I feel like I’m dreaming as he opens the doors and I see all our friends and family sitting in rows of chairs. Sarge is there in the back with us standing by Jamie and Rodgers. Taggert is at the front. Elle has a fancy camera around her neck and is snapping photos of me. For that matter, all eyes are on me as we enter.
What exactly is this? An after party of sorts? Can I at least keep my heels off?
As I take it all in, it finally dawns on me.
Holy mother of crap, this is a wedding.
… My wedding.
Chapter 30
Rows of white chairs line the walkway. The arbor up front is decorated in the most amazing way with Christmas lights and white flowers interweaved. Next to the arbor sits a Christmas tree decorated with white lights and red poinsettias. More flowers are around the entire room in a variety of different sized vases. There is a big picture window open and showing the snow, light and fluffy, falling down beyond the arbor. This is definitely a wedding. A beautiful wedding.
I turn to Lyncoln in shock. “What is this?” I ask even though I know exactly what this is.
“Well gorgeous, this is our wedding. If you say yes. And hopefully you do, because I was banking on it and there are a lot of people in the room right now.” He smiles that killer smile.
“But we have to get married in front of the country,” I argue confused.
Dougall stands. “No, I said a wedding needed to be televised. I never said you couldn’t already be married, couldn’t have more than one wedding.”
“Okaaay?” I ask, still confused and amazed at what I’m seeing.
At the front, Attie, Vanessa, Marcia, and Elizabeth are wearing matching dark red bridesmaids’ dresses. Henry, Ashton, Maverick, and Knox are also up front. Holy crap. They are our wedding party. That’s why Marcia is really here.
“How? When?” I shake my head. “I’m so confused.”
“I had some free time this week and I wanted to give you the wedding you deserve. I know that you wouldn’t want a grand wedding with all the fancy crap. I knew if it was up to you, you would want it to be our closest friends and family. So what do you say? Will you marry me tonight? Before our big televised wedding?” he asks. For a brief second, I see his vulnerability again.
To answer his question, I throw myself into his arms and kiss him. This gets applause from the crowd.
I’m getting married!
Tonight.
As I pull away, I playfully punch Lyncoln.
He laughs, “What was that for?”
“You aren’t supposed to see the bride before the wedding,” I joke.
This gets a lot of laughter from the people in the room.
I look around to find this really is perfect. I’m nervous though. I’m not prepared. How does this work? Do we just walk up there and verbally speak our love for one another, sign a piece of paper, and ta-daa, we’re married? This doesn’t even feel real. I’m wearing white at least, and now I guess I know the reason why.
I send an accusatory look to Frank and Gertie where they sit in the back row. “You were in on this.”
“Yes, darling,” Frank nods, grinning. “But your dress for the televised ceremony is just as breathtaking, promise.” He puts a hand over his heart for emphasis.
“Now, Reagan, if you and Mr. Scott would step in the hallway a moment so we can show proper respect for the bride, we will get this show on the road,” Taggert’s voice booms, interrupting me and commanding as usual. He puts his reading glasses on and opens the small black binder in his hands.
“You’re marrying us?” I ask incredulously, looking at him at the front of the room.
He nods, and I can’t help but choke down some nervous giggles.
“Is that funny, dear?” he asks while watching me with an amused expression.
I giggle again, putting a hand on my chest to try and stop it. “I’m sorry. It’s just that the first time I met you, I thought you looked like a bad boy version of Santa. And now here you are, going to marry me on Christmas Eve. Thanks, Santa!” I’m giggling by the time I finish, and others join in on the laughter, especially the President who is laughing so hard he is practically crying.
Lyncoln squeezes my hand and whispers while everyone else is laughing, “If you want to run or don’t want to do this right now, it’s okay. Just say the word, Regs.”
I stop laughing and look at him dead serious. “I’m not running.”
He slowly grins. “Good.”
“Let’s do this!” I nod.
Everyone whoops and hollers as I turn and head for the doors.
****
My dad and I wait outside the door. He had taken his jacket off earlier but looks good in the full suit again now. He also seems like he’s so full of fatherly wisdom that he’s about to burst.
“I am so proud of you, honey,” he tells me.
“Thanks, Dad.”
“He’s a great man.” He nods his approval.
I smile. “Don’t I know it.” I’m antsy to get in there and tired of this awkward pep talk from my dad.
Then we hear the music, which is our cue, and I don’t hesitate to enter. Lyncoln is at the end of the aisle, and my heart flutters as I realize that in a very, very short amount of time, I will be his wife.
His wife.
I’m vaguely aware of the fact that Henry is his best man and Attie is my maid of honor. Henry just told me tonight he would be fine with our getting married. He must have known what was going on and was trying to let me know that he was okay with it, without spilling the beans. I am grateful for that. Now I have nothing more to be worried about. I can just focus on marrying Lyncoln. Focus on us.
As the thirty or so people all stand and smile at me while I walk to Lyncoln, I can’t help but feel my eyes full of tears. My dad hands me over to Lyncoln with a quick shake of his hand and this just got that much more real.
I love these people and I love Lyncoln. More than anything.
“We are gathered here this Christmas Eve, to celebrate the love of Reagan Grace Scott and Lyncoln James Reed,” Taggert begins.
Lyncoln and I stand facing one another, and although we both look nervous, we have also never been happier. It should be weird that Henry is standing right behind Lyncoln, given our history, but I would actually not have it any other way.
“God created the institution of marriage so that in loving one another, He could mirror His love for us. He didn’t want us to live our lives alone. He wanted us to love one another deeply, and in doing so, maybe we would understand a fraction of the love that He gives to us freely,” Taggert continues and I’m surprised by his words but try not to let my mouth fall open in shock. Taggert the poet… who knew? “So as you love one another in growing old, always remember His love for you and His purpose and intent for marriage.”
He pauses. “We will now do the exchanging of vows. Lyncoln wrote his, and Reagan, well, she’s just going to have to shoot from the hip, which we all know she’s kind of used to.”
That must be the quickest segue into the vows I have ever heard, but it was simple and to the point. Very Taggert-like. I’m nervous to have to convey the way I feel about Lyncoln on the fly, but more than I’m nervous about what I’m going to say, I’m excited to hear what he’s going to say.
Lyncoln smiles at me shyly, squeezes my hands in his, and begins. I know a public confession of love probably isn’t his forte, but he’s going to do it for me anyway.
“I knew when I met you that you were the most extraordinary person I had ever met. I never even knew what I was looking for or lacking… until I knew you.” I feel tears sting my eyes as he continues. He even pulls a notecard out of his jacket with what he’s written on it so he doesn’t forget. “You are competitive, compassionate, driven, and bring out the good in everyone you meet. Your light shines so brightly, it drives out all the darkness around you. I am honored you chose me to spend the rest of your life with. It won’t be easy. We will drive one another crazy.” His cock
y smirk makes me laugh. “But you are my compass. I want the good days, the bad days, and the downright ugly days, all by your side. I don’t know how or why God gave me you, but I am forever in His debt. I vow to love you. To cherish you. To laugh with you. To protect you. To respect you. As long as there is a breath in my body, I’m yours.” He ends it with a simple shrug and a wink.
Holy crap.
His words were simple, yet so beautiful and raw. I’m sure there have been more poetic or longer vows, but his words to me, his words, were the most sincere and beautiful words that have ever reached my ears. I brush away some tears despite trying my darndest to not cry. How can I not cry having heard that? Fortunately for me, I’m not the only one in tears. Attie is sniffling and my mom in the front row is downright sobbing, officially proving that my ugly crying is genetic.
“This is the part that I wish I could have prepared for,” I grimace and wipe at my eyes once more. I’m not sure why, there’s not a chance I’ll get through this without waterworks.
The crowd laughs, helping to put me at ease.
Typically, I can usually nail speeches on the fly. This, however, is the most important speech I could possibly ever make. How do I follow up what Lyncoln just said? How do I find the words to quantify and convey what I feel for this man?
“When I first met you, I thought you were cocky and… intense. In everything you do. Of course, initially, I was drawn to your good looks and muscles,” I grin at him and if he could blush, I think he would be, “but you are so much more than that.” I squeeze his hands. “The more I got to know you, the more I realized you use your confidence to protect the ones you love. You are amazingly talented and one of the smartest people I know. You are calm in scary situations, and you are never afraid to put yourself at risk to save someone else. Even in your faults and flaws, you take care of others. A protector through and through.” I take a deep breath and feel my chin quiver at the same time my voice cracks, “I am drawn to your soul. You breathe life into me and make me feel more alive and capable than I knew was possible.” And now I feel the tears threatening to spill over. “There is no one else like you. You are one in a million and I am the one honored to be able to live my life next to you. I also don’t know what God was up to when he brought us together, but I know he probably gets a kick out of it when our tempers flare.” I sniff emotionally and the crowd laughs.
I steal some of his words for this next part and have a hard time not losing it with all the emotions rolling through me. My voice cracks again, “I vow to love you always, even when one or both of us is being a stubborn idiot. I vow to cherish and encourage you. To laugh with you every day. To protect and respect you. As long as there is a breath in my body, there isn’t a part of me that isn’t yours.”
As I finish, a tear falls down my cheek which Lyncoln catches with his thumb. He turns to Taggert and commands, “Hurry it up, boss.”
Taggert just slowly rolls his eyes, which makes the crowd laugh again.
“We will now exchange rings,” he nods to Lyncoln with a grin, knowing Lyncoln just wants to get to the kissing part.
Lyncoln slips a wedding band, sparkly diamonds all the way around, onto my finger in addition to my engagement ring already there. It looks beautiful next to my ring. Not in the correct order, but who cares.
Next is my turn and I panic. I don’t have a ring! “I picked it out, but I don’t have it,” I admit.
“Don’t even worry about it,” Lyncoln shakes his head.
But then Dougall stands, interrupting us, “Sorry! I have it. Meant to give this to Attie earlier.”
I smile as she walks up and places it in my hand. It’s dark charcoal in color with carbon fiber in the middle. It’s strong and tough, just like my husband.
Holy crap. My husband? Is this real life?
I slide the ring onto his finger. The look of his hand with the ring on it, telling the world he’s mine, makes me a little light headed. A little hormonally unbalanced. A little predatory.
“By the power vested in me by the State of the Union, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Official only, of course, when you sign the papers in a week,” he winks letting us know he thinks we are going to win.
Lyncoln looks at him expectantly and Taggert grins. “Alright. You may now kiss your bride.”
Lyncoln kisses me, both hands around the back of my neck with his thumbs on my cheeks. I can feel his feelings for me radiating off him. I return it in just the same way, and it would have probably gotten on the inappropriate side if Taggert hadn’t interrupted at that exact moment.
“And ho, ho, ho. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight.”
This makes the crowd cheer, whoop, and holler and I start laughing. I can’t believe this is happening.
I just married Lyncoln?!
“Is this real life?” I ask, smiling at Lyncoln.
He’s grinning ear to ear. “You’re stuck with me for life now, Regs.”
“Yours?” I smile.
“All mine,” he says in a true, Lyncoln-like cocky manner.
I turn to our wedding party before we walk back down the aisle. “Thank you all. This is exactly how I would have had it.” I turn to back to Lyncoln. “How did you keep it all a secret? When did you plan all this? I have so many questions!”
“I started planning it Tuesday with your Mom, Frank, and Gertie.” He shrugs. “I had some spare time, so I figured why not?”
I punch him again. Mostly to keep from throwing myself at him.
“What?” he asks as the crowd laughs.
“A surprise wedding? On Christmas Eve?” I ask still in disbelief.
He cocks his head to the side. “I know how you feel about Christmas, Mrs. Reed.”
“Oh… I do like the sound of that,” I blush with a laugh and think that I haven’t smiled so much in one day in my entire life.
We walk down the aisle as official husband and wife, getting hugs and congratulations from our friends and family. We stand around talking with our loved ones, and finally, it being well into the wee hours of the morning of Christmas day, they all leave and it’s just the two of us.
All alone, I start crying again. A week ago I had wondered if we would ever get to this point. He saved my family while pushing me away to protect me, then he surprised me by bringing my family to me, and then he finished it off by surprising me with the wedding he knew I wanted. Thinking about how much he cares for me just knocks me off my feet sometimes.
“Regs?” he asks, alarmed with the tears.
I shake my head, knowing he hates it when I cry. “No, I’m not upset. They’re good tears. The good kind. I just can’t believe it. You did all of this for me?”
He nods and says simply, “You deserve it.”
As we walk upstairs, weirdly enough without guards, I start to get nervous. This is our wedding night after all.
“I already told you earlier, we aren’t going to do that tonight, so don’t worry about it. Just stop even considering it,” Lyncoln says, reading my mind. “It’s off the table.”
“But what if I want to?” I blush and feel a bit squeamish.
I do want to, but it’s so intimidating. I mean, I know the biologics of it, but still. It all seems… awkward. So many limbs. So little time. The horizontal tango is definitely intimidating. And I have the sneaky suspicion that Lyncoln is super good at it, much like he’s good at everything, so that adds even more to the intimidation factor.
“We can do that some other night when you aren’t about ready to fall asleep. It’s nearly two in the morning and I would prefer you plenty awake for all I have planned for you.” He grins, knowing he’s messing with me, knowing he enjoys torturing me like this.
“Okay,” is all I can manage to say to that.
“But for tonight, I want nothing more than to hold my wife all night long,” he says it softly and affectionately.
“Under the sheets?” I ask excitedly.
He rolls his eyes and nods. “Unde
r the sheets, Regs.”
Chapter 31
I wake up feeling warm with a heavy arm thrown over my body and remember.
… I got married last night.
HOLY CRAP! I got married last night!!
As I roll over, I see that Lyncoln is already awake, though just lying there with his eyes half closed. Sleepy. A sleepy Lyncoln? Lord have mercy!
“Sleep well?” I ask with a shy smile.
He opens his eyes all the way and looks at me affectionately as he props his head up under his hand. “Way better than usual. I’ve been waiting to do that for a while now.”
“Sleep with me?” I ask flirty, realizing the double meaning, and bat my eyelashes at him suggestively. Well, probably more awkward than suggestive.
He squints at me playfully but breaks into a grin. “Among other things.”
I laugh then can’t help but wave my hands excitedly. “Seriously though. Best Christmas present everrrrrr!”
I notice his hair is all ruffled. He looks good like this. Truly relaxed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him relaxed before. He always stands relaxed and nonchalant with his body language, but I know he is always doing something. Always on the defensive, never at ease.
He smiles. “I’m glad you think so. Whatever happened to my present anyway?”
“Oh, crap! I was going to give it to you last night. You know, before you whisked me away to get hitched,” I tease, getting out of bed and grabbing it off my coffee table where I left it last night, fortunately already wrapped.
Lyncoln smiles and sits up on the bed with pillows behind his back. He is wearing sweatpants and no shirt, and seeing his half-naked body is just as good, if not better, this time around. Especially since I can legally gawk all I want now, married woman and all. My eyes trail over those scars across his abdomen and it again makes me want to trace them. I guess I can now, it’s totes within my marital rights.
And how can someone look this good first thing in the morning, anyway? Will I ever get used to how handsome he is? Pretty sure my hair looks like a bird’s nest and my morning breath can be smelled all the way back in Omaha. And he looks perfect. If he weren’t so attractive I would be so annoyed right now.
The Fracturing: Book 2 (The Culling Series) Page 45