She nodded and said, “Yes.” Tears cascaded down her cheeks. “Yes!”
I slid the ring over her finger, and I knew things were finally as they should be. I’d found my home, my soul mate, and my mom was finally safe from Dad. Hell, everyone was safe from him now.
“Let’s get the hospital chaplain in here.” Lina grinned, looking at her ring. “I don’t want to wait another minute.”
If I’d felt a little better than I did, I would have agreed. But no, I wanted to enjoy her once she was officially mine. “Not into big weddings?”
“No. I’m into you and being with you.” She grinned. “No more delays. No more surprises. I love you, Hunter, and as soon as you’re healthy, we’re doing this.”
I brought her hand to my mouth, and I kissed the ring on her finger. “I’m already feeling better.”
* * *
Angelina
“I’m sorry I can’t be there in person to fix your hair,” Lizzie said.
The iPad was propped up on my beauty stand in my bathroom as I stared blankly ahead at Lisa’s finished product.
“You’re stunning,” Lizzie said.
I touched the pile of dark blonde locks on top of my head, strategically placed with random white flower pins stuck in. Lisa had done a great job. I glanced over my shoulder and saw her in the bedroom, packing up some of the beauty supplies strewn all over my bed.
“I wish you could be here, Lizzie.” I looked at her computer face. “But you will be, someday soon, I can feel it.”
“I’m not so sure, girl, but keep the hope. I need all the help I can get.”
“If I can do it, you can.”
She nodded. “Drey’s agreed to hold the iPad during the ceremony, so I’ll be there, girl. I’ll see it all. I just wish your folks could make it.”
“This is a tiny ceremony. The Justice of the Peace, Lisa and Marshal. The real party will be in the summer after graduation.”
“Why the quickie wedding then? Graduation is next month, what kind of honeymoon can you have?”
“Oh, we’ll have a honeymoon. A couple of them. One this weekend and then another this summer.” I laughed. “Girl, I would have married him right there in that hospital room of his if I’d had my way. Because if there’s one thing I learned through all of this crap with Hunter’s dad, it’s how quickly things can change. How quickly people can be taken from you.”
Seeing Hunter in that hospital bed, so close to death, no way was I going to wait another minute to be with him. I’d almost thrown his love away with the bathwater. I was not going to ever take anything for granted again.
“Yeah, well, I’ve always believed in the love at first sight thing, and the minute I saw him on that video feed that first night we watched movies together, I knew he was a goner for you.”
I laughed. I’d been a goner for him, too. “Thanks, girl.”
Lisa stepped through the doorway of the bathroom. “Ready, honey?”
I turned around, my heart leaping into my throat. “I am.”
“Everything’s all set downstairs.”
Soon I’d be Mrs. Hunter Amos. We’d only have a few days to celebrate the new name officially, but after graduation, which Mom and Dad promised to get back for and stay for a while, we could plan a wedding party that would rival the Royal Family’s.
But for now, I was happy to be getting married to the strongest, most amazing guy I’d ever met.
Lisa reached for my hand, and I gave her the iPad to give to Drey. I had to have my Lizzie there, even it if wasn’t in person.
Within five minutes we were standing before the small ballroom in the hotel, Lisa holding my hand tight. “Okay, I’m going to pass you off to Bill, okay?”
I nodded and as if on cue, Bill lumbered toward me from the other side. “Hey there, Angel.”