Page 51 of Beauty and the Nerd
“He is pretty funny, maybe not some comedic genius but he’s a pretty decent catch for my best friend,” Emma said, and Ben just shook his head a bit, dropping a kiss onto her lips that she adored.
“Whatever makes you happy, baby,” he told her, letting her soak up his love the rest of the night, so excited for September to get there now.
Chapter 20
Emma’s head turned as the suite’s door opened, a smile sliding onto her lips as her dad stopped just inside it, staring at her in awe. “What do you think?”
“I think I’m very glad that you met Ben, because I don’t know anyone else that I’d let you go to, especially not when you look this beautiful, honey,” he told her, and she fought to not tear up and ruin her makeup.
“Thank you,” she said, smiling as the hairdresser slipped the veil back onto her head, making sure it was secure but not pulling at her hair. She didn’t know how Emerson managed to get more of the exact lace in order to do a fully edged cathedral length veil, but she was so glad she had. It looked perfect for the ceremony and then she could show off the headband during the reception, which thanks to the weather being perfect, was outside on the rooftop patio of the hotel.
It wasn’t a huge wedding. They had probably about seventy five people in total invited to it other than her parents, bridal party, his dad, the twins, and his groomsmen. Even if only half of them showed, despite having almost all of the RSVPs returned with yeses, it wouldn’t really matter, because the most important people were here for them.
Lyle was Ben’s best man and in turn, Megan suggested that Emerson stand next to her and walk with him, even though they’d known each other longer. They were equally sharing the ‘of-honor’ position and were happy to do so even so it was a relief to have that part worked out. Ben had gone back and forth on who else to include as a groomsman, not sure if his brother would behave for it or want to do it. He hadn’t talked to many of the guys from high school since graduation so that hadn’t felt right either. He had already asked James to stand up with them, so he and Ashley were set to walk together, leaving an empty spot to fill.
The first week that Ben was back full-time at the office this summer, he ended up working alongside Drew. The two of them had become ‘the ones to watch’ at the office, which resulted in them forming a friendship outside of it, which in turn had him being the perfect choice for today.
Heath and a few others from Ben’s study groups were invited today, as were several of the others from her study groups, but just as guests. They weren’t as close to them as they were with Ashley and James, or as Ben was with Drew now and they wanted people that truly understood them standing up with them.
“Are you ready?” her dad asked with a glance at the time.
She’d already taken a lot of photos of just her and her bridesmaids with and without the veil before the guests arrived. They’d come back upstairs for a final touch-up before the ceremony and so guests arriving wouldn’t see her yet, but she was definitely ready for Ben to finally see her. They’d gone back and forth on having a first look, but some part of her really wanted that moment to be when she walked down the aisle to him, and he’d agreed with whatever made her happiest.
“So ready for this,” she told him, and the others made their way down the hall ahead of them.
The ceremony was in one of the ballrooms at the hotel and they stopped around the corner in case anyone was still coming in and out of the space, letting the hotel’s event planner get them ready. Her grin burst free when Megan gave her a quick wink before moving towards the doors, and it was still entirely on her lips when she and her dad finally moved into the doorway.
She couldn’t see a single empty seat as she made her way up the aisle, but her attention was primarily on Ben. The way his shoulders lifted as he breathed in and out made her grin the tiniest bit more and when they stopped next him, she could read every single emotion in his eyes. The awe, the love, the adoration, the slight disbelief, and the absolute certainty in them was everything she needed and felt, and she moved into his hold after giving her dad a kiss.
“You…there aren’t words invented to adequately express it,” Ben whispered to her as Megan fixed the train of her dress and veil, and Emerson took her flowers.
“Are you speechless, Benny-boy?” she teased him, her eyes fluttering shut when he dropped a quick kiss on her lips.
“Pretty much,” he said, his hands holding onto both of hers and she nearly swooned when he lifted them to his lips as their officiant started the ceremony.
They stayed with the traditional vows although she’d gone back and forth on it as well. There were so many things she could say to him, but she’d already said them in so many ways since they got together, whether just to him, about him on posts, or when talking to others about them with him there with her. Somehow, the traditional vows seemed more impactful for this.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” their officiant said as Ben held onto her waist, her hand with her wedding band resting on his chest already. “You may kiss your bride.”
Ben’s hand came up, gently holding her chin, and she gave herself over to the kiss he gave her, letting it wrap fully aroundthem. There were cheers and whistles as they separated, and she laughed when his forehead came down to rest against hers, his nose rubbing against hers gently, making her wish they were in bed together already.
“I love you, Emmy,” he whispered to her, kissing her forehead before they fully separated as the officiant announce them as Mr. and Mrs. to their guests.
They’d set up a bit of a happy hour for the guests to enjoy themselves while they did the photographs. Guests old enough to drink were able to get something from the bar, along with having some appetizers for anyone that got hungry, so they’d be ready to have fun when they finished with the photos.
She loved every minute of taking pictures with Ben, wanted every single one of them to look back through in the years to come.
Megan and Emerson helped her take off the veil as they finished the first set of photos, and she grinned as Ben’s eyes ran over the headband beneath it. He gave her a long, hot kiss and she knew he was remembering last summer as well, and it let them head up to the reception wrapped around each other.
It was late before they finally left to go back to the suite to spend the night, and even later when they finally slept—or napped as it mostly was before going to brunch with her parents, his dad, the twins, his aunt and uncle, and a few other family members that would be leaving later that day. With classes they weren’t taking a honeymoon yet. They’d decided to wait until the winter break to go somewhere between Christmas and New Year’s.
“So, how does it feel to be a married woman?” Megan asked her as the group dwindled down to just her parents, Megan, Emerson, and Lyle.
“Perfect,” she answered, resting back against Ben’s chest as his arms held her sweetly. “Different and yet not as well.”
“I’m not listening,” her dad teased, making her laugh and hug him tight. “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. For everything you’ve accomplished and fought through already and I know there’s going to be so much more to come. I’m glad that you have Ben to go through all of it with now.”
“Me too, Dad,” she said, enjoying a bit more time with the group before she and Ben headed home to spend their first night in their home as a married couple.
