Page 109 of Thaddeus

“Nope.”

“Oh, boy, Declan said the next man to find a woman is getting his balls cut off.”

“He said something similar when Brooks and Tatiana got together. He’s all talk.”

“Watching him fall is gonna be fun.” I smiled at the thought.

“No, baby, it’s gonna be painful. He’s gonna fight it to the bitter end. The woman who takes on that task will have my respect.”

“When he finds her, whoever she is, she’ll be perfect for him, so it will be easier than you think.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“By the way, Tatiana said she only accepts cash.”

“Of course she did.” Thad laughed and pulled me closer.

Damn, I loved his laugh.

* * *

“I promise to love you, support you, and walk by your side for the rest of my life.” I slipped Thad’s wedding band on his finger.

When I realized he hadn’t started his vows I looked up and my breath caught. His deep brown eyes were liquid. And he was staring at me with more adoration than I’d ever felt.

“I promise to love you, support you, and walk by your side for the rest of my life,” he pledged but didn’t slip my ring on. “I also promise to lift you up and make sure you always remember you are the most beautiful woman in any room. I promise to remind you how smart you are, how strong, how brave, and how I am humbled you chose me. And when God sees it fit to bless us with children, they will know they got their smarts and their beauty from their momma. I love you, Emerson, for all my days.”

He slipped on the ring he carried with him all those years and brought my hand to his lips and kissed it.

“I now pronounce you, Mr. and Mrs. Bench. You may kiss—”

Thaddeus swept me into his arms and kissed me.

It was long.

It was sweet.

It was full of tongue.

And it was the sweetest journey.

When he let me up for air, the magistrate chuckled and finished his sentence, “Your bride.”

Thaddeus turned us to face our friends. We’d decided to hold the ceremony in the flower garden behind the courthouse instead of inside one of the courtrooms. It was perfect.

The sun was shining, there were big, red and pink rose bushes all in bloom, and the people who meant the most to Thad were surrounding us.

Declan stepped forward to shake Thad’s hand, giving me a clear view on the lawn behind him.

Autumn.

She was standing off to the side, keeping her distance, but she was smiling. A huge, beautiful smile, and my heart melted.

Best day ever.

She tipped her head, gave me a wink, and walked away.

One day she’d be ready.