Page 45 of The Run Option

“Are you okay?” she murmurs. “You can still back out.”

Her selfless offer makes me smile. “I think it’s a little late for that.”

She shakes her head. “No, it’s not. It might cause a lot of trouble for us, but I know this is a big deal. I can handle it if you walk away now.”

“And waste this pretty makeup you spent all day doing?” I joke and she rolls her eyes.

“I’m trying to give you an out here,” she says in an exasperated tone.

I place my hand over hers, moving her palm to my lips. I press a kiss to the center and smirk when I notice her shiver.

“I don’t want an out, Lo.” I keep hold of her hand but lower it so I’m holding it between us.

Augustus closes in with a wide smile on his face. “Well hello, love birds!” he booms. “I’m honored to be officiating your lovely wedding today. Are you ready to get started?”

I look back down at Willow. She nods.

“We’re ready,” I tell Augustus.

“Happy to hear it!”

I hold both of Willow’s hands in mine and look into her eyes, feeling my nerves begin to settle. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and has a kind heart. Not to mention she’s the kind of sassy that never fails to make me laugh. I could do worse when it comes to fake wives. Maybe this marriage is just for paperwork and appearances, but that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. I’m not sure how ready either of us is for that kind of depth, but we’ll have time to figure it out. My biggest concern has been starting over after she leaves, but as I look down at Willow, I can’t help but hope that she’ll stay forever.

“This is a lovely day for a wedding,” Augustus comments, pulling me from my thoughts. “And a beautiful venue as well. Marriage is a lot like a garden, you know. You have to get down in the dirt sometimes and pull weeds, but the work yields a beautiful reward. Today is planting the seed for a garden that will last the rest of your lives.”

My throat tightens.The rest of our lives.Will we have that? Or will our garden dry up before we even get to see the first flower bloom?

Willow doesn’t say a word, and neither do I.

Augustus clears his throat. “Now, usually I say something to the crowd, but seeing as it’s just the two of you, I suppose we’ll jump right to the vows!”

I watch Willow to see if she has any regret over not having her family here. Granny Mae’s hip was bothering her, and her doctor suggested she rest instead of getting out. She fought the notion, but ended up giving in. No particular emotion beyond nerves seems to occupy her expression. “Do you have vows prepared, or would you like to repeat after me?”

Willow’s eyes widen. She must not have thought of vows.

“We’ll repeat after you,” I answer while the vows I wrote burn a hole in my pocket.

“Okay, Jason, repeat after me.”

He coaches me through the vows until I say, “I, Jason, take you, Willow, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, I promise to love and cherish you all my days.”

By some miracle, my voice stays steady through the vows. I don’t know how, when it feels as though I have a tennis ball stuck in my throat.

Next is Willow’s turn. “I, Willow, take you, Jason, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, I promise to love and cherish you all my days.”

Her eyes never leave mine as she repeats the vows. Her voice trembles on the last part, but she sounds more sure than I expected her to.

“Now for the rings,” Augustus says, still wearing a jolly smile that says he loves his job.

I let go of Willow’s hands to pull both of our rings out of my pocket, bypassing the folded-up paper next to them.

“Okay, Jason, put the ring on your bride and repeat after me…”

“I give you this ring as a symbol of my love; and with all that I am and all that I have, I honor you,” I say as I slide the ring onto her left finger. The diamond-covered band sparkles beneath the afternoon sun.

“The same for you, Willow.”

Willow’s hand shakes as she slides the thick gold band onto my finger. “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love; and with all that I am and all that I have, I honor you.” Her words are barely above a whisper, but they burrow into my heart all the same.

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