Thorne let Kathryn lead him over to his parents.
“Thorne! You look so handsome,” his mother said.
“Thank you.” The words were stiff, but at least he’d managed to say something.
His father held out his hand, and Thorne shook it. “I don’t understand all this, but your mother wanted to be here and I agreed.”
Far from a ringing endorsement, but better than he’d expected. “Thank you. I appreciate you coming.”
There was so much more he wanted to say, but this wasn’t the time or place.
“I don’t really understand it either,” his mother said. “But you’re my son, and your sister says your partner is wonderful, even if he is quite young. She also says you love each other and that we’re fools not to get that. I didn’t want to miss seeing my boy get married.”
She reached for him, and he hugged her, a surprisingly warm, lengthy embrace.
“May I introduce Riley now?” he asked.
“Yes, please.”
His father nodded. “Bring him over. If he’s going to be part of the family, I need to know him.”
Part of the family? Those words meant something to his father; maybe he really was accepting this.
Thorne turned around to find Riley. Kathryn was already walking over with him.
“Mom. Dad. This is Riley Dashwood.”
Riley extended his hand to Thorne’s mother, but she pulled him in for a hug. “I hear you make my son very happy.”
Thorne grabbed Kathryn’s arm, unsure he could stay on his feet after such a shock. She put her arm around him, giving him a sideways hug.
“I try to, ma’am,” Riley answered. “He’s an amazing man, and I feel lucky to have found him.”
“Then I’m happy for you.”
Thorne tensed when Riley turned to face his dad. He held out his hand. Thorne’s dad took it. “It sounds like my son is the one who is lucky.”
Thorne let out the breath he’d been holding.
“Thank you, sir. It’s good to meet you.”
“I wasn’t sure about this, but seeing you together, seeing your obvious…regard for each other… Well, go marry my son.”
Riley beamed. “I will, sir.”
“Are we ready now?” Kathryn asked.
Thorne turned to his husband-to-be. “Riley?”
“Yes,” Riley said, taking Thorne’s hand.
“Then let’s go.”
Thorne led Riley to the rose-covered archway and the small group of chairs and took a deep breath. The scent of roses helped center him. He tried to let go of all the things spinning through his mind—his parents being there, him actually marrying Riley, how amazing his sister was.
Marc and Kathryn took their places. Thorne looked at Kathryn. “Thank you. You may be the world’s best sister.”
“Have you been drinking already?”
“What? No.”
She laughed. “I love you, Thorne. I’m so happy to be here with you.”
Riley was hugging Marc. They loved each other too, but their affection wasn’t anything that would threaten him and Riley. He must have lost his mind to think that. Then Riley looked at Thorne, and he sucked in his breath. The intensity of love and need in his eyes dizzied Thorne.
“You okay?” Riley asked.
Thorne nodded.
“Okay, let’s get started,” the Justice of the Peace said.
Thorne’s parents and everyone else sat in a single row of chairs. Darius looked fidgety, like he’d prefer to be standing, but Thorne was glad he was there.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today…”
And so it began. Thorne didn’t really hear anything after that. He was too busy watching Riley, wondering how he could have possibly managed to find a man so perfect for him, and remembering how close he’d come to never finding out what they could have together. He had to stop being an idiot because he was not going to lose Riley. Then Kathryn nudged him, and he realized the officiant was speaking to him.
“Thornwell Shipton, do you come here freely and without reservation to marry Riley? If so, answer ‘I do.’”
Thorne’s pulse accelerated. “I do.”
“Riley Dashwood, do you come here freely and without reservation to marry Thorne? If so, answer ‘I do.’”
Riley smiled at Thorne with so much longing, Thorne felt tears sting his eyes. “I do.”
“Thorne and Riley, having heard that it is your intention to be married to each other, I now ask you to declare your marriage vows.”
Thorne was supposed to speak first. He knew what he wanted to say, but the words had fled. “I…”
Deep breath.
He took Riley’s hand. “Riley, I doubted that you would want me, or that you’d ever agree to put up with me on a daily basis.” This elicited giggles from their friends. “But somehow you did, and the longer I’ve been with you, the more I’ve learned how fortunate I am to have you. You challenge me. You make me change my ways. You make me a better man. You’ve helped me see the world in a different way, and I am thankful for that every day. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”