Finally...My Forever - Kristi Pelton Page 0,43
had been put on hold for my four reasons at home, but they were so worth it. Sloan had answered my call this morning only to lash out that this was all my fault. My fault for being gone. My fault for picking money. She couldn’t possibly understand. Refusing to tell Austin about the situation before the big day, I’d decided I could tell him tonight.
I hadn’t seen him since he’d joined the groomsmen to get ready. Two of them were already seating people as I stepped up. I took ahold of one of their arms—I couldn’t recall his name—and he seated me next to Austin’s parents. His mother patted my knee several times as we waited for the ceremony to start. It was weird how much I wanted her to like me. She was absolutely everything my mother wasn’t. Since we’d been there, she’d taken care of us like a mother is supposed to. Austin had the perfect growing up years. Two parents. Two parents that cared. Food. Shelter. Medical care. Love.
A saxophone played softly while Zach and his buddies strolled out barefoot with khaki pants rolled up to their ankles. Ryan’s enormous body next to Zach seemed ridiculous compared to Emma’s. It wasn’t possible to imagine them as siblings. Once the parents were seated, the saxophone began playing the coolest wedding march.
Austin was the third to walk down the aisle, representing Emma’s side. On the short trip to the gazebo, his eyes bore into me. I squirmed at his heated gaze, knowing full well his mother was behind me and witness to it too. I hoped everyone there knew he was mine. Sitting there, at this beautiful wedding, I couldn’t help but picture myself walking down that aisle toward him. I loved the thought of marrying him. The thought of crawling into bed with him every night. The thought of him helping me figure out things with day-to-day problems. Feeling his hand in mine for the rest of my life. I drew in the deepest of breaths with the happy, forever thoughts.
When the guests started laughing, I peeked around the lady in front of me to see what was so funny. Zach and Emma had turned away from us to face the minister and Zach wore a sign on his back that read STOP ME! All of Zach’s groomsman laughed. Emma reared back to see what was on Zach’s shirt, and she pulled off the taped piece of paper and handed it to Ali, who fought a smile of her own. Zach murdered the groomsmen with his eyes, but Emma took his hand, easing him with a smile. THAT, that is what I wanted with me and Austin. When it came time for the exchange of rings, Emma swiveled around to Ali. Ali shrugged and turned to Sam. Sam shrugged and turned to Austin. Austin shrugged and turned to Grant. In the meantime, Zach’s chest began to swell until Emma touched it, shaking her head in laughter and whispering something in his ear. Grant shot his hand up to show the ring resting on his middle finger. The ring was passed up from Grant to Austin to Sam to Ali and then finally to Emma, who laughed at the antics. Both sets of parents laughed too. My parents wouldn’t be at my wedding. As if reading my mind, Austin’s mother patted my leg again, making my doubts and hesitations subside. I couldn’t help but wonder what Austin had told her about us.
The person officiating the service pronounced them husband and wife. I couldn’t help but get lost in them as a couple as Emma fought a smile when Zach lifted her chin and pecked her lips several times and then kissed her so deeply the entire wedding party and some of the guests whooped and whistled. Even the weather seemed in full agreement with what was happening on this beach. There weren’t many places where an August wedding would work, but this beach was one. Texas would never work.
The reception equaled dream worthy too. The white tent was back in place with a dance floor, a DJ, and a table with a spectacular cake. Austin sat at the head table, so I sat with his parents.
“I’ll join you in just a few,” he whispered into my hair and kissed my neck. “You are so beautiful.”
My heart flipped over in my chest. Seriously. It did a complete 360. I knew it was impossible. I knew I’d be dead if