AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Our small circle of people––the handful of friends and family we considered ours––all stood tall, a few even wiping tears away while I walked slowly up the aisle of the tiny chapel.
But I couldn't see them. I could only see Brandon, smiling that massive smile I didn't think I'd ever seen shine brighter.
"You look beautiful," he whispered as I came to stand next to him in front of the chaplain.
I shrugged, but I couldn't shutter my own goofy smile. "It's not fitted properly yet. She thought she had until the spring, you know."
"Quit it," he said, although his mouth quirked up. "You stopped me in my tracks the first time we met. You could do it with your face painted green."
He'd given me variations of the compliment several times before, but it never failed to make me glow. "Likewise, Mr. Sterling."
Brandon's grin practically split his face in half, and I thought he was going to break tradition and kiss me before the ceremony. Then the chaplain cleared her throat.
I looked at Brandon. "Are you sure you're okay to stand for this long so soon after surgery?"
Brandon just rolled his eyes. "Red, I'm going to stand at my own wedding. You just worry about saying your vows."
"Um, are we ready?" the chaplain asked with a kind smile at both of us.
I stuck my tongue out at Brandon. We would start bickering at our own wedding.
Brandon raised a blond brow. "I've been ready for this my whole life."
So on we went, no muss, no fuss. In its own way, it was perfect: no frills, just us, the people we cared about, and only our love to fill the small space. We spoke the traditional vows, one after another, echoing the chaplain's words even as we watched the love shining through each other's faces.
"Do you have rings?" asked the chaplain, causing me to look at Brandon with panic.
"Oh no!" I squeaked. "I forgot rings!"
"Don't worry, Red. I got it."
Brandon accepted two velvet boxes from Margie, who then darted back to her seat.
"How did you..." I started as Brandon handed me one holding a simple men's platinum ring. "We literally decided to do this five hours ago. What jewelry shop is open at three a.m.?"
"Hey," Brandon said with shrug and a bashful expression that basically wrung out my heart. "If my money can't open Cartier early for my girl, what's it really good for?"
"All right," said the chaplain. "Repeat after me..."
So we did.
I slid the ring over Brandon's finger, enjoying the shivers that traveled down my spine as I intoned, "With this ring, I thee wed."
Brandon's smile was so wide I thought it might cause a power outage. And I gasped when he took out my ring, a white filigree band that was simple, yet intricate all at once.
"With this ring," he said in a voice that quavered, "I thee wed."
He slid the ring onto my finger, a snug fit next to the eternity-band-turned-engagement ring. Even when making his proposal, he had always meant forever. It had been forever with him from the start.
"I now pronounce you man and wife," said the chaplain. "You may kiss––"
She didn't get to finish before Brandon lifted me off the floor into a kiss that caused everyone in the room to whoop loud enough to reach the rafters.
"Do you love me yet, Red?" he whispered against my lips.
I pressed my forehead to his and closed my eyes. "Always."
~
