My dearest Shay,
They say that lightning doesn’t strike twice, well they are wrong. In our case it does. I thought I was the happiest man in the world the first time we got married. I was wrong then, too. This is the happiest day of my life. I have a wedding gift for you, but I can’t give it to you until we’re together alone. It’s something that I have forever marked on my heart. I love you, and I can’t wait to see where our lives lead us a second time.
Love,
Adrian
That’s strange what kind of gift would he have to give me in person, that is forever marked on his heart?
Chapter 18
Adrian
As I stand in one of the stable owners small bedrooms with my brothers, brother-in-law, and my father, I can’t believe that fate has allowed us to once again take this journey as husband and wife. I got Shay a wedding gift and told her I can’t show it to her until we’re together later. That it’s forever marked on my heart. Well, that wasn’t speaking figuratively. Last week I had the tattoo that Shay has on her wrist, tattooed on my chest, right over my heart. It’s the exact same tattoo, except mine is all black. I won’t lie, I sat there at the tattoo shop and cried silent tears as the artist did it. Not because it was painful like you’d think, but because it was painful to mourn the loss of my child that I never got the honor of knowing.
It was hard to keep the tattoo from Shay, too. I claimed that I was so tired from working at the job site, I’d fall asleep on the couch on purpose. Man, it killed me not to make love to Shay, but I didn’t want to ruin the surprise.
There’s a knock at the door and Willow peeks her head in.
“I have something for Adrian, it’s from Shay,” she says and hands Asher a box and a card.
They give each other a kiss, then she leaves.
Asher hands them both to me and I read the card first.
Adrian,
From the first time I met you, I knew we were destined to be together for eternity. The day we married, my dreams came true. I was devastated at our loss, and instead of sharing in my grief, I ran. I still knew in my heart that you were the only man for me. My love for you and the eternity that I knew we still shared was always there. I’m forever grateful that we found our way back to each other. I will never run from you again, but will believe in our love instead. I know that our love can handle anything. I know it’s been several months since we started the adoption process, but I’m so sure that some day soon, it will happen. I give you this gift because, just as much as I’m sure of our love, I’m sure that we will adopt. I love you more, forever and always.
Love,
Shay
I open the box, and inside, I see a symbol that I’ve never seen before. It’s a platinum charm on a dog tag style chain. The charm itself is a triangle intertwined with a heart. There is a note in the box from Shay.
“This is an adoption triad. The three sides of the triangle represent the three sides of adoption - the birth family, the adoptive family and the adoptee. The intertwined heart represents the love and relationship between them all.”
I put it on and the charm sits just to the right of my tattoo. I will never forget the child that we created, the love that I have for someone that I never met is heartbreaking. The love that I feel for the child that I will someday adopt, is just as heartbreaking. I love the child we lost and I love the child that I haven’t even met yet, that one day will call me dad.
Just as I finish buttoning up my shirt, there’s another knock at the door. It’s my mother and she says it’s time. I find the officiant standing just outside the door and we walk over to the stable. The weather is absolutely beautiful, we couldn’t have asked for a nicer day. The stable has been transformed into a beautiful wedding chapel. I love the contrast between the thick wooden beams and elegant wedding decorations. I walk down the center aisle and see adjoining aisles filled with our close friends and family. I spot Max and give him a small smile. He looks just as awful as Chloe. I take my spot at the front, and fuck if I’m not more nervous than I was the first time.
Next down the aisle are Asher and Willow, the look of pride written on my brother’s face says it all. He shakes my hand and stands next to me. Next down the aisle is Amelia and Kyle, followed by Mia and Ava, then Aiden and Chloe. I see Chloe’s eyes lock with Max’s. The tortured look in both of their eyes for one another is painful to see. They both love each other so much. Why does love have to be complicated? I really do wish the best for both of them. Next down the aisle is Abbey and Sammie. They’re holding hands and tossing rose petals as they walk. Next are Blake and Noah. Blake is trying so hard to get Noah to walk down the aisle with the rings, but Noah is having nothing to do with it. Kyle walks back down the aisle and picks up Noah and carries him the rest of the way. He gives him to Samantha, then gets back in line with us. Whose idea was it to have a five-year-old and a one-year-old walk down the aisle together anyway?
Then my heart stops as the music changes and Dusty and Patsy appear in front of the stable doors. Drew helps Shay step out of the coach and I’ve never seen her as radiant and beautiful as she looks right now. The rest of the crowd disappears and I only have eyes for her. She steals my breath, as she’s already stolen my heart.
Shay
When Drew knocked on the door and told me it was time, I couldn’t have been more excited. I wasn’t nervous or afraid. I’ve known this man was my soul mate since the tenth grade. We climb into the antique coach and Dusty and Patsy walk us the short distance to the stable. Drew gives me his hand to step down, and I have to restrain myself from not running down the aisle shouting I do, I do, at the top of my lungs. I dig deep and pull out my calm and ladylike behavior.
The entire room stands and focuses all their attention on me. I spot Max out of the corner of my eye, and his eyes are glued to Chloe. The look of worry and concern is written in every line and furrow on his forehead. He looks just as terrible as Chloe. I hope whatever that was between Chloe and Amelia back in the bridal suite, was what she needed to break from the depression she’s in.
My focus returns to Adrian. He’s so handsome in his tux with his seafoam green bow tie. I look into his eyes and it’s like a tractor beam calling me to him. As I walk down the aisle that’s laced with dirt and hay, I can’t help but smile.
I get to the front and the officiant asks, “Who gives this woman to be married?”
Drew clears his throat and says, “Our parents and I do.”
He leans in and kisses me on the cheek, then hands my hand to Adrian.
“Family and friends, please have a seat. We are gathered here to witness a joyous and rare occasion, the rejoining of two souls. It’s not often we get to celebrate the remarriage of a couple. Adrian and Shay have written their own vows to each other and would like to recite them to each other now.”
Adrian squeezes my hand and says, “I’ve loved you since the tenth grade. I knew it in my heart the first time I laid eyes on you, that I was going to marry you some day. That day seventeen years ago, I thought I couldn’t love you any more than I did that day. But it doesn’t compare with the love that’s bursting from my chest today, as I stand before you now. I promise to love you for eternity, to stand by you never faltering. I promise to hold you when you cry and to laugh with you when you’re happy. I promise to be there for you in sickness and in health. I promise to love you to my last breath. I love you, Doll.”
“I also have loved you since the tenth grade. I knew in my heart we were meant to be together for eternity. We’ve been given a second chance at love, and I promise to have faith in our love, to never run, to hold fast to your unwavering love and commitment. I promise to hold you when you cry and to laugh with you when you’re happy. I promise to be there for you in sickness and in health. I promise to love you to my last breath. I love you more,” I say with a smile.
“As they have said these vows to each other and to you, their family and closest friends, may they be forever true.”
/> Adrian takes my rings from Blake and places them on my finger.
“Do you, Adrian, take Shay to be your wife, to have and to hold, to cherish and to protect, from this day forward?” the officiant asks Adrian.
“I do,” he says with a smile.
I take Adrian’s ring from Blake and place it on his finger.
“Do you, Shay, take Adrian to be your husband, to have and to hold, to cherish and to protect, from this day forward?” the officiant asks me.
“I do,” I reply returning the smile.
“Adrian and Shay, you have made your marriage vows to one another, witnessed by your family and close friends. You have sealed your vows with the giving and receiving of these rings. Ladies and gentlemen, by the power vested in me by the state of Washington, it gives me great pleasure to re-introduce to you, Adrian and Shay Wellington. You have been given a second chance. May you forever be blessed. You may kiss the bride,” the officiant finishes.
Adrian gives me one of those half grins that sets me on fire, then ever so softly presses his warm lips to mine. His hand snakes behind my head, pulling me tight to his body. We pull away and smile at each other, before turning to our family and friends as Mr. and Mrs. Wellington, once again.
Adrian and I have one more symbolic thing that we need to do before the reception. Just as our engagement was recorded through photography by none other than Jenny, so will this private ceremony. We get in the old coach, and Patsy and Dusty take us the short distance away from the stable to the little stream on the southwest side of the property. I can hear the photographer, but she disappears as Adrian brings out the little glass jar tied with a blue and pink ribbon.
Obviously I know that the sand in this jar is not our baby’s ashes, for that would be impossible. It’s the symbolic gesture that the two of us need, to close that chapter in our lives and open a new one, with what we hope someday very soon to be an adopted child. We walk over to the little babbling stream, remove the lid, and with the two of us holding the jar, we pour the sand back into the earth. We give back what was once ours. We let go of the pain and sorrow, but never the memory. A small butterfly flutters over the stream, then disappears high in the sky.
“I’d like to show you your wedding gift now,” Adrian says.
He starts to remove his jacket and unbutton his shirt.
“Adrian not here, oh my God, the photographer,” I tell him in a panic.
I don’t mind being kinky and making love to my husband outdoors, but with the photographer here!
He smirks and shakes his head.
“No, you silly girl, not that, although I like how your mind thinks,” he says and brushes the tip of my nose with his finger.
He continues to unbutton his shirt and tosses it over Dusty. He reaches behind his head and removes his t-shirt. There on his chest right over his heart, is a tattoo like the one I have on my wrist. One hand goes to my mouth, as the other goes to his chest. Tears stream down my face.
“Oh, Adrian, it’s just beautiful. How? When? Oh my God, it’s just beautiful,” is all I can keep repeating.
I can still hear that damn photographer. Part of me wants her to just go away, so I can really make love to my husband on the ground. But, the other part can’t wait to see the raw and real emotions that she’s capturing. I run my finger on the butterfly wings and trace the words underneath. Yes, we will never forget.
Adrian gets dressed and we head back over to the stable. It’s been transformed into a beautiful reception hall. There are now large circular tables laid out covered in cream tablecloths, with seafoam green napkins and towering centerpieces, bursting with peach roses. There’s a head table for the wedding party to the left and it’s just beautiful. There’s a three-tiered cake on a small table, and I’m not sure, but it looks like the topper is not a bride and groom. Someone has switched it and there are now two horses, one brown and one white, that look just like Dusty and Patsy. I hope the person who did that doesn’t think I’m going to get mad, I think it’s awesome! I’m mad I didn’t think of it myself. There’s a nice size dance floor that’s been laid and the second we enter the huge wooden stable doors, everyone stands and claps.
The reception is amazing. The only exception is Chloe. All she’s done is sit at the head table and sulk. I guess Amelia’s little talk didn’t do any good. Everyone’s been dancing and having a good time. Max is sitting at his table glaring at Chloe. She’s done a fine job of ignoring him, too.
For the daddy daughter dance, I dance with Drew. Adrian’s dad, Samuel, cuts in and when he does I look in his eyes and say, “Thank you, Dad.”
The pure joy it brings him by calling him dad, is just another piece of the puzzle to be put back together. Asher cut in, then Aiden, then Kyle. I dance with every male member of mine and Adrian’s family. It’s truly touching.
All of a sudden time seems to stand still. The music stops and all you can hear is Max talking at Chloe. Everyone’s attention goes to them as he continues to try to talk to her. She just sits there with her arms crossed over her chest.
“Can I please just talk to you outside,” he pleads. To that, she continues not to answer him and she looks anywhere else but at him.
“You’re making a scene, all I’m asking is for you to step outside and talk to me,” he tries again.
To that, she tosses her napkin on the table, stands and starts to head over to the bar.
“You’re seriously going to walk away from me,” he says to her back.
She stops for a second, then continues to walk toward the bar.
“Alright, we can play your little game, if that’s the way you want it,” he says.
He jogs in front of her and stops in front of her face. She tries to sidestep him, but he hunches over, plants his shoulder in her stomach and hefts her up and over his shoulder. She screams and kicks and pounds on his back with her fists all the way out the stable doors.
“You wanted to play the hard way, you left me no choice. You will talk to me whether you like it or not.”
Chapter 19
Adrian
I’m dancing with my beautiful wife, when a commotion starts and all eyes go to Max and Chloe. The next thing I know, he’s carrying her out of the stable kicking and screaming over his shoulder. Good, it’s about damn time. I think I would’ve done the same thing. We never do see either one of them again for the rest of the night. As we dance a slow song, Asher comes up to me and hands me an envelope.
“This seems to be the Wellington tradition. I know you two aren’t taking a honeymoon, since you want to stick close to home, but, I’d like to offer you two the beach house for as many days as you’d like. Even if it’s just for the weekend, I’d like you two to have at least that,” Asher says.
“Thank you for that, we both appreciate it,” I say to him.
And I truly do. I know how on edge Shay is about the adoption, so I could never have taken her away on a honeymoon. Her mind would have been back home, worrying about the adoption. I’m still pushing hard for the guys at the job site to finish early for the bonus, too. Once things settle down, we can take a family vacation, her and I, and our child.
The evening winds down and I whisk my beautiful bride to the beach house. Both Asher and Amelia, stayed here on their wedding nights. Tonight it’s just her and I, and I plan on making good use of this gorgeous house.
As I carry my beautiful bride over the threshold, I head straight to the bedroom. I can’t wait another second to have my wife. At this very second, I’m eternally grateful that she isn’t wearing one of those huge, poofy, traditional wedding dresses. I turn her around and gently scoop her hair to the side, slowly unzip the back of her cream dress and let it pool at her feet. I kiss the top of her shoulder over to the center of her spine.
“You’re so beautiful,” I tell her.
I unhook her strapless bra and toss it to the floor. Ever so slowly, she turns around and faces me. She takes my breath away every time. She has on cream colored thigh hi
gh stockings that are attached to a garter belt. Fuck me, that’s fucking sexy as hell.
She removes my jacket and like the hellcat that she is, she rips my shirt open and buttons go flying in every direction. I reach behind my head and take off my t-shirt. The look on her face softens as she sees my tattoo over my heart. With one finger she, ever so gently, touches and outlines the tattoo. It’s so soft. I almost don’t feel it. She brushes her lips to my throat, then trails her tongue downward. She puts her hands inside my boxer briefs and slowly runs her hands down my leg, sending them to my feet. She places a kiss on the center of my tattoo, then sinks to her knees, running her tongue down the center of my abs as she descends. She places both her hands on my ass with a loud smack. She takes me into her mouth, as she massages my ass cheeks.
“Fuck,” is all I can say.
Her hands trail downward and massage the back of my legs down to my calves. Fuck, this woman can use her mouth and hands. I fist my hands in her hair and love the warmth of her mouth on me. I take a step back and pull her up, tossing her on the bed. I have to have her on my tongue now. My mouth is watering just at the thought of the taste of her. I unclip the garters and peel her stockings down her legs. I remove her panties, but leave the garter belt around her waist. I grab her ankle and kiss the inside of her foot. As I climb higher with my tongue, she moans with anticipation.
I suck hard once I reach the sensitive skin on the inside of her thigh, then kiss ever so softly. She arches her back when I hit my target. She grabs her breasts and massages them as she pants and moans, which only turns me on more. I place one of my hands over her hand on her breast and massage them both. She removes her hand from under mine, then puts it on top of mine and squeezes it hard. I take a nipple between my thumb and index finger and roll it as she continues to moan. As her thighs start to quiver, I devour her as she comes with a loud scream.
Running Into Love - The Complete Box Set Page 48