They’re assholes, and if I was in my office, I’d give them hell. But we’re at my vow renewal, and now is not the time or the place.
Eleanor starts walking toward me, and fuck, she’s so beautiful I can’t take my eyes off her. Her beige dress is simple and elegant. It hugs her body perfectly and reminds me exactly why I’m so obsessed with her.
She’s clutching a bouquet of wildflowers, and there are a few chuckles as she walks quickly down the aisle and stops next to me.
I take her hand and hold her to me. “You in a hurry?”
She doesn’t hesitate. “I love that you wanted to do this, but I don’t need it, Bobby. I know how you feel about me.”
“I’m doing this for you, for us, and for our family. There is nothing fractured about our family, Ellie. I want the whole world to know that we are as committed to each other as we’ve ever been. I want people to know that nothing will ever tear us apart.”
She goes to her tiptoes and kisses me softly. “Okay.”
The ceremony is small. We only invited family and people that we trust.
But none of that would matter. I would renew our vows with just the two of us in the room because more than anything, it’s Ellie that I want to impress.
The officiant starts talking, and I know I should be paying attention, but all I can do is stare at my beautiful wife and think about what I want to do with her when we’re done here. I still can’t get over the fact that she came home to me, and there won’t be a second that I don’t savor with her by my side.
Eleanor squeezes my hand gently, and I realize that everyone is staring at me waiting for my vows.
Shit.
There’s a laugh, but I ignore it.
I clear my throat and look down at my wife. “I had a whole speech planned.”
Knox groans behind us. “Oh, God.”
The guests laugh softly, but my gaze never leaves Eleanor.
“But then I saw you walking toward me and forgot every damn word,” I admit honestly.
Her eyes immediately fill with tears.
I brush my thumb across her hands, which I’m holding. “This year has been the hardest of my life.”
She tenses, and so I start to ramble quickly. “But after today, I can say it’s also the best.”
I take a deep breath. “Thirty-five years ago, you married me, and we really didn’t know what we were getting into. We raised our boys, built a business together, and made our life.” I pull her closer. “But one of my biggest mistakes was taking it all for granted. My promise to you is that for the next thirty-five years or however many we’re blessed with, I will start and end each day with you. You are the best part of my life, Ellie, and I will love you, protect you, and have you by my side for the rest of my life.” I lean down and kiss her, breaking off the kiss way sooner than I want. “I love you, my Ellie.”
A tear slips down Eleanor’s cheek, and I wipe it away immediately. Eleanor lets out a shaky breath. “I love you too, Bobby.”
She clears her throat. “Well, now I feel bad because my vows aren’t nearly as good.”
I grin. “Impossible.”
She takes both my hands in hers. “Bobby, loving you has never been the hard part.”
That hits me square in the damn chest.
“I think somewhere along the way we forgot we were supposed to be partners,” she whispers. “But even when I left… I never stopped being yours.”
My throat works hard.
“And I never stopped loving you.” She steps closer. “You’re my home, Bobby. You always will be.”
Fuck.
