Page 152 of Paper Hearts

As my dad gives my hand over to Ender, his gaze moves from mine to my breasts fully on display, and I think of the first time he checked me out and asked my age. He winks and bites the corner of his lip playfully.

As the priest begins, I roll my eyes at my soon to be husband. Of course he’s thinking dirty.

I don’t remember much of anything the minister says or asks us, other than Eddie raising her hand and asking how many more minutes this was going to take.

What I remember is the look in Ender’s eyes when he said I do.

And the sadness in them when he waited as the minister asked, “Do you take Ender Nathan James to be your husband?”

I don’t know if he thought I was going to say no or that he couldn’t help the memories he has of this dock.

“I do,” I breathe, tears rolling down my cheeks.

His eyes glisten in the sun, bright blues so intense. And like the night I met him on the dock twelve years ago, with the sun saturating the horizon in pinks and purples, Ender James holds me as his wife for the first time. He takes my face between his hands and leans in to kiss me. It’s a soft whisper at first, but then he smirks against my lips and deepens the kiss. It’s like I’ve never been kissed like this either. In truth, I haven’t. I’ve never been kissed by my husband.

“Okay, there’s children present,” Myles teases when we don’t part from one another.

Ender smirks again, pulling back, and we look down at Eddie who’s covering her eyes, smiling herself.

Ender holds tighter around my waist and picks me up, bridal style. “Ready to get wet?”

I cling to his forearm and the back of his neck, my nails digging into his skin. “Ender,” I warn. “Don’t you dare.”

He dares, and before I know it, he jumps off the dock with the two of us, fully clothed and into the water.

“I can’t believe you just did that,” I gasp when we surface, everyone laughing around us as I hold onto Ender’s shoulders.

He smiles, bringing us to where we can touch, my dress floating up between us. “You shouldn’t be so surprised.”

And I’m not, but as the sun sets over his shoulder, I press my lips to his. “I’m not.”

His hand tightens at the back of my dress and he holds me closer. “I love you, wife.”

I grin. “I love you too, husband.”

* * *

After we dryoff and we’re getting ready to leave for the Florida Keys on our honeymoon, Ender stops me outside and hands me a new journal. This one is similar to the one he gave me for Christmas when we were younger. Leather, lace, deckle-edge creamy paper, but it has a locket on the front surrounded in lace with and E & H engraved on it. “Now you can keep writing about everything that inspires you.”

Tears roll down my cheeks. “It’s beautiful.”

“There’s something inside it,” he whispers, his breathing quick and steady.

I unclasp the lock and lace to open it. Inside is an envelope.

I stare at the envelope with a golden seal on the outside. “What’s this?”

He shrugs one shoulder and smirks at Arya, who’s standing near us with Eddie holding her hand. She’s staying with them for the next week. “Wedding present.”

I glance at Eddie, then Arya, and back to Ender. His brow is furrowed, but there’s a distinct smirk on his lips. As though it’s been hard for him to keep a secret from me.

Carefully I peel back the edges of the paper and look inside. I gasp. It’s a deed to my aunt Leslie’s property with Ender’s name on it. “Did you buy her house?”

“Happy wedding, baby.” His smile widens. “I thought we could spend the summers here, like we did when we were kids.”

Arya hugs me, jumping up and down. “We’re going to be neighbors in the summers!”

“Oh my God,” I gasp, my hands shaking as I hold the deed in my hand. “Are you serious?”

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