Page 38 of Lady Luck's Kiss
“Scott told me you were ill and it was an emergency.”
“Dude,” Scott interrupted with a grin splitting his face. “I freakin’ lied to get a date with her friend. Wednesday night, Beth?”
“You betcha, Sweet Cheeks,” she said saucily and cleared her throat. She whipped a handkerchief from her pocket and waved it up in the air, giving a signal.
“Folks, we have a treat for you all tonight if I could have your attention.”
“What’s going on?” Jack asked, his face looking more confused than ever. “Charlie, you look gorgeous with flowers in your hair, darling.”
“I wanted to relive my happiest moment tonight,” she began and found her eyes were watering with unshed tears as shepoured out her soul in front of him. Beth was handed a microphone from someone nearby and promptly shoved it in her face.
“Go ahead,” she coached, and Charlie nodded.
“As I was saying, I wanted to relive the happiest moment in my life. The moment I met you. I was here, wearing this dress and these boots, scared to death as I watched the most gorgeous man I have ever seen smile at me. I’m still scared to death that I might be dreaming when you smile at me,” she admitted with a nervous giggle.
“Charlie, honey. You don’t have to do this.”
“Hush!” Beth glared at him. “Don’t you dare stop her. This needs to be said.”
“Jack, you asked me where I wanted to be in a month from now. In five years from now. I want to be with you.”
His smile gave her the courage to go on as the entire arena grew silent, listening to every word. She felt herself stand tall, bravely, and spoke even louder.
“I can’t imagine not having you in my life. You are everything to me. My happiness, my laughter, the very air I breathe. Jack Seguin we’ve had a crazy whirlwind romance and, while it’s a freaky fast rollercoaster, it’s MY rollercoaster… and I want to ride it with you.”
“Let me clarify that for the parents out there: Charlie wants to ride a rollercoaster, not Jack. Well, she wants to ride Jack, too, but that comes later.” The silence at Beth’s callous words was quickly followed by a roar of laughter from the crowd causing both Jack and Charlie to blush fiercely.
“I want that, too,” Jack announced, grinning from ear to ear. “I want both. The rollercoaster of our life and you, Charlotte English. I want you.”
“Jack, will you marry me?”
“Only if you marry me first,” he retorted and pulled out a small velvet box from a zippered pocket inside of his vest that still gaped open. He held open the box.
He had a ring waiting for her?
She took a look inside and smiled, pulling her hand out from behind her back. Holding her fingers up, she revealed two small thin circlets of gold.
“Well, good thing there is a newly ordained minister here, yo! The internet rocks!” Beth hollered loudly in the microphone in order to work the crowd. “Am I right? If you want to see these two get married, clap your hands!”
Charlie was stunned by the enthusiasm around them. Jack leaned forward and cupped his hand behind her neck, pulling her to him for a kiss. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
“You sure about this? There is no backing out if we get married right now. I thought you might want an engagement period.”
“Nope. I want you as my husband.”
“Then you’ve got me, love.”
“Scotty McStudmuffin! C’mon up here and sign as a witness for us because we are about to get some proper nuptials stuff a-going.”
Clearing her throat, Beth politely officiated a quick ceremony between Jack and Charlotte. It shocked her that her friend was soculturedwhen it came to serious stuff. No vulgar comments, no crude words. It was perfect and heartfelt.
It wasn’t anything normal or extraordinary, but it was definitely different. The bride and groom were separated by a corral that held a bull that waited impatiently to be let out. They held hands the entire time over the expanse until it came to the “I dos”. Jack then climbed over and jumped the fence tobe beside her. Pulling her into his arms, she felt herself being dipped backwards as he kissed her thoroughly.
“I sure do love you, Mrs. Seguin.”
“Don’t you have some bull-riding to do, mister?” she teased lovingly, tracing the smear of red across his lips happily marking her territory. He nipped at her fingertip with a grin.
