Page 131 of Holiday on the Rocks
Everyone left us alone as the nurse got him reattached to the machines while he laid his head back against the pillow.
I kissed his cheek. “Rest Levi. You just had surgery.”
“I’m not resting until you’re my wife.” He wore a tiny grin. “You’re so beautiful. Like thirteen out of ten.”
I fluffed my hair and rolled my eyes. “Well, I don’t know about that.”
He kissed my knuckles. “A fucking thirteen, Langley.”
Will entered the room and approached as he shoved his hands in his pockets.
Levi winked at me. “Will, you look like shit.”
He took a deep breath. “I want to apologize to you. For everything. Back then I let fear cloud decisions, and what I did was unforgiveable.”
Levi nodded. “I know you did what you did because you were scared. I get it.” He looked up at me. “Now I hope you’ll understand that me marrying your sister today is because I’m scared. I know life without her, and I don’t want it. I’m going to marry her today and never stop protecting her. All I want is to be with her until my last day.” He looked at the nurse. “That isn’t today, is it?”
She giggled. “It appears you might just be too stubborn to die.”
“That does sound like me.” His emerald green eyes returned to me. “I want to do nothing but make you happy, keep you safe, and make babies with you.”
Will groaned. “Oh jeez.”
Levi chuckled. “But Will, I think I could use a best man today, if you’re up for it.”
Shock was Will’s. “Are you serious?”
He nodded. “All the shit from the past is done. We leave it there and go forward.”
Ten minutes later my father walked me down the hall to my Mr. Perfect. I sat on the edge of the bed and Lexi took my flowers as his ginormous smile was all because of me. Well, he was on some pretty good meds too, but whatever.
“Hi.”
He took my hand in his. “Hi.”
The minister spoke and everyone melted away. He was going to make it. He was strong.
“You have your own vows you’d like to share?” I glanced up at Pastor Williams as Levi nodded.
“I Levi, take you Allison Langley to be my everything. To protect you, take care of you, and share every day with you until it’s my last. To be the person you need, and to be your home,” His eyes pierced mine. “It’s our time. It’s you and me.”
Lexi sniffled and when I glanced over she gave me a nod before I looked back to him.
“I Allison, take you Levi Dawson to be my everything. To be your person for life. To hold your hand through all the things, and be the one you turn to for strength and support. It’s you and me now.”
ONE YEAR LATER
While this was technically our second marriage to one another, Allie was insistent that we meet on the Sugar Creek Bridge on the day of our anniversary.
It’d been a crazy year. She’d talked her employer into letting her work remotely and flying in when necessary and we got her all packed up. My business partner took over the daily operations in Brazil, and I’m working on commercial projects stateside as well as a residential project, which allowed us to figure out where we wanted to settle.
After many discussions we chose to go back to where it all began. Where we could be close to her family and my father. The town that gave me a second chance.
We’ve been renting a tiny house for the time being across from the water tower in town. From our deck, if you look closely, you can still see a faint “Allie Langley” coming through the white paint. Seeing it seems to make her want to kiss me a lot which is totally cool.
Some other things have changed, too. Would you believe that Will is not only my ice fishing partner, but agreed to come on to be the financial guy for my company?
Who says hell can’t freeze over?
