“I love you, Laylah. So damn much.” He got to his feet and pulled her in close. This wasn’t how he imagined perfection, but he just knew without a doubt it would be perfect for them.
****
Two months later
Their parents had been thrilled about their upcoming engagement. At first, they did want them to wait, but she was in agreement with Blue—why wait? It did mean their parents felt they were rushing things, which did suck. The rumor of a pregnancy was thrown around at school, but they got through it. She thought it was hilarious when people stared at her stomach, trying to figure out if she was actually pregnant.
She wasn’t, but watching them was the fun part.
Now, as she stood in the church, waiting for her father to come take her, nerves hit her. Was she making the right decision?
Her cell phone went off and she frowned, going back into the room and finding her phone. Blue was calling.
Her nerves picked up a whole other level. Sickness swirled within her gut.
“Hello?”
“I can feel your second thoughts all the way here,” Blue said.
“I’m not having second thoughts. I’m just nervous. I’ve never been married before.”
“Neither have I. I love you, Laylah. I’ve loved you for a long time and that is never going to stop.”
She took a deep breath. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you for being the girl I always want to stay married to. You’re special and please, don’t run. I will only chase you halfway around the country.”
“I’ll be right there.” She hung up the cell phone and turned as her father entered the room.
“Are you ready?”
She laughed. “Hell, yeah, I’m ready.”
Taking her father’s arm, she smiled as she walked to the end of the aisle and spotted Blue waiting for her.
Everyone faded as her father walked her slowly and calmly up to where the love of her life stood. The moment Blue took her hand, all her nerves disappeared.
She handed her bouquet to Becky as she turned to face the love of her life. The priest began talking, and she spoke her vows, making the right declarations when they were needed. The moment he declared them husband and wife, Blue took her into his arms, and she knew without a shadow of a doubt they’d made the right decision.
She was now married.
The church erupted in applause. She laughed and snuggled against her man. He still held her hand as they faced them then walked down the steps.
Their parents came toward them, embracing them, pulling them into hugs, and she sighed, knowing they were so happy with them.
Once outside, she was instructed where to stand for the pictures. At first, the photographer made them take their pictures with family and friends. It seemed to go on for hours. Finally, Blue tugged her into his arms.
“Hello, wife,” he said.
“Hello, husband.”
The camera clicked away.
“You’re my everything,” he said. “You know that, right?”
“I do, and you are mine.”
He took possession of her lips and she knew she hadn’t made a mistake. There was no way any part of this could be a mistake. She loved him too much to regret this.
Epilogue
Seven years later
Laylah stood in the men’s changing room, waiting for that final whistle. Whenever he had a game, regardless if they won or lost, Blue’s request was for her to run out onto the field so he could fucking hold her.
She hated watching his games. More so now that she had seen so many injuries from the game.
Blue made her so proud. He’d been drafted straight out of college. His talent and charm immediately threw him into the spotlight. He was a celebrity and well, his love for his wife had helped him as well. Their romance had been one of many newspaper features. It was rather strange to have her picture spread all over, their story for people to read.
Pressing a hand to her swollen stomach, she nibbled on her lip, waiting.
The crowd lived for this moment, just as much as Blue did. She hated the attention.
With his success, she’d also been approached with a couple of book deals. Somehow, it had gotten out that she was an aspiring author. Rather than take any deals, though, she’d opted to go it alone, building her own name up, not that she wasn’t thankful for the offers, but she’d felt it was because of Blue.
He supported her no matter what, but she was a bestseller in her own right.
The whistle went and one of the teammates was there to escort her onto the pitch. He was a newbie.
Blue was already running over to her as she entered the field. Every other time, he swung her up in the air. They’d kept her pregnancy quiet, but as he bent down on one knee and kissed her stomach, she couldn’t help but smile.
He wanted to be the one to announce her pregnancy to the world.