But none of that was my problem. Today, I was watching my all dreams come true. Every single damn one of them.
I smiled and nodded, openly grinning for the adorable flower girls and Cass and Kelly.
The moment Michelle stepped out of the back door and onto the deck, my perceptions shifted dramatically. The wedding was no longer just perfect.
It was heavenly.
She took Shorty’s hand as he helped her down the steps leading to the patio, where the temporary aisle began.
An angel was walking towards me with all the love in the world shining in her eyes.
She was mine. This angel walking towards me in a simple white gown was mine.
Her long auburn hair was lifted at her temples, falling gracefully over her shoulders. Her beautiful face had just traces of makeup, with her lips tinted a pretty berry.
The swollen curve of her belly only served to make her more beautiful.
She had given me everything. Her love. Her daughter. And now another child.
Not to mention the woman still made me want to break the bed. I imagined she always would.
Of course, she wasn’t working at the Jar anymore. Having a difficult pregnancy, it wasn’t worth the risk she’d overtire herself being on her feet all day like that. She’d spent the past few months earning her GED and looking after Pate and the animals. And in just a few weeks, she was starting college.
But she was still working for the family business.
As of right now, she’d taken over doing my books. She came in a few times a week and sat in my comfy chair to organize me. She told me she’d always had a flair for math, and she hadn’t been exaggerating.
I loved the days she came in, with me driving her back and forth of course.
I told her she looked like a queen overseeing her kingdom.
The Jar was ours now. I’d put her name on everything. The house. The bar. The bank accounts.
Hell, if I could I’d tattoo her name directly onto my heart.
I stood there, transfixed as Shorty placed her hand in mine. Then I smiled, and pressed a quick kiss on her lovely lips.
“Generally, we wait until after the ceremony for the kiss.”
The crowd laughed as Reverend Davies gave me a stern look. He didn’t mean it though. The man might have a collar, but he wore it under his leather.
That’s right, our club had our very own holy man.
The man might be religious but he was a gearhead through and through. One of our best mechanics. He’d taught me a thing or two when I was new to the club. He liked to bless the bikes he worked on too.
Holy man or not, the man loved making a joke at my expense. Not that I was surprised. We’d been taking the piss out of each other for almost twenty years now, why should it stop for my wedding day?
He winked at Michelle and cleared his throat.
“We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Now, I’ve known Mason for a long time, and I will be honest. I would never have predicted this day. You, young lady, are a miracle worker.”
He cleared his throat again and I smirked. I knew he wanted to take a nip of whiskey from his pocket flask. But he was trying to be respectful.
“Not only do you look like a bona fide angel of mercy, you lucky sonofabitch” he said to me under his breath, before turning back to Michelle. “But you have taught this man that he has value. That he deserves love. Something the rest of us have known all along.”
I felt a sudden wetness in my eyes, completely unexpected. I had known he’d make a few jokes at my expense, but something like this? It hadn’t even crossed my mind that the surly Rev would try and get me by making me cry.
He winked at me and continued.
“So Michelle, now I have to ask you. Don’t feel pressured to say yes. There are always older and more distinguished fish in the sea.”
I coughed to cover my laugh, amazed that he was hitting on my bride mid-ceremony.
“Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better and for worse, in sickness and health until death do you part?”
“I do.”
He turned to me.
“Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better and for worse, in sickness and health until death do you part?”
“I do.”
My voice was a bit huskier than usual, the emotions raw and real and obvious for everyone to hear. Michelle was smiling at me though. And that beautiful smile made everything alright.
Every. Damn. Time.
“Well then, I suppose I have no choice but to pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!”