Page 25 of The Engagement
The room goes silent, and other than a few babies babbling, no one says a word. Although I do hear a few sniffles.
Cooper pats me on the shoulder and says, “Um, Mack, I’m supposed to tell you when you can kiss the bride.”
As I pull back from Erin, quiet laughter fills the room. She gazes up at me, giving me a teary, heartfelt smile filled with more love than I’ll ever deserve.
I take Erin’s small, soft hands in mine and stare into her beautiful blue eyes as Cooper says what he’s supposed to say. I hardly pay any attention to the words because I’m so focused on Erin.
I grip her hands tightly, trying hard not to crush them. I still can’t believe this moment is finally here. I’ve wanted this for so long. In the early stages of her recuperation, she was so emotionally closed off from everyone, including me. I didn’t know if she’d ever be able to trust again, let alone let a man into her life. Let a manloveher.
As I say my vows, honoring to love and cherish her for the rest of our lives, my throat tightens up so much I can hardly speak. She squeezes my hands, offering me support, when I’m the one who’s supposed to be doing that for her.
As Erin says her vows, her hands tremble in mine. I stroke the backs of them, so silky soft, and give them a light squeeze when tears threaten to spill down her cheeks.
Finally, it’s time for me to slip her wedding ring on her finger. I fish the slender gold band out of my pocket and slide it onto her finger. And, then I hand her my ring, and she does the same for me.
It’s done.
It’s official.
We’re married.
“Nowyou may kiss,” Cooper says with a wry chuckle.
Our friends break into cheers and applause as I take her in my arms and kiss her senseless.
And just like that, I’m hers, and she is mine for all time.
Chapter 10 – Erin
Now that the stressful part of the wedding is over—the actual ceremony itself, where I felt incredibly self-conscious standing in front of more than two dozen people—I can finally relax and enjoy myself. Now it’s just a party with my friends.
Everything’s perfect. The food is delicious. The three-tier wedding cake is almost too pretty to cut—cream-colored marzipan decorated with lavender roses and pale green leaves made from icing that look real. The kids are running around squealing with laughter—at least the ones who can walk—as their aunts and uncles chase after them. It’s bedlam, and I couldn’t be happier.
I hope one day Mack and I will have kids to add to the commotion. One good thing about the McIntyres is that they’re not averse to noise and a little bit of chaos.
The photographer takes the wedding party outside to take a ton of pictures—the bride and groom, the bride and her bridesmaids, the groom and his groomsmen. One of me and Sam, since he walked me down the aisle. One of us with Mack’s parents, Hillary and Rob Donovan, and Haley. So many pictures. By the time we’re done, my cheeks ache from smiling.
When all the pictures have been taken, we go back inside and do all the expected activities, like Mack removing the garter belt from my leg, and of course there’s the requisite bridal bouquet toss.
All the unmarried females fan out in a half circle behind me. I close my eyes and toss my bouquet backward. When I hear a chorus of amused exclamations, I turn, surprised to see Haley clutching my bouquet. She looks as surprised as everyone else.
Immediately, Mack shouts, “Oh, hell no! Absolutely not!” He stalks forward and plucks the bouquet out of his daughter’s hands and offers it to the nearest person, who happens to be Elly, Shane’s housekeeper, who’s been married to her husband, George, for over four decades. Of course, everyone in the room bursts into laughter.
After all the formalities are over, Mack takes my hand and leads me outside onto the back patio for a little peace and quiet. “I just wanted to see how you’re doing,” he says. “It’s been quite an afternoon.”
“It has. I’m good. Just a bit tired.”
From here, we have an unrestricted view of the gently sloping lawn that stretches all the way down to Lake Michigan and Shane’s private stretch of beachfront property. To the right is the family’s private dock, where half a dozen boats of various sizes are moored. I wish we had time to take a boat out.
I’m leaning my head against Mack’s arm when I hear a man’s voice behind me. “Erin?”
I turn to find Miguel standing behind me. He’s holding hands with Ruby, who looks pretty exhausted. “Ruby!” My concerned gaze goes from Ruby to Miguel. “Is everything all right?”
“Everything’s fine,” Miguel says. “We just wanted to thank you for inviting us and tell you to have a great rest of your day and a wonderful honeymoon.”
“You’re leaving?”
He nods, sparing a quick glance at Ruby. “We’d better get going.”
