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Her brow furrowed, she reached inside the torn edge then pulled out the sheets of paper. “Is this…? Oh my gosh. This is our actual marriage certificate.”
“There’s paperwork about it, too. Where it was filed, the validity…all the stuff I had looked into.”
She shuffled to glance at the other sheets.
“I’ll need these to change my name, I suppose,” she said.
“Probably. I was wondering if you would.”
“I’ve always wanted to be a Pendleton. Not a Donovan-Pendleton, hyphenating like some of my cousins. Just Bristol Pendleton. That’s probably pretty old-school of me, isn’t it?”
“It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.” I pulled her toward me, onto my lap. “YouareBristol Pendleton. You have been for longer than that paper made it so. You’ve always been mine.”
I reached into my pocket with my left hand then held her rings pinched in my thumb and forefinger, held between us, my own shiny ring already on my finger.
“Is it cheesy to do this on Valentine’s Day?” I asked. “I actually had this big thing in mind, but I can’t wait anymore—”
“It’s perfect,” she breathed, interrupting me. Tears glistened in her eyes. “It’s completely perfect.
“I know I asked the other night, but it was in the heat of passion while we were naked. Will you marry me? Again,” I asked. “Will you marry me again?”
She held out her fingers, so I could slide on the solitaire and diamond-encrusted band. “Yes. A hundred times yes.”
I brushed my lips over hers, mindful that we were parked in public where anyone could walk past. I doubted any media would be lurking around to snap us, but who knew?
“Can we do a renewal ceremony and reception this summer?” I asked.
“If you want to. I’m just glad we’re married.”
“I want to have something in front of everyone. Our families deserve it. You deserve it.”
She snuggled into me. “I love you, Axel. Talking about the future with you makes my heart happy.”
“I love you, too. You’re everything to me. So…while we’re talking about our future, our immediate plans are dinner tonight. I made reservations atBarke’s Grille.”
“Really? I’m surprised you got in on Valentine’s Day. It’s one of the nicest restaurants in town. Everyone wants to go there tonight.”
I winked at her. “I would have bribed him, if I had to, but I’m pretty sure he’s got a space for family and old friends. He’s rooting for Brixel to make it this time. I mean… We might end up in a corner of the kitchen, but we’ll have a table.”
“I don’t care. We could do fast food on a blanket in the living room, and it would be okay with me.”
“Now you tell me,” I groaned, playfully. Shifting her onto the seat beside me and handing her the food I brought, I pulled out my phone.
She opened her container.
“Oh, I love the veggie melt fromNan’s!What are you doing?” she asked, nodding toward the phone in my hand.
“Canceling the string quartet for tonight.”
“Goofball.” She bumped my shoulder with hers, then leaned closer and lifted her face. “How ‘bout you kiss me instead?”
“Right here where everyone on Main street can see us?” I teased.
“What better place? You’re my husband, and I want everyone to know.”
Clicking shut her takeout box, I carefully set it aside again then cupped her cheek. My lips pressed to hers, and it was a long time before either of us thought about food.
Thirty
