Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87993 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87993 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
I let out a faint laugh. “Wait, are you being serious?”
“Yes! I love you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. This town is amazing. It’s beautiful, fun, crazy, romantic, and perfect! Let’s just do it! You and me. No family to deal with. Just us.”
My mouth opened, then shut. I’d never felt my heart beat so fast or so loud.
“Seriously? You want to get married? What about my family?”
“If you want a big wedding we’ll have one when we go back to Texas, but I want to make you Mrs. Wade Adams now. If you want to keep it a secret, we can, or we can shout it from the rooftops. All I know is I want to marry you before we leave New Orleans.”
I glanced around at the people passing us. I knew in my heart this was what I wanted. When I thought of my future, every scenario had Wade in it. This was something I didn’t even have to think twice about.
“Yes! Let’s get married!”
Wade pulled back to look at me. “Yeah?”
Nodding, I replied, “Yeah! Let’s do it!”
Three days after we filed for a marriage license I stood in Lou Anne’s gardens. Her house was the perfect place to get married. It gave me my first impression of New Orleans, it was one of the inspirations for Amelia’s historical book…and some day we would walk our kids along this street and say we got married there.
“Mr. Adams?”
I smiled at the pastor Amelia and I had met the other night at a restaurant. When I pulled him to the side and told him we were getting married on a whim, he agreed to perform the ceremony.
“Pastor Miller, I’m so glad you were able to make it.”
He smiled and shook my hand. “Are you still keeping all of this a surprise?”
“I am. Amelia’s getting ready and thinks we’re heading to the Justice of the Peace.”
“It’s very sweet of you to do all of this.”
Lou Anne’s caretaker, Louis, walked up to us and cleared his throat. “Mr. Adams, the area is ready.”
I watched the florist I’d hired climb down off her ladder. She had covered the entire pergola with flowers.
“Wow,” I whispered.
“How stunning,” Pastor Miller said.
Lora, the florist, made her way over to us. “Are you happy with it?”
I smiled. “It’s perfect. You did an amazing job. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. Listen, Wade, I was thinking while I was tying up the flowers. Do you have two witnesses?”
My head snapped to the pastor. “I forgot about the witnesses!”
His eyes about bugged out of his head. “We need two witnesses, Mr. Adams.”
Lora touched my arm, bringing my attention back to her. “Listen, don’t worry, I can stay for the ceremony.”
“I can, as well, Mr. Adams,” Louis said.
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Are you both sure?”
They nodded and Lora said, “It would be my pleasure. I think this whole thing is utterly romantic. I’d love to bring Amelia her flowers and show her the way out here.”
“Really?” I said, my voice a little higher than it should be.
“Yes! Of course.”
Glancing to Louis, I asked, “You’re sure you don’t mind? We’re about to start and it shouldn’t take long.”
Pastor Miller added, “No. Not long at all.”
“I do not mind at all, Mr. Adams,” Louis said in his thick French accent.
I clapped my hands and looked at my watch. “Then let’s get this show on the road.”
I adjusted my tie, took a deep breath and headed to the pergola with Pastor Miller and Louis.
“Louis, was that your name?” Pastor Miller asked.
“Yes, sir. That’s my name.”
“You and the other young lady may stand over here. I’ll need you to sign the license after the ceremony.”
Louis nodded, a proud smile on his face.
I cracked my neck from side to side.
“Mr. Adams, calm down. Deep breaths in and out.” Pastor Miller urged.
Wringing my hands, I nodded. “Right. I’m calming down.”
I stared at the side door, waiting for Amelia to walk through it. She’d gone shopping this morning and said she found the perfect dress. I chose to wear jeans, boots, a white button-down shirt and Amelia’s favorite blue tie. Of course, I had my black cowboy hat on, as well.
For a brief moment, I panicked as I patted down my shirt for the rings.
Turning to the pastor, I grinned. “I have the rings! They’re right here.”
He nodded. The guy probably thought I was insane. The back door opened, and Lora walked out first, a huge grin covering her face.
She walked to where Louis was standing. “She’s trying to stop crying before she comes out.”
My heart squeezed. “Happy tears?” I asked.
“Oh, yes. Very happy tears.”
When the door opened again and Amelia stepped out, I felt the ground shake beneath my feet. My breath hitched. I couldn’t believe the beautiful sight in front of me.