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My head bobs as quickly as the tears stream down my cheeks. I throw my arms around his neck and bury my head in his neck. “You’re all I need, Bobby. I will marry you and follow you from dive bar to dive bar for the rest of our lives because that’s what you truly love.”
“What I truly love is you.” His lips graze the skin behind my ear and my knees buckle. He catches me before I hit the carpet face-first. “I always will, Steph.”
“I’m serious, Bobby. I don’t care about all of this.” I wave my hand around. “If it’s what you want, I’m with you all the way. But if you just want to say screw it all and go back to Long Island, we can do that, too. As long as I’m with you, I will be happier than I’ve ever been.”
“I think I know something that will make you even happier.”
“You naked? Well, that’s a definite bonus, but I—"
He snickers. “Easy, killer. We have the wedding night for that.”
Wedding night? Holy crap, of course! We’re in Vegas! We can get married. Here. Now. I clap a hand over my mouth. My family will kill me if I do this. Elope. With Bobby. And without—
Wait. No. I don’t care. I want to be with this man more than anything. And if they can’t handle it, that’s their issue. Not mine.
Not right now, anyway. We’re going to do this, and they’ll just have to accept it. I manage a quivering smile at my fiancé. “I think it’s a perfect day for a walk.” I rise to my feet, my teeth chattering a bit even though it’s hotter than Hades in this hallway. I guess they save the frigid air for the gamblers downstairs.
Bobby leaps to his feet and grasps my hand, leading me around another corner. There is the possibility that my parents will disown me for this, but witnessing his excitement makes my heart swell with adoration, even in the midst of this silent panic attack. “You just made me the happiest guy on the planet, Steph.”
I swallow hard. The entrance to the chapel is decorated in florals, tulle, and tiny white lights. Classic, elegant, and sophisticated. At least Elvis won’t be officiating my marriage ceremony. So, there’s that.
I tighten my grip on his hand as he pulls open the door. A faint tune drifts out of the speakers mounted in the corners of the room. “Bobby! That’s you!”
“Do you like it? I recorded it this week, but it never aired because I had bigger plans for it.” He cups my chin, his lips grazing mine.
“It’s beautiful. I just wish that they—” My lips tremble, and the words sneak out before I can pull them back. “I mean, um…I just wish I had something different to wear.”
“You look beautiful.” He nods at the officiant. “We’re ready.”
I bite my lip and look around. “So I guess I’ll just walk by myself.” I nod and take in a huge gulp of air. “Yes, I can do that.” I’d dreamed of my wedding day for as long as I could remember, and even though it had always been Bobby waiting for me at the end of the aisle, I’d walked arm in arm with my dad in every single daydream.
Am I making the right decision?
“Babe, are you okay with this? I’m sure we can find someone to walk you down the aisle.”
I plaster a smile on my face. “Yes, of course. I’m great. I can do this on my own.”
“Yes, but do you really want to?” A familiar deep voice makes me jump…and tear up at the same time. “Because I’m not so sure I’m great with that plan.”
A hand flies up to my mouth, and I spin around. “Daddy?” I whisper.
His dark eyes shine with tears, and he holds out his arms as I rush into them. “What are you doing here?”
“Did you think I was going to marry you without flying your family out here?” Bobby folds his arms over his chest. “I mean, even though they tried to chase me out of your life, they’re still your family.”
Dad points a finger at Bobby. “Watch it. She hasn’t said ‘I do’ yet.”
A hidden door swings open and Mom and Kelly pop out, dressed to the nines and holding out flutes of champagne.
Kelly swats at my dad’s finger. “Daddy, enough. We’ve been over this a million times. It’s time to let go.” Kelly rolls her eyes and engulfs Bobby and me in a bear hug. “They love each other. This is happening.”
“Thank you,” I mouth to my sister. I turn to my parents. “Guys, I know this is hard for you to accept, but—“
“No, let me go first.” My dad steps forward and looks at his shoes for a few seconds before focusing his gaze on Bobby. “I know we haven’t made things easy for you over the years. Just understand it’s because we wanted the best for our daughter.” His eyes flicker over to me. “I know now that she has the best. Bobby, you told me Steph was your whole world.” His voice cracks. “But she was my world for so long, it was hard for me to accept that she...” A moment passes, his words trailing off. “You promised me that if Steph came back to you, you’d give her the fairy tale ending. I’m holding you to that.”
Bobby rushes at Dad, throwing his arms around him. I let out a loud giggle because the look on my father’s face is priceless. God, I wish I had a wedding photographer to capture that moment. “I will, sir. You have my word.”
Dad clears his throat and stiffens against Bobby. He claps him on the back twice and pulls away. Bobby pulls my mom in for a hug next, and not one to miss her turn, Kelly leaps at him as soon as his arms are free.
