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“You look breathtaking,” he whispered, kissing her tenderly. “Are you sure about this? It’s never too late to back out.”
“I would have married you four days ago, buster,” she teased. “You are the one dragging your feet.”
… And an hour later, they were both standing in front of the magistrate in Ember Creek.
They were afraid to get married in Yonder – just in case they were recognized. The worst that could happen here would be that Betsy’s fiancé might see them or ask what was going on. Firefly’s step-daughter was currently planning her wedding and was head-over-heels in love with a firefighter.
“I, Lucas Nicholas Fuller, take you, Nicolette Marie Saxon, for my wife. To have and to hold…” Luke began and hesitated, looking at her, causing a stab of anxiety to rocket through her for only a brief moment before he continued.
“I’ve known you forever, Niki,” he murmured openly, not following the script but speaking directly from his heart. “You’ve been my best friend through the years, teased me about eating my vegetables… only to help me clear my plate. You’ve been there through each of the difficulties, but it was in those clear moments that I truly saw you… and fell in love.”
He cleared his throat, and she felt tears sting her eyes as everything got blurry, realizing she was going to cry some serious tears if he started bawling.
“I saw you one day, therealyou, and noticed the happiness that you have in your soul. It shines from your eyes and everything in me suddenly wanted to be the man that put that joy there – and couldn’t. I was a friend, a nobody, yet somehow? You still found me.”
Luke looked at their hands where they were joined and let out a shaky breath.
“I never imagined what it would feel like to have every single thing my heart desires… yet here I am,” he whispered openly. “Marrying the woman of my dreams, the girl that was always there beside me, promising myself to the most incredible person in the world. I love you, Nicolette. I promise to cherish and honor you, through it all… and will forever be grateful for that Gatorade that day,” he chuckled tearfully, gazing at her.
She smiled at him tearfully, her heart bursting with love.
“I, Nicolette Marie Saxon, take you, Lucas Nicholas Fuller, for my husband, to have with lots of holding…” she teased openly, causing him to chuckle again as he actually started blushing.
“I knew we were friends, childhood playmates, but there was always something else there that I couldn’t put my finger on… until one day? I truly saw therealyou.”
She drew in a shaky breath, feeling herself overcome with emotion, realizing that she was indeed marrying the man of her dreams.
“You were there, like someone had lifted a veil from my eyes… beautiful, caring, strong, steady, and everything that I could have ever wished for. You were always my best friend, my love, my confidant, but that day? That fateful day? I saw my other half, Luke…”
A sob slipped past her as she gazed at him lovingly.
“I saw my better half, my soulmate, my partner… and desperately wanted you to see me. I know we both waited, wondered, fought this, but I’m so glad that we took the leap of faith together and never looked back. I am proud to be your wife,alwaysyour friend, forever your partner… and can’t wait to be your lover,” she choked out, laughing through the tears as he chuckled openly, blushing furiously a bright shade of red.
“I love that I can make you laugh and smile – and plan on doing so for the rest of my life.”
“Same for me,” Luke replied.
Moments later, they were kissing, sealing their bond… before signing their marriage license, and hurrying back to the truck. She’d been gone for a while and needed to get back to work – and Luke was due on the job in forty minutes.
“I’m working at Flyboys until seven tonight… can I see you later?”
“I’m counting on it.”
“I love you, Mrs. Fuller…” he smiled proudly as he pulled up in front of her office, kissing her boldly.
“I love you, husband,” Nicolette smiled, hopping out and waving at him as he sped off.
Their marriage license was in her hand, and she was putting it in the safe for good measure.
While this was all wildly crazy, felt a little rushed, it amazed her at how completely perfect and whole she felt knowing that her best friend would be her partner and husband forever.
… And theirforeverstarted today.
* * *
That evening,they secretly met up at the new apartment he’d signed the lease on yesterday. They had a slice of cake that Nicolette had bought during her lunch break at Dixie’s café. Luke brought a small bottle of bubbly… but forgot the cups.
They laughed nervously at each other, drank from the bottle, shoved bites of cake into each other’s mouths playfully, before things took a turn and everything changed…
