“Hey, beautiful,” Hunter said, still blindfolded.
“Hey yourself. Pushing the boundaries of this whole not seeing the bride before the wedding thing, huh?”
“Hey, I can’t see you, so I’m not breaking any rules. I just needed to be here while Calum gave you something new. Give Mama the envelope, please.”
Calum handed me the envelope he held in his hand.
“Thank you.” I adjusted Calum on my hip and opened the envelope. A gasp escaped my lips when I saw the word adoption jump out at me. “Oh, Hunter.”
He lifted his hand, searching out for my face which he couldn’t see. I took his hand in mine and brought it to my cheek.
“I wish I could look into your eyes right now.” He sighed. “I know that we aren’t even married yet, but I feel like today isn’t just about us. It’s about the three of us becoming a family. I want Calum to have my last name, too.”
“It’s about the four of us.” I corrected him. I left that hanging in the air, waiting for him to catch on.
He smiled and laughed. “Of course. Wait, what?” A few seconds passed, and then he ripped off his blindfold.
“Hunter,” I cried out, covering my face, so he didn’t actually see me, but he moved my hands away.
He stared at me in silence for a moment before whispering, “You look breathtaking.”
I smiled shyly. “You don’t look too shabby yourself, but you’re going to ruin everything. Seeing the bride before the wedding is bad luck.”
“No way. I needed to see your face when I asked you. Did you say four of us?”
I nodded, biting my lip.
“Holy shit.” He looked at Calum. “Sorry, buddy, but we're going to have a baby.”
I laughed as he pulled us both in for a hug.
“You have no idea how happy I am right now.” The smile on his face couldn’t lie.
He kissed me breathless, then kissed Calum before getting down on his knees and kissing my stomach.
“Good thing I didn’t let you sell the house. I think we may need the room now.”
“Sneaky girl. How long have you known?” he asked as he got back to his feet.
“Only a few weeks. I wanted to surprise you and thought this was the perfect time.”
“Well, I’m definitely surprised.” He kissed me again. “This is the best day ever. I can’t wait to make you my wife.
“Me, too. Now get moving because we have a wedding to get to.”
“We sure do. You ready, Calum?” He took Calum from my arms.
“Let’s go find Margaret and Sophia. It’s almost time for your big moment, buddy.”
“I love you both.”
He leaned in to kiss me one last time before I became his wife. “I love all three of you,” he said as he rubbed my belly and walked away smiling.
I watched my boys for a moment before closing the door. I leaned into it, sighing while caressing my stomach still feeling his hand there.
I opened my eyes to find eight eyes staring back at me. They all started to shriek out and talk all at once. I had no clue what any of them said.
I put my fingers in my mouth to whistle, trying to silence them, and it worked. “Since I have no clue what any of you just said, can we just leave it at, yes, I’m pregnant. I’m four months along, and I didn’t say anything because I wanted Hunter to be the first to know.”
The congratulatory hugs commenced.
“Enough, you whores. I need to fix your makeup. If anyone else knocks at that door, we’re not answering,” Carley shrieked.
We all laughed.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She had that look in her eye that said I shouldn’t fuck with her, so I just went with it. Twenty-five minutes later, Carley had us all touched up and looking amazing.
“Is it time yet?” I was so freaking excited. I felt like Calum when he got a new toy.
Taylor came back in. “Let’s get you married.”
Everyone squealed in excitement.
“Oh my God, guys. I’m getting married.” I couldn’t contain the enthusiasm in my voice.
We all headed out into the hallway, down the stairs, and out to the back patio where we lined up. Courtney with Pete, Carley with Cody, Macy with Jackson, and Taylor with Emerson. The music started, and they started down the aisle one by one. My heart was beating a million miles a minute, but there were no second thoughts. I couldn’t wait to marry Hunter. As they moved down the aisle, I saw Hunter standing there waiting for me with a huge smile on his face.
“Mama.” I heard Calum call from behind me.
I turned to see Margaret holding his hand as well as Sophia’s who would be the flower girl.
“There you guys are. You look so pretty in your dress, Sophia. Are you ready to throw the flowers?”
“Yes, ma’am.” She smiled, swishing her dress back and forth.
I looked at Calum. “Are you ready to give Mama away, buddy?”
He just smiled at me as he wasn’t sure what this all meant. He had no idea how significant a moment this was for us as a family, but this was important to me. Margaret set him down beside me and kissed my cheek.
“Thank you, Margaret.”
She smiled and took off back to her seat.
I took Calum’s hand. “You remember that you have to walk right beside Mama, right?”
“Yes, Mama. I’m ready.” He gave me a determined look.
After Taylor and Emerson started to walk, I let Sophia know when to go and then took a deep breath.
When the music changed, we stepped up to the patio doors, and I looked over Hunter’s beautiful backyard. They’d decorated it with every daisy in the state. The white chairs were adorned with ribbon on either side of a petal-covered aisle, and waiting for me under the gazebo at the end of the aisle was Hunter. I made eye contact with him, and I smiled. He returned my smile and wiped a tear from his eye. The sight of him crying caused a tear to slide down my cheek.
I took more deep breaths, trying not to ruin my makeup.
“Come on, Mama. Let’s go.” Calum tugged on my hand, anxious to do his part.
I hadn’t noticed that everyone was standing until now, and they anxiously waited for me. I looked down at Calum. “Let’s do this, buddy.”
We walked down the aisle to Hunter. He reached out and took my hand. He got down on one knee in front of Calum and smiled. “Can I marry your mama, buddy?”
He nodded enthusiastically, and they high-fived.
Calum looked up at me. “Now, Hunter my daddy?” Calum looked up at me with a hopeful look in his eyes.
I looked at Hunter and back to Calum. “Yeah, buddy, he is.” I smiled down at him.
Calum jumped into Hunter’s arms, nearly knocking him over. They hugged for a moment as I cried like a baby.
Calum pulled back and said, “You my daddy.”
“I’m really glad I’m your daddy now, too, buddy. Can you stand here with Emerson for me and hold on to that pillow? We have to do a lot of talking, and then we can have a big party. Okay?”
“Yup.” He smiled big, knowing that was his job for today, and he took it seriously.
Hunter kissed his head before Calum went to Emerson. Hunter and I faced each other. He mouthed the word perfect, and my heart melted. This man was mine, and I couldn’t wait to call him my husband.
The pastor began to speak of love and relationships, and everything around us melted away. It was just Hunter and me in our own little bubble. I heard the pastor talk, but he sounded far away.
Hunter’s voice broke through the fog as he took my hands. “Julianne, today I’m truly marrying my best friend. I think I’ve loved you from the moment I saw you. Pigtails, pink polka-dot dress, and rubber boots stomping around in the rain. We’ve been through some bad times, but we’ve had so many more good. We were separated, but God brought us back together, and now we’re a family.
“I promise to be honest and true to you, patient and kind, faithful and forgiving. But most impor
tantly, I will always be your true and loyal best friend. I love you."
He turned to my son—our son—and continued. “And Calum, I promise that no matter what, I will be there. Whether it’s on the football field, homework, about a girl, or if you just need a friend, you can always count on me. I love you, buddy.”
He put his hand up for a high five, and Calum gave him one. Calum was too young to understand the promise he’d just received, but he’d appreciate it one day. Hunter turned back to me with tears in his eyes. He swiped them away before taking my hands and smiling down at me.
“Hunter, most little girls dream of being a princess and getting married. That wasn’t me. I never dreamed of the big white dress and walking down the aisle. I always thought that was a little weird, but I finally realized why. It was because I had you all along, and the rest wasn’t important. Any time I thought about my wedding, it was always you at the end of the aisle. But it wasn’t important as to how we got there as long as it was with you. Being apart for so long taught me a lot about myself as I grew up away from my best friend, but the biggest thing I learned was that, no matter where I was, my heart always belonged to you. It always will.”
I took a deep breath as my throat started to constrict with the onslaught of tears. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together with a house full of kids. Well, maybe not full.”
Everyone laughed.
“I promise to be there for you through ups and downs. I promise to love, honor, and cherish you for the rest of our lives.” I squeezed his hand, smiling. “I love you.”
The pastor spoke again. “Who supports this couple in their marriage?”
Our friends and family all spoke in unison. “We do.”
“May I have the rings.” The pastor gestured with his hand.
“That’s me,” Calum said, and everyone laughed as he came over enthusiastically with the rings.
“Thank you.” I leaned down and kissed his cheek.
“Repeat after me. I, Hunter, give you, Julianne, this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you."
Hunter repeated as did I and we exchanged rings.
“Hunter and Julianne, today you have made promises and statements before God and loved ones. It is with great pleasure that through your show of commitment and assurance, and by the power vested in me by the state of Florida, that I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may have already kissed a hundred times or more, but today, your touch is brand new. You are no longer merely best friends; you are now husband and wife. Hunter, you may now kiss your bride.”
A huge grin spread across Hunter’s face as he leaned in to kiss me as his wife.
THE END
Playlist
http://bit.ly/HurricanePlaylist
Acknowledgments
Thank you to everyone who took a chance on me as a debut author. I know there are many to choose from, so it means a lot that I made the cut.
Thank you Give Me Books for taking on this newbie, you were awesome to work with.
And to all the amazing bloggers and bookstagrammers. Thanks for sharing and all your support.
About the Author
I'm a feisty redheaded Canadian/American who fell in love with romance novels when my friend Phil bought me a Kindle that hasn't left my side since.
My favorite books to read are anything taboo and super sick and twisted. I'm not sure I will ever write anything dark, but I would love to give it a shot one day.
I live in South Florida with my high school sweetheart and three kids.
I grew up in Burlington, ON, Canada but made the move to South Florida in 2013 and definitely don't miss the snow.
I'm not sure where this writing journey will take me but either way, I know it will be a fun new adventure, and I'm super excited about it.
Also by Kristie Leigh
Wrecked By Her (Book 1 in The Hurricane Duet)
Saved by Him Page 18