Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 60950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Mine.
Dre
Preppy wore a light grey suit with a light blue and yellow bow tie. It was perfectly fitted to his muscles and I couldn’t tear my eyes from him as I walked down the aisle. My stomach did flip-flops. I don’t remember walking fast or slow as my father guided me toward my husband. I just remember trying to get to him as fast as possible as he appraised me. A stunned yet appreciative look in his eyes that made me tingle all over.
As I made my way to him I thought I was seeing things. His image flashed from the scary version of him I met on the tower that first day, to the emaciated tortured soul with long hair and fresh scars. When I reached him he turned back into my husband in the tux, ready to make promises of forever. “Hey, Doc, what took you so long?”
“Don’t you mean what took US so long?” I asked.
When it came time to say our vows, Preppy surprised me by volunteering to go first.
“I was a boy when we met, someone who avoided and ran from everything in his life he didn’t want to deal with. In some ways I’m never going to grow up, but you made me want to be more. For you. For Bo. Now I’m a man who knows it’s time to stop running away and start running toward and I’m choosing to run to you, Doc. Forever.”
There were several sniffles in the crowd but I couldn’t look to see who was getting emotional because I couldn’t look away from Preppy. He rubbed his thumb over my hand and continued.
“I know this is where I’m supposed to make you promises and I’ll get to that part, but first I want to thank you for being here, for putting on that dress and walking down that aisle. For saying yes. To me. To Bo. To us as a family.” He took a deep breath. “I hate those vows where they make promises that sound ridiculous so I’m gonna tell you how I know things will go down and the truth is that I’m probably gonna fuck up. A lot. I won’t do it on purpose and I’ll never do anything to intentionally hurt you, but I’m flawed and I’m gonna fuck it up from time to time. I’m not a religious man, but I promise to never lose faith in you. Please don’t ever lose faith in me.”
“I won’t,” I mouthed, feeling my chest hurt with happiness.
“I may not be much, but I’m too selfish to let you go find someone who is good enough for you, although I doubt he exists because you’re good. So fucking good. I promise that I’m yours and yours alone. Body and whatever’s left of this tattered soul.” Preppy reached out and took my hands in his. “Remember a long time ago when I said we were the same? I didn’t really know what I meant back then, but I do now. We struggle. We overcome. We’re loyal. We love with everything we have and fight with everything and more. I’ll fight for you and Bo. Every fucking day with everything I have.”
Preppy wiped his eyes and then reached across to catch a tear on the corner of my eye.
“Andrea,” the reverend said.
I mentally tossed around the words I’d prepared, but had no idea how to get them out of my mouth. I took a deep breath and then focused on Preppy and his burning amber eyes. At the last second I mentally threw away my prepared words and decided to wing it, keeping it short and to the point. “I love you, Samuel Clearwater. I’ll love you forever and I’ll show you every single day how you’re not only perfect for me, but good enough for me, and I’ll try my best to be worthy of you. You not only saved my life, but you gave me a life. I am who I am because of you. I’ll love you now and forever. In life and in death, and especially in the in-between.”
Preppy sucked in a breath when he realized I’d used a line from the letter he’d written me. “Not even death do us part,” he whispered.
“Not even death do us part,” I repeated on a choked sob.
“Awe fuck, Doc,” Preppy said reaching around behind me and grabbing the back of my neck. He pulled me close and kissed me deeply. The crowd whistled and hooted us on much to the reverend’s dismay who literally had to put his hands between us to separate us.
“Just a minute, we’ve got to get to the part that makes this thing legit,” Preppy said, pulling back and clearing his throat. I leaned over to wipe my lipstick off the side of Preppy’s mouth. I was floating on another level of happiness when the reverend introduced us as “Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Clearwater.”