Page 54 of The Butterfly Effect
“I understand,” he said to Andy, but he was looking at me, and the way he stared made my stomach flutter and my heart swell in my throat. I wanted to cross the room and crawl into his lap, burying my face in his neck and feeling his strong arms around me, but instead, I turned to my other best friend.
Katie’s eyes were narrowed at William. “Well, I haven’t given youthewarning yet. This woman is my best friend, okay? If you hurt her, if you so much as make her want to cry again, I will personally take you out.”
William laughed, and I shot him a look. He stood up from the chair and walked over, wrapping his arms around me. “Ladies, listen. I love Julianna, and I will destroy anything that hurts her in any way. Myself included.”
“I’m in good hands. I promise.” I leaned back, resting my head on his shoulder behind me. “Just please, tell me you’re happy for me, because I can’t have two maids of honor if they don’t completely support it.”
My friends both squealed, and mutterings of bachelorette parties in paradise came up. They both turned to me and grabbed my hands. “We support you,” Katie said. “We love you, and if you love him, then so do we.”
She reached out her hand for William, pulling him into a hug when he stepped out from behind me. I hugged Andy, squeezing her tightly. “Make sure I walk down the aisle with the hottest groomsman, okay?” She nudged me, and I cackled loudly.
“That’s not all,” I said, nervously stepping towards my seat on the couch. William had found his spot in the armchair again, and he pulled me into his lap. My friends watched me, expectantly waiting for me to break my own silence. “I, uh, we’re moving to Chicago after the wedding. William’s dad offered me a job running a marketing company he’s acquiring, and I can’t turn down the opportunity. Especially when he’ll be my father-in-law in five months.”
“Five months?!” Katie shrieked. “You’re actually leaving?”
“I’ll find a spot for you at the company if you want to come with…” I suggested, but she shook her head.
“I’m going to stay here, but Chicago isn’tthatfar, and with your fancy new job, you can buy the wine.” Katie winked at me from her spot on the couch. “But if we only have five months before the wedding, we need to get started today if it’s going to be perfect.”
William laughed beneath me, but he didn’t seem surprised. He had already told his mother and me more than once over the weekend that we would have the ideal wedding. If Beth got the final say, no expense would be spared. I climbed from William’s lap and huddled on the couch with the ladies, pulling up a calendar to look at dates for shopping, parties, and bridal showers.
Five Months Later
I lookedin the mirror at the white dress that hugged my curves and flared out at my knees. It had slits down the sides and thin straps that went over my bare shoulders. My hair was styled into an elegant bun, covered by the simple veil I wore. The next time I saw William, he would be standing at the end of the aisle to literally marry me. It was the most surreal feeling.
“You look perfect.” Katie stood next to me, fixing my veil. She and Andy wore navy floor-length gowns, along with my sister. The color reminded me of the dress I’d worn to the gala, the same one I’d been wearing when William proposed.
I swallowed the emotions that swelled in my throat and smiled at them in the mirror. “Thank you… for everything, you know? I don’t know where I’d be without you girls.” Tears threatened to fall from my eyes, so I fanned at them with a piece of cardboard to avoid ruining my makeup.
My friends wrapped their arms around me, and Andy reached down and grabbed my hand. “We love you, Jules. I can’t believe in less than an hour you’re going to be Mrs. Moody Rich Man!”
We burst into a fit of laughter, one that encouraged the wedding planner Beth had insisted on hiring to come and check on us. After promising we could get it together, she led us to the start of the ceremony. The butterflies that had invaded my stomach constantly since meeting William for the first time riled themselves up again. Would he always have that effect on me? As I looped my arm through my dad’s, I hoped he would.
The doors opened andHold You in My Armsplayed over the speaker. My dad and I stepped forward, following the bridesmaids paired with their groomsmen.
We turned the corner once they had all found their places at the altar, and the crowd of people stood from their seats. William’s gaze was dialed in on me, and he raised his eyebrow with a sly smile on his lips.
Everyone in the crowd around me disappeared, and the music sounded distant. My entire focus was on William and the way his brown eyes cut through me. He moved his eyes up and down my body, taking in every detail of the look I’d spent months putting together.
At the end of the aisle, my dad passed my hand to William’s, and I stepped up to the altar. He looked incredible in a heather-gray suit and navy tie, and his dark-brown eyes held mine.
“You’re beautiful.” He whispered the words, paying more attention to me than to the officiant who had started talking.
“I love you,” I whispered back to him, squeezing his hand in mine.
The officiant walked the crowd through the ceremony, and I held my breath when he asked if anyone objected. My family seemed to be supportive now, but they weren’t happy about it when we’d told them that I was marrying William and moving to Chicago. They helped to plan the wedding, though, and right now my mom sniffled in the front row with a smile on her face and her hand locked with my dad’s.
We repeated everything he told us to say and slid rings onto our fingers. Demetri pulled a folded piece of paper from his jacket and passed it to William.
He cleared his voice, and even though he held his vows in his hand, his eyes didn’t leave mine as he spoke. “Julianna, you bring out a side of me that didn’t exist before you. I promise to give you the best of myself, and to show you the incredible things about you. You’ll always be safe, loved, and challenged.”
Tears rolled down my cheek, and I was glad I’d paid for the waterproof mascara. “My life changed the day I met you. You are my chaos and my comfort, and I can’t imagine this life without you. I love you even more than I did yesterday, and I promise to love you more tomorrow than I do today.”
The sound of sniffles could be heard from the guests and bridesmaids, and William brushed the tears from my cheeks with his thumbs. Next to us, the officiant read from his notebook. “It is my great pleasure to present to you the new Mr. and Mrs. William Carlisle. You may now kiss your bride.”
As soon as the words were said, William crashed his mouth into mine and pushed his tongue past my lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck, moaning and pressing myself to him. The photographer’s camera clicked, reminding me 150 people were watching us. I pulled back from him with a grin stretching across my blush-tinted cheeks, and he smirked.
“If you’re not careful, Mrs. Carlisle, we may not make it to the after party.”
