Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 59690 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 298(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59690 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 298(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
With a gesture from Ivy, Tawa shifted from the song he had been playing to another softer tune. I held my breath as Bailey appeared at the top of the staircase. She was in a knee-length black slip dress and held a small bouquet of white flowers. The salon had clearly known what they were doing because her dark hair was down past her shoulders in gentle waves, and her makeup was light with a dark pink lipstick. She smiled at me encouragingly before taking up her place on the bride’s side.
Tawa changed to Canon in D, and something in my chest tightened. The bridal march made me straighten in anticipation. Blake patted my back encouragingly. It was time.
Harley walked to the edge of the staircase, and I took her in, in all her splendor.
Her wedding dress was black.
Of course it was black. Of fucking course it was.
A laugh bubbled to the surface. I didn’t know why I’d thought anything else. In my head, I’d assumed white. Even though I’d only seen her in white a handful of times when it wasn’t also paired with black. But my little Halloween queen would have to be in black.
The bodice was a collection of black petals, handsewn to cover the corset top and then running down the full black tulle skirt. Little shimmery black beads and jewels were sewn around the petals to give it dimension. A black mesh came up to her neck, tying in a bow at the back, with matching billowy sleeves, sewn with more of the petal work. The sleeves were tight at her wrists, and I could see the black diamond I’d put on her left hand glittering in the light.
She held a large bouquet of white flowers to offset all the black and made her way down the stairs. With one perfect kick to keep the dress out from under her feet, I got a glimpse of her footwear. Doc Martens. She’d worn her Docs to the wedding. God, I fucking loved her.
Her bleached-blonde hair was down to her shoulders, but she’d had them chop her bangs into feathery wisps, framing her round face. Her makeup was natural, all except for the dark red of her lips that looked like she’d just dipped them in her favorite wine.
All in all, she was a stunning visage, and I couldn’t believe she was mine.
She passed Bailey the flowers and finally stopped in front of me. “Hi,” she whispered.
I took her hands in mine, pulling them to my lips and pressing a kiss to them. I couldn’t resist. “Hi.”
“Fancy meeting you here.”
“Your dress is black.”
She glanced down at it and then grinned back up at me. “Pretty lucky find, huh? It’s a winter dress, so it was even on sale.”
I chuckled. “I love you.”
“Convenient. I love you, too.”
Hannah cleared her throat. “Why don’t we begin?”
Harley faced the officiant, but my eyes were still only for my bride. My brilliant, fierce, loyal, incredible, stunning, opinionated bride. I couldn’t believe we were doing it. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it sooner.
Hannah pulled out a small iPad and began to read, “We are gathered here today to join Chase and Harley in matrimony. After just a short time in their presence, I can tell that the love they share is a once-in-a-lifetime love and that this union is blessed from the start.
“Now, for the vows. Chase, repeat after me. I promise to cherish you always…”
“I promise to cherish you always,” I spoke directly to Harley. “To honor and love you, in sickness and in health, rich or poor, and all the challenges that may come. I will always be true to you until death do us part.”
Harley sniffled at the words and then repeated them back to me. My heart felt close to bursting when I heard them from her. Watching her big silvery-blue eyes fill with emotion as she told me how she was mine forever.
“You have the rings,” Hannah said.
“Rings,” Harley said, frantic for a moment.
But I’d handled this, too.
Blake reached into the pocket of his tux and pulled the bands out. Harley hadn’t seen what I’d picked for her. My ring was a standard silver band that I was going to have engraved with our wedding date when we got home. I passed the ring to her.
“A ring is a symbol of your unending union. The unbroken circle that signifies eternity for your love. You are joined together today and from this day forth with infinite love. Cherish it always as a symbol of how you feel about each other.”
Harley took my hand in hers and held the ring before my finger. “With this ring, I take you, Chase Sinclair, to be my husband with a pledge of love today, tomorrow, and for always.”
She slid the ring home with a choked gasp. Her eyes were still on mine, and I reached up and brushed a stray tear from her cheek.