Page 32 of The Work Wife

“It’s almost eleven. If we miss our appointment we’ll have to wait until next Tuesday,” Jamie called from the entrance.

“Please support us in this decision,” Wes asked his brother. “I know it’s quick, but it’s important to me that you’re here.”

“I support you. Let’s go inside. I would hate for you to have to get married on a Tuesday. And at least I get to be the best man.”

“Actually—” Wes stopped him at the door. Jamie was waiting by the door to make her official debut. “Before you perform the duties of best man, would you mind walking Jamie down the aisle first? Her dad isn’t here.”

Benji looked between them before letting out a long breath and nodding. “Yeah. I’ll walk her in. Go ahead. We’ll meet you in a minute.”

“Thank you.” Wes winked at Jamie and then patted Benji on the shoulder, feeling practically giddy with happiness. “Don’t run off with my girl,” he joked before turning to go into the room.

* * * *

If Jamie had any doubts about marrying Weston Archer, they would have been obliterated at the moment he asked his brother to walk her down the aisle so she wouldn’t have to do it alone.

It was a rare and beautiful thing to have a person care so much.

Benji turned to her when they were alone in the corridor. “You’re sure about this?” he asked her as the music started up. “I mean, you could have had this.” He gestured at himself, making her laugh. “I’m younger and richer.”

She shook her head at his joke. “Thanks, but I’m set on the elderly brother who’s waiting for us.”

“Don’t hurt him, okay?”

The smile fell from her face at the abrupt change. “I promise I would never do anything to hurt your brother.” Except badger him into marrying her.

“You can’t promise that, now can you? People hurt other people all the time without intending to.”

“I guess that’s true. Then I’ll say I care about your brother. And I won’t hurt him any worse than his family already has.” She wasn’t really sure what the deal was with Wes and his family. She just knew that Benji was the only family member he actually liked and spoke of. She knew his parents had been cold.

“Touché.” With that he held out his arm formally and she took it.

She felt silly walking down the tiny aisle to the front of the room with only one person in attendance. It felt similar to putting on a concert in front of a mirror with her hairbrush. Still, she made it to the front, and Benji moved from her side after a quick kiss on the cheek, to stand behind his brother.

The justice of the peace went through the preliminaries. At the offer to interrupt the proceedings by a just cause—no one spoke. Wes squeezed her hands and smiled.

They went through the promises to love, honor, and cherish one another. It didn’t feel like a lie when she said, “I do.” She did love Wes.

Maybe not in the way most brides and grooms loved one another, but she thought what they had might be deeper than just the romantic kind of affection.

Honoring him wouldn’t be that big of a deal. They both treated one another with the utmost respect, and she cherished him and his friendship above anyone else’s.

They exchanged rings. She’d picked his up the day before at the department store. He seemed surprised when she dropped the circle in the JP’s hand with the one he’d gotten her.

After slipping them into place and being announced as husband and wife, the official in the black robe smiled and said, “You may kiss your bride.”

This was it. They were going to have to kiss. She felt his body go tense next to hers, and the pressure as he squeezed her fingers. She felt the gust of breath when he sighed, and using their locked hands, he tugged her closer as he stepped into her.

In one fluid quick motion, he bent down and pressed his lips to hers. She’d braced herself to play it right. Wincing and squeezing her eyes shut in disgust wouldn’t make their undying love seem believable. She managed to stay still for the three seconds before he pulled away and cleared his throat.

They’d done it.

Benji patted Wes on the back and a teary-eyed Cindy hurried up to hug them both.

“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Archer. May you have a long and happy life together,” the official said with a solemn nod.

“Let’s move into the other room, where we’ll have some cake,” Cindy ordered.

“Come on, wife. There’s cake.”