“I don’t think it’s quite the same for him,” Brian says. “He’s all about being in God’s house and all that. This one means a lot to him.”
“It does.” I smile at Brian as I take his arm, and he leads me to the doors of the sanctuary. Teagan sneaks around to the side door, and a couple of minutes later, the “Wedding March” begins to play.
“I think that’s our cue,” Brian says quietly.
He pushes open the door, and I stare down the long, candlelit aisle of the church.
A church. We’re getting married in an actual church, and there’s a priest standing at the altar, wearing a long robe and a purple sash. I can’t help but compare everything around me to our first wedding, held in an office with a madman at Deklan’s side.
Most of the guests are the same ones who were at the first wedding, minus my late father, of course, and the addition of Brian’s wife, Lauren. The biggest difference is that my mom is in the front row, smiling instead of bawling. We haven’t actually reconnected since the last ceremony, but I want to try. With my father gone, she is going to need me.
Teagan stands as my maid of honor—again—and Mac is standing up for Deklan since Brian offered to give me away.
Deklan.
As I walk down the aisle getting closer and closer to him, I see him in such a remarkably different light. I feel no fear, only hope for what the future might bring to us and our growing family. I’m captivated by the love in his eyes as Brian puts my hand in Deklan’s, and the priest starts speaking.
Much like the first time, I barely hear any of the words, but for a much difference reason. All my focus is on the man next to me.
When he held my hand the first time, I was terrified of the huge, imposing figure I was about to marry. I was sure my wedding night was going to end in blood and that I was being given to my executioner.
Now, I know who Deklan really is. Strong, without a doubt, but also the gentlest and kindest man I have ever known. He’s thoughtful, caring, and willing to take my feelings into consideration despite his own propensity for stubbornness.
And he loves me.
We say traditional Catholic vows, exchange rings, and listen to the priest as he reads scripture, and we hold hands and stare at each other as if there is no one else in the room. When we’re pronounced husband and wife and told to kiss, Deklan places his hand on the back of my head, and I stand up on my toes so I can reach him better.
His lips are warm and soft against mine. I close my eyes, and my skin tingles down to my toes. As we part, he grins and hugs me to his chest.
“I’m going to take care of you,” Deklan whispers in my ear, and my heart swells at the words and the true meaning behind them.
“I’ll take care of you, too,” I whisper back as our lips meet again. “Always.”
“Always,” he repeats. “Forever. I love you, Kera.”
“I love you too, Deklan.”
As we turn to face the small gathering, everyone begins to cheer. When I glance at Teagan, I swear her usually expressionless eyes look a little misty. Rice is thrown at us as we exit the church, and a limo waits outside to take us to the reception at the restaurant where Deklan proposed to me.
Inside the back of the limo, Deklan hugs me against his side and places his hand against my stomach.
“How are ya, little guy?” he asks. “Did you like the ceremony?”
“You don’t know if it’s a he yet.” I tilt my head to the side and smile. Deklan started talking to my belly a week ago, and now he’s acting like a junkie getting a fix.
“Just a guess.” He strokes the fabric covering my stomach. “I got a fifty percent chance of being right. That’s better odds than Brian gets in Vegas.”
He finally looks up from my stomach and kisses me again.
“Thank you for indulging me in all this.” Deklan blinks a couple times and swallows hard. “It really meant a lot to me.”
“I’m glad we did it.” I touch the side of his face, kiss him again, and let myself get lost in the sensation of his lips on mine.
This is the way it was meant to be, with smiles, happy tears, and an unstoppable love.
~~THE END~~