Just the mention of him causes my heart to flex in my chest. My bottom lip begins to tremble and I can barely see him through the onslaught of waterworks.
“He gave me permission, and his blessing, to ask you to be my wife.”
I hear gasps from around the room, but all I can do is watch the man in front of me, on his knee, telling me he did the one thing that matters. He thought of it all.
“It would be the biggest honor in the world if you would be Mrs. Ford Landry.”
“Yes,” I whisper. I don’t think twice about it. I don’t overthink it or reconsider. I just go with my gut, and that says to scoop this man up.
Ford brings a ring out of his pocket. A large but not gaudy diamond sits in a gold band encrusted with tiny diamonds. It’s simple and elegant and something I’d pick myself if I had the choice and resources.
“The diamonds around the edges are from your mother’s ring,” he whispers just for me to hear. “Your father gave it to me.”
I throw myself at him, telling him how much I love him and how happy he makes me. It’s a ramble, a tear-filled slug of words that I’m not even sure is coherent.
He stands, pulling me with him. “I have one final question.”
“What?” I laugh, wiping my eyes. “What else could you possibly ask me?”
“Will you marry me right now?”
I gasp. Mallory gasps. I think everyone might suck in a breath at Ford’s unexpected question.
“If you don’t want to, we can wait,” he admits. “If you want a big wedding, I’ll throw you the biggest damn wedding Savannah has ever seen. But we have a pastor here and he’s in possession of a wedding license we can sign . . .”
I search his eyes. I have no fear, no second thoughts—nothing but a smile on my face. “Yes. Let’s get married. Tonight.”
We take our positions in front of the podium to the cheers of the Landry family behind us. We sign our names to the marriage application and then hold hands as he reads from the Bible.
Our vows are repeated simply, easily, just like our relationship. And in a few minutes, we, too, are pronounced husband and wife.
The family nearly attacks us with hugs, kisses, and tears of joy. I’m welcomed to the family by promises of love, offers of goodwill, and warnings to prepare to fight over pie at Thanksgiving.
It’s simply one of the best moments of my entire life.
After everyone moves back into the kitchen, with Lincoln suggesting they break out the tequila, I finally make my way to Alison.
“I’m sorry we just butted in on your wedding,” I say.
She tosses me a wink. “Ford ran it by us before he did it,” she laughs. “We thought it would be fun to share an anniversary with you.” Pulling me into a hug, she grins. “Congratulations, Mrs. Landry.”
“Wow,” I say, trying to wrap my head around that. “I mean, to you too. But doesn’t that sound . . .”
“Amazing?” she offers.
“Amazing,” I concur.
It’s in this moment with this family, my family, that I realize I’m truly going to be okay. That the best things in life come when you take a chance and do things because they simply make you smile.
I look at Ford, my new husband, talking quietly with his father. It’s a simple scene—two men talking with glasses in their hands. My cheeks split as I feel my chest warm in a happiness that I can barely contain.
“What are you thinking about?” Danielle asks, coming up beside me. “You have a pretty serious look on your face.”
I tear my eyes away from Ford and look at her. I shrug. “Just how I need to remember that when storms roll in, how beautiful the rainbow is going to be.”
“YOU DID IT.” FORD CAGES me into the corner of the back room of Halcyon, his lips hovering over the shell of my ear. “I am so proud of you, Ellie. You may have had to take a few extra weeks with everything that’s happened, but you did it.”
I haven’t stopped smiling all day, the grand opening of the store I’m so incredibly proud of. Twisting in his arms, I see my happiness reflected on his face. “Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you.”