Easton, Wren, and Bea are all standing with Madison, taking pictures of her and with her while we wait. Cooper came over with Bea, telling me someone other than East from the team needed to be at my side, and he decided to self-appoint.
Wren and Bea between them manage to have Scarlett, Tobias, Xander, Harper, Joss, and Colt all at the ready for avideo conference call once the ceremony starts. The guys are planning to take a break from their practice and the girls are all over at the museum Scarlett oversees. All of them trying to support Madison in the wake of losing her parents in one fell swoop when she and her brothers decided to officially file complaints against her father with the league alongside the Chaos, my uncle, and me.
“Undergrove and Westfield!” They call our names, and I feel the butterflies in my stomach. I glance over at Madison, and she holds her hand out for mine, smiling.
“Ready to do this?”
“I’ve always been ready.” I squeeze her hand, and we head inside, our family and friends trailing behind.
The ceremony itself goes by in a blur. I’m repeating whatever they tell me to, exchanging the rings that we quickly bought at a local jewelry store while promising to get better ones later, just staring at Madison and how utterly beautiful she is. Thinking that I don’t deserve her and trying to tell myself that this is all real, and I’m finally getting the girl—mygirl.
“You may kiss the bride.”
The words knock me back into reality, and she leans in at the same time I do. I try to be tentative and careful—respectful of the fact that we’re in public, but the second her lips touch mine, I wrap my arms around her, one tight around her waist and the other threading through her hair as she turns from a bride to my wife.
I hear the low whistles from our friends, and she starts to shake in my arms, laughing as I kiss her senseless, and our friends flash their phones as they document the moment. When we finally pull away, her blue eyes stare up into mine. I’ve never in my entire life felt the way I do now. Like everything finally matters and is right in the world. The thought consumesme. Overwhelms me until the tears hit, and I have to kiss her one more time, just to convince myself it’s real.
“I love you. Forever,” she whispers against my lips.
“I love you, forever,” I answer her, and then we thread our fingers together, turning to the small group of support we have, and walk out of the courthouse.
When we get outside, Madison holds up the small bouquet of roses she put together.
“Should I throw them?” She grins.
“I mean… only one person who could really catch them here.” Wren looks to Bea.
“Uh… I will happily hold them for you. Take them to the preservation place and have them all ready to go. But maybe let’s skip the throwing?” Bea quickly covers, ever the pragmatist.
“Yes. Just hold them for me.” Madison and Bea exchange looks before she holds them out for her, and Bea takes them. I don’t miss the dodge of Cooper’s eyes between them and down at the flowers before he stares at Bea.
“All right. First some more pictures around the city and then to West Field for food and drinks!” Wren orders the group, and we all fall into line as she leads us toward the driver where he’s waiting to let us pile into the car.
Several more groupsof players and friends come to meet us at West Field as the night goes on, congratulating us and celebrating with a toast. We have our fill of food, watching most of the Thursday night game on the screens and have way more to drink than we should have.
Easton starts passing out late night menus as Wren tells the bartender to get another round of water ready. We’d made amidseason exception to have a couple of drinks tonight but we needed food and water to balance that out.
“Um, the whole nine inches?” Madison reads off the menu and looks up at Wren. “Do I want to ask what that is?”
“It’s fucking amazing is what that is.”
“Your brother’s invention. And title, actually.” Wren gives Madison a wry smile as she raises a brow at the back of her husband’s head.
“And you let him get away with it?”
“If I don’t give into him sometimes…” Wren shrugs in response but her bemused expression shows how much she adores him.
“So what is it?”
“Footlong. Cincinnati chili. Cheddar cheese. And last but not least, the secret ingredient. With a side of fried pickles.”
“My stomach hurts just hearing you say that. Do I want to ask what the special ingredient is?”
“Cream cheese.”
“Creamcheese?” Madison sounds aghast.
“They put it in the dip. I decided to put it on the hotdog.” Easton’s self-satisfied smile widens.