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“I love you,” Kyle grinned at Reyna. “Two seconds…”
She laughed, realizing how close the two friends were – and saw Kyle run down the aisle as Austin leapt up, climbing bodily over a few chairs, Chase, Justin, and Andy… only to hug each other in the aisle.
“Bros with the hose…” Austin clapped him on the back, grinning happily.
“Bros with the hose - always…” Kyle laughed, hugging him again. “Love ya, man.”
“Love ya, too… now get up there, because your girl is seriously hot!” Austin hissed loudly, winking at Reyna. “Like legit on fire, you know? I mean, wow… that dress looks like what we nearly had to fish you out of.”
“She’s mine – and I’m going,” Kyle said proudly – and raced back to Reyna’s side as she laughed.
This was about the strangest, yet most wonderful wedding she could have wished for. Relaxed, full of laughter and love, and shared with the people they cared about most.
“Sorry – it’s a guy thing.”
“Don’t be,” she smiled at him openly as they took their places.
Kyle cleared his throat, tried to look serious, and then chuckled again.
“Where was I?”
“Slab of meat,” Chief Carpenter called out, cupping his hand beside his mouth and yelling from his seat, causing several people to laugh all over again as Kyle grinned at Reyna.
“Oh yeah…” Kyle began again, his eyes dancing. “I can’t think of a stranger way to meet your soulmate – or marry her – and I wouldn’t change a moment we’ve shared since I’ve met you. The phone call in the middle of the night, sitting on the floor together fishing for vent-kittens, or having you give me a sponge bath that Austin hasn’t quit whining about yet…”
“I had smoke inhalation too, you know…”
“Oh goodness,” Justin muttered aloud, before shaking his head and laughing quietly beside Chase – who thumped Austin on the ear.
“Ow! Ya big doofus, that hurts.”
“Would you hush so our brother can marry the girl of his dreams?”
“You’re talking too…”
“No one talks as much as you, Austin!”
“No one talks as much as you, Austin,” he mocked, making a face in a whispered high-pitched voice, rolling his eyes… only to see several people had turned to look at the firefighters that were sitting together.
“I’m done,” Austin volunteered. “Kyle, would you hurry up with your vows?”
“Working on it, brother…” Kyle grinned, turning to Reyna again.
“I ‘yam’madly in love with you and have been from the moment you yelled at me about the blue paint on the walls. I love that wild sparkle in your eyes, how you need a few minutes to focus on fixing things, and most of all? I love that you turn to me, and we talk through it together. You are my rock, my inspiration, and I can’t wait to see what the next fifty years looks like, making you smile.”
The pastor smiled indulgently at Kyle, before turning to Reyna.
“I never told you that I was heading to a meeting that morning, already running late, and took one look at you up there on the podium… and you were mine,” Reyna whispered. “I saw you and couldn’t help myself.”
Kyle swallowed, his eyes full of emotion as everything just poured out of her like a dam had burst forth, needing to share everything so he knew the depth of what had grown between them.
“I’ve never been so happy or laughed so much as when I’m with you,” she whispered, staring at him and feeling her eyes water as tears threatened. “I love our moments together, whether we are cleaning the café, replacing a toilet, or I’m trying to unman you as we climb up the fire escape…”
Kyle immediately burst out laughing, his face flushing bright red along his cheekbones at the memory.
“You are my hero in every way,” she breathed, not holding back as the first tear cascaded down her cheek, unable to look away from the love in his eyes. “You save me in so many ways – both big and small. You rush in with little hesitation, fight my imaginary monsters, and soothe my nerves when sometimes those monsters are more real than I ever realized. I love how you stepped into an unknown role with all the care and consideration that a true knight in shining armor would have… Joe,” she sniffed tearfully, remembering that moment, and saw Kyle’s own eyes were shining brightly with emotion.
“She knows his name isn’t Joe, right?” Andy whispered loudly, leaning across Chase to look at Justin.
