Page 119 of Jetmir

“My angel.” I felt my heart surrender all over again.

Papa stood there, lingering for a moment, almost as if he didn’t want to let go and it was somewhat symbolic. My past. My present. My future.

Papa looked at Jetmir. “She’s my greatest blessing.”

Jetmir swallowed hard. “She’ll be mine too. I can promise you that.”

Papa kissed my forehead before stepping away.

I watched him return to Mama’s side, and saw him reach for her hand. She smiled at him exactly the way she always had. She leaned over and kissed him, patting his hand gently. They didn’t need any words.

Life—both good and bad—had happened to them.

And somehow they still looked at each other with as much love as the day they were married. I silently prayed that after forty years together, Jetmir and I would still reach for each other’s hands without thinking, just like them.

The officiant spoke, but his words seemed to drift around us. The only voice I truly heard was the quiet one inside my own heart.

This is what heartbreak prepared you for. This is what a happily-ever-after is.

When it was time for our vows, Jetmir looked at me and said in a trembling voice, “Thank you for loving me. For giving me another chance. You and me, my angel. Forever.” His fingers tightened around mine. “I love you.”

A tear slipped down my cheek and onto our joined hands.

“I love you too, Thorne. I promise I’ll choose you for the remainder of our lives. Every minute, every hour, every day. You and me. Until my last breath.”

I could barely breathe when the ceremony was over. Fresh tears blurred my vision.

He lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles, then slipped my wedding band onto my finger.

“So this is forever,” he whispered.

I smiled.

“No.” I gently touched his cheek. “This is just the beginning of our forever.”

A cheer erupted and we turned to our family and friends. Mama buried her face against Papa’s shoulder, overcome with emotion. My brother locked eyes with me from across the room and winked. His little secret sign that if my husband ever made me cry, he’d murder him. There was a lot of that going on, but I wasn’t worried.

“You may kiss the bride.”

I lifted on my toes and reached for his lips.

Just as our mouths met, the roaring thunder rumbled through the sky and the first raindrop hit. Then another. And another. Soon, we were drenched while our guests and priest rushed to find shelter inside.

He cupped my cheeks and we kissed, deep and passionate and wet, but lost in our own world where nothing and nobody mattered.

It was just the two of us, beneath the thundering sky, as he held me close and I clung to him. This man was my rock amidst the waves, and as long as we were together, we would weather any storm.

BONUS

LOVE AT FIRST… SWING

Jetmir

I tended to stir trouble or punish those who dare touch—or look—at any member of my family. Gabriel Santos had been eyeing Amara, my adoptive baby sister for years now and I decided to put an end to it because I knew there was one weakness the entire Santos family had.

The baby of the family: Anya Santos.

It was why I found myself in Connecticut on St. Jean D’Arc’s campus. I was going to teach Gabriel how it felt to have someone gawk at your sister.