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“Rightfully so. He was mine first.”
I stick my tongue out at him, and he chuckles before leaving the room.
As I hear the music start to play downstairs, I know that it’s time. My dad, Mali, and I walk over to the stop of the stairs. In a few minutes, I will be Mrs. Laiken Wilder. Andoh my God, that just hit me.
Mali goes down one step and then turns around. “You’re sure about this? Because we can go out the backdoor—be in Bora Bora by noon tomorrow. No one will find us.”
I smile at the offer as my dad tilts his head toward me. “I hear it’s beautiful there this time of year.”
“You are both impossible,” I say with a sigh and then I nod at Mali. “I’m sure. Go.”
“All right,” she says skeptically. “Let’s go get you a ball and chain.”
I watch as she carefully walks down the stairs and turns, winking at me before she steps out of view. Holding onto my dad’s arm, I take a deep breath as we head down together. All I can do is focus on not tumbling all the way down the stairs, but once we reach the bottom and turn toward the living room, I look up and my gaze locks with Hayes’s.
Any nerves I had dissipate immediately. Just like that, nothing else matters. I love him and I want to spend the rest of my life with him. People can think I’m crazy, or assume I must be knocked up. I don’t care. Because if they had what we do, they’d make the same exact decision.
He stares back at me with the biggest smile plastered across his face and tears in his eyes, and I don’t stand a chance at holding back now. My lips purse as I try not to cry. He drops his head as he laughs and wipes away a stray tear.
What feels like ages later, we finally get up to him. He steps forward and shakes my dad’s hand.
“If you ever do her wrong, Iwillkill you,” my dad tells him.
Hayes looks at me with nothing but admiration in his eyes, but his words are meant for my dad. “If that ever happens, I’ll let you.”
He seems to like that answer, because he kisses my cheek and passes me to Hayes—officially giving me away. Leaning forward, Hayes brings his lips to my ear.
“You are breathtaking.”
Butterflies erupt in my stomach, and I hand Mali my bouquet as I step in front of the pastor who has watched Cam and me grow up. Mali stands behind me while Cam stands behind Hayes. The rest of the room is filled with my parents, Hayes’s mom, and Devin.
It may not be a traditional wedding, being in the middle of our living room, but it’s ours. And all the flowers and decorations that our moms put around the room, it goes to show how supported we are. Most of the people we know might think we’re crazy, but the ones who matter are right here—watching us promise the rest of our lives to each other.
Pastor Todd starts talking, giving the pre-vow speech about why we’re all gathered here today—as if people may have thought it was something else. But most of what he says fades into the distance as I get lost in Hayes’s eyes. The man standing in front of me is everything I have ever wanted and more. I couldn’t have dreamed him up if I tried. And all of the things we went through that brought us here, they showed us what’s really important. For that, I’m thankful.
I’m thankful forhim.
“The couple has prepared their own vows that they will read now,” the pastor announces. “Hayes, if you’d like to go first?”
He smiles as he nods, pulling a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. “Laiken. I don’t know how I’m supposed to put how I feel for you into words, but you wanted us to write our own vows, so I’m going to try.”
Pausing to look at me, he swallows, crumpling the paper and tossing it to the side.
“Yeah, nothing on that would do you any justice. Therearen’tany words for how much I love you, becausemy God, it makes me dizzy. You are the reason I get up in the morning. The first person I want to go to when I’m having a bad day, and when I’m having a good one. We may not have started like any other couple, but I think that only makes us stronger. You were the biggest risk I’ve ever taken, and you were thebestrisk I’ve ever taken.
“There’s no one else who loves the way you do—so unforgivingly and without anything holding you back. And to know that I get to sit in your light and admire you for the rest of my life is all I could ever ask for. So, this is me promising to love you, to be there for you, and to support you with everything I have until the world explodes, and probably even then. Thank you, not only for loving me, but for never giving up on me.”
My heart feels like a puddle of mush, barely beating because he took it—stole it straight from my chest. Tears are flowing down my cheeks as I silently mouthI love youto him. But the only sound we hear is the sniffling behind me. Hayes leans to the side and gives Mali a look.
“Really, Mal?” he asks.
She huffs out a wet laugh. “Shut up. My best friend is getting married and she didn’t even give me a heads-up so I could get this out of my system.”
Everyone chuckles, and I take my attention off Hayes for a moment to hug my best friend. In hindsight, I should’ve told her, especially now that I know she wasn’t going to try talking me out of it. But the last few days have been such a whirlwind in the best possible way. And besides, her reaction was fantastic.
“He’s stealing you from me,” she whispers loudly.
I giggle and pat her head. “No one can ever steal me from you.”
