#Heart (Hashtag #6)

by Cambria Hebert

  It was a soft effect overall, and between the accent of the color and the fullness of the skirt, my baby bump wasn’t even noticeable.

  To top it off, I added a pair of glittery pink heels.

  Because a girl always needed a little glitter.

  And a little pink.

  The only jewelry I was wearing was my engagement ring (on my French-manicured hands) and a pair of diamonds in my ears that I borrowed from my mother. The blue garter with the anchor from Rimmel was wrapped around my thigh.

  “You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen,” Rimmel said, coming up behind me.

  I smiled and turned so she could see her reflection.

  “I don’t know. I think you have me beat.” I smiled.

  She snorted.

  But then she smiled, her voice soft. “I’ve never looked this beautiful before.”

  “You’re beautiful every day,” I corrected. “But a hair and makeup team plus a gorgeous gown sure goes a long way for a girl.”

  We both laughed.

  Rimmel’s long hair was down, curled loosely to give it a tousled feel and then the sides were gathered toward the back of her head in some kind of artistic knot with baby’s breath adorning the style. It looked gorgeous against her dark, shiny hair.

  Her makeup was also classic, but her lips weren’t pale pink like mine. They were a deeper berry shade. It looked gorgeous on her full lips. I was surprised she agreed to wear it, but when the makeup artist suggested it, she agreed.

  Again, maybe it was the champagne.

  Or maybe she was just happy to be getting married.

  She did refuse to wear contacts, even though the makeup artist went on and on about it. It kind of made me mad because Rimmel should be exactly who she was on her wedding day, and glasses were totally Rim.

  So to end the argument, I pulled out a pair of white-framed glasses I had hidden away.

  Yeah, maybe I’d seen this coming.

  Rimmel declared they were quite bride-ly and shoved them on her face.

  I gave the makeup artist an I dare you look to say one word and wisely, she shut up.

  Her gown wasn’t as full as mine. She was so small that something with a full skirt would have swallowed her whole. Instead, her dress was more A-line, fitted at the top and gently flared at the waist to float down and swirl around her Converse.

  I just hoped she didn’t trip on the hem, which was a little too long now that she wasn’t wearing heels.

  The top of the gown was lace lined with a fabric that matched her skin. It had a wide boat neckline that accented her collarbones and tops of her shoulders and sheer three-quarter lace sleeves. The back of the gown had white buttons up the back, and the waistline was defined by a thin white band. It was right beneath the white band that I had the yellow heart sewed from her mother’s dress. When she stood in the ceremony with her back to the crowd, everyone would be able to see it.

  She wasn’t wearing any jewelry except for her engagement ring and a bracelet her grandmother had worn on her own wedding day.

  “I’m glad we’re doing this together,” she said and turned to me.

  “Me, too.” I sniffled. “No crying! Save our makeup.”

  She smiled. “I’m sure they’re waiting.”

  I picked up the bouquet of sterling silver and dark-purple roses bound together with a dark-purple satin bow and handed them to her. Then I picked up my own bouquet of light and dark-pink roses.

  “Ready?” she asked, offering me her arm.

  I was so ready.

  We walked down the aisle together. Sure, we could have gone separately with our dads. But it made it more special to go together.

  Rimmel and I were arm and arm, and our fathers took up our sides.

  I knew the decorations looked gorgeous. Thank goodness we’d come and taken a peek before the ceremony, because the second we stepped at the end of the aisle, I saw nothing but the man waiting for me.

  I knew by the way Rimmel’s arm tightened around mine as we walked that it was the exact same for her.

  Braeden in a suit was what dreams were made of.

  His broad shoulders and tapered waist were practically made to pull off the clean lines of a classic tailored suit jacket. The suit was ink blank, not a crease in sight, and beneath the jacket was a crisp white dress shirt, black buttoned-up vest, and a wide black silk tie that was knotted perfectly at his throat and disappeared elegantly beneath the vest.

  There was a pocket on the left breast of the jacket, and just the edge of a crisp white cloth could be seen. His shoes were the same inky black, and they made his strong legs go all the way to the platform where he stood waiting.

  But beyond the way he owned that suit, it was his eyes that owned me. His dark-chocolate gaze never left mine, and the smile on his lips was sexy and held a note of promise for when we were alone. My hands trembled as I gripped my flowers and tried to focus on not falling over.

  Speaking of…

  The too-long hemline of Rimmel’s gown proved to be a worthy opponent.

  The toe of her Converse caught on the gown, and she went stumbling forward. I gasped and snapped out of the trance I’d been in with B, locking my arm and tugging to keep her from falling.

  Her father, who was on her other side, acted fast and also pulled her up. Between the two of us, we managed to keep her off the ground, but her bouquet hadn’t been as lucky.

  A few gasps went through the crowd and then a bit of applause when she was righted and didn’t face plant.

  The four of us had halted in the center of the aisle, and she glanced at me sheepishly. “Maybe for once I should have worn the heels.”

  A giggle bubbled up out of me, and then she joined in.

  “Ladies.” A smooth voice cut in, and Rimmel gasped.

  Romeo was standing there before us in the middle of the aisle, an amused glint in his eyes.

  “Romeo!” Rimmel said. “Sorry to keep you waiting,”

  His eyes went right to her, and oh my word, the way his blue eyes looked at her intently… It was like he’d forgotten we were in the middle of a wedding.

  Romeo looked just as good as Braeden in a suit, but instead of black, he was wearing a deep blue. It only served to make his eyes stand out that much more. He left his jacket unbuttoned to reveal the same colored button-up vest and a wide blue tie over a classic white dress shirt. The pocket on his left breast was adorned with the same color handkerchief… and something else.

  A tiny pair of gold glasses were pinned to the breast.

  I knew immediately it was his way of representing Rimmel.

  I glanced between the two, totally captivated by the chemistry that sizzled around them. Rimmel’s cheeks were pink, and Romeo’s smile was rueful. “You shouldn’t have worn heels, Smalls.”

  She snorted and lifted her gown to reveal the Converse. People around us chuckled, and Romeo threw back his head and laughed. He glanced at Brock and offered his hand. “Mind if I take it from here?”

  Rimmel’s father chuckled and then kissed his daughter on the cheek.

  “Thanks, Dad,” she whispered.

  Romeo bent to pick up her forgotten bouquet and hand it to his bride-to-be. A few purple rose petals fluttered to the ground, but otherwise, it looked the same.

  The second she took it, Romeo swept her up into his arms. She made a surprised sound and squealed. “I’m supposed to walk down the aisle to you!”

  “But, baby,” he drawled, not even bothering to lower his voice, “if I let you walk to me, you might take out half the guests and light the place on fire with all these candles.”

  She gasped.

  He glanced at me and winked. “Looking like a bona fide princess, princess.”

  I smiled back.

  Everyone clapped when Romeo leapt up on the platform with Rimmel in his arms and then set her on her feet before him.

  From close by, Braeden cleared his throat. “Get your ass down here, Blondie!” he called to me.
r />   I froze for a second, thinking my father was going to have an issue for Braeden’s choice of words. When I glanced at him, he chuckled. “Clearly, he’s impatient. Can’t say I blame him.”

  My eyes filled, and we began walking again.

  After my father kissed my cheek, B took my hand and helped me up onto the platform.

  The ceremony itself was traditional. The four of us chose to not write our own vows, mostly for the sake of time and consideration for the six hundred people in attendance.

  But also because Braeden said he wasn’t good with words and didn’t want to embarrass himself.

  I begged to differ. I had a whole memory full of swoon-worthy things he’d said to me.

  When the man officiating the ceremony asked us all if we had anything more to add before he pronounced us man and wife, I raised my hand. “I have something to say.”

  He inclined his head.

  I blushed. “It’s private.” Then I beckoned Braeden with my finger.

  He looked at me oddly but leaned forward, and I put my lips right up to his ear. “I like your cock.”

  “I knew it!” He chortled and burst out laughing.

  I pulled back, pleased with myself, and we were all pronounced man and wife.

  Everyone cheered as we kissed.

  And kissed some more.

  Braeden gently rubbed his palm over the front of my belly as if not only in this moment was he thinking of me, but also of our child.

  When the four of us ran down the aisle, hand in hand, guests threw multicolored sprinkles at us that looked like little rainbows filling the sky.

  When the guests were walking across the field to the reception tent, we posed for picture upon picture.

  At one point, Braeden pulled me into an entrance for one of the tunnels and leaned against the wall, pulling me between his legs and wrapping his arms around me.

  “You finally said it.” He grinned.

  I rolled my eyes. “We just got married in the most beautiful ceremony ever, and that’s the one thing you remember?”

  “I remember lots of things,” he murmured, sweeping his thumb across my lower lip. “Like how lost I was without you and how fucking lucky I am to have you by my side.”

  “You make me so happy,” I whispered, leaning into his chest and wrapping my arms around his neck.

  “Times two, baby.” He brushed his lips over mine. “Times two.”

  “Do you think we’ll always be this happy?” I asked, blinking back happy tears.

  Once again, he caressed my baby bump, letting his palm lie directly over our baby. “No,” he answered softly. “We’re gonna be even happier.”

  He was right.

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Rimmel

  I was right.

  The sight of Romeo with a wedding band on his left hand was so worth everything we’d been through to get here.

  It’d only been a little while since I put it there, but already, I felt a change.

  Not a change anyone else would notice, but for me, it was profound. For a lot of my life, I’d felt alone. I’d been alone. Some of it was my own doing and some of it was out of my control.

  I wasn’t alone anymore, and I never would be again.

  Seeing that ring was a visual reminder of it.

  “In a way, I feel sorry for them,” Romeo said, wrapping his arms around me from behind and whispering in my ear.

  I glanced up to see B and Ivy coming across the field toward us from wherever they’d gone for a stolen moment.

  “Why?” I asked, leaning back to look into my husband’s eyes.

  “Because they have to smile for pictures, spend time with guests. Right after we got married, the only thing we had to do was be together.”

  I agreed. We definitely had a better deal.

  I lifted his hand and kissed the titanium band on his finger. “I’m starting to understand why you always wanted a piece of you on me. This is totally doing it for me.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”

  I nodded.

  His lips curved into a sexy smile. “I’m liking this, too.” He lifted my hand and showed me the thin diamond band resting against my engagement ring.

  “I’m so glad you were failing all your classes and needed a tutor.” I wrapped my arms around his waist.

  He laughed. “I’m so glad you weren’t a lesbian.”

  I rolled my eyes, but he didn’t see because he kissed me.

  “Think anyone would miss us if we skipped out and started the honeymoon early?” Braeden said, coming up behind us.

  “We can’t leave our reception!” Ivy gasped.

  Romeo lifted his head and grinned.

  Valerie poked her head out of the tent and pinned the four of us with a stare. “Do you not hear the band announcing you?”

  “Uh, no,” I said, embarrassed. We’d been too busy kissing.

  “Sorry, Mom,” Romeo said sheepishly, and Valerie’s face softened.

  “Come on, then. People are waiting.”

  The folds of the tent drew back, and my breath caught.

  “Oh my God,” Ivy breathed. “It’s stunning.”

  “Better than stunning.” I nodded.

  “All I see is lights and flowers,” B said.

  “I hope there’s cake,” Romeo added.

  I snorted. They were such boneheads.

  “Come on,” Ivy said and pulled Braeden ahead of us.

  They made their entrance first, and people clapped and cheered. I didn’t really hear any of it. I was too entranced by the beauty the tent held.

  It was like a whole other world. I never would have guessed, standing outside, that such a simple white tent could house something so wonderful.

  Inside, the lights were dim, creating an intimate feel. The ceiling was draped in tulle, but between that and the ceiling of the tent were thousands and thousands of twinkling lights. Because of the dark lighting, they looked like millions of vibrant stars floating overhead.

  Right at the entrance was a huge archway of white flowers with cascading greenery and crystals that sparkled against the lights.

  The tables inside were round, draped in white, and surrounded by white chairs with dark-purple velvet cushions. The centerpieces were these hugely elaborate bouquets that stood up off the table on tall clear cylinders, making the round, full white tops appear to float. Around the bottom were clusters of white candles with beautifully flickering wicks. The centerpieces weren’t the only drama on the table. Each place setting was set impeccably with china, polished silverware, cloth napkins, and large wine glasses.

  Everything was white with pops of silver and gold. Occasionally, as I looked around, I saw some of the purple the Knights wore, but I didn’t see much of the orange.

  It didn’t matter.

  This was so beyond gorgeous, and Valerie could have not used any of the colors I wanted and it would still be beautiful.

  “They’re waiting for us, baby,” Romeo said and anchored his arm around my waist.

  We walked fully into the tent while people clapped, and I marveled at how closely the ceiling resembled a night sky.

  There was so much white it almost felt like we were in some elegant winter wonderland. In the center of the tent was the dance floor. It was constructed of floating wood painted with wide distressed stripes of white and gold.

  Romeo led me to the head table at the front of the room. It was rectangular with the same centerpieces (we had two), candles, and settings. At the front of the table, sitting on the floor, were more lanterns like we had out at the ceremony, and there was a huge golden bow fixed to the front of the tablecloth.

  B and Ivy were already there, and the second we joined them, champagne started being passed around the room.

  The entire night was magical, filled with friends and family.

  More than once, I caught myself getting lost in Romeo’s blue gaze, and more than once, I found myself thanking God this was my life.

  R
ight before we were set to cut our cake (some elaborate affair with purple roses cascading down the side), Romeo caught my hand and pulled me outside.

  Lights from inside spilled out and stretched across the football field.

  Even though there were a ton of people inside, they felt like a world away. Down the field, the lanterns from the ceremony still flickered. Romeo drew me farther away from the tent. My shoes sank into the turf, and the night enveloped us.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “Something I wanted to show you,” Romeo said, withdrawing from my hand and pulling out his cell. After he spent a few seconds tapping on the screen, he slid it back into his trousers.

  We walked a little more, about halfway between the tent and the ceremony location, and he stopped. “Right here should be good.”

  “For what?” I wondered.

  He pulled me in front of him and wrapped his arms around my waist. His chin rested on my shoulder, and his voice filled my ear. “Look up.”

  Just as he said it, the sound of something shooting into the sky cut through the night. I looked up and so did he.

  Bright, brilliant fireworks cut through the sky, glittering and flashing before our eyes.

  I laughed. “You did this?”

  “Just for you,” he replied in my ear.

  People gathered outside the tent to watch, but we were far enough away that we were alone.

  Once the spectacular light show stopped exploding in the night, I sighed and turned to look up at him. “It was beautiful.”

  He kissed the tip of my nose. “One more.” His eyes went up, and I followed his gaze.

  One last firework exploded right above us.

  It wasn’t an ordinary firework. This one was different.

  It was a red heart with a hashtag in front of it.

  Like a montage in a movie, all our best moments replayed in my mind. The first moment we met, the night he came to the shelter with me in the rain. Climbing through my dorm window, and the night of our first kiss.