Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 164705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
Brian chases after the pup, hands in tiny fists at his sides. “That dog is possessed.”
With his job done for him, he storms right to his mom, where I assume he’ll pout for the rest of the evening.
The song slows, reaching the chorus again. From a distance, Briar enters my vision, and everything ceases to exist. The waves no longer crash, my friends stop giving me shit over how bad I have it for this girl, and Dad isn’t mouth-breathing down my neck in his officiant suit.
Cooper holds out a hand to Briar, escorting her down the aisle. She’s a vision in her delicate off-the-shoulder dress. The full silhouette dances with every step she takes. A gentle breeze carries her scent down the aisle. Of fresh linen, and roses, and sweet summer memories.
A touch of vintage pink lace and pearls catch the sunlight as she walks. The train flows behind her, embroidered with dark pink roses that climb up to her waist and wrap around the bodice. It’s a dress straight out of a fairytale for a girl straight out of a dream.
Our eyes lock. I might faint. In fact, I start to sway. Zach holds me upright with a fistful of my suit jacket and the threat of a merciless ass whooping if my knees give in. I can’t help it. I’ve imagined marrying this girl for two fucking decades. It’s finally happening.
“Beautiful,” I mouth to my bride as she glides down the aisle.
I’m the luckiest bastard on the planet.
Cooper stalls just shy of me, Briar’s fingers still looped at the crook of his elbow. “I spent my life hoping my daughter has the strength to rise above her struggles, but now I’m trusting you to be her soft place to fall.”
I swallow, the breath like smoke in my throat. “I will.”
“Dad.” It’s Briar’s first time calling him that. Her voice cracks. She blinks fast, fighting the emotions that I know are begging to burst. “Thank you for searching for me.”
Cooper wraps his arms around her and pulls her close. “You’re worth every second.” It’s an apology, a vow, and a declaration of love wrapped in one. He focuses on me again, planting a firm-as-hell grip on my shoulder. “Promise me that when you hold her hand, you’ll hold it gently, and you’ll hold it forever.”
I lock eyes, nodding. “I promise.”
At my words, he places Briar’s palm in mine and squeezes our joined hands. Then, he disappears to the side.
A wry grin curves up her lips. “It’s not too late to run.”
“Run?” I arch a single brow. “Baby, if I run, it’s to chase you down. You’re stuck with me.”
Dallas groans into her fist. “You two are so bad at sweet talk. It’s painful.”
My bride and I ignore her. Neither of us can tear our eyes away from each other. Dad starts the ceremony, but I tune it out until it’s time to whisper our vows.
Briar and I agreed not to prepare them in advance. Somehow, I knew what she’d say. I think she knew what I’d say, too, because when I do, she doesn’t seem surprised. She doesn’t wait for Dad to pronounce us man and wife, either.
Without further instruction, she stands on her tiptoes, curls her fingers around my neck, and yanks me down to kiss her. Our lips fuse together, and I don’t know where I start and she ends. Around us, our family cheers and shouts, raining rose petals onto the altar.
The night blurs together in a daze. We do the stupid fucking Love is an Open Door duet (I nail it), ink on matching temporary tattoos of each other’s faces (Briar is fuck-hot on mine, and I might just keep it), and cut our five-tier cake with the 69 topper (Mom asked for Photoshop pointers to remove it, and my mouthy wife warned her away from me).
At the end of the night, we gift Grand Regent stock to our guests, and I’m glad we skipped out on the horseback ride down the aisle, because Briar still sucks on horses, and I need her in full health for what I plan to do to her the second we reach our bridal suite.
While our guests continue to party in the outdoor tent, I carry Briar up to our bedroom and set her on the bed, where we whisper our vows to each other once more.
“The sky isn’t falling,” my wife promises me.
“We’re holding it up together.”