There was a nervous chuckle from the audience, which I realized with a surprised jolt was still there. I’d been so absorbed in the moment that I’d forgotten we were practically on stage for the world to see.
Chris narrowed his eyes but was wearing a half smile. I had a feeling he was going to make me cough up my vows sooner, rather than later, but I could live with that.
“Then if anyone should object to this marriage, may they speak now or forever hold their peace.”
There was a brief pause, then a loud voice called out. “Belle!”
A thousand heads turned at the same moment. Lance was walking slowly down the aisle toward us, eyes pleadingly fixed on me.
“Turtleneck,” Chris hissed under his breath. Then he put his hand to his mouth, eyes going slightly wide. “I’ve kind of always dreamed someone would dramatically speak up at this part of a wedding I went to. I just never thought it’d be mine.”
“Don’t do this. You don’t have to.”
No, I didn’t have to. And Chris’ vows were still circulating in my head, helping all the doubts and fears I’d had organize themselves into something I could finally make sense of.
Two choices had been laid out for me ever since Lance came back and professed his feelings for me. Just like most things in life, there had been the easy, safe choice. That was Lance. He was a known commodity. He was successful, he’d probably settle down and give me the kind of life most women would be happy to have. We’d have a 401k, a nice house, two point five kids, and we’d go to ballet recitals. He’d kiss me on the cheek before he left for work and tell me he loved me most days.
It would be safe.
And then there was the other choice. It was the one I’d spent my whole life avoiding. The unknown commodity. The risky decision that required sacrifice to pursue. It was the one I’d spent so long ignoring that my brain hardly even saw it as a real option anymore. It was selling your business to chase your dream of living on a boat or quitting school to pursue a career as a writer. It was the wild, you’re crazy to do this, choice.
And that choice was Chris.
Lance was sticking that one last ledge out for me. I was about to step over the ledge—or maybe I already had. Lance’s offer was a handhold I could cling to for dear life. I could still change my mind and run away from all of this screaming at the top of my lungs.
But I didn’t want to.
I felt it so powerfully that it scared me. I didn’t want the safe choice. I didn’t want Lance. I didn’t want anything except to curl up in those promises Chris just made and make my new life there.
With him.
I wanted Chris, because even if it was crazy, I did love him. I loved him so much I’d been scared to admit it even to myself, because it was the kind of love that made people irrational.
“You don’t have to,” Lance said again. He was closer now and drawing about a thousand dirty looks from the audience.
“I do, because I love him,” I said. I looked Chris in the eyes. “And I want him to be my forever. My happily ever after. My—”
“Big daddy?” Chris mouthed.
I shook my head, then pulled him in for a kiss.
The officiant made a noise in his chest. “If we could present the rings!” he called out in a hurried voice.
I felt Luna shuffle between us and shove something into Chris’ hands. “Gross,” she said, then scurried off. Chris slid a ring on my finger as we kissed.
“You may continue kissing the bride,” the officiant said a little hesitantly.
I finally made myself stop, pulling back to smile at Chris. I realized Lance had let himself out, feeling a pang of guilt. Lance was a thought for another time, though. I’d come into this moment thinking it was my sort of dream. My almost wedding. My mostly perfect day. Except I’d been wrong.
This was my dream wedding. My dream husband. And my dream moment.
“I now pronounce you, man and wife.” He hesitated. “You may kiss the bride. Again.”Epilogue - Chris* * *Belle met me back at the altar the night of our ceremony. She’d changed out of her wedding dress and was wrapped up in a coat against the cold. We were both tired and a little buzzed from the reception, but I’d insisted that we come here first.
“Why are we here?” she asked.
“Because I want this all to be real. And I don’t think it’d feel real unless I properly proposed.”
“I’m already wearing the rings, how—”
I flicked Belle’s nose. She raised a hand to her face, laughing. With smooth, criminal fingers, I swiped the rings from her finger and got down on one knee.