Page 132 of Puck and Prejudice

As I look over all the guests filling this church in Seville, it’s hard not to become overwhelmed by emotions. I never thought I’d get married in a church. Honestly, all the statues creep me out. But for Izzie, I’ll do anything. Mrs. Bennet finally got her wish.

The music changes, signaling that Izzie is about to make her entrance. I swallow hard, getting hit with a full blast of nervousness. My pulse is pounding loudly, and my stomach feels funny—I suppose I have butterflies in it.

Chad shuffles closer and whispers. “You got this.”

I nod, unable to utter a word. I’d better get my tongue working for the vow exchange though. I suddenly panic, remembering my butchered proposal to Izzie. I couldn’t say the speech when it was only the two of us. How am I going to do it in front of all our friends and family?

I feel sick, but then Izzie enters the aisle accompanied by her father, and my panic attack stops as fast as it came. My heart is still beating at breakneck speed, but serenity washes over me. She’s a vision, an ethereal beauty who steals all the air from my lungs. I had no idea what kind of dress she picked, but I’m fucking glad she went with a traditional flamenco style dress—my favorite.

I can’t keep my eyes off her as she walks slowly toward me. By the time she finishes walking down the aisle, my eyes are filled with tears. There’s a betting pool among my teammates to guess how long it’d take for me to cry. I wonder who won.

Mr. Bennet steps aside, and I take Izzie’s arm. “Hi,” I say, all choked up. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you. So do you.” She reaches over and wipes my cheeks. “It didn’t take long, did it?”

“Nope.”

We face the priest. The first thing I noticed about him when we first met was his age. He’s young, probably not even thirty yet. He was the only one who could conduct the ceremony in English. I’ve been taking Spanish lessons, but I’m nowhere near fluent. Most of our guests don’t speak Spanish either.

In the end, it wouldn’t have mattered what language he spoke. I space out during his sermon. The only thing running through my head are my vows. When it’s time to say them out loud, I get that same blank moment again. Jesus, what’s wrong with me?

Izzie squeezes my hands. “Do you want me to go first?”

And just like that, I remember every word I want to say. “It’s okay, my love.” I chuckle. “My love. Who would have thought, huh?”

“Not me.” She grins.

“Last year, I had one goal—take my team to the Stanley Cup final and win. I thought that would make me the happiest man on Earth. It didn’t.”

I hear laughter, and I’m sure it came from the section where my teammates are. I glance in their direction. “Don’t get me wrong, it was awesome.”

More laughter.

I face Izzie again. “I couldn’t have foreseen that I’d win something far more precious. You, Izzie Bennet. You came into my life like a force of nature. You challenged me and pissed me off while captivating me in a way no other person on this planet had ever done before. Before I knew it, you were my everything, and I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”

Tears well up in Izzie’s eyes. She purses her lips, trying to keep it together. If she starts to cry, I’ll lose it too. I’d better wrap things up before we’re both sobbing messes. I turn to Chad, and he promptly hands over the ring.

Taking a deep breath to steady my pulse, I lift Izzie’s hand. “My dear Izzie, thank you for allowing me to love you. I vow to never stop, even if you douse me in IPA.”

She laughs. “No more beer showers, I promise.”

I slide the ring down her finger, then I kiss her hand.

Now it’s her turn. Chad hands her the ring without being asked.

“Jackson, when I first met you, I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by your presence. Then you opened your mouth…”

Soft chuckles come from the crowd. I smile too.

“… and thus, our feud began. I was never a hopeless romantic, but if I’d ever entertained the idea of getting married one day, you’d have been the last man on Earth I’d consider.”

“Ouch,” I say.

Her eyes twinkle with amusement. “But once you let your barriers down and allowed me to see the other side of you, I couldn’t help but fall hopelessly in love with you.”

She slides the ring down my finger. “I promise to always be by your side on your good and bad days. You have my love forever.”

“I love you,” I whisper.

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