Page 143 of Pucking Matt
Amber’s eyes sparkle when they meet mine. This woman knows she has my full attention. All the pranks, the sass, the games. I have been heavily invested from the beginning. My mind is consumed by everything Amber Hughes.
She challenges me with that look I've come to know so well. I smirk, not even trying to pretend that I know what point my mom and James are at in their ceremony. I only have eyes for her, and my attention span for anything else right now is nonexistent. The silent communication, this tension between us, is beyond anything I've ever felt in my entire life. It scares the hell out of me but curiosity will always win.
The officiant's voice cuts through my Amber-induced haze. “Do you, Matthew, take Amber to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
Wait, what?
I blink, reality crashing back in. It's not our wedding. It's my mom's. And Amber and I... we're not even dating.
Not officially.
And that's exactly why I panicked when I saw her with the martini glass. I thought my chance was blown. I’m officializing this as soon as possible.
“I do,” my mom's voice rings out, full of emotion.
As James starts his vows, my eyes are drawn back to Amber. She's watching them now, a soft expression on her face. There's something wistful in her eyes, and I find myself hoping, praying even, that she's thinking about me.
The ceremony wraps up, and Amber and I are called forward to sign as witnesses. As we stand side by side, pens in hand, I'm hyper-aware of her presence. The scent of her perfume, the way her arm brushes against mine as she leans down to sign.
When it's my turn to sign, I hesitate for just a moment. Signing my name next to Amber's on this official document, it feels significant. Like this official document will forever be a witness that she and I have existed together side by side.
“Congratulations,” Amber calls out, hugging my mom.
My mom hugs her back, thanking her. It doesn’t feel awkward watching it, and I’m relieved.
Then my mom pulls me into a hug. It’s a tight one. She whispers, “Thank you for always being my number one, Matthew. You've always been my rock. I love you more than you know.” My mom grabs my head, glancing at my cheek. “It looks better than just a few hours ago.”
“Yeah. I’m glad I don’t have to go to the ER.”
She smiles, touching my other cheek.
Behind her, James is watching us. “Congratulations,” I say, shaking his hand. “Take good care of my mom.”
My mom smiles at that, grabbing her husband's hand. “We leave first thing in the morning, so enjoy your stay. We will need to plan a dinner soon. The four of us.”
I glance at Amber and smile. “Sounds like a plan. Are you two heading out to take pictures?”
My mom nods. “Actually…where is the photographer?”
“Hi,” the photographer says from behind me. “Can you take a few pictures of my son and his girlfriend?”
The photographer nods and walks us closer to the shore while my mom and James chat.
I pull Amber into my arms and say to the photographer. “Can we do action shots?”
“Yeah, let’s do it,” she says.
I turn to Amber. “Take off your shoes.”
“What?” Amber asks with a smile.
“Take it off.”
She kicks them off as I take her hand and run. The photographer is already looking through her camera. We run away from her and then she instructs us to run to the left, so we sprint back and forth. It’s exhilarating to have Amber in my hand so carefree like this, even if it’s just for a picture, I feel like we’re two kids in love. She laughs, and so do I. Nothing else matters right now, and I’m thankful that Amber has that effect on me.
Her long legs are to die for. Then I grab her and lower her into a dip. She’s holding onto me with a huge smile on her face. Here goes nothing. Her hair falls behind her as I say, “Will you be my girlfriend, Amber Hughes? I should have asked you before, but I––”
“What?” she asks, her smile brightening as the orange hues of the sunset glow on her face.
