“H-how did you know?” I asked.
“Takes one to know one,” she said with a sly wink.
“Yeah, I guess,” I said blushing again.
“And that is your greatest advantage,” Sarah said.
“What is?”
“You’re unassuming cuteness. So adorable and innocent, well trained I’m sure. Religious parents?”
“Yeah and convent school.”
“No one will ever see you coming.”
I was about to say something I hoped would be cool but would probably just end up being embarrassing when I was rescued by the appearance of the emcee on stage.
The introduction they gave Noah was extremely flattering and a bit more thorough than I expected, especially considering that there was apparently no introduction needed. Still, though, it was nice to know that there were other people who saw Noah the same way I did. If anything, the needlessly in-depth introduction served as a reminder of what attracted me to Noah in the first place.
As he came out onto the stage, I could feel my love for him grow — not metaphorically either. There was actually a tangible swelling feeling in my chest like I might actually burst with all the love and pride I felt for him. I really didn’t care that this was all supposed to be fake — to make him look good for his peers and ward off his mother and crazy ex. That was how it started, but that wasn’t how it had to end. We could write a new story. One with a happy ending.
When Sara first shouted out during Noah’s speech, I had actually thought that she was heckling him. Until he responded with some good-natured teasing of his own. Then I realized that it was just how they were with each other. I even got comfortable enough to join in with the third instance of shouted agreement, getting my first ever high five out of the deal. My hand stung, Sarah was very strong, but it was all good.
There were some pretty shocking revelations during his speech, which had become a freestyle confessional somewhere along the way, as well as some confirmations of things I had already suspected. Especially considering the nature of his work as a lawyer. Part of me wasn’t sure how I felt about him intentionally going into some of the worst places in the world, even if it was to make it be a better place. If we were to be together, I would constantly be worried about him getting hurt. Though given the evidence that didn’t seem like a very likely scenario. He had already survived at least three bullets and was clearly made up of sterner stuff. I could feel all my insecurities and fears melting away.
The true shock, however, came at the end. I had imagined Noah asking me to marry him many times over the time we had been together. To be his real fiancée as opposed to his fake one. None of it prepared me for when it actually happened. Possibly even more surprising at least to myself, was how I reacted.
“Yes!” I shouted at the top of my lungs, causing many a head to turn my way.
The heads continued to follow me as I made my way up to the stage. The shock soon giving away to thunderous applause. Noah pulled me up onto the stage and into his arms as we kissed passionately.
I wanted to pinch myself to make sure it was real. Not only did I have a start-up business in the career I always wanted but a hot, and deeply principled, lawyer as a husband as well.
Chapter Twenty-One
Emma
I had thought April the first had been a joke. Though with Noah’s dry brand of humor, it could be difficult to tell. He had been joking about having the ceremony in a cathedral. Which was probably for the best. Clever boy that he was, my sweet darling Noah figured out a way for the least drama by the bringing together of our two tribes, a simple but beautiful ceremony in the woods.
“How do I look?” I asked, turning to face Sarah, who had just finished fastening the back of my wedding dress.
“Scrumptious,” she replied, going to retrieve my floral wreath headpiece, “then again, you would probably look good in a potato sack.”
“Let’s hope that never comes up,” I giggled.
Technically, the wreath was a pagan symbol, but I liked it and really didn’t think anyone else would notice much less care. Noah and I had considered putting up a Maypole as a joke but in the end, decided against it.
Outside the confines of the trailer Noah had rented for me to get changed in, the accordion music reared up, an organ, while traditional, just not being feasible for the setting. We had a bit of a debate about what the song should be — the bridal chorus and the Pachelbel Canon in D not even being on the table. We had it down to the first of the Goldberg Variations and “I Vow To Thee My Country.” In the end, we went with the latter mostly due to length.