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“Where the hell did you find him?”
Brit purses their lips for a minute before saying, “He fixes toilets and can get ya hitched. Apparently.” Brit shrugs. “Look, Asher gave me forty-eight hours to find someone, and there weren’t a ton of options. Some dude named Holden was available, but Asher said, and I quote, ‘not a fucking chance,’ so . . .”
“He’s huge!” Jordan says under her breath, and she’s not wrong. The man is built like a brick building, tall and solid. “I think his arms are bigger than my head.”
Mrs. Thomlyn clears her throat. “I’m sure he’s a very nice young man.”
“We ready then?” the officiant hollers in some kind of southern accent, and Jordan snorts.
“Line up, come on,” Mr. Thomlyn tells us, and we all kick off our shoes. Brit heads the line, followed by Jordan, then the Thomlyn parents and me. I can’t take my eyes off Asher, though. There’s no mask, no hiding the love he has for me. His eyes sweep over the dress he picked out, only hesitating on the slit for a second before he meets my gaze again. I’ve been living with him for months, and I still can’t believe this isn’t a dream. The only boy I ever wanted, ever loved, loves me back. And not only does he love me, he wants the world to know.
Not to mention the family we’ve created. The love and acceptance I feel right now is more than I ever expected. These people dropped what they were doing to fly to this island to be here for Asher and me today. I don’t know how much warning he gave them, but knowing him, it wasn’t much. My own parents wouldn’t have done it, but these people did. They’re my family now. The family I choose and who choose me. Blood means nothing when you have love and respect.
Music starts playing behind me, “You Are the Reason”by Calum Scott, and my eyes tear up again as I stare at Asher. He has a tear running down his cheek, and I want to swipe it away. Brit starts toward Asher and Aaron, handing the ring to Aaron, then standing next to him.
Jordan goes next and steps to my side, then I head down with the parents I deserved growing up. With love and acceptance wrapped around me like a shield, I head to my destiny.
Mrs. Thomlyn kisses my cheek, and Mr. Thomlyn gives me a side hug, then they step aside.
“Y’all’er here ’cause these two wanna get married,” the mountain of a man starts as Asher and I face each other.
“You look better than I had pictured,” Asher says, and I can feel my cheeks heat.
“Ya do look mighty pretty,” the officiant says and clears his throat. “My name is Devon and I’mma be your officiant,” he announces. “Everyone cool with these two gettin’ hitched?” He looks around for a split second, then nods. “Good. You got vows or some shit?” he asks Asher and me.
Asher is trying very hard to hold a straight face but is failing. Tears are falling down his cheeks from laughter this time, and I’m about to break too.
Aaron is shaking, trying to hold in his laughter, and Brit isn’t much better.
“This is the best wedding I’ve ever been to,” Brit says, and Aaron loses it, doubled over with laughter. “Dude was a solid choice.”
“You gotta problem?” Devon points at Aaron with a serious set to his face. “Tough titties.”
That does it, now we’re all laughing. I wrap an arm around my stomach as I turn away from the man and laugh. I don’t know where they found this guy, but he’s perfect.
“Anyway, y’all got vows or what?” Devon points to us. The wind picks up, making his open shirt flap around his body.
Asher is wiping his laughing tears away and straightens up. “Yeah, I got something.”
I turn back to my soon-to-be husband, and he takes my hand, sliding the ring back on my finger.
“Eli, I’ve loved you since before I knew what that meant. My entire life has led me to this moment. The universe kept pushing us together, but I was too stubborn, too dumb, to listen. I lost us time together, but never again. You’re it for me. You have always been it for me, and I can’t wait to see what life has in store for us.”
There’s a knot in my throat again as I stare at this man who is promising me his life.
“That was real pretty,” Devon drawls, and I snort.
I turn to Jordan, realizing I don’t have a ring.
“Does Asher have a ring?”
Jordan winks at me and hands me a simple white gold band.
“It’s just a place holder until you can pick one for him,” she tells me.
“Asher. The last few months have been a whirlwind, and when I try to think about how we got here, I can’t remember it all, but that’s always been us. You came into my life like you had always been there. You held all of me in your hand, and I didn’t know it until it was gone. In the last ten months, you’ve healed me more than I thought was possible. I figured I would be broken for the rest of my life. Cast to the shadows of the world where light never shines, but you brought the light to me when I couldn’t find my way out of the dark. You showed me what it feels like to be loved the way I deserve, and I can never thank you enough for that.” I slide the ring on his finger, and he laces our hands together.
“Real nice,” Devon says with a serious nod. “I announce y’all as husband and husband. You may kiss the groom.”
Asher grabs me, hauling me flush against him, crashes his lips to mine, and tips me backward over his arm.
He’s mine. I’m his. Asher and Elliot Vaughn. Forever.
