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Lydia takes my hands, "You know I love you, Shae, and I would do anything for you, even if it was some crazy scheme by two old men. They meant well, and everything will reveal itself soon. She pulls me in for a tight hug. All I've ever wanted was for you to be happy. And I'm pretty sure in about fifteen minutes, you are going to be very happy."
"Lydia, what are you even talking about?"
"I promised I wouldn't say anything. You just have to trust me when I tell you; soon, you will get your heart's desire."
I have no idea what Lydia is talking about. I never once told her about my feelings for Nile or what we did in the hotel room.
There's a knock on the door, putting an end to our conversation, "Ladies, are you ready?" Mrs. Garten opens the door, her head popping around the corner like a jack-in-the-box toy.
Lydia squeezes my hands, "Let's do this."
I watch as the flower girl so carefully places each rose petal on the red carpet. Anything to distract me from the groom at the end of the aisle waiting for a bride that isn't me.
Done wallowing in my own self-pity, I tip my head up and throw my shoulders back, determined to show Nile how little I care that he is marrying my sister.
I curse the tears that I can't hide that are gathering in the corners of my eyes. I'm really trying to be strong but knowing that the man I love is marrying someone else is a hard pill to swallow.
I continue down the aisle, refusing to look at the groom or any of the groomsmen, for that matter, knowing that if I see one ounce of pity in their eyes, I will lose the fight with my tears.
When I reach the front of the aisle, I chance a look at the groom, but it's not Nile I see standing there. It's the other guy from the hotel room who looks like Nile and Tate. It must be their brother Drew.
Lydia is steps behind me when I hear her voice, "This was not part of the plan." she glares at our father and then over to Nile's grandfather as all eyes swing to her, "He was never part of the plan." Lydia screeches, shaking her bouquet of pink roses at Drew.
Drew walks over to Lydia, "The plan's changed, darlin'," he says before scooping her up in his arms and throwing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Me and the misses need to have a few words before the wedding," Drew says to the wedding guest as he strides down the aisle with a kicking and screaming Lydia in his arms.
I swing my gaze to Nile, still not understanding why Drew is claiming to be Lydia's groom, "I think it's time we talk."
Nile takes me by the elbow and leads me to a small room off the altar.
Once inside the room he let's go of my arm and runs a hand threw his hair, "I never meant to hurt you. That first day in my grandfather's office, I thought you were the bride in the arrangedmarriage. When Charlotte announced Mr. Simpson and his daughter were there to see my grandfather, I never thought you weren't my bride when I saw you. I felt an instant attraction to you from the first moment I saw you. I'm not an impulsive man, but as soon as I saw you, I knew you were mine. My body took over my mind, and I signed that damn contract before I knew for sure you were my intended bride."
My tears are falling freely at his words, "Me? You always wanted me?"
"Yes. I'm sorry it took us so long to get to where we are now. I needed to correct a wrong, and with my grandfather's help and Drew's help, I was able to do that." He takes my hands in his, kissing each one, "Do you forgive me, Shae?"
"Yes," I say through the tears.
He drops my hands and picks me up in his arms, swinging me around, "I love you, Shae."
"And I love you, Nile."
Epilogue
Five Years Later - Shae
"Nile, can you roundup all the great-grandchildren," I place a hand on my ever-increasing belly, the next great-grandchild only weeks away from entering into the large loving family.
"Sure thing, little one." It's so sweet after all these years that Nile still calls me little one.
I watch as he jogs over to Drew and Tate, instructing them to gather up their own children for the family photo.
The yearly family reunions are getting bigger and bigger each year, and so is the yearly family photo.
Who would have thought that five years ago, twenty of the most eligible bachelors would all be married with children of their own?
The little guy I have cooking inside of me will be number thirty-three. Once all the Hanson grandsons found their special lady, they did their best to take over their grandfather's goal of populating the earth with as many Hanson children as they could.
"Where do you want us?" Tate asks, holding his new baby in his arms.
"It's the same as always." I roll my eyes. "The only thing that changes is how many are in each family, not where you stand."
I feel a strong pair of arms wrap around my belly, holding it up to relieve some of the pressure this little guy puts on my bladder. "I love you wife." Nile whispers in my ear."
"Eww." A chorus of voices say all together. The loudest voices come from Tate and Drew before each promptly grabs their own wife and kisses her.
