A snap sounded from behind her. Evan, looking fetching in his own rented tux, lowered the camera until it rested on his chest. “You should see your face, man. Priceless.”
But Landon ignored his brother, not taking his eyes from Kimber. She felt the tears begin to pool behind her lids. There was too much joy to contain. Too many blessings to count.
He took her hands and looked down at her, his eyes their true color. “Not having second thoughts, I hope.”
She shook her head from side to side, the veil on her crown swishing.
Feeling the weight of their audience, he tilted an eyebrow at the crowd in the room, and Angel and Caleb, Gloria, then Evan exited through the door that wouldn’t quite close.
Landon’s brow raised above the rims of his black glasses. “We have a few minutes.” A wicked grin crossed his face. He pulled her close. “Whatever shall we do?”
“You wouldn’t,” she said with mock alarm. “Not in a church, it’s like… illegal or something.”
The look in his eyes went from predatory to reverent. “I wouldn’t. Next time I make love to you, I’ll be your husband.”
Husband. The word sent chills over her entire body.
“You look beautiful, by the way.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you,” he said with a twitch of his lips.
“For?”
“Suggesting the list that brought us together. Which reminds me…” He dropped her hands and pulled a folded yellow note from his pocket. A Post-it note.
“It’s not,” she breathed. She’d never seen it. Had begun to question if it existed outside of her imagination.
“It is.” He offered, the note held between two outstretched fingers.
She carefully unfolded the paper, revealing a list written in Landon’s neat, block handwriting. Her eyes flitted over the words, a smile finding her face. The balcony. The desk. The shower. Then she gasped as she noticed a new number—an eleven, written with a different colored pen.
“The Louvre?” She blinked. Yep, that’s what it said.
“Surprise.”
No. He couldn’t mean… “But we don’t have time for a honeymoon,” she murmured. “The new store just opened. And Caleb is so young…”
“Ginny can handle the store. And Angel’s already begged to take Caleb. If you aren’t comfortable leaving him, he can come along. He might make sneaking sex in the Louvre more complicated, but—”
She threw her arms around his neck and crushed her dress into his chest. She didn’t care. It was worth it. He was worth it. “A honeymoon in Paris,” she said, hardly able to believe her good fortune.
Landon huffed a laugh into her ear, straightening her veil as she lowered to her heels. “I’m glad you like my surprise.”
“I love it.”
“I love you.”
She’d never tire of hearing him say it. Never. “I love you. But the Louvre?” She made a face.
“It’s a big museum,” he said with a rogue lift of one brow. Before his lips caught hers, Angel burst into the room.
“Oh my lord! They’re making out!”
Gloria was next. “Don’t either of you have any respect for tradition?”
“Don’t either of you have any respect for privacy?” Landon asked, his tone bland but teasing.
“It’s time.” Landon’s dad, Mike, poked his head in the room.
Angel’s expression morphed into one of comical panic. “Did you ever find your something blue?”
Kimber fisted the folded note in her hand. Plenty of blue ink on this sheet of paper. “I have it.” She and Landon shared a secret smile.
Mike and Landon hustled to the front of the church as the music started playing. Angel darted out the door, gesturing to Lyon, who sneaked a wave to Kimber before preceding Angel down the aisle.
Glo positioned herself in front of Kimber, peeking over her shoulder before she went, “What is your something blue, anyway?”
Kimber had tucked the Post-it into her bouquet. “A love letter from Landon,” she said. That’s what the note was. A list of all the ways he’d sworn to cherish, adore, and love her. And it had brought about the most amazing gift of all. Caleb Henry Downey.
At the front of the church, Kimber released her father’s arm and took Landon’s. Her future husband smiled down at her, sending her a wink as the preacher started to speak.
During the ceremony, Landon’s eyes locked onto the note nestled between the bouquet of carnival roses, and she watched as he bit back a smile.