“I know I am.” He ticked off with his fingers. “If the waiting period for marriage is longer than we have before I’m supposed to fly to London, I’ll ask my boss for a few extra days before I have to report in London. I have money. We’ll keep paying Tahi for the mortgage until she decides what she wants to do.”
“I have savings, Asher. I don’t need your—”
“It’s our money,” he interrupted before she could finish. “It doesn’t matter what bank account it comes from. But we’re not going to leave Tahi hanging. Besides, a condo in the city is a good investment. I’m not worried about it. My point is, all of those things are details, not obstacles. As long as you promise to marry me, nothing can stop us.”
“Well, I definitely promise,” she said, her lips curving.
“Then it’s going to happen,” he said, leaning down and capturing her alluring smile with his lips.
Chapter Twenty-nine
They were married on Tuesday. Maybe most people would think it was a less-than-ideal wedding. But in Laila’s eyes, it was perfect.
It was a crystal clear, brilliant fall afternoon. Laila felt like her heart was a helium balloon in her chest as they exchanged their vows and she looked into Asher’s eyes, spying their future in the depths. She saw that familiar glint of determination too. He was a force of nature. He always had been. It might have taken them eight years. But they’d gotten here. And it was where they belonged.
Tahi was there in the courtroom with them, along with Rudy and Jimmy. Laila was so thankful to share the sacred moment with at least a small sampling of family and friends. She and Asher had decided to tell their parents everything once they were in London. It wasn’t going to be an easy phone call for either of them to make. There was no point in making it beforehand, no rationalization for dimming their moment.
“We deserve to make it special,” Laila had told Asher the day before when they’d made their decision about their parents. “I want it to just be about us. Our happiness at beginning a life together.”
Did that mean she wasn’t aware, in some distant part of her mind, that her actions would have consequences for those she loved? That Asher’s parents too would be hurt by their decision? No. She went into this with eyes open. She knew that their decision to marry would leave some broken hearts in its wake.
But she also knew that she was meant to be with Asher. There was still a future ahead of them, one in which they could try to come to terms with family as best they could. It would be hard.
But she wasn’t going to give up on anyone they loved.
Right now was for them, though. Today was their day.
Laila felt that truth with every fiber of her being as the five of them left the Circuit Court of Cook County building that afternoon. She carried the beautiful bouquet Asher had given her earlier. With her other hand, she grasped Asher’s hand tightly. They walked into the sunny plaza. Tahi wanted to take pictures of them out by a fountain.
A horde of pigeons took flight in front of them. Asher turned toward her, pulling her against him. He kissed her warmly.
“Perfect picture,” Tahi called enthusiastically several feet behind them, making their kiss part into pressing smiles.
“I remember thinking once, years ago, that you were going to change my life forever,” Laila whispered softly.
“I wish I hadn’t brought so much difficulty and strain. I just want to make you happy.”
Her smile widened. “If you made me any happier than I am at this moment, I think I’d be flying away with all those birds.”
“I will give you the wedding of your dreams someday,” he said.
She shook her head, smiling. She went up on her tiptoes and kissed him again. “This may not be the wedding I dreamed of when I was sixteen years old. But marrying you is the best dream I could begin to conjure up in my mind at this moment. For the rest of my life. You’re my family now, Asher Gaites.”
“And you’re my whole world,” he said.
He firmed his hold on her hand. They took the next step into their future together.