“Friends and family of the bride and groom, welcome and thank you for being here on this important day. Today, we are gathered together to celebrate the very special love between Ayla Abandonato—”
“Ivanshov,” Alessio growled, breaking Mark off.
“—and Alessio Ivanshov by joining them in marriage,” he continued over Alessio.
I smiled, feeling the happiest in that moment. My heart overflowed with love for the man standing in front of me.
As Mark continued with his speech, I tuned him out. I thought of everything, from the very beginning and to this moment.
The time when I was scared and running away from home. The moment when I hid in Alessio’s car and under his bed. And then when he found me.
The first look, the first touch, the first word, when blue met green…the beginning of our love story.
How he changed me…and helped me with my past. His undeniable love made me alive.
How I changed him. From someone heartless, from someone who only wanted me as a plaything to someone loving me unconditionally.
We were both broken. Two broken halves making a whole.
We learned to love together, taking baby steps. Such small steps that it would have looked impossible for us to be standing right here in this moment. But here we were, getting married in front of our friends and family.
In front of our daughter.
My mind traveled back and then to this moment. I stared in his blue eyes as his fingers rubbed back and forth over the back of my hands.
He stared back at me, his eyes holding the same amount of love, if not more.
Mark’s voice broke through my thoughts, and my heart drummed. “You fell in love by chance, but you’re here today because you’re making a choice. You both are choosing each other. You’ve chosen to be with someone who makes you smile and laugh. Someone who lifts you up and makes you into a better someone. You’re about to make promises to each other that you intend to keep. Your vows are sacred, something you’ll hold till your last breath.”
He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. “So, Alessio Lyov Ivanshov, do you take Ayla Abandonato as your wife, to love, honor, comfort, and cherish her from this day forth? Do you vow to hold her, be her strength, and wipe her tears, cherishing every single moment with her? Do you vow to share all that you are and all that you have with her, and promise to continue loving her and supporting her through sickness and health? Pain and happiness?”
Alessio opened his mouth, his grip tightening around my hands.
“I do,” he said. His voice rang loud and clear, holding every ounce of seriousness.
In that moment, I realized that this meant as much to him as it meant to me.
My heart tripped, and my stomach cramped with too many butterflies at his words. Two simple words, uttered in front of hundreds of people. His love for me…it was my undoing.
Mark turned to me. “Do you Ayla Abandonato…”
“No,” I quickly said.
Alessio’s eyes widened, and he sucked in a harsh breath. There was utter silence.
Realizing that I just messed this up, I cleared my throat. “I mean wait.”
I glanced at Mark, and he too was staring at me with wide eyes. Smiling convincingly at him, I quickly finished. “I want to say my own vows, if that’s okay.”
I felt Alessio’s tensed muscles relax under my palm, and I rolled my eyes internally. Silly man. Did he really think I would stop our wedding?
“Of course, you can,” Mark replied, smiling kindly.
When he gave me a nod, I looked back at Alessio. He stared at me intensely, his blue eyes growing darker with need.
Feeling suddenly nervous, I swallowed and licked my lips. “Well, I had this memorized, but now I’m a little nervous. I hope I don’t mess this up,” I started.
People chuckled in the crowd, and I saw Alessio’s lip twitching. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
Opening them again, I stared at Alessio and finally found the courage to speak. “When we first met, I didn’t think we would be standing right here in this moment. It seemed impossible back then. You were mean and rude. And I was scared of everything. We were both scared of taking this step. But when we did, we found out how beautiful love really is.”
He smiled then. A breathtaking smile that stole my breath away. His hands released mine and wrapped around my hips, anchoring me to him.
“You taught me how to love, Alessio. You taught me how to live. How to be myself. You gave me a chance at seeing this world. When everything seemed impossible, you made it possible. You made the sun shine brighter for me. You were the little light in my darkness, pulling me forward, telling me that it was okay to leave the darkness behind and embrace the light, our love.”