Chapter Sixteen
Mia
The morning of March 18th, Mia was awake before the sun had even begun lightening the sky. Even though the wedding wasn't for hours yet, she was too wound up to sleep any longer. She headed out to the front of the house and arched a brow when she discovered she wasn't the only one up.
“You're up early.”
Mia snorted. “Says da wolf who is awake before me.”
Lily shrugged. “I don't sleep so well most nights.” She'd finally stopped looking over her shoulder but she still had trouble sleeping. She was usually up early, and when she did sleep it was light. She hoped that would change in time.
“You know Caine wouldn't let someone force you to go back to Montana.”
“I know. That doesn't stop me from worrying, though. At least I've finally stopped looking over my shoulder.”
“Dere is dat.” Mia fixed herself a cup of coffee and sat across from her. “I can't believe dat I'll be Mrs. Mia Delacroix by da time da sun is settin'.”
“Feels like it's been a long time coming, doesn't it?”
“You don't know da half of it.” Mia sipped her coffee. “Dere was a time when I thought I'd never be in Gage's arms. He was a bit of a...player when we were in high school. He was an idiot cuz he thought I only saw him as a friend when he wanted more but he was too afraid to say anyting. He came dis close to losin' me.” Mia held her hand up with her fingers barely an inch apart.
“With as happy as you two are, I find that hard to believe. What happened?”
“It was da week before my first gallery showin'. He was da one who kept encouragin' me to show my art and I finally decided to follow his advice. I went to see him at Tulane, to tell him about it, and I caught him gettin' head from some girl. It broke my heart all to pieces. See, da year before dat, I was drugged by a date and Gage saved me from bein' raped. He became so attentive dat I thought it was because he wanted to be wit' me, so when I saw him wit' dat girl...It nearly destroyed me. I let myself get drunk and did some stupid tings myself dat I regretted da next day. It took some time but we worked past it and now, here we are. I've loved him my whole life and now I get to spend da rest of it in his arms.”
“Wow. He's lucky you gave him the chance to make it up to you.”
“Honestly, I couldn't do anyting else. I love him dat much.”
“You have no idea how lucky you are, Mia, to have that kind of a connection with someone. It reminds me of the bond my parents had, before my mother was killed. I'm envious, I really am, but I'm also so happy for you. Okay, enough of this depressing talk. Today is your wedding day and we still have so much to do to get you ready for it.”
Mia groaned. Lily was right. There was the trip into the city to the spa, then she had to get her hair done, then her makeup, then they had to get back to the compound and start getting dressed. Since her entire bridal party was getting their hair and makeup done as well, it was going to be a really long day.
Eliza Lafluer looked at her daughter as she adjusted the flower wreath that encircled her head. Mia had decided to not wear a veil and instead had flowers weaved into her curly locks. The sleeveless bodice of her wedding dress clung to her and was decorated in lace. The under layer was silk with a tiered sheer lace outer layer that flowed around her when she walked. Two strips of lace curled around her upper arms, leaving the impression of low-slung sleeves. Paired with the flowers, she was a vision of loveliness. “You're beautiful,” Eliza murmured and finished with the wreath.
“Thank you, mama.” Mia blushed at her mother's soft murmur.
Lily stepped forward. “Your mom's right, you're beautiful, Mia. However, there are a few things missing. In true wedding tradition, your mother has the 'something old' covered.”
With that Eliza lifted an antique lace choker from a small box. “Dis was my mama's. She gave it to me on my weddin' day, and now I am passin' it on to you.” The lace looked delicate but given it's age, it was still rather sturdy. In the center was a silver filigree with an oval shaped opal. On both sides of the filigree and just beneath it lay a single teardrop shaped opal with another, much smaller one dangling from the very bottom of the choker.
“Oh.” Mia touched it with her fingertips once her mother clasped it behind her neck. “It's beautiful,” she hushed and blinked back sudden tears.
“Next, we have something new. This is a gift from your soon-to-be- husband. He asked me to give it to you since he wasn't allowed to see you before the wedding.” Lily opened the small, velvet box to reveal a white gold bracelet that had a filigree look to it. It was encrusted with diamonds.
“Oh my god.” Mia had no idea how Gage had managed to get her such a lovely piece of jewelry. She knew the diamonds were real and she was stunned.
Lily helped her put it on before continuing. “The next is something borrowed,” she said and stepped back to let Mamere Eulalie move close to Mia.
“Dat wreath is pretty, but someting is missin',” Eulalie said before she showed Mia the set of filigree hair combs she had in her hands. Each one had a large opal in the center. She used them to help hold Mia's hair back from her face then nodded. “I expect to get dose back later, cher.”
“A'course, Mamere. They're lovely. Thank you for lettin' me wear dem.”
Eulalie kissed her cheek. “You're welcome.”
Lily cleared her throat. “Last, but not least, we have something blue. This is from all of us,” she said and motioned to the bridal party. Again she opened a velvet box. Inside lay a pair of pale blue topaz earrings. They were encased in an intricate silver design with diamonds.
“Oh. Dese...dey're beautiful,” Mia said after a moment. “Da color reminds me a bit of Gage's eyes.”
“That's why we picked them out,” Lily admitted. She helped Mia put them in then nodded. “Perfect. Now you're ready.” Almost as if it was waiting for those words, the music began indicating it was time for the wedding party to take their places.
Eliza and Eulalie left and found their seats before the bridesmaids were escorted up the aisle followed by the maid of honor. Then the wedding march began and all eyes were turned to the archway Mia would step through.
Gage
He was in purgatory. That was all there was to it. After going out the night before for his 'bachelor party', not that he'd paid that much attention to the festivities, Gage was anxious to get the wedding over with so he could sweep his bride up in his arms and be alone with her. This day was dragging on and on and he was ready to just say fuck it, track Mia down, and elope. But he couldn't do that to her, or their families. She deserved the wedding of her dreams so he kept a tight reign on the urge.
By the time the music finally began, he was a nervous wreck. His hands were shaking, his palms were sweaty, and his breathing was a little rough. The moment Mia stepped into view, all breathing stopped. He could do nothing but stare at the ethereal vision she presented as she glided up the aisle on her father's arm.
“Breathe before you pass out.”
Remy's hiss in his ear brought him out of his stupor and he sucked in a lungful of air. When Mia reached his side and her father offered her hand to him, he took it, fingers curling around hers.
“Today, we gather to witness the joining of two hearts and two souls into one. If there is any here who believes this joining should not take place, speak now.” As neither of them were overly religious, they'd found an officiator who was a pagan Priestess with the legal authority to perform marriages in Louisiana to perform the ceremony for them. The Priestess paused to give the attending guests the opportunity to speak before she continued. “Mia and Gage have chosen to recite their own vows. Mia will go first.”
Mia looked up into Gage's eyes and smiled softly. “Gage, we've had some bumpy roads along da path dat brought us here today. Dere were dark moments dat sometimes felt like dey were never goin' to go away. But lookin' back, I wouldn't change a ting. All da trials we faced, dey made us who we are today. Dey made you da man I love wit' my whole heart and my whole soul. Not just for today, not just for tomorrow, but for da rest of eternity.” There were tears in her eyes when she finished speaking and the Priestess motioned for Gage to recite his vows.
Gage lifted his hand to Mia's cheek and wiped away an errant tear that escaped her eye. “Mia, dere isn't a single soul on dis planet luckier den I am today. I put you through so much, I broke your heart so many times wit'out even knowin' it, but you never gave up on me. Da day I almost lost you, da pain I saw in your eyes, it brought me to my knees and nearly destroyed me. Den, like da angel you are, you gave me one last chance. You changed my life and made me a better man, Princess. I will spend ever' day, for however long I'm in dis world, showin' you just how much I love you.”
The tears that were threatening when she'd spoken her vows spilled down her cheeks at his words. Mia didn't care that the tears were probably messing up her makeup. She just let them fall.
“Do you have the rings?”
Remy stepped forward and offered the rings first to Gage then to Mia.
“Gage, place the ring on Mia's finger and repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.” When he complied with her request she said the same to Mia, who didn't hesitate even a second to comply.
“By the powers vested in me by the state of Louisiana, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Let no man put asunder what love has brought together. Gage, you may kiss your bride.”
Gage pulled Mia into his arms and dipped her as he kissed her. “I love you, Mrs. Delacroix,” he growled against her lips.
When Mia finally found her voice it came out in a husky whisper. “I love you too, Mr. Delacroix.” She knew that there would still be trials ahead for them, that was the way life was, but she also knew that no matter what life threw at them, as long as they faced it together they would always come out on top.