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Right behind them are two people I’m utterly thrilled to see. “Nicolai! Katerina! I can’t believe you made it. I’m so thrilled.”
I embrace all of them in a group hug. “Katerina, Isabella will be dying to see you. She’s upstairs.”
“You look amazing, big brother,” Christian says, giving me a huge hug. “Proud of you.”
“Everyone, come in. Just be ready to leave at any moment. We can’t see the bride.”
I can relax now that my family is here. Knowing that they were in Nicolai’s hands, I never should have worried about a thing. He’s never let me down.
“I’m so glad to see you.”
“I’m so glad we could be here,” Christian says. I can see in their eyes that they know I mean so much more than that, and so do they.
They greet my mom before I usher her off to look after Bella. Even though we’ll all be together after the honeymoon, it’ll be the longest time the two of them have spent apart in years. Besides, a woman needs her mother on her wedding day.
Wedding day.I can’t believe I’m marrying the most incredible woman in the world today.
Christian puts his arm around me, then looks at me head-on. “The King sends his congratulations to you on your wedding day. He sent this for you so that he wouldn’t be far from your heart.”
“The King is never far from my heart. Neither are you and all of Solvaria.” I bow slightly to him as he pins a medal to my uniform with the King’s seal. We say a word of prayer wishing long life over the Royal House of Vanecourt and the nation of Solvaria, along with all of the nations of the world.
I hear tunes of music from a quartet around the property. Soon, I hear the sound of a screen door and a handful of women streaming outside. I know that’s a sign to flee the area to avoid seeing my bride before the appointed hour.
“Let’s take a tour around the property, Christian and Ishmael.” I put a hand each around my brothers, and we walk toward the barn. We have several horses, and I made sure we had enough saddles and equipment for all of us to ride together.
Bella made me promise to uphold the tradition of not seeing her until I’m standing at the altar. It’s a little difficult considering we’re preparing in the same space. But for her, I’ll try to make even the impossible within reach.
The three of us ride our horses through the ranch, looking at it from all angles, averting our eyes to any billowing sheets of white. I tell them about the plans Bella and I have for every part of our land, especially now that we’ve combined the two properties.
We stop next to the barn where the reception will be, and Ishmael snags three crystal tumblers from the bar. It’s a mix of simple and decadent, which is exactly his style. He pulls a bottle of Scotch from the shelf and pours it into the glasses, making a glass for each of us.
“Few people get it all. As of today, you can consider yourself among those lucky few,” Ishmael says, lifting his glass in the air. “To the man who has it all, and to the bride who gave it to him!”
Christian and I lock eyes over our toasting glasses with expressions of pure joy.
“We’ll make a diplomat out of you yet, Ishmael,” Christian jokes. Ishmael, who’s a few years younger than us, was always one to buck tradition, making his own name for himself in business. I’m grateful the pressure isn’t as heavy on him as for me and Christian.
When it’s time for the ceremony, I line up with my brothers at an archway festooned with yellow roses, the entryway to the aisle we’ll walk down. The cellist picks up her bow and slips it across the strings.
The two horses who guaranteed our first introduction bring the rings to the altar.
It’s amazing how well Maximus behaves when tethered to Water, absorbing his calming presence. They are the picture of obedience as Christian unties the rings from their necks. Bella’s bridesmaids appear one by one and line up as my heart takes off in my chest.
As anticipated, Bella’s face rises over the hill next. Her dress billows around her legs in the breeze as she and Lily float gracefully down the center aisle. They part at the end as Lily transfers her hand to mine.
She is so beautiful, I can’t take my eyes off her. For most of the ceremony, I focus only on her, unable to look away. Her freckles skip across the creamy brown smoothness of her nose and cheeks.
Toward the end, I picture planting a gentle kiss on her exposed shoulder, watching the goosebumps rise on her neck and behind her ear as her eyelids flutter closed and her mouth opens.
I stumble back to reality for the final vows and the moment we say ‘I do.’ It dawns on me for the thousandth time that day that this woman is marrying me. I turn and gather her in my arms, then kiss my bride as the minister prompts. I don’t need the instruction.
After a long, passionate kiss, I come up for air to say one thing. “I love you. My wonderful wife.”
She pulls me back with a nip to my lower lip. “I love you, too. Marvelous husband.”
Gingerly, I play with her curls. “Thank you for leaving them curly for me. I love them that way. I love you as you are.” I look her directly in the eyes. That was the sole request I had made for the day. And my perfect wife, of course, provided.
“Of course. When an agreeable man asks for something, you give it to him.” She bobs her nose into mine and smirks.
