He knew she was only teasing, but it stung a little. “I should have protected you.”
She shook her head at him. “You can’t protect me every time I want to go for a walk.”
“I can try,” he insisted.
“I don’t want someone to protect me every second of every day.” Her lovely blue eyes were serious, and she took his face in her hands. “I want a partner. Someone who will love me for the rest of my life.”
“Always,” he vowed to her. “I’ll always love you.” He had found his mate, and no matter what happened, he would always be with her.
Epilogue
“I can’t look,” Hope said, scrunching her eyes closed.
“Come on,” Kathy said. “You have to look.”
“It seemed like a good idea at the time. What if I regret it?” She forced her eyes closed even tighter, so tight that she saw sparks behind her eyelids.
“I am literally looking at you and telling you that you look great. And I thought you were done being scared.”
Good point, Hope thought to herself. Slowly, first opening her right eye, then her left, she gazed at her reflection in the full-length mirror.
Instead of a traditional wedding gown, which would have made her look like a five-foot-three blob of blandness, she’d opted for a vibrant blue dress. And Kathy was right—she looked amazing. The blue dress brought out the color of her eyes, and the flattering shape nipped in tight at the waist and then flared out, falling to the ground in beautiful folds.
“Oh, my God,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.
“You are not allowed to cry yet!” Kathy reminded her. “One, because you’ll ruin your makeup. And two, because if you cry, I’m going to cry, and I want to look hot for all of your new unmarried uncles and cousins.”
She took the tissue Kathy handed her and carefully blotted the tears. “Oh, Kathy, I owe you everything.”
“Not everything,” Kathy teased. “Only most of it.”
“I’m serious!” She laughed through the tears still crowding her throat.
“I’m serious too!” Kathy moved to stand next to her, appearing in the mirror like a column of flame in her red and orange dress. “You did this. You did all of this. I gave you a tiny little push.”
She’s right, Hope thought to herself. I did this. I was scared, and I did it anyway, and now look at where I am.
“I think it’s time,” Kathy said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and giving her a squeeze.
Hope took a final look at her reflection.
“You’re right,” she agreed. “I look amazing.”
Kathy led the way down the aisle, a path between the white wooden chairs that led up to the arch Josh and Rick had built. Everything looked exactly as Josh had described it, on that first night that had come so close to separating them. Blue skies above, green grass all around them, tiny yellow flowers that released a sweet scent when the hem of her dress brushed them.
Hope proceeded down the aisle, her hand wrapped in Rick’s arm. When she’d asked him to give her away, he’d been stunned for a few seconds, and then agreed before suspiciously leaving the room. Hope thought she’d seen him wiping his eyes.
Josh couldn’t take his eyes off her, and she knew how he felt. In his blue suit and tie, he looked almost unfamiliar, a tall, handsome stranger. Then he smiled. There was the man Hope knew and loved.
When they reached Josh, Rick proffered a hand to Josh, who shook it firmly.
“You better take care of her,” Rick threatened. “I know where you live.”
“Always,” Josh swore.
Rick kissed her on the cheek, then moved away to take his seat next to his wife in the first row. Hope stepped up next to Josh and took his hand, lacing their fingers together. She couldn’t help smiling, a smile so big that her cheeks hurt.
“Look at you,” he whispered, echoing the words she’d spoken when she first saw him shifted.