Chapter Twenty-Eight

Quinn

“I wrote my vows last night, Ashton, but seeing you in that wedding gown has made it hard for me to remember anything that I intended to say.”

Our guests laughed at that, giving me a chance to catch my breath. It was true. I had stayed up very late trying to wax poetic about how much I loved Ashton. What made her so special to me. Why I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. My heart wanted to burst with it but words, those were tougher to express. Because seeing her in that gown took my breath – and voice – away.

Then, she glanced at me with the glittering gold flecks and her smiling face gave me gave me the courage to go on.

“Sixteen years ago, you were a little girl chasing me around the neighborhood pool. At first, I found you very irritating and annoying.”

The crowd laughed again.

“Then you started to grow on me. My feelings crept up. You were a girl with amazing hazel eyes, a smile that lit up a room, and an effervescent personality. You never took no for an answer. You always went after what you wanted. Even though I may not have shown it when we were growing up, I was falling slowly in love with you every day. Then we became a teenagers …”

Everyone laughed again.

“We shared a very special moment together. A slice of time that scared me, but made me fall further in love with you. I knew that one day I would make you mine. Not even ten years of separation dulled those intense feelings. I had to be sneaky, but I got you to come to Destin. I’d hoped to rekindle our connection and spend some time with you. I never expected to fall even more madly, deeply in love. When you left Destin, I felt like you took a piece of my heart with you. It was then that I knew that I never, ever wanted to be without you again. I had to have you for the rest of my life.”

I saw a tear starting to fall from Ashton’s eye. I reached up with my thumb and wiped it away.

“After my accident …” I choked up. I didn’t know if I’d finish. Ashton reached over and grabbed both of my hands. She squeezed.

“After the accident,” I continued, “I wasn’t sure if you could still envision a future with me. When my parents told me that you never left my side when I was in the hospital, the flame of hope stayed kindled. Ashton, I am yours completely. I will do my best to never let you down. I will love you, protect you, and worship you forever, and ever.”

Ashton took a breath. “It is true. When we were little, I had the biggest crush on you. I drew little hearts all over my school notebooks and put our initials inside the heart. I doodled your name over and over. That crush grew over time and I began to look at you as a boyfriend. Then a lover. When you left for Destin, you took my heart with you. I was crushed. When we reconnected, my first thought was to slap you.”

A little laugh from the crowd.

“I wanted you to feel how much you had hurt me when you left. But then you wiggled your way under my skin with your sexy laugh and your zest for life. Quinn Andrews, I fell in love all over again. The first kiss we shared in Destin turned my knees to jelly. That’s when I knew we were destined to be together. Your smile releases the fluttering wings of a million butterflies in my stomach. Your love and friendship have filled a hole in my heart. I will love you forever, and ever.”

Before the officiant could get the words, ‘You may kiss the bride’ out of his mouth, I leaned over and kissed my bride. Cheers of joy went up and out through the crowd.

We were finally Mr. and Mrs. Quinn Andrews.

Forever. And ever.

***

We had the customary photo session with a local photographer. Afterwards, Ashton and I joined our guests at the reception area, which consisted of the pool deck at the beach house. We’d decided on an open bar and catered affair. A local band had already tuned up to provide the audio backdrop for dancing. A portable, parquet dance floor had been laid down in front of the makeshift stage.

Well-wishers included Mr. Albertson and his family and a few people from the real estate office. Two of the nurses that took care of Nanna while she was ill were in attendance. Friends and family from Georgia were also there.

The band started to play, “Wish You Were Here”, which served as the accompaniment for our first dance together as man and wife. We took the dance floor and I twirled Ashton across the glossy wood and straight into my arms.

“How does it feel to be a married woman?” I asked my new wife.

Wife. My new favorite word.

“I love it when people say Mrs. Quinn Andrews,” Ashton said.

I stumbled a little but caught myself before I embarrassed myself by teetering on my titanium leg.

“Are you sure you’re okay to dance?” she asked.

I’d had my prosthetic leg refitted a couple weeks before the wedding. I was still getting used to it despite weeks and weeks of physical therapy. My doctor told us that it would take months for it to start feeling normal for me. Like an extension of my body.

“Of course. I wanted to dance with you at our wedding,” I said. “Nothing on this earth could stop me from holding you in my arms and claiming you as mine.”

“That’s one of things that I love about you,” Ashton said. “Your determination and tenacity.”

“Just one of the things?” I asked, fishing for compliments. I’d never tire of Ashton telling me how much she cared about me.

She ran her hands down the length of my lapel. “Well, there are other things that I love as well. They just aren’t appropriate to talk about on the dance floor with our parents watching us. We’ll talk more when we’re alone.”

I brought her in closer. “Alone. With you. Such sweet, sweet words. How soon can we make that happen?”

Ashton giggled. “Because you want me out of this dress?”

“I do love your dress. But seeing you out of it is more appealing.” I kissed her neck and whispered, “I didn’t get to see you last night if you remember.”

“Yes, I remember. You were the one that wanted to abide by tradition and not see each other until today.”

“Damn traditions. Or a temporary moment of insanity.”

We kissed.

We danced.

We drank.

And we laughed all night long.

Around midnight Courtney rounded up Ashton so she could throw her bridal bouquet. All the eligible women gathered around to catch it. Of course, that wasn’t many since we had a pretty small guest list.

Ashton threw the bouquet and it went sailing over the hopeful heads of women. A squeal went up in the crowd and I turned to see Cassie, Mr. Albertson’s daughter, had caught the flowers as she held it up triumphantly.

Ashton and I congratulated her. “I hope you guys will come to my wedding,” she said holding the bouquet close to her chest. “I gotta find a man first.” She looked over at Henri. “Is he single?”

Ashton laughed, her former animosity toward the woman forgotten in the shadow of my love. “That’s my boss. He lives in Atlanta. And yes, he’s very single.”

“Ooh, introduce me?” Cassie asked, eyes twinkling.

Ashton looked at me and I shrugged. “Sure. Let’s go.”

I watched as my wife walked off to introduce Cassie to her former boss.

“Hey,” I felt a pat on my back. I turned to find Ashton’s dad standing behind me.

“Hi, Mr. Jansen.”

“I think you can call me Carl,” he said with a pat on my back. “Or Dad if you prefer.”

“Okay, Carl” I agreed.

“You and I haven’t had a chance to really talk since you’ve been engaged to my daughter,” he said. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for what happened between you and my son. If I had known …”

I cut him off. “It’s okay Carl. It happened a long time ago and Griff and I have already made up.”

“That’s what he told me. I don’t want there to be any hard feelings.”

“Of course not. We were both young. Things happened that made both of us have regrets.”

“I trust you to take care of my daughter,” Carl said through narrowed eyes. “She’s very special to us. But I couldn’t think of anyone else that I would rather see her with. You make her happy. I appreciate that.”

I smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Jan - I mean Carl.”

He handed me a small envelope. “This is from me and Marcia. I know your grandmother left you the house and a nice inheritance, but we hope we can help with the costs of starting a new business. We know that Ashton and you have already put a lot of money into the new company.”

“Thank you, that means a lot to us.”

Carl patted me again on the back as Ashton walked up. “What are you two up too?”

“Your dad and I were just talking.” I handed her the envelope. “He gave us this.”

Ashton peeked inside and gasped. “Dad! You didn’t have to do this.”

He shrugged. “You wouldn’t let us help with the wedding. This is just a little something to help get you started.”

I watched as Ashton kissed her dad on the cheek and hugged him tightly. The band started to play “Just the Two of Us”. Ashton grabbed my hand.

“This is our song,” she said, twirling her floaty dress underneath my raised arm.

“I didn’t know we had a song,” I said.

“We do now.” She laced her fingers around my neck.

“How about the father daughter dance?” Carl yelled out as we made our way to the dance again. “It’s tradition.”

“Next one,” Ashton called back. “Did I just hear that dirty word tradition again? Kind of keeps me from getting what I want. The chance to put my arms around my husband whenever I want to.”

We danced around the makeshift dance floor that was situated next to the pool. Candles and flowers floated in the shimmering blue water as we danced.

“I am completely and deliriously happy as I can be, Ashton Andrews.”

“I love the way that sounds,” I said. “Ashton Andrews.”

“I’m yours forever,” my wife said.

“And ever,” I added before I kissed her.