Page 92 of Some Saviors Can Break You

“You thought I'd say no?” she asked, her arms still wrapped around his neck.

“I didn't think you'd say no, I thought you'd say it was too soon.”

“I don’t care. I love you, and we’re living together anyway, I want to marry you, I want to officially start our lives together.”

“Am I going to be pushing my luck if I ask you to marry me today?”

“Today?” she squeaked. “How can we get married today? It’s already after seven, and I don’t have a dress or an appointment to get my hair and makeup done. My brother isn’t here, neither are your friends. And we don’t have a venue or a caterer, how could you possibly think we could pull that off?”

“Are you doubting me?” he teased.

“No, but how do you think we can pull together a wedding tonight?”

“Oh, you of little faith.” He set her on her feet but kept an arm around her waist, then called over his shoulder, “You guys can come out now.”

Florence looked in surprise as her brother and the Blacks—who she’d really connected with over the last two weeks—Jake and his wife and baby, Elliot and Susannah with Bessie and Jake, some of her friends from work and the gym, and some people she didn't know but assumed were Eli’s friends, and his nephew Joey whom she’d met last week, all suddenly appeared in the alley.

“How did…where were…how did you do all this? Where were they? Were they waiting in the alley until I said yes?” Then she broke into a grin. “What would you have done if I'd said no?”

“I knew you weren't going to say no.”

She shook her head. Eli’s level of cockiness never failed to amaze or amuse her. “And what if I say no to getting married today? You’d have gotten everyone here for nothing.”

“Areyou saying no to marrying me tonight?” Eli asked with an arched brow.

“Nope.”

“See, told you I know you better than you know yourself.” Eli shot her a smug smile before dragging her in for a kiss.

A chorus of congratulations sang out around them as their family and friends came to offer hugs and slaps on the back. Florence had never felt so surrounded by love and support in her life.

So much had changed over the last month. Not just herself, although she had been learning to trust and open herself up to someone, letting go of her preconceived notions that people—men specifically—couldn’t be trusted. She’d also come to know what it was like to have a support system, people who cared about how she was, and what she was feeling. She and Susannah had become particularly close. They’d gone out for coffee a few times, usually accompanied by the adorable Jake, and Tatiana and Patrick Black had stepped up. They were becoming almost like surrogate parents to her. The couple had always been there for her brother, and although she hadn't let them she was sure they would have been there for her too.

Back then, she hadn't been ready to let anyone in, she couldn’t handle being disappointed and let down again, but she was ready now.

She was ready to have friends.

She was ready to have a family.

She was ready to get married.

“We’re really doing this tonight?” she asked Eli. “What about a dress?”

“Got one.” He nodded to Susannah who held up a stunning white halter-neck ball gown with delicate lace across the bodice.

“Hair and makeup?”

“Joey’s grandmother was a hairdresser for thirty years before she retired, she’s volunteered for hair and makeup duty. Fletcher will give you away, Elliot is my best man, Joey will be the ring bearer, and Bessie has been practicing being a flower girl.”

“You’ve thought of everything.” If there was one thing that she loved the most about Eli, it was the fact that he cared aboutmaking her happy. He paid attention to everything she said, stored away pieces of information she hadn't even realized she’d given him, and then pulled them out and surprised her with something thoughtful.

“Pretty much,” he said with that cocky smile of his.

“So where are we getting married? You flying us all to Florence or something?” she asked, thinking that would be exactly the kind of thing he would do since that was where they’d had their first date.

“I thought about that, but to be honest, I can't wait another ten plus hours to make you my wife, it’s been hell waiting a month to marry you.”

“So, wherearewe getting married then?”

---