Garrett looked over at me and smiled.
“Are you ready sweetheart?”
I had to smile at his choice of words. The fact that he called me sweetheart made my heart just start beating a mile a minute. I smiled and nodded. He took my arm in his and we started to walk.
We came around and stopped at the very beginning of the petal covered pathway. I looked around at all the people. The guest where mostly friends and family on Gunner’s side and the rest where our friends, and Gunner’s teammates. Everyone was smiling at me. Then the wedding march started. Garrett squeezed my arm and we took off.
I looked up and looked right at Gunner. His eyes captured mine and I instantly smiled. I let my eyes drift down his body. OHMYGOD……my knees felt weak and it must have been noticeable because Garrett lifted his arm up to what I am guessing was to help me stay standing up. I looked back up and my eyes caught his and it just took my breath away. He was giving me that damn crooked smile of his and I started to giggle. He raised his eyebrow up at me which made me giggle even more. It felt like it was taking forever to get up there and I found myself starting to try to walk faster. Now Garrett was the one laughing.
“Slow down there darling……this isn’t a race you know!”
Finally we made up to the altar. I looked at Jefferson who looked so handsome. He was next, him and Ari. He gave me a wink as Garrett announced he was the one giving me away. When my hand was placed in Gunner’s hand and I stepped up on the last step. Gunner leaned down, pushed a curl behind me ear, and whispered so low I barely heard him.
“You look so beautiful Ellie; you take my breath away sweetheart. I love you. ”
Dear lord…. . . this man was amazing. I’m not sure what I ever did to deserve him but I will spend the rest of my life making him happy. That was a promise.
Gunner……
I watched as Jenny walked Ellie back over to her truck and they took off for the hunter’s cabin. Ellie turned back once and smiled at me and my knees about gave out. Will her smile always affect me this much?
“Yes. ”
What? I heard Gramps and wondered if I had just said my last thought out loud.
“Excuse me sir?”
“Yes, she is always going to do whatever it is you are feeling right now Drew, whether you can’t catch your breath at the sight of her, your knees go weak from a smile or a kiss. She will always have you bewitched.
“Are you able to read minds now old man?” I asked as I watched the love of my life drive off.
Gramps let out a loud and gruff laugh. Then he slapped me on the back.
“Walk with me son. ”
We headed in the direction away from where everything was being set up.
I looked over my shoulder and saw Grams standing on the porch watching us.
“Were you nervous the day you married Grams?” I asked after about three minutes of silence.
“Hell yes I was nervous. I threw up three times and my father kept telling me to man up. I was scared shitless I wasn’t going to be able to make her as happy as she made me. I decided after the last time I threw up that I would rather die than not spend my life with her so I would just have to figure out a way to make her happy. ”
I smiled at the thought of my Gramps being scared. He was the strongest man I knew and didn’t take shit from anyone, well anyone except Grams.
“I love her so much Gramps that sometimes I can’t even think straight when I’m around her. I never in my life thought this was what love was going to be like. The moment I saw her I knew…… I just knew I had to make her mine. ”
Gramps let out a chuckle. “Drew listen to me son. Love like that, the love that you feel for Ellie and she feels for you. It’s very rare. Only a lucky few will ever experience it and when you do, you fight for that love every single goddamn day of your life. You will both fight; make each other mad as hell. You might even think it won’t work out but it will son, trust me it will. When you share a love so strong you can weather any storm. ”
“Like you and Grams? Did you think it wouldn’t work out ever?”
“Yes, not long after we got married. I can’t even remember what the fight was about but I remember packing up a bag to leave. The moment I reached for the door to open it, I was hit by this realization that if I left, if I walked out that door I might not ever be able to get her back. It was not worth risking it so I put my bag down turned to see her crying and walked up to her. ”
Good lord what the fuck was wrong with me? My heart was beating a mile a minute as I hung onto every word.
“What happened?”
Gramps laughed. “I kissed her, picked her up and made love to her in the kitchen. It was one of the best fucking moments of my life. ”