I do. Ella blinks down at it like it’s worth more than all the money she had in her past. “This is a symbol of my love for you,” I tell her. “I love you.”
Ella repeats this process with my ring, only she’s breathing harder. Tears escape from the corner of her eyes. “None of that, you’ll ruin that dress with mascara,” Kam jokingly whispers and Ella lets out a small laugh.
“This is a symbol of my love for you. I love you.”
I miss a few sentences of the ceremony because I’m staring into her eyes.
“… vested in me by the state of Pennsylvania, you may kiss your bride,” the judge announces.
I lean in and kiss Ella. My brother cheers. It’s too loud for the courtroom, but it doesn’t matter. Everybody’s clapping. Our friends. Members of The Firm. It’s a small wedding, a tiny wedding party, and the reception will be just as small, but I don’t care.
We file out of the courtroom, our friends offering congratulations. A local photographer snaps photos of us outside the courthouse, all of us in different configurations. As the final photos are taken, my brother slaps me on the back.
“To the restaurant we go?” I question, not sure if she wants to take more photos or not. She said she wanted laid back, but with her, I’m not exactly sure she knows how to do “laid back.”
Ella smiles up at me, a knowing look in her eyes. “I thought we could stop by the new place first. I … I have a second dress to change into.”
Trish laughs beside us. “Color me surprised,” she jokes and rubs her elbow against Ella’s. “Small wedding, but big fashion.”
Cade looks to her, then back at me. “So you two closed on the new place?”
“We signed on the dotted line more than once today,” I tell him. We couldn’t have done it without Kam.
Cade nods, smiling. “Were you happy with the ceremony, Ella?”
She nods eagerly. “I’m even more excited for the reception. We’ll only be a few minutes behind you guys.”
“I guess it’s too late to tell you,” Cade says, pretending to look worried.
“Tell me what?”
“That I’m not sure you’ve thought enough about marrying Zander. You might change your mind.”
“Never,” Ella says, laughing.
“We just need to pick up our new house keys. Then we’ll meet you at the restaurant.”
All of our friends agree with us. They’re all so happy to be here. This is what it must feel like to start over.
“Don’t take too long,” Cade admonishes.
“You’d better not lose track of time,” Trish says with a mock scowl. “Ella, I want to dance with you on your wedding day.”
Kam comments dryly, “Don’t let Zander keep you in that house all night.”
“I won’t. I promise,” Ella tells them.
“Half an hour?” Trish says. “Forty-five minutes?”
“Half an hour,” I tell her. Then I take Ella’s hand in mine and lead her away from the people we love.
“Thirty minutes isn’t a long time,” she murmurs.
“All we have to do is pick up the keys.”
“That’s all?” Ella asks, her tone low and sensual.
“I can do a lot in thirty minutes, little bird. But we have a reception to get to. Then forever is waiting for us.”