“Why not?”
“I just thought you’d want the whole big wedding. Didn’t you spend your whole childhood dreaming about being a bride?”
Kate laughs. “Uh, no. I had two brothers. I jumped out of trees and played in the dirt. Sorry to burst your bubble, I’m not Charlie. We’ve spent our time together worrying about everyone else, Noah, so let’s have this. Just us.”
“I didn’t think I could love you more, but… I love you more.” Happiness bursts through me, my hands cupping her face to bring her kiss into me. “I want to marry you tonight.”
“Then, what the hell are we waiting for? But I do have one condition.”
“Me, too. You go first.”
“I think we should still have something small back home to include Jessa and Nash.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “That was my condition, too.”
“And see, this is why it pays to be best friends first.” She smiles, arms wrapped around my neck. “I’m so ready to marry you, Noah Mason.”
“Then, let’s fucking do it,” I tell her, grinning. “I need to finally make you my wife.”
***
The church is tiny and cheap with plastic stained windows instead of glass and pink neon lights inside the confined space. Instead of wooden pews like a traditional church, tacky velvet benches run across the room. It’s a typical Vegas chapel just like out of the movies with a shiny tiled floor and old cigarette smoke smell.
Kate wears a white laced jumpsuit, and I, the navy suit I brought with me for tonight. She looks radiant like a bride on her wedding day despite it being less formal.
Inside the chapel, in front of Elvis, the organist who looks well into her nineties, plus Lex and Charlie, I pull out the box from my pocket and get down on one knee.
“I want a sign, something to tell me this is exactly the right moment.” I clear my throat, choking on my words. “I know we agreed to get married, and at that moment only an hour ago, it felt right. But when you left the room to get changed with Charlie, I remembered this inside my bag. I’ve carried it everywhere hoping for a sign, but I realized I was chasing something when all along, it was inside of me. I can’t imagine my life without you. The way you make me laugh, the crazy adventures we experience together. You’ve welcomed my children as if they were your own. We’ve made memories because you are never afraid of living life to the fullest. And because of that, you’ve made me a better person.”
I open the box as Kate gasps in front of me.
“Je t’aime. Épouse-moi, Kate.”
I pull out the Cartier platinum-cut oval diamond ring and slide it on her finger. Holding onto her hand, I repeat my sentiments. “I love you. Marry me, Kate.”
“A thousand times yes,” she bursts out, smiling as her eyes glaze over. “Tu es parfait pour moi, Noah.”
And that’s the thing about love. When the person you breathe for tells you that you’re perfect to them, it’s the only thing that matters.
“Let’s rock n’ roll and get this show on the road!” Elvis cheers.
Charlie squeals beside us, clutching onto Lex as he grins while holding onto her.
We say our I do’s, and finally, I make my best friend my wife.
I stare into the eyes of this beautiful woman, my smile just as infectious as hers, and lift her hand with the newly appointed wedding ring which sits next to her diamond ring.
“To us… my best friend, my equal.”
“To us.” Kate grins with her big blue eyes shining bright. “I can’t believe we’re married!”
“We have done some pretty crazy things, but this one takes the cake.”
“You guys.” Charlie hugs both of us at the same time. “I’ve been waiting forever for this to happen. Congratulations, I love you both.”
Lex pulls me in for a hug, then onto Kate as Charlie holds both my hands. “I promised you a happy ending before we left for Paris. I knew deep down inside you that leading you back to Kate would be the road to happiness.”
“Yeah, you’re kinda annoying that way?” I laugh before pulling her in and squeezing her tight.