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The courtyard is an explosion of plants, ivy, and floral arrangements. The Chippendale chairs are in tidy rows on either side of the petal strewn aisle, filled with all our friends and family. Everyone has turned and is watching me with big smiles, Luna reaching the end of the aisle and taking her place as my maid of honor.
Nathan and Michael are waiting at the end of that aisle, standing tall and straight, side by side. Crew is next to them.
Happily ever after.
That’s it right there. Those three men. All I’ll ever want or need. It’s all mine.
My nerves and my stomach quiet in that pause, that hushed moment of anticipation, as I take it all in, wanting to commit it to memory as I clutch my gorgeous bouquet of hellebore, garden roses, and dahlias in varying shades of white and ivory. The music swells, and Blake tilts his head, encouraging me to go in. Jack gives a flourish with his arm and it makes me laugh softly.
My steps are steady and sure as I walk down the aisle, at first glancing around at our guests, awed and overjoyed at the display of emotions on various faces. Val is dabbing her eyes with a tissue, clasping Stanford’s hand, who has a nurse on his opposite side. The Racketeers players, including Luna’s boyfriend, are all sitting together with their coaches, a mass of muscle and grins. Michael’s whole family is smiling, Lorraine giving me an encouraging nod. The McNeills are there, next to my parents, who look a little shell-shocked. My mother is crying and my father is stoically staring at me.
Our bookstore employees are all sitting together with Owen’s son Brady and his girlfriend Lydia. Elise gives me a look of appreciation and mouths, "so hot," to me, which makes me giggle.
Then I only have eyes for my guys.
When I reach the last few feet of the aisle, our gazes meet and my heart is so happy I blink away the tears that suddenly appear.
Nathan also has tears in his eyes that he makes no move to hide or wipe away. His nostrils are flaring, his jaw set.
Michael is grinning from ear-to-ear, shaking his head a little like he can’t believe his good fortune.
They both look devastatingly handsome. They always do, but somehow looking at them now, knowing that in a few minutes they will be my husbands, makes everything from the shape of Nathan’s mouth to the crinkles by Michael’s eyes even more attractive and more dear. It’s all mine. Every inch of their bodies and souls are mine. Forever. And this formal, beautiful ceremony announcing that to everyone who matters to us, makes it so big and real and amazing. The surge of possessiveness and love I feel makes me feel a little dizzy.
Crew is off to the side a little, hands clasped in front of him, shoulders squared back. The way my heart fills looking at him makes the stinging in my eyes and the surge of love and possessiveness even stronger.
He’s mine too. We don’t need a ceremony to know it.
But God, in this moment, I so wish he was standing up here with us, making this promise too.
I swallow hard and hand my bouquet to Luna, then reach out. Nathan takes one hand and Michael takes the other, both of them giving me a squeeze. We move into the center to face the officiant.
"We are gathered here today…"
The officiant is one of Michael’s cousins, Isaac, and as he talks, I see his mouth moving, but I barely hear the words. My focus is on the two hands holding mine. I glance over at Nathan and he gives me a look with such intensity that I feel my cheeks flush, and I squeeze his hand tightly. Then when I glance over at Michael, he raises his eyebrows up and down in a move that is so uncharacteristic I grin at him. He’s shifting on the balls of his feet like he has too much energy to stay still.
I force myself to tune into the officiant.
"We have this wonderful opportunity today to show love in one of its many forms," Isaac says. "The writer Aberjhani said that, ‘This fire that we call Loving is too strong for human minds. But just right for human souls.’ Love can’t be comprehended with logic, it can’t be explained, and we can’t force it to fit the expectations of others or society. We must let it live where it sparked, in the sanctity of our hearts, fanning it with devotion, commitment, and reverence. It takes mindful attendance to keep a flame burning bright and Danielle, Michael, and Nathan, as you stand here today before your family and friends, you're making a promise to each other to always tend to your fire, to love with dedication and an open heart and mind."
Everything he’s saying resonates deeply with me.
I plan to love my guys with dedication and an open heart for the rest of my life.
Michael lifts my hand to his lips and presses a kiss on my knuckles.
Nathan clears his throat. When I look over at him, there is a single tear running down his cheek. I lean over and kiss his cheek next to the tear. He meets my gaze and smiles.
I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.
Only one thing could make today better.
Crew marrying me too.
CHAPTER 3
Crew
How the fuck is a guy supposed to feel when he’s watching his girlfriend get married to his two best friends?
