Faithful (43 page)

Amanda walked out first, then Ari followed, and Ellie was last.

Ellie turned and kissed me on the cheek. “They’re with you, sweets,” she whispered in my ear.

I smiled and nodded. “I know. I feel them with me.”

I watched as Ellie started to walk around the corner. I took a deep breath, looked up, and saw Josh’s dad standing there.

“Greg, what are you doing here?”

He smiled as he came up to me. “Heather, you’re breathtaking. Josh is going to…well, to be blunt and honest, he’s going to shit his pants when he sees you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I hope he has a reaction but not quite like that.”

“Josh didn’t want you walking down the aisle alone, so he asked me if I would do the honors.”

I felt tears building in my eyes.
Thank God I have on waterproof makeup.
“I would love that,” I barely got out in a whisper.

“You ready, baby girl?”

I nodded as I took his arm. We rounded the corner, and I didn’t look up until we were out on the light blue runner. The moment I lifted my head, the only person I saw was Josh. I sucked in a breath of air as I looked at him.

“Oh. My. God. He looks amazing,” I whispered.

Greg laughed. “He does look pretty sharp, doesn’t he?”

I turned to Greg and smiled. “Just like his father.”

“Now, you’re just suckin’ up to find out where he’s taking you!”

I laughed as I put my eyes back on the love of my life. My heart started beating faster, and the butterflies were going crazy in my stomach.
He looks so handsome…and hot as hell!

He was dressed in a white button-down shirt with a light blue tie and white linen pants. When I looked down at his feet, I busted out laughing.

“He has on flips-flops, Greg!”

“He said if you got to wear comfortable shoes, so did he.”

The chairs were all covered in a light blue fabric with white bows. At the end of the aisle, there was a small makeshift tent made from white lace fabric with a table under it. The table had four beautiful vases with light blue candles in them.

When we walked up, Greg placed my hand in Josh’s hand, and Josh just stared at me. I saw the tears in his eyes, and I did everything I could to hold mine back.

Gunner leaned forward and bumped Josh. “Josh…”

Everyone started laughing.

Josh looked me up and down and then stared into my eyes as he shook his head. “You’re so beautiful. You leave me speechless, princess.”

Greg said, “Damn, I taught that boy good.”

I turned to Greg as Elizabeth smacked him on the arm.

I smiled and looked back at Josh. I never stopped gazing into his eyes. I barely even heard the preacher talking.

“Josh, Heather, are you ready to say your vows?”

Gunner had to snap us out of our endless staring contest.

“Josh, say your vows,” Gunner said.

“Heather, first, I just need to say…wow…baby, you look beautiful.”

I smiled. “So do you!”

Then, he squeezed my hands and gave me that smile that drove me mad. “I didn’t write down any vows because I wanted to speak straight from my heart.”

Yes! I just won four hundred bucks!

“The first time I ever saw you, something happened inside of me. The only thing that was important to me was to get to know you more. I wanted to see you smile that beautiful smile of yours, hear that amazing laugh, and see those beautiful blue eyes light up. The first time you touched me, I wasn’t really sure what happened. I’d never felt the things I felt when I was around you. I just knew I wanted to feel that way for the rest of my life.”

I felt a tear rolling down my cheek as I watched one roll down his face.
He’s really going to be mine—forever.

“I want to wake up every morning and see your beautiful face looking back at mine. I want to go to sleep every night to the taste of your sweet lips on mine. I want to watch you with our kids and see what an amazing mom you’ll be. I want to sit on our front porch every night and tell you how much I love you.”

I started to cry harder.
I’m never going to be able to say my vows now.

“Princess, you’re the air I breathe. I’d be completely lost without you. I love you so much.” His voice cracked, and he smiled. “I’ll love you until the day I take my last breath, and I’ll be forever faithful to you.”

When he finished, I glanced up at Gunner. He looked like a proud father who had just given birth.

I looked into Josh’s eyes. I was about to start talking when…I went blank.

Nothing. Oh my god. I wonder if I can just say ditto? I can’t breathe. Oh shit! This was my idea.

Josh gave me the sweetest, most beautiful smile ever.

Breathe, princess.

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Josh, as I stand before you, my heart is filled with so much love that it scares me sometimes. I love you so much, and I need you so much more. The first time I saw you, I instantly felt something deep down inside. I fought it for so long until I realized that without you in my life…I had no life. When I close my eyes each night, I thank God for you. You rescued me and showed me that it was okay to live again, to want to be happy again. I’ve never been so happy in my entire life. I can’t wait to spend every minute of my life with you. I can’t wait to put up that fence and get you your dog.”

Josh started laughing as he shook his head.

“I can’t wait to watch your business grow as I stand by your side and support you one hundred percent. I want to hear the first sounds of our children with you. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for loving me and for giving me hope again. I love you so much, Josh. I’ll always love you…for infinity.”

I watched as a tear rolled down his face. I reached up and wiped it away as he grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it.

Never in my life would I ever again feel as happy as I do right now.

Josh and I decided to have all our pictures taken on the beach. We did pictures with our family, friends, and the wedding party. Then, the photographer told us to have fun. That was all Josh had to hear. He picked me and carried me into the surf.

“Oh my god, Josh! My dress!” I screamed.

He laughed. I looked back at Ari, Ellie, and Amanda as they were all just laughing, too.

He started to kiss me as he slowly lowered me into the water. I completely forgot about everything but the love of my life, who was kissing me so passionately that I almost started crying. When he started to drop to his knees, I did also. I could feel the surf crashing up on us.

He cupped his hands on my face and slightly pulled away as he rested his forehead on mine. “My god, I love you.”

I smiled as a wave crashed into me, pushing me against him. We both started laughing.

“Josh, you’re soaking wet!” I said with a giggle.

He pushed pieces of hair away from my eyes and laughed. “So are you, princess.”

I wasn’t sure how long we were sitting in the surf, just kissing and talking.

The photographer cleared her throat. “Josh and Heather, I think I got some wonderful shots. Shall we move to the reception now?”

I looked up at her and then over to our friends. Ellie was crying, and Ari and Amanda were smiling from ear to ear.

I glanced back at Josh and smiled. “What am I going to wear to the reception?”

He gave me that drop-dead gorgeous smile of his. “I bought you a dress for the reception. I also had Ari buy you double of what you’re wearing under your dress.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

I shook my head and giggled as I looked over at Ari. She was dancing with Jeff. I could hear the music from the reception, and I could see some of the tables outside on the patio and the beach.

“Did you plan this?”

“Yep. I thought they would make some badass wedding pictures.”

I slammed my body into his and hugged him. “Oh my god. I love you, Joshua Michael Hayes.”

As Josh and I walked into the reception room, I let out a gasp. We had both agreed we wanted to see it for the first time together.

“Oh, wow. It’s beautiful!” I said.

“Wow!” Josh let out a laugh.

The tables were covered with white lace and a beautiful light blue fabric runner. Each table had clear vases filled with sand, shells, and white candles in the center along with the most gorgeous arrangements of flowers I’d ever seen. White lights were everywhere. There was a table off in the corner covered with tiny white chair picture frames. Some had a picture of Josh and me, and the others had our wedding date.

I looked over at the wedding cakes. There was a white three-tier cake with white and light blue seashells cover it. I smiled at how Jenny had included every single thing I’d requested. I noticed the cupcake display, and I grinned as I saw the light blue cupcakes with the letters J and H surrounded by a heart on top of each one. Josh hadn’t wanted a groom’s cake, so we went with the cupcakes. I loved them. They were perfect.

When I turned to look at Josh, he had the biggest smile on his face.

“Damn, that girl is worth every dime we paid her!” he said with a laugh.

“Yes. Yes, she is. Do you like everything?”

He looked at me and laughed. “Princess, I would have been happy with anything. As long as I was the one putting this ring on your finger, I would have worn a box if you told me to.”

I smiled as I reached up and kissed him. “Thank you for this beautiful dress.”

He wiggled his eyebrows up and down and winked at me. “The best part will be taking you out of it.”

“Alright, y’all. Get your horny asses in there, and greet your guests,” Gunner said. He walked up and kissed me on the cheek.

Josh grabbed my hand, and we made our way into the room.

I took a deep breath and let it out. Everything was going too smoothly. I had a feeling in my gut that something was going to happen. I just didn’t know what or who it would be.

I watched as Heather moved from person to person. She was smiling, laughing, and just being Heather. I’d never met anyone who could be so damn polite with such Southern charm.

Fuck, I love her more than life itself…and she’s all mine.

“Dude, you better stop eyeing your wife like you want to devour her. These old folks might start talking,” Jeff said as he handed me a beer.

I looked around. The wedding reception was perfect. The room led to an outdoor covered patio right on the beach. I watched as Matt played with Luke and a few of Heather’s cousins’ kids. My mother was talking to Sue and Grace while Emma was talking to Sharon.

“Dude, thanks for inviting my mom at the last minute,” Jeff said.

I smiled at him. “Christ, Jeff, you know I’d do anything for you and Ellie. I’m just glad to see she’s clean and back in your world.” I glanced over, and Sharon was holding a sleeping Alex while she was laughing at something Emma had said.

I looked back over toward Heather. “I can’t believe she’s mine.” She was breathtaking in her dress.
I just want to see what’s under it.

“There goes that look again. Dude…how fucking horny are you? I thought I was bad,” Jeff said.

I threw my head back and laughed. “Ah shit, Jeff. I’ve never been so happy in my life. I thank God every day that I got a second chance with her. I feel closer to her now than I did before the accident, and I didn’t think that was even possible.”