THE CORBIN BROTHERS: The Complete 5-Books Series
Page 77
“No, don’t be sorry,” Zoe said. “I think it’s sweet.”
“I understand that Chance has some vows he’s prepared,” the judge said.
“Now that’s a little unfair, don’t you think?” she asked, fighting back a smile. “How am I supposed to come up with something off the cuff like this.”
“I don’t really have anything prepared,” I confessed. “I just thought I’d just tell you some things.”
“Go right ahead, if Zoe’s ready,” the judge intoned.
“I’m ready.” She smiled at me.
“I guess I just wanted to say that I love you,” I began. “I know that we got married, at first, in a whirlwind, and maybe for the reasons we didn’t really like to admit. But I wanted you to know that I loved you from the beginning. I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want to scare you, but that’s the truth. I loved you, and I still love you. I want to spend the rest of my life making this marriage the beautiful thing I believe we both know it is. I want to be the best father Toby could ever have. You have my heart, Zoe Corbin. It’s yours to do with what you wish.”
“How am I supposed to follow that?” she asked, gasping out a laugh even as she wiped tears away.
“You can say whatever you like,” the judge told her, smiling.
“I … I don’t know what to say,” she admitted. “I never thought that someone like me would ever have a happy life, but ever since Toby and I moved here to the ranch, it has been wonderful. Even the times that have been hard, all of the challenges that we’ve faced, it’s still been so good. And the more I think about it, the more I think it’s because of you, Chance. Because you’ve always been there for us. You take care of everyone, but not yourself sometimes. I think that I’m here to take care of you now. And that’s just fine with me. Because I love you, too. I love that we have the rest of our lives together to figure all of this out. It’s going to be such an adventure.”
“Do you both promise to cherish and trust and love each other from now to all of time?” the judge asked. “Pretty tall orders for some people.”
“Not for us,” I said, willing it to be so. “I promise.”
“I do, too,” Zoe said.
“Then I pronounce you husband and wife — again. You’d better kiss each other, dammit.”
We all laughed and Zoe and I kissed each other tenderly. I heard the judge leave us, and we embraced in the darkened house. I got the overwhelming sense that my parents somehow approved of all of this, of our enormous family, of the Corbin name going strong, of our future on this ranch assured, loving one another and supporting one another.
This was how they wanted it here on the ranch, and this was how we were going to live — loving and working together. Treating each day as a wonderful adventure. Facing all the challenges side by side.
Happily ever after. That kind of life.
~ END ~