I nod. Let’s get my forever.
When Zach and I turn to walk out of my bedroom, Hunter and Bennett are standing there with their arms around each other’s shoulders.
Bennett wipes a fake tear away. “That was just so beautiful, don’t you think, Hunt?”
Hunter places his hand on his chest. “Absolutely beautiful.”
“Fuck off, the both of you.” I walk past them with only one thing on my mind: I’m ready to get married.
I stand at the front of the church with Hunter and Bennett as I watch my best friend walk down the aisle toward me with my niece. Emme is so beautiful in her sparkly aqua dress and her brown curls pinned back. I’ve never seen that much hair on a one-year-old. One day, I hope to be half the man Zach is as a father. Once Zach reaches the end, he kisses his daughter’s cheek and hands her off to his mom, kissing her cheek as well, before he stalks to take his place next to me.
He slaps a hand on my back. “Damn, I thought I had more time before I walked my daughter down the aisle.”
I stifle back a laugh and hide it with a cough. The minister turns to look at me raising his eyebrows in question.
I hold up my hands and mouth, “I’m okay,” before facing back toward the crowd to see my sister Lauren walking down the aisle next.
She smiles before walking past me and takes her place. Not long after does Kate follow. Her pink streaks stand out through her braided hair. She sticks her tongue out at me, and I return the favor. I stare at my sisters and am amazed and in awe at the relationship they both have with my girl. I remember the first time I mentioned Dani to them; they told me to be careful and cautious because they were looking out for me, but I think fate had already begun its pull for Dani and me. They accepted her from the beginning when I first got her to join us for dinner, and now, they have weekly girls’ nights.
Zach elbows me, pulling me back to reality, and whispers, “Dude, my wife is the hottest woman in this place.”
I look up just in time to see the matron of honor begin to walk. It was only six months prior that our roles were reversed, and Dani and I were standing here as Haylee walked toward Zach, dressed in white.
The smile that is on both my best friends’ faces doesn’t falter. It’s the same look they’ve shared since they began dating. That is true love right there. They are amazing together, but if they don’t stop eye-fucking right now, I think they may combust right in front of us. But that look also tells me that it might not be too long till we have a new niece or nephew. I wouldn’t put it past them to sneak off somewhere to have slutty wedding sex.
I feel a tug on my elbow and turn to face Bennett leaning over Hunter and Zach. I look down to find him holding some tissues. I do not want to know where those came from. I raise my eyebrow in question as he pushes one toward me.
“You know, for your man tears,” he says with a smug grin on his face.
I shake my head, but take it from him anyway.
When Haylee takes her place across from us, the sounds of “Pachelbel’s Canon in D” fade and the minister announces for everyone to please rise, and I know it’s time. It may have been less than twenty-four hours since I had her in my arms, b
ut that was long enough.
When the first few notes begin to play of “How Long Will I Love You” by Ellie Goulding, I close my eyes for just a moment to catch my breath knowing this is it. When we were planning the wedding, Dani knew she didn’t want to be traditional when it came to picking the song to walk down the aisle to. We had originally picked another song, but the first time Dani heard this song on the radio, she said that she closed her eyes and saw a montage of a relationship like they do in the movies and instantly knew that this was the one.
When I open my eyes, the door in the back of the church opens and there she is: my angel, my wife-to-be. She is absolutely stunning. Her arm is linked with Adam’s as she makes her way toward us, toward our forever. My eyes fill with tears, and I refuse to look back at Bennett, knowing he will be proud that he knew I would cry. I can’t help it.
Her white dress drapes to the floor, covered in lace. Her long brown hair is curly and pinned back from her face. Her smile is genuine and all for me. The view of her in front of me takes my breath away. It’s as if I’m seeing her for the first time all over again. I’m pretty sure neither of us blinks once our eyes lock. I’m afraid that if I blink, this will all be a dream.
I don’t know what I did to deserve her love, but I will cherish her for the rest of my life.
Maybe I should wait for the wedding vows before thinking that.
The closer she gets to the altar, the faster my heart begins to beat. It’s not in an anxious way, more so that it knows the other half of me is near and getting closer. Dani is the other half of me; she makes me be a better person and me, her.
Emme lets out a loud shriek when her aunt and pop-pop come into view. Everyone laughs at her cuteness.
“Look at that. She takes after her daddy, always stealing the show,” I mumble.
Dani leans in, kissing her dad’s cheek before he releases her, and she takes my hand.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“I see you didn’t have any trouble finding me,” I smirk.