Southern Storm (Southern 3)

“Please look at each other and hold hands.” I hand my flowers to Ethan, who stands by my side, then turn and put my hands in Beau’s, and he looks me in the eye while the preacher speaks. “Beau, do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”

Beau squeezes my hands and smiles while he says, “I do.”

“Savannah.” I look over at the preacher when he says my name for just a second, and then my eyes go back to Beau. My heart has not stopped hammering since I walked down the aisle. “Do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”

Looking down, I feel my heart slow, and a peace surrounds me. “I do,” I say with all my heart.

“We will have your exchange of rings,” the preacher says, and I now freak out. “If you would take Savannah’s left hand.”

“I didn’t get a ring.” I lean in, and he just smiles at me.

“I’ve got it covered,” he says, and I shake my head. He turns to Jacob, who is his best man, and he hands him the rings. “I didn’t have a chance to give you an engagement ring,” Beau whispers.

I want to tell him I don’t care and that it doesn’t matter if he takes a twig and rolls it like a ring. All I care about is him being my husband. “Beau, place the ring on Savannah’s finger and repeat the following, ‘I give you this ring as a token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love.’”

He takes the rings from Jacob and places it at the tip of my finger. “Savannah, I give you this ring …” His voice is so soft as he slips on the rings. “As a token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love.” I look down, and my mouth drops open when I spot my diamond wedding band and on top of it my engagement ring. Which is huge, too huge. The princess diamond with diamonds on the side, and it looks like the figure eight.

“Savannah,” the preacher says, and I just listen to him say the words. Jacob leans over and hands me the golden wedding band, and I just look at Beau.

“What’s the matter?” he whispers.

“Nothing.” I shake my head and hold his hand in mine. I place the ring at the tip of his finger, and my arm starts to shake. Not because I’m nervous or because I’m scared. Apart from having Ethan, I have never been this happy in my whole life. “Beau,” I say, “I give you this ring as a token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love.” Then I slide it down his finger.

The preacher smiles at us. I don’t hear what else he says because the only thing that registers to me is, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Beau doesn’t even second-guess or go easy. Instead, he takes my face in his hands, and his mouth crashes down on mine. I forget that there are even people watching.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Beau

My wife. I want to jump up and fist bump her, but instead, I claim her mouth. She isn’t going to forget this time. My hands slip from her face and wrap around her waist, my tongue slipping in and then out. I can kiss her all day long, every day, and now I can do it for the rest of our lives. I just need to make her fall in love with me.

The sound of cheering makes her laugh, and she puts her face in my neck to hide. “Now that’s how you kiss a woman.” I hear Olivia and look over to see Casey glare at her. She smiles at him, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Wife,” I say softly. “It’s time to walk down the aisle.”

Savannah looks at me, and I have to say she has never looked more beautiful in her whole life. “Oh my God,” she says while Ethan hands her the flowers he had to hold.

“Come here,” I say, and he walks over to me. I hold his hand with mine and then hold Savannah’s, and I wait for the preacher to finish.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Beau Huntington and Ethan.” I raise both my hands as everyone cheers, and the three of us walk down the aisle.

I stop once we get to the step. Ethan drops my hand and hops over to Kallie. I put my hand around Savannah’s waist and bring her to me. “Married,” I say softly and press my lips to hers. Her breath hitches, but she doesn’t stop it.