Page 185 of Banter & Blushes

When the applause ended, Ryan bent forward. “Girls, do you have the rings?”

They reached into the pockets I’d sewn into the seams of their dresses and handed him the two boxes. He removed the rings and handed the boxes back to the girls. When they were back in their seats, he continued the ceremony.

“Zaki and Arwyn, having declared your love through your vows, we now come to the exchange of rings—symbols of the unending love and commitment you share. These circles are reminders that your love has no beginning and no end. As you wear these rings, may they constantly remind you of the promises you’ve made today. Zaki, please take Arwyn’s hand, place the ring on her finger, and repeat after me.”

Zaki slipped the ring on my finger and lifted my hands to his lips, brushing a light kiss over my knuckles.

I’m pretty sure our new Crane’s Cove friends in the back row heard my swoony sigh.

Zaki repeated Ryan’s words. “Arwyn, with this ring, I give you my heart. I promise to love you, honor you, cherish you, and stand by you in all seasons of life. This is my promise to you.”

Ryan said the words again, and it was my turn to make the promise. I gently pushed Zaki’s wedding band onto his finger. “Zaki, with this ring, I give you my heart. I promise to love you, honor you, cherish you, and stand by you in all seasons of life. This is my promise to you.”

“Beautifully done,” Ryan whispered for only us to hear. “Ephesians 4:2-3 calls for us to be completely humble and gentle; to be patient, bearing with one another in love. To make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Marriage is a beautiful time when two souls start to share one heart. Now, Zaki, do you take Arwyn to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, and cherish in all the days and ways to come, for all the days of your life?”

I expected Zaki to grin, but the expression on his face was one of pure sincerity. “I do.”

“And Arwyn, do you take Zaki to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, and cherish in all the days and ways to come, for all the days of your life?”

“I do.”

Zaki didn’t wait for Ryan to pronounce us wed; I heard the words as my now husband’s hand cupped my cheek and his lips met mine in the tenderest of kisses, the kind that set butterflies loose and rendered every muscle weak.

The guests cheered, and Isla and Amelie returned the two halves of my bouquet to me for our journey together up the aisle. We bent down to wrap our arms around them and squeezed them in a warm hug that Olaf himself would be envious of.

EPILOGUE

ZAKI

After a fun—and prankless—party on the beach, Arwyn and I climbed the wooden steps to the awaiting carriage at street level. Elvis the horse stood proudly in front of the nineteenth-century double-seater, ready to be driven by Easton, who was clad in a suit with tails and a top hat. Our luggage for our overnight stay was inside. We’d travel in the buggy down the road to the marina and board a boat to the lighthouse. Isla and Amelie would walk there with my parents, Alyce, and our guests for the big send-off, then ride in the carriage back to the resort with their camp friends.

After helping Arwyn into the coach, I climbed beside her and rested my arm on top of the seatback. She settled in against me, and the moment her face turned toward mine, I stole a kiss. The journey to the marina was all too short, and moments later we were disembarking to say good-bye to our friends and family.

We hugged the girls good-bye first. “Bye, Daddy! Bye, Wynnie!” Isla waved as she sprinted to the carriage.

“Don’t fall in the water,” Amelie advised, then took off after her sister.

I laughed as Easton gave them boosts into the carriage. They settled on the forward-facing seat to await their friends, who were just coming into view on the Cliff Walk path.

My dad shook my hand and pulled me in for a hug. “Enjoy your night. We’reso happy for you. You deserve all the happiness in the world, and so do the girls.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

I hugged my mom next. “I’ll have my phone on if there are any issues.”

“We’ll figure it out,” she said. “You enjoy your night with your bride. We’ll see you after breakfast.”

Arwyn finished hugging her mom, and we switched places. “Alyce,” I said. “I’m so glad we could do this while you were stateside.”

“Me, too,” she said, and hugged me close. “You take care of my girl, okay? Otherwise…”

“You’ll take care of me?” I quipped.

She laughed. “You know it.”

I grinned and released her. “I promise.”

“I know you do. Now get out of here.”

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