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Once again, tears shimmer in Mom’s eyes, and I can’t help but laugh. I look at my dad. “Take her away before I ruin her makeup.”
Mom silently shakes her head before wrapping her arms around me. I gently rub her back. “I love you. Thank you for helping with all of this.”
“Of course.” With one final squeeze, she takes a step back, and my dad pulls me in a one-armed hug, patting me on the shoulder.
“I’m proud of you, Emmett.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
With that, Dad pulls Mom into his side and walks her toward the pond, where the rest of the guests are already seated on the white chairs that we spread across the grass earlier this morning.
“You want another drink?” Miguel asks as he pours himself a finger of brandy.
I shake my head. “I’m good.”
Just then, the pastor arrives. “Are you ready to begin, son?”
I nod at the man. “I was born ready.”
The older man chuckles. “That’s good to hear.”
Miguel downs his drink and claps his hands together. “Okay, let’s get you hitched, man.”
We make our way to the arch. It’s late afternoon, and the sun is slowly falling, making the surface of the pond shine brighter blue.
So many memories were created here. This is where I taught Kate to swim, and where we spent countless hours just sitting on the dock and talking. This was where I took Kate after homecoming that first year and where we made love for the very first time. So many moments. So many memories. And today, we’ll add another one—a new chapter, with many more to come.
I greet a few people as we pass by but don’t stop until we’re standing under the arch.
“You seem completely chill,” Miguel comments as he shifts his weight from one foot to the other.
“This is everything I’ve wanted since I was seventeen.” I give him a side glance. He’s been fidgeting the whole freaking day, and it was driving me nuts. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’re the one getting married and not me.”
He lets out a groan. “Can we not? Not today.”
“Fine, not today, but soon.” I give him a pointed look.
We’ve avoided the conversation for long enough as it is, and I let him and Becky do as they pleased, but I’ll be damned if I let my best friends continue on this path for another five years.
From the corner of my eye, I catch a flash of dark green. Turning around, I see Mabel coming down the porch steps toward the pond.
It was one of the first things Kate and I agreed on; we wanted to have the ceremony itself on the pond. Kate wanted one big ass arch, so Dad, Bradley, and I built it for her and put it in the middle of the dock. Today they decorated it with tulle and flowers, and God only knows what else, but even I had to admit it looked nice. Now if I could only get my bride, that would be amazing.
You’ve waited for the past five years; what are five more minutes?
Kate’s aunt smiles at me as she takes her seat in the first row next to her sister.
It was a surprise when Kate’s mom showed up out of nowhere. Nobody expected her to come, least of all Kate, but she wanted to extend the invitation regardless, so that’s what we did. There wasn’t anything that she could ask me that I wouldn’t do for her. Hell, if she asked me to bring her the moon, I might just try and do that too. That’s how much I love that girl.
“I guess that means she’s coming?” Miguel asks, tugging at the collar of his shirt.
“Oh, she’s coming.”
There was no doubt in my mind. Kate was my once-in-a-lifetime. My past, my present, and my future, and I knew I was hers too. The two of us? We were meant to be together.
The music starts in the distance, and I can feel prickles of awareness go down my back. Sucking in a breath, I turn around to see Penny and Henry strolling down the aisle, and I feel that familiar grip around my heart.
She looks so damn beautiful. I’ve always seen her as light to Kate’s dark. Her platinum hair is curled and bouncing around her shoulders. And she’s wearing a light pink knee-length dress that shines under the sun and has some flowery detail on it.
