~Landon~
“It’s about fucking time you got married,” Lucas says a month later. We’re in the room I grew up in at my parents’ house, getting dressed for the wedding.
“You’re not married, and we’re the same age, idiot,” I reply, and grin. We love slinging insults at each other.
“I’m not the settling-down kind of guy,” he says, completely lost as to how to tie his tie. So I walk to him and shove his hands away, doing it myself. “A wild man like me can’t be tamed.”
“Or you’re too ugly for any woman to want to look at you for the rest of her life.” I laugh and cinch up the tie, too tight, of course.
“Ha ha,” he replies, and walks to the mirror to adjust his tie and slip into his jacket. “So you guys decided against going to the courthouse?”
“Yeah.” I nod and grin, remembering Cami’s face when I suggested the church. “Even if it’s still a small thing, she deserved something more special. She’s always had a soft spot for that old church down the street. You know, the tiny one that our moms used to drag us to for Sunday school when we were little?”
“I know the one.” Lucas’s face sobers. “How is she?”
“She’s doing better,” I reply, and nod, thinking of my strong girl. “She suggested us going to therapy right after she lost the baby.”
“Really?” he asks with surprise. “You’re in therapy? Has hell frozen over?”
“I was surprised too, but I’m glad she did. We’ve had some interesting conversations, that’s for sure. It’s been good for both of us.” I shrug and smile at my longtime friend. “You could use some therapy yourself.”
“Nah, I’m happy with all of my dysfunctional ways.”
“How’s it going in here?” Jake asks as he and Steven walk into the room. “Aw, don’t you just clean up all pretty like?”
“Fuck you,” I reply calmly, but my palms are sweaty and I’m more than a little nervous. Not at the thought of marrying Cami. There’s nothing I want more in the world. I’m just antsy. I’m ready to get this all over with, so she’s finally my wife and we can move forward with our lives. “Why are you guys here?”
“Because we’ve been banned from the girls’ domain,” Steven says. “And I’m sick of seeing Aunt Cami cry. Girls are so sentimental.”
“Get used to it, kid,” Lucas says, slapping Steven on the back.
“Also, she kept telling me I look so cute, like I’m twelve or something.” He shudders. “It’s gross.”
“Awww, you’re just so cute,” I say, and pinch Steven’s cheek, then slap it lightly. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
“I should warn you,” Jake says as we stomp down the stairs and out to our cars. My parents left for the church earlier to help with any finishing touches. “They’ve been drinking champagne like it’s going out of style, since Addie can drive. Let’s just hope they can stumble into the church.”
“They’ll be fine,” I reply. “You bozos are taking your own ride. I’m not giving you a lift to the restaurant after the ceremony.”
“You’re so selfish, wanting your bride all to yourself,” Lucas says with a grin. I just wave them off and drive my own car down the street, then take a deep breath and walk inside. The church is so charming all on its own that it didn’t require much for decoration. There are some candles lit, and a bouquet of flowers on the altar, but that’s it. All of the girls are already sitting, along with Cami’s siblings, who traveled for the occasion, Ringo and his wife, and my family.
We wanted to keep the guest list small, inviting only those we’re truly close to to share our day.
Steven disappears into a side room, and Jake joins Addie in the front row as Lucas and I walk to the front of the church where the minister is already standing.
“Are you ready?” he asks me.
“I’ve been ready for weeks,” I reply truthfully. He smiles and nods at the pianist, queuing him to begin the “Wedding March.”
Cami’s sister, Amanda, walks slowly down the aisle, smiling brightly, and then finally, there is my gorgeous bride.
Cami’s all smiles as Steven escorts her down the aisle. Her dress is lacy and hugs her curves perfectly. Her eyes are pinned to mine as she walks slowly to me, and finally, Steven passes her hand to mine.
“Who gives this woman to this man?” the minister asks.
“I do,” Steven says proudly, kisses Cami’s cheek, and joins his family.
God, she’s beautiful.
And she’s mine.
The minister begins speaking about the sanctity of marriage. The promise. And I can’t take my eyes off her.
Cami and I chose to exchange traditional wedding vows, and before I know it, her sweet voice fills the small chapel as she begins to recite them.
“I, Cami, take you Landon to be my husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, forsaking all others, till death do us part.”
A tear slips down her cheek when the minister says, “And now, with the authority vested in me through the state of Oregon, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
But I don’t just kiss her. No, that would be damn boring. I dip her deeply and kiss her the same way, showing God and all of our nearest and dearest just how much I love this woman.
When we stand, the chapel erupts in applause, and we are enveloped in hugs and well-wishes from our families.
Finally, the photographer says, “Well, since all of the guests will be in photos, let’s go ahead and get them out of the way so we can get you all to dinner at the restaurant.”
“Who knew that photos with only twenty people could take so long?” Lucas asks an hour later after we’ve been posed in every way you can imagine. “That made me damn hungry. Let’s go.”
“We’ll be right behind you!” I call out to everyone as they file out. “I want a minute with my girl.”
Cami frowns up at me as everyone leaves, and when we’re alone, I turn to her, standing in the same places where we exchanged our vows an hour ago, and take her hands in mine.
“I needed a few minutes alone with you. How are you?”
“I’m wonderful,” she replies with a wide smile, her green eyes shining with happiness. “How are you?”
“I can’t even tell you how happy I am,” I reply, and kiss her hands. “I’m glad that we decided to exchange the traditional vows because we’re traditional people, but there are a few other things that I want to say that I didn’t want everyone else to hear and I wanted to say them here.”
I swallow, clear my throat, and continue to hold her gaze.
“The first time I saw you, something inside me said, That’s the one. Of course, I was a kid, but through all of the years that passed after, that voice was still there. Sometimes it was a whisper, and other times it was a shout. No one and nothing compares to you and what I feel for you, Cami. You aren’t just my other half, you’re the best part of me. There is nothing you can ever do to lose my love, my sweet. It is endless. And while I will love you until my last breath, I will love you beyond that, into whatever that may be. You are a permanent part of me, and for that I will always be grateful because there is nothing in this world that is better than you. I’m humbled to be yours.”
She’s smiling so brightly, and yet so gently at the same time. She boosts up on her toes to kiss my lips, and then, to my surprise, begins to speak.
“I’m so glad you did this because I have something to say too.” She blinks and seems to gather her thoughts, and then turns those bright green eyes up to mine. “Wuthering Heights is my favorite book, and the best line in it says this: If he loved you with all of the power of his soul for a whole lifetime, he couldn’t love you as much as I do in a single day.
“I’ve always felt that that line was written for me, about you. I’ve watched you from a distance for years, caring for you, worrying about you, thinking of you. I’ve felt pulled to you my entire life, Landon. I couldn’t explain it, and I couldn’t wish it away even when I tried. You’ve never left me. I’ve carried you with me always. It’s a constant surprise to me that you’re mine now. It feels like the best dream I’ve ever had, and I find myself wishing and praying that I don’t wake up.
“But, I’m not dreaming. And for better or worse, you are finally mine. I have a feeling that ours is going to be a life that’s a little bit messy, with lots of laughs and some tears, but that is what makes it great. It’s passionate and whole and true. And I can tell you for certain that it’s forever. Because it’s already been forever.”
She reaches up and gently catches a tear that has escaped my eyes.
“I am so blessed.”
I pull her in and wrap my arms around her, and kiss her tenderly.
“Now that we’ve finished our vows, are you ready to go celebrate?”
“I’m ready for all of it.”
“IF THEY DON’T stop putting parsley on the plates, I’ll—”
“Mia,” Cami says with a laugh, and hugs her tightly. “Relax. I don’t care about the parsley. And you’re supposed to be enjoying yourself. This is a party.”
“You’re right.” Mia shrugs. “I’ll give them a refresher course on garnishes later.”
“Atta girl,” I reply happily as Lucas and Addie both stand and Lucas taps his water glass to get all of our attention.
“Hi, everyone,” Lucas says. “So, it’s tradition for the best man to give a toast, but instead, Addie and I are going to tell a story.”
“It’s a really great story,” Addie adds with a nod.
“Picture if you will,” Lucas begins, raising his hand for dramatic effect, “a hot summer in 2003.”
“Cami was seventeen and Landon was in his early twenties, home for the summer before he shipped off to join the Navy.” Addie glances over at us, grinning widely. “And we had a big cookout in Landon’s backyard.”
“But Cami didn’t come alone,” Lucas continues. “No, Cami showed up to the cookout with some dude, none of us can remember his name. Now, what I do remember is seeing Landon’s face when Cami walked into the backyard with that bozo on her arm. It wasn’t pretty. In fact, I do believe that Landon proceeded to glare at the guy all night.”
Please don’t tell them about how drunk I got that night.
“What he didn’t know,” Addie says, picking up the story, “was that Cami was so not into Mr. No-name. Frankly, she just brought him along in hopes that Landon would get jealous and finally make a move. It was her last-ditch effort, if you will, before Landon left.”
“Oh, he was jealous all right,” Lucas says with a laugh. “And I won’t even get into how much beer he drank that night.”
“Thank you!” I call out.
“But he didn’t make a move on our Cami,” Addie says, and everyone in the room says “aw” in sympathy. “I believe her exact words after that night were ‘screw him.’”
“Awww!” everyone says again. I reach under the table and take her hand in mine, and when I look down at her, she’s laughing with the others, not embarrassed in the least.
“But the story gets better,” Lucas says. “Not long after Landon moved back home, I came to town to see how he was doing, and I was shocked when he bailed on a night of debauchery with me to take Cami out on a date.”
“It was their first official date,” Addie says with a smile. “And it may have been years later, but they finally got it right. That first date led us here, and all we can say is, it’s about time, you guys.”
“To Landon and Cami,” Lucas says, raising his glass. “And to a long life together.”
Everyone cheers and I lean in to whisper in Cami’s ear. “This moment is thirteen years in the making, and I couldn’t have pictured it any better than this.”