“Now if you’ll excuse us,” he says to Michelle, “we have a ceremony to finish in front of our friends and family. We have to pose for photos for the media, and we have to finish the show, which is all this is since the ceremony earlier was the one that mattered. You’re neither a friend nor family, so you can go now.”
She sputters, and Jack draws her in a little closer. “You can stay as my date,” he says to her, and I hate Jack even more. He’s doing everything he can to look like he’s the good guy, the savior, while Luke selfishly takes care of his own needs and leaves the girl he knocked up in the dust while he marries someone he barely knows.
I know that’s not what this is, but to everyone outside of our innermost circle, that’s how it’ll look.
Luke’s jaw clenches as Michelle looks over at Jack with hearts in her eyes. He doesn’t say anything.
Luke just gives Jack and Michelle a look of disgust. “You two deserve each other.” He glances at his brother. “Good luck with that train wreck.” Then he turns back to Manny. “Can we continue now, please?”
Manny nods. “Join hands, and we will start over with the vows.” Luke nods before he takes my hands in his and turns to me.
“Luke, do you take Ellie to be your lawfully wedded wife and equal partner, to join with her and share with her all that is to come, and to commit to a life together from now until you part?” Manny asks.
Luke nods as his lips tip up. “Yes, I do.”
I can’t help my own smile at his. Someone in the very small group of our guests makes a noise, but I drown it out as I lock my gaze on Luke and listen to Manny’s words.
“And Ellie, do you take Luke to be your lawfully wedded husband and equal partner, to join with him and share with him all that is to come, and to commit to a life together from now until you part?” Manny asks.
“Yes, I do, too.”
Luke’s smile widens, and mine mirrors his. Maybe more noises come from the group, but I have no fucks left to give. This is between Luke and me.
“We will now exchange the rings.” Manny nods to Josh, who hands over both our rings. Manny mumbles a few words over the rings then hands my set to him. “Luke, repeat after me as you slide the ring onto Ellie’s finger. Ellie, I give you this ring as a symbol of our union. With this ring, I thee wed.”
Luke repeats the words and squeezes my hand when he’s done, and then it’s my turn.
“Luke, I give you this ring as a symbol of our union. With this ring, I thee wed,” I say, repeating Manny’s words.
“You have consented to matrimony in front of the witnesses gathered here tonight. By the authority vested in me by the state of Hawaii, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Noho me ka hau’oli a mau loa,” he says. “Live happily ever after. You may now kiss your bride.”
Luke’s mouth tips up in a soft smile that will imprint on my brain for the rest of time, and then he leans in and presses his lips to mine.
And fuck it all, we’re putting on a show. I grab the back of his head and go for it.
I kiss him with all the pent-up passion I’ve reserved for my own private thoughts, and I don’t even care that it’s in front of these awful people who call themselves his family...plus my brother, Nicki, and my parents.
We haven’t even opened our mouths to each other yet, but this is still the most passionate kiss I’ve ever experienced. Maybe it’s because I’m pouring my soul into it just for him...and maybe he’s pouring his in right back. It sure feels like it.
I’m about to open my mouth and give him some tongue when I hear a cheer. I’m sure it’s Nicki, and that’s what brings me back to Earth.
Our eyes meet when we break apart, and his have a little gleam to them while we both pant just a little to try to catch our breath after that epic kiss.
“Congratulations,” Nicki says, handing my bouquet back to me, and Luke and I link hands while Kaylee and Tim clap for us with my parents, Nicki, and Josh—I do note, however, that Carol, Jack, and Michelle refrain from celebrating our union. They’re not clapping or cheering or even smiling.
I bet those assholes will still eat the cake we paid for, though.
CHAPTER 2
It was nice of you to try to protect my heart, but Ellie already owns it.
Ellie carries my heart. She holds it in her hands, and I count myself the luckiest man in the world that I found her when I did.
If those aren’t wedding vows, I’m not sure what words would be.
Did he mean them?
That’s the question. If he has feelings for me...well, then I guess we could try dating. We could try getting to know one another on another level. We could give a relationship, our marriage, a real try.
But if he doesn’t, then nothing changes.
I just can’t figure out why he’d keep up the ruse when I admitted this morning that I have feelings for him. He never got the chance to tell me whether he reciprocates those feelings, but after the words he said tonight paired with the way I feel about him, I can’t honestly believe he doesn’t feel it, too.
It can’t be one-sided.
It’s too strong and too deep to be anything less than real.
We head right for our reception after we’re announced as husband and wife, which is really just a small, private room at the nicest restaurant in the hotel. We’re seated at a round table large enough for our entire party, and a small dance floor waits behind us. The cake is in another corner and it’s all very simple. We’re given menus, and I glance it over as I try to decide what the first dinner I have with my husband should be.
Luke reaches over to rest his hand on my leg once he’s decided what he wants, and it’s another small sign that his feelings might be real. Nobody can see his hand under the table. There’s no reason for it to be there on my leg other than that he wants it to be there.
I almost lean in to ask if he meant what he said, but there are too many prying eyes around this table. Too many people who clearly would love nothing more than to expose the truth. And that would be extra detrimental for my husband considering Michelle is sitting across the table from us.
What a mess.
He leans over and presses a soft kiss to my cheek, the scruff on his jaw tickling me. I turn and catch his lips with mine. It’s what you do when you’re the bride at your wedding reception, right? I’m taking every chance I can to publicly let the people at this table know that we’re in love.
And the more we kiss and touch each other and hold hands, certainly the more convincing we’ll be.
Carol huffs across the table, and then she finally breaks her silence. “So you’re the girl my son impregnated?”
She looks at Michelle like she’s a big bug that just crawled across the table. Finally, Carol and I seem to agree on something. Michelle’s eyes edge to Luke, and mine do, too. I’m pretty sure steam is coming out of his ears.
Michelle clears her throat. “Yes,” she says softly, and my goodness is she milking the pregnancy card for every single ounce its worth.
“When are you due?” Carol finally asks her. It is, after all, her grandchild in there despite the horrid woman carrying it.
“December tenth,” Michelle says, flashing them a sweet smile.