Buttons and Pain (Buttons 3)

“Oh my god…”

“What?”

“We’re getting married tomorrow.” She sat up and gripped the crooks of my arms. “I can’t believe it.”

A part of me couldn’t believe it either. But when I looked at her, everything made sense.

“We better get going then. I have a lot of shopping to do.” She hopped off the bed and pulled on her jeans and whatever shirt she could find off the ground. “I’m not even sure what I want. Strapless, not strapless…I don’t know.”

The corner of my lip rose as I watched her. Seeing her excitement over our nuptials just made me look forward to it even more. “Then let’s get going.”

***

“Nervous?” Cane came beside me in his black suit. He had a grin on his face that wouldn’t fade, and that knowing look was in his eyes.

“No.” I was never nervous.

“Can I take a moment to say I’m right?” He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at me.

“Right about what?”

“About Pearl. You loved her and I knew it.”

Wasn’t exactly the ideal conversation to have on my wedding day. “Cane?”

“Hmm?”

“Shut up.”

He smiled and rolled his eyes at the same time. “Since it’s your day, I’ll let that go.”

I faced the cedar doors and waited for Button to emerge. A harpist was off to the side to play the traditional Italian wedding song, and the priest was on my other side. I was raised Catholic and my mom would flip if an Italian priest didn’t marry me.

Lars adjusted my tie for the fifth time even though nothing was wrong with it. “Can I say something, Your Grace?”

“Of course.”

“I’m very happy for you. Pearl is lovely, and I know your lives together will be beautiful. I’m honored to witness this day.” Lars didn’t engage in personal conversation with me often, and the only way he showed his emotion was by the detailed way he took care of the house. But he knew he was a part of the Barsetti family.

“Thank you. That means a lot.”

Lars nodded before he stepped aside.

Cane continued to stare at the door. “What’s taking her so long?”

“She’s marrying me so she can take however damn long she wants.” I would wait a lifetime for her.

“Just a head’s up.” He leaned toward me and lowered his voice. “I got a peek of her in the house. Let’s just say…she looks pretty damn good.”

“Shocking.” Like Button could look anything but gorgeous at any point in time.

The harpist began to play, and I knew that was cue to shut up. The wooden door creaked open as Button stepped out in a long ivory gown. A handful of wild flowers were in her hand, picked from my acres of land, and lace strung with buttons had been beautifully placed in her hair.

The moment she was on the path her eyes locked to mine and that same look of everlasting love was there. She walked slowly to the music, taking her time even though she was anxious to get to me as quickly as possible.

Her train dragged on the ground and made a gently noise as it was pulled behind her. Her make up was done differently but not overbearing like I thought it may look. Just as perfect as the day I saw her, she looked like a vision.

And she was all mine.

She reached me and handed the flowers off to Cane without looking at him. Her eyes were only on me, that gentle smile still on her lips.

“You look beautiful.” I took her hand and guided her to face the priest. Her hand was scorching in mine, showing her nervousness for the first time. We stood side by side and performed the ceremony of our marriage. When it was time for the rings, I slipped on the ordinary gold ring next to the one she already wore. Her button on the top took focus over the plain band, and the combination was perfect for her.

Then she took my ring from Cane and slipped it onto my finger. It was the first time I’d seen it, and I was curious what she would pick out for me. The band was solid black and thin, but on closer examination I saw the marked holes that looked identical to the kind seen on buttons. That’s when I realized the band was made of a combination of buttons, melted down and forged into the wedding ring I now wore.

My eyes immediately moved to hers, and I truly felt moved.

Tears were bubbling in her eyes but she didn’t wipe them away. Instead, she took a deep breath so her emotions wouldn’t run wild.

My entire life I couldn’t picture myself wearing a ring, especially a wedding ring. But now that it was on my finger I didn’t want to take it off. It was an integral part of me, something that had been missing until now. It didn’t just represent my marriage and devotion to this woman. It represented more than that. I took an emotional journey the moment she walked into my life, and she showed me I was a much better man than I gave myself credit for.