Haylee to the rescue.
“Ky, thank you for putting a smile back on my sister’s face and for loving her with the good, the bad, and the hangry. I get why my sister loves you so much. You’re funny, compassionate, full of life, and can make a delicious cinnamon roll. Oh, and you have excellent taste in movies.”
I don’t miss that dig, and I roll my eyes.
“Never let my sister tell you otherwise. Well, I better wrap this up, because I think my wife is about to lose it with me. See, I even prepared for this moment and put that in my speech because I know you.”
He looks over at his wife, who has the typical mom sway going with Emme on her chest, and points to his paper. She laughs gently before shaking her head at him with a big smile on her face. He knows her so well.
“And even though you’re my best friend, I will still hurt you if you hurt my baby sister. Actually, that goes for both of you.” Zach points the microphone between us.
Kyler pulls me close to him and kisses my temple. “I wouldn’t dare dream it, but would expect nothing less.”
“So, raise a glass to the man and woman of the hour, Dani and Ky!”
“Cheers,” everyone in the room shouts as we raise our champagne glasses and clink them together.
After taking a small sip, Kyler leans in and brushes his lips against mine. “I love you.”
“I love you too. I’m still sorry I missed out on your big moment as Cher. If only I could turn back time.” I sing the last part.
His bright smile falters and mine widens before I snort in laughter. Kyler sits back in his chair, fake pouting.
“Aww, poor baby,” I laugh before turning my attention to Haylee for her speech.
Lord help me if she pulls the big guns out with her speech. Where Zach only has a few years with Kyler as his best friend, Haylee and I have a lifetime.
“Now, I turn the microphone over to my beautiful wife and matron of honor, Haylee.”
Haylee successfully hands off a sleeping Emme to Zach without too much fuss, although I am not surprised, since she is such a daddy’s girl. If she doesn’t want to be in her Uncle Ky’s arms, she wants to be with her daddy.
Haylee pulls her speech out of the pocket in her dress. I laugh since she chose that dress specifically for the pockets. “You never know what you will need to hold on to,” she had said. I guess it makes sense.
“I read somewhere that they say that a successful marriage requires you to fall in love many times, always with the same person. Many of us here have been lucky to fall in love before.” Haylee glances back at Zach, and they both smile at each other. “But real love is when you can fall in love with that same person over and over again.
“I look at Dani and Ky, and I see that what they have is real love.” I reach for Ky’s hand and lace my fingers with his. “The kind that challenges you, strengthens you, and teaches you.
“Dani, you are my very best friend. You’ve been my other half since the start. There was a time when you said it was you and me against the world, and while that is still true, it is now you and Kyler against the world. There is nothing you can’t face as long as you are together.”
I feel the tears starting to gather in my eyes, and Ky wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him. I wipe the stray tear that has fallen as Haylee takes a deep breath to continue.
“Now, Kyler. Don’t think you’re getting out of this that easily.”
She winks, and my husband chuckles. I can feel the vibrations of his laugh going through my body with our closeness.
“You came into our lives at a time when joy was lacking. I thought you had met your perfect match in your bromance with Zach, but I think you were brought into our lives so that one day you and Dani would find each other. I’m thankful to have met you first because I got to see how truly amazing a person you are. The type of man who made sure to ask approval of all of the men in his girlfriend’s life before asking for her hand in marriage.
“Since I met Kyler, I have never seen anyone capture his attention like Dani has. That is how I knew what they have is something special. If there is one person on this earth that I want to love my best friend for the rest of her life, it’s you. So, Kyler, I want to toast to you. I am proud to call you my friend and now officially my brother. I love you both so much and wish you all the happiness in the world because if two people deserve it, it’s you two. Please raise a glass with me to the new Mr. and Mrs. Lawson.”
The tears are flowing from us both now. I don’t even pick up my champagne glass to drink at first. Damn, I should’ve realized that Haylee was going to pull the heartstrings on this speech versus make it funny. Haylee hands the microphone back to the DJ. I push back my chair and stand, not even waiting for Kyler, and pull her into my arms.
“I love you so much,” I whisper in her ear.
Her arms tighten around me.
“You, too, D,” she responds.
Kyler has joined my side, and as Haylee and I separate, he hugs her. “Damn, Hails, way to pull out the big guns today.”