to where we were today and for that I couldn’t complain. Yeah, life was good.
While I had been in Vancouver shooting The Ties That Bind, Sarah returned to L.A. to sell her house in the Hollywood Hills for a ludicrous amount of cash. She used some of the money to buy a small gallery in Eagle Harbour so now she was one of the young creative who, as they liked to say, “ran the town”. The owner had been ready to retire and move somewhere warmer so the timing had been perfect. Naturally, she’d started painting again and a handful of her pieces now decorated the walls our friends’ homes and businesses, including Stewart’s office and the coffee shop Drea and Alex owned together.
Lucky Star: A Hollywood Love Story Page 34