“Are you all right?” he asks quietly.
I nod, even though my heart feels like it might beat its way right out of my chest.
He leans closer. “Your cheeks are flushed. I’m curious as to what you’re thinking about.”
“Nothing,” I say quickly. “It’s cold out.”
One dark brow lifts as he continues to stare. It feels like he can see straight through the lie.
“Are you sure it doesn’t have anything to do with this morning?”
Heat floods my face, and the second I bite my bottom lip, his gaze dips to it.
I get the feeling he’s remembering too, replaying it in his head the same way I am.
His mouth curves, the smallest hint of a smirk tugging at his lips as he leans in close enough for his breath to feather against my ear. “I’ve been thinking about it too,” he murmurs. “And I promise… there’ll be a lot more of that, if you enjoy it so much.”
My breath catches as my body reacts instantly.
And the worst part?
He knows it.
A few steps later, we reach the courtroom. Laiken opens the door and I step inside. Oliver and Rina are already there waiting for us. My brother looks handsome in a navy suit without a tie, his hair slightly damp, as if he rushed to get here on time. Rina glows beside him in a green wrap dress, her eyes bright with excitement.
A fresh wave of tension crashes over me as I meet Oliver’s gaze.
“Hey, kid,” he says. “You look stunning.”
Tears prick my eyes as I cross the room and throw my arms around him. “Thank you for being here.”
He squeezes me tight. “Like I’d miss your wedding day. What kind of brother would that make me?”
I pull back just enough to meet his gaze. “You’ve always been there when I needed you, and I don’t say it enough, but… thank you.”
He flashes a quick grin. “We’re Van Dorens. Showing up for one another is what we do.”
The familiar saying has everything loosening inside me.
“Lennox?” the clerk calls out.
Laiken steps forward. “Yup. We’re here.”
The woman barely looks up as she motions us closer. I can’t help but imagine how many other couples have stood right where we are.
Did their marriages last?
Or were they impetuous decisions?
Ones they ended up regretting?
I shove that thought away and refocus my attention on Elody as she climbs onto a chair next to Rina and whispers loudly, “That’s my daddy and new mommy.”
Every time she says it, my heart clenches. I never imagined a time when my life would feel so full or so right. Especially when, not that long ago, everything was falling apart.
Laiken’s hand tightens around mine, steadying me as emotion surges through my body. I blink hard, forcing myself to stay present and feel the moment instead of allowing it to pass by in a blur.
As expected, the vows are simple and short. They’re words about partnership and commitment spoken plainly, without ceremony or flourish.
