Page 87 of A Lot Like Forever
Epilogue
Nate was sweating. His suit felt like a wet suit, it was clinging so tightly to his body, like a plastic cling wrap that he couldn’t escape from.
“I’ve found a fan,” the wedding planner announced, hurrying in with the cord of an old fan trailing behind her.
“Great,” Nate muttered, tugging his shirt out of his pants so he could hold the cord up. She went to plug it in, but Chase took over, bending down to push it in while Ryder angled the fan.
“It’s not that hot,” Ryder teased, standing in just his shirt and tie, suit jacket resting over one of the pews in the first row of the old church.
“Trust Faith for picking the only damn place with no air-conditioning.”
“Hey, she wanted an intimate ceremony for like thirty people instead of some kind of circus for two hundred.” Ryder shook his head. “I’d be thanking my lucky stars.”
Nate shrugged. “I just want this whole thing over.”
“Cold feet?” Chase asked, frowning as he crossed his arms and leaned against a seat.
“No,” Nate said emphatically. “I just want Faith here in front of me, the ceremony to be over with, and us getting to work on the happily ever after part.”
“In bed?” Ryder laughed and Chase joined in.
“I’m just too damn hot; that’s the problem,” Nate muttered. “Why couldn’t we have just eloped?”
“Don’t say it!” Sam called out, interrupting him. “I might be okay with you marrying her, but I don’t want to hear anything about the two of you, or whatever the hell depraved things you want to do with her as part of that happy ever after.”
Nate dropped his shirt and held out his hand to Sam. “Does the fact that you’re here mean she’s here, too?”
Nate’s friend grinned. “Yeah, she’s here. Looking pretty gorgeous if I do say so myself.” He looked Nate up and down. “I think it’s about time you tucked yourself back in. Can’t have my sister marrying a hobo.”
They all laughed and Nate was pleased Sam was here. They’d known each other a long time, and it was good having him with his brothers alongside him. People started to file into the church then, just a handful of friends they were both close to. Nate forgot all about how hot he was as he greeted everyone, took his mind off the fact that he was about to get married as he chatted. Ryder had been right—a ceremony for a couple hundred people wouldn’t have been anything like this, wouldn’t have held the same meaning.
The minister appeared then, walking in with a big smile on his face and holding out his hands to Nate. The last time he’d held a service for the King family it had been for Clay’s funeral, and Nate was pleased to be seeing the minister for something happier this time, even if he was wishing his granddad was there to see him get married.
“I think it’s time,” the minister said. “Your bride is ready and waiting for you.”
Nate sucked back a breath and followed the minister, his brothers, and Sam moving to stand alongside him.
“This is it, big bro,” Ryder said.
“And just like that, all three King bachelors are off the market,” Sam joked, making them all laugh.
Nate was about to say something back when the words died in his mouth. He couldn’t even remember what had seemed so funny at the time. The string quartet had started to play, a soft rendition of Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major; goose pimples trailed across every inch of Nate’s skin, a chill that he’d never felt before. The last time he’d set foot in a church had been to say good-bye to his mother, a fact that he hadn’t shared with Faith because he hadn’t wanted to ruin their special day when she was so excited about marrying in her local church. His brothers had known, he’d refused every Easter and Christmas to join them even as a boy ever again, and he’d seen the surprise on their faces when he’d told them where their ceremony was taking place today. But now that he was standing there, it felt right. Like his mom could be looking down over them, all the awful memories of saying good-bye to her replaced with waiting for his bride.
And there she was. Nate suddenly couldn’t hear anything else, couldn’t see anything else except the woman standing at the back of the church. Chloe walked first with Rose, the little girl giggling as she threw tiny pink rose petals, Hope followed and then Faith’s friend Cara, but he only managed a quick smile to her bridesmaids. Today was all about Faith, and damn, was she incredible. Her smile took his breath away, emotion catching in his throat as she slowly made her way to him. Her father was seated in the church, she’d invited him, but she hadn’t wanted him to walk her down the aisle, and Sam ran forward. He crossed past Nate, did what they hadn’t planned but what sure as hell seemed right, and took Faith’s arm so she didn’t have to walk alone.
When they finally reached him, Nate was brushing away a tear from his cheek and clearing his throat, holding out both hands to Faith. She was dressed in a simple gown; it hugged her body, white and covered in tiny beads that caught the light, her shoulders bare in the strapless dress. She wore no veil, just a white flower in her long dark hair that was out and tumbling down over one shoulder.
“You look incredible,” he whispered, unable to stop grinning like an idiot. “Faith, you are so beautiful.”
Her smile was wide as she stared up at him, eyes filled with tears that mirrored his own.
“You scrubbed up pretty well yourself, Mr. King.”
Sam cleared his throat then, getting their attention. The music was still playing, which meant no one else heard the low words leveled at Nate.
“Don’t you ever hurt her, Nate. You keep your promise,” Sam cautioned. “You love her and look after her until your dying breath, you hear me?”
Nate held out his hand to shake Sam’s. “I promise you, Sam. On my mother’s grave, I promise that I won’t so much as harm a hair on her head.”
