Page 33 of One Summer Weekend
She was so beautiful. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and the white sundress showed off her tanned shoulders. She was carrying a bouquet of wildflowers, dominated by daisies that matched his, and he felt a swell of pride that they were making her childhood wedding dreams come true.
When she looked out over the yard, though, she faltered. Noah watched her hesitate and then stop walking. Zoe paused, and then there was an intense exchange between them that seemed to consist of Zoe talking and Carly shaking her head.
Her gaze finally stopped bouncing around the crowd and landed on him. She stilled and when he smiled, she smiled back and took a step forward. The music started and Zoe, after double-checking that Carly was going to follow, started walking down the aisle.
Carly didn’t move right away and for a few seconds, they just looked at each other over the heads of all their loved ones and friends. Then she gave him the same grin she’d always given him when he suggested some crazy adventure they could go on together.
Hell yeah, let’s do it.
His bride walked down the aisle, pausing at the beginning of the dock to hand her bouquet to Zoe, who took her place across from Noah’s dad. Then Carly walked alone across the wooden planks and he chuckled when he saw her lips moving.
Don’t trip. Don’t trip.
She didn’t trip, but Noah didn’t fully exhale until he was able to take her hands in his. The Justice of the Peace started talking and Noah looked into Carly’s eyes as they got to the good part.
I, Noah, take you, Carly, to be my wife. I promise to love and cherish you, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.
Her eyes filled up with tears and she squeezed his hands. “Best friends forever.”
Noah kissed her. The JP clearing his throat and the ripple of laughter from the crowd told him it wasn’t time yet, but he didn’t care. He needed to kiss her right that second, and judging from the way her hands curled around his neck, she didn’t mind.
“We still need to do the rings,” he heard the Justice of the Peace say in a low voice, so he reluctantly let her go.
He behaved himself for the rest of the ceremony. He slid the ring on her finger and repeated the words he was told to repeat. And he managed not to laugh out loud at the word Carly muttered under her breath as she struggled to push his wedding band over his knuckle.
Finally, he heard the words he’d been waiting for. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride...again.”
This time he lifted her off her feet and kissed her long and hard to the applause of their friends and family. She laughed against his mouth and threw her arms around his neck.
When he broke off the kiss, he didn’t set her down right away, though. He wasn’t quite ready for this moment to end yet. Instead he hugged her and put his mouth close to her ear.
“I love you so much, Carly. Best friends forever.”
