Page 72 of The Grumpy Vet
Linus gives me his hand, too. "We'll look back on this and laugh one day."
He's right, we probably will. We head back to the ceremony spot, hand in hand in hand, as the guests return to their seats, the rooster ruckus behind us.
So maybe the ceremony didn't get off to the perfect start. That's okay. Neither did the three of us, really.
Ours isn't a simple love story.
I was secretly in love with Ryde for years. He spent two years pining for Linus. Despite that, the three of us somehow found a way to each other. If Quade hadn't cheated and treated me like shit, I probably would never have come out here for six months, leaving me with my secret feelings for Ryde and his for Linus. So even though we had to go through some shitty stuff, ultimately, the bad led to the good.
And how good is this? I'm about to affirm my love for these two amazing men I get to spend the rest of my life with. Linus with his stoic, grumpy demeanor, who's really a big ol' softie at heart, and Ryde who's sweet and sensitive and an absolute slut in the bedroom.
They each bring so much to my life. I feel loved. Safe. Like I can truly be myself with them. It's the best feeling in the world.
We reach the ceremony spot, and the civil celebrant, Sandy, smiles warmly at us. "That was certainly a memorable start."
"It was." I smile back. "Now let's get this damn thing underway."
Ryde
The actual ceremony goes off without a hitch.
There’s no priest, only a celebrant, and no official paperwork. It's too hot for suits, so we went with our best button-ups and scuffed boots.
Would I have liked a traditional wedding? Probably, yeah. But that's not likely to happen in my lifetime, so I'll happily take this.
We stand together, hands joined, in the afternoon shadow of a twisted old gum tree. The ceremony is simple, the three of us exchanging a few heartfelt words that try to capture the enormity of what we have, what we feel.
I know we all struggled with our vows. Firstly, what sort of vows are appropriate for a commitment ceremony? Secondly, do we create separate vows for the other two or combine them? And thirdly, how do I put into words everything I feel in my heart and that I know Dario and Linus feel in theirs?
It's wild to think that if Dario hadn't shown up a year ago, I would still probably be in my embarrassing spiral of drinking myself stupid around Linus, making a complete idiot of myself, and not progressing things.
Dario was the catalyst for all of this. That's why I'm committing to making him feel like an integral part of it, not some later to the party. Because without him, I doubt the three of us would be standing here, pledging our love, loyalty, and commitment to each other.
I love both men with all my heart. Dario for being the natural leader, the outspoken one, and so fearless. His plans may suck balls and almost always go off the rails, but his heart is so big and pure and always in the right place. I loved him as my best friend, and I love him even more now.
And Linus? What can I say about my big ol' grumpy boss? He still gives me the tingles whenever I look at him. I don't know what attracted me to him when I first arrived in town, but it's always been there. That pull to the man who, for so long, remained hidden and guarded. He's opened up so much to Dario and me, and I love seeing him happy, relaxed, and carefree.
He's taken on so much responsibility in his life, and even though hecanshoulder it all on his own, he doesn'thave toanymore. Dario and I are right there for him, by his side—and quite often, on our knees—letting him know he's not in this alone. We got him, just like we've all got each other.
"And now you may kiss," the celebrant announces with a smile.
Linus and I have been the most nervous about this moment. For him, it's showing affection in front of people. That's just not his thing.
My issue boils down to just one person—my dad.
I'm so lucky to have the best dad in the world. He really is cool with us. He's visited us once, and the three of us went to his place for Christmas, and not once has he said or done anything that makes me think he has a problem with any of this.
But he's also never seen us kiss. The occasional brushing as we pass each other, and Dario sometimes cheekily grabbing our hands—he, of course, has been looking forward to this kiss since Linus proposed—is as far as we've gone in front of him.
But this is the closest thing we're going to get to a wedding, so if he is weirded out in any way, I hope he looks away because there is no force on this planet that's going to stop me from kissing my men.
The three of us lean in, everything going quiet except for the rustle of a few dry leaves. Our lips touch softly, and hands from either side of me gently wrap around my lower back. The moment, although brief, gets seared into my memory. I'llcherish it, this feeling of rightness and love and protection, for the rest of my life.
Behind us, our guests erupt in cheers, and someone—my guess is Wilby—tosses a handful of gum leaves into the air like confetti. They rain down on the three of us, and we're all smiling and happy, revelling in the beauty of this special moment.
The real celebration, however, starts at the Scuttlebutt Pub once everyone walks the few blocks over to it. We've reserved the outdoor courtyard, even though there was no need since pretty much everyone in town was at the wedding.
A local musician is strumming away in the corner as Dario hands me a beer at the bar, while Linus and Oakey are talking with the vet crew. "Too bad we couldn't convince Linus to do the first dance."
