“Are you ready, honey?”

I never thought I’d be hearing those words from my dad this soon in my life, but they mean so much to me that I almost start crying right there in front of the doors. He puts a hand on my shoulder and smiles warmly at me.

I sniff, fighting back tears for the sake of my makeup. “Yeah, I’m ready. Thanks, Daddy.”

“Let’s get out there and knock ‘em dead, Claire,” he says, making me smile.

“Let’s do this,” Tessa says, giving me a wink as she takes her place in front of me.

A moment later, the doors of the chapel open slowly. When the Wedding March starts playing, it hits me like an arrow through the heart.

This is the day.

Walking down the aisle feels so much more intense than I ever thought it could be. My dad’s arm around mine as we make our way to the altar feels both light and heavy at the same time—maybe it’s just because of how dizzy I am. I look to my left and right and see all our friends and family gathered together, smiles on every face and tears in more than a few eyes. I match Tessa’s steps, thankful I don’t have to worry about my tempo, on top of everything else.

Beyond the crowds, glass walls on every side of the the chapel displays lush greeneries like a reverse jewel box. I’ve always wanted to get married in shows off the gorgeous forests all around us.

People outside the Southwest never realize how much green spills over the mountains down here, and those of our friends and family not from around here have been wowed from the moment they arrived. My mom managed to book the place in advance, thanks to a few strings pulled, and I couldn’t be happier for it.

Each step I take feels like I’m walking on clouds. Ben’s mom helped me pick out the perfect dress, and it hugs my body perfectly—it’s not half as stuffy as I always worried a wedding dress might be.

And at the far end of the aisle, Ben is waiting.

Growing up and thinking about my wedding day, all I’ve ever been able to worry about is the practical side of things—whether there would be a problem getting the right venue, whether catering would be on time and tasty, whether I’d have any trouble shopping for dresses, whether my hair would spontaneously catch fire and burn down the whole chapel . . . but I rarely spent any time thinking about the groom. Something about that unexpectedness is what makes it impossible for me to keep the tears from rolling down my face to wet my smiling lips.

Ben looks gorgeous—even more so than he usually does.

His black suit fits his cut, muscular form perfectly, and he stands at the altar looking like a statue that would make a Renaissance sculptor jealous. His body is in perfect condition, his face is clean-shaven, and his hair is cut so immaculately that it’s hard to believe he’s a real person.

But he’s more than real—he’s my Ben.

The look on his face melts my heart. He’s such a strong, decisive man, that seeing him anxious over the wedding has been adorable.

Now, though, all that anxiety is gone.

The rest of the chapel might as well be empty. It’s just the two of us and a meaningless stretch of distance between us. We get lost in each other’s eyes as I approach him, and the organ music playing in the background almost seems muffled.

All I can focus on is Ben, and I can tell by the look in his eyes that he feels the same way. He’s taking in the sight of me—the white dress, the veil that obscures my face . . . Maybe he’s pondering his own childhood ideas about his wedding.

The walk to the altar goes by in a blur, and suddenly I’m standing in front of the man I love. Staring at him, I can’t help but feel gratitude fill my chest so fully it’s a struggle to breathe. I couldn’t have dreamed up anyone like Ben.

Both of us nearly lose it when we hear the minister say the words we’re sure he’s recited over a million times, then he turns to Ben with a warm smile. “The bride and groom have prepared their own vows to exchange.”

Ben takes a deep breath. He reaches for a piece of paper in his jacket, but then tucks it away and beams at me. My heart jumps to my throat.

“Claire,” he says in a thick tone. “I don’t deserve you. I don’t know what I did to be so lucky as to cross paths with you. You’ve changed my life in a way I never could have expected, and I never want us to stop changing our lives together. I’ve become a better person through you, I’ve laughed with you, and I’ve embarrassed myself in front of you more times than I can count.”

Even as I laugh softly with the audience, tears are flowing freely down my face, and I’m thanking heaven for waterproof mascara.

“You’re more than the world to me, Claire. You’re my everything. And everything is what I want to live with you. I vow to be your husband. I vow to grow with you, learn with you, be your best friend through whatever life throws at us, and above all . . . I vow to love you as long as life gives us time.”

I’m so choked up I can barely think, much less speak, but I manage to find my voice after a few moments. I take the tissue that Tessa, my matron of honor, offers me, dabbing my eyes dry.

“Ben...I still can’t believe this is real. You’ve changed everything I ever hoped to expect out of life and made it so much brighter that I can’t even believe it’s all happening. I couldn’t be more happy. If the past year and some change have taught me anything, it’s that we’re better together. There are people kinder than us, there are people wiser than us, and there are people who’ll be more romantic than us, and even with all that in front of me, I wouldn’t dream of standing right here with anyone else in the universe but you.

“I vow to be your wife. I vow to support you when times are hard the way you support me, and I vow to give you twice as much happiness as you’ve given me in the time we’ve known each other. That means I’ll be busy for the rest of my life and then some.”

Kayleigh, the little daughter of Tessa and her husband Luke, makes her way up to the altar as our little ring-bearer. It might have been unconventional, but I couldn’t think of anyone else who’d do a better job, and the look on Tessa’s crying face is worth it— especially since their baby boy, Kevin, is back at home.

We exchange the rings. I’ve never been happier to have a piece of jewelry on my finger, and my smile grows wider when I see the gold band curled around Ben’s finger—a permanent sign that he’s mine and always will be.

The minister takes a deep breath and speaks again. “By the power invested in me, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

By the time the word kiss is halfway out of the minister’s mouth, Ben has already grabbed me and yanked me in for a passionate, emotional kiss that makes my heart flutter as he bends me backward. Cheers break out all around us.

This is us.

Now and forever.

And I couldn’t be happier.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed Claire and Ben’s story.

To read Tessa and Luke’s story, check out .

You can also read Brock’s story (with his assistant-slash-friend’s-sister) in .

Or, to binge on my books, get one of my box sets . . . or two. ;)

Like all my other titles, they’re launched at $0.99 before going up to full price. So if you check them out at the right time, you might still be able to take advantage of the promotional price.

The contains 7 stand-alone romances and bonus, exclusive chapters for every story included in the box set:

• My Brother’s Best Friend
• Mountain Man’s Baby Plan
• Knocked Up
• Baby for My Brother’s Friend
• Again
• Royal Beast
• My Brother’s Friend, the Dom

The contains 7 stand-alone (but related) romances and a bonus exclusive, never-before-published novelette, featuring all seven couples from the stories included in the box set:

• Guilty
• Stripped
• His Virgin
• Billionaire Protector
• Virgin Fiancée
• Single Dad’s Fake Bride
• The Billionaire’s Bride
• Bonus Novelette: After the Happily Ever After…

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