Page 80 of Eternal

Will you marry me?

I stare at the page.Oh shit. Did he accidentally pick up the wrong book? Was this meant for someone else’s proposal?I glance up at him as he stares at me with a pensive look.

“Soren, I think you ruined someone’s proposal.” I shut the book and push it back towards him.

His fingers come back to push it back toward me. “No, I’m pretty sure it’s for you.” His brows are drawn together in worry.

I let out a giggle. “We are married for real. We were married in front of the pastor, vows and rings were exchanged. Did you already forget, old man?”

Soren rolls his eyes at me. “No. We got married because we had to. I want to marry you again because I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

I freeze. “Oh.”

I never thought we’d be here nearly a year later. In the beginning, Soren made it perfectly clear he was not interested in a romantic relationship, yet here we are. He’s asking me to marry him in the most romantic way possible. My heart swells with the love I have for this man. Something I never thought I’d be capable of.

“We don’t have to do it. It–it was dumb anyway.” He reaches to pull the book back when my hand snatches it away from him.

I pull the book up to my face and write the wordyesin it, signing, dating, and putting the location down. I sneak a grin, close the book, and slide it back to him. He watches me cautiously before grabbing the book to read my answer. His ice-blue eyes flicker to me, and he reaches over the table to wrap me in his arms.

“You’d marry me again?” He asks, his voice shaky.

“Soren, I’d marry you every day for eternity. You are the love of my life, and I can’t picture being with anyone else but you,” I whisper, holding him tightly.

Here we are two weeks later, at a cabin somewhere in the Midwest on a lake with a breathtaking view.

A knock raps on the door, “Can I come in?”

Abe pokes his head into the room, taking in Serena first then turning his attention to me. His hazel eyes sparkle as he examines me in my wedding dress.

My dress is a simple white silk dress with 3/4 sleeves, scoop neck, and an A-line cut. Simple yet elegant.

“You look beautiful, Freya,” Abe murmurs and draws me into a hug.

He pulls away from me after a moment when Serena pipes up. “How was Soren doing?”

Abe lets out a shaky sigh, “The motherfucker is nervous as hell. He’s ready when you are, Freya. Serena and I will be waiting downstairs.”

Tears well up in my eyes as I recall the last year of our lives. It’s been hard at the least to say. The fights, make-up sex, the hurt, tender kisses, dates, vacations, and immense love all hit me at once. And I can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the amount of love that I have for Soren. It almost physically hurts to let it all hit me at once.

“The bride is not allowed to cry. Don’t want your makeup getting ruined,” Serena murmurs, handing me a tissue.

I dab at my eyes, not allowing the tears to flow down.

“Okay, we gotta go,” Abe whispers, pulling me in for another hug and pressing a kiss to the top of my head. Serena follows suit, and they both leave me alone to my thoughts.

I take another breath and start my descent down the stairs. The aisle isn’t long since it’s just the four of us. Serena sits by herself, clutching her hands as the anticipation comes to its peak. Storm lies on the floor at Serena’s feet, not caring about any of what is happening.

Soren is standing in front of a large stone fireplace with a fire raging as bright as our love.How symbolic.Our eyes meet, and everyone else falls away. It’s only him and I.Just like the first time we did this.I walk toward him, all my nerves fading as I get closer to him. He’s my beacon of light in all the darkness. I’m like a moth drawn to the flame. When I get to the end of the aisle, Soren takes a step closer, holding his arm out for me to grab, and I do. Together we walk the rest of the way to Abe, who stands with a huge grin. He’s holding onto a piece of paper and begins to speak.

Frankly, I don’t hear everything he says. I don’t hear the sweet words he speaks because Soren’s eyes are telling our love story. It's a beautiful love story of two people who lived in darkness and loneliness and somehow managed to find each other. They lifted each other out of the darkness and into the light, where they remained.

Soren starts to speak when I realize it’s time to exchange our vows.

“I, Soren Phillip Astor, promise to love and cherish you for the rest of our lives. I promise to protect you no matter the cost, guide you through hard times, and pick up the pieces when you are no longer whole. I promise to provide the best life you can live, no matter the consequences. I can’t wait for the continuation of our eternal love. I love you, Freya Alice Spencer. With everything I am.”

“I, Freya Alice Spencer, promise to love you. I promise to be patient, understanding, and kind. I promise to explore, laugh, and smile through our adventures. I promise to accept you for your faults and perfections. I promise to believe in you, always, to believe in the person you will grow to be, and believe in the couple we will be. And I promise to love all of you, including your darkest parts. I love you, Soren Phillip Astor.”

I choke through my vows; all the love pours out of me and into those words. Soren looks moved, soaking it all in.

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