“Marry me. Today. Right now. I don’t care what’s coming, and I don’t care if the gala will be a success or not, but I care if you’ll be in my life and I need you there. I know you didn’t cheat, and I know what you did, and I love it, but only with you. Everything Leila and I do can only be good if you’re with us. Marry me right now, Thomas Michaels. I have my passport. Please,” Evy said as a way of greeting and Tank stared at her.
Hilary had left with Aimie to get some clothes and look for something Aimie could do to keep her mind occupied while Leila was playing in the living room, all dressed up. Evy had collected all info she thought they’d need to get married and just hoped US laws and British ones were similar.
It was ridiculous and romantic at the same time, but it also was the only thing she could think of to make him understand how serious she was about all of this.
“And if you want a pre-nup making sure your money stays your own, that’s perfectly fine. We’ll find a lawyer first and I’ll pay a fucking fortune, but… I mean it,” she added.
“What?”
It was the only thing he said and she felt her resolve waver. She’d been somewhat sure he’d say yes. Hell, she’d imagined the scene a million times throughout the night and in none had he said no.
Maybe it was the desperate woman in her, but she couldn’t accept any other answer, wasn’t ready to entertain the notion of not marrying him.
Still, panic surged through her. Maybe he needed more time. Maybe—
“Lucky me I have a ring for the proposal you just ruined,” he announced into her wayward thoughts, pulling out a dark red velvet box, presenting her with a small diamond that fit her finger perfectly.
Now it was her turn to gape. “What?”
“I came here to propose almost the same. I want you to finally have a chance to breathe and not worry. I figured having you marry me would give you the possibility of arranging that gala and still taking care of yourself and your daughter because nothing else depended on it. If you fuck this up for whatever reason, everyone will be fine and you can start over without belonging to that fucking company and your douche one night stand. Tessa won’t be mad because she knows you did your best. But being married to me means you can stay. It’ll make your chances higher and—”
She shook her head, grabbing his dress shirt and admiring it only for a brief second. “I don’t care if I stay here any longer as long as I know you’ll be by my side. We have Army bases in England. You could come over. We always need mechanics, too. I don’t care where I am as long as I am with you. I want to marry you because you’re the only guy I can see myself with, the only one who loves me exactly the way I am… always has.” She paused for a moment. “Remember how you asked me why anyone would want something more with you? That night we were at the bar?”
He nodded, gritting his jaw.
“I can tell you. Because you have a heart the size of Texas. Be vulgar and crass if you need to, but you are loyal to a fault, Thom. Planning to put a house in my name when you had no idea if I’d take you back? You didn’t seem to hesitate about it at all. You want to do right by the people you care about, and this is why everyone should want something serious with you. Every woman would be lucky to have you, and that’s why you need a ring on that damn finger. Because you’re mine, and I want the whole world to see that I was smart enough to snatch you up. I want your name so I can say I’m yours, too. You are my new start. You are my soldier. Be my husband because you love me and want to spend your life with me, and not for any other reason.”
It was then he finally stepped in and drew her close, mindful to not make her stumble. Emotions were swimming in his eyes and she saw utter happiness among many others.
“I’m marrying you for no other reason, but I figured it would give you time to realize you wanted me as much as I wanted you, because you’d be staying. I’d have years to make sure you know I could love you properly.”
She swallowed and then met his eyes. “I knew that during the call. The call you don’t remember. There was something else you said that night.” She licked her lips.
“More?”
She nodded. “I didn’t want to tell you because I wasn’t sure you would still stand by it, but… now I know. You said if we were caught in a desert and there were five drops of rain, you’d give them all to me. If we were in a war zone you’d give me all the protective gear you had. If we were freezing you’d give me all the clothes on your body.” She sniffled because although she’d gone over the words a million times, they still touched her heart. He’d spoken them with her after her first sentence and it caused her to cry more now. The words were even more beautiful when he was sober. “You remember,” she whispered.
“I don’t. I had a paper next to my pillow when I woke up and it was messy, but those were the words on it.” He chuckled, clearly embarrassed.
“You planned what you were going to say.”
“I figured ‘I love you’ wouldn’t cut it, I guess.”
She shook her head and laughed, calling for her daughter before framing Tank’s face to kiss him deeply.
“Let’s make this right then,” she ordered and he bowed with a grin.
“As you wish, soon-to-be Mrs. Thomas Michaels.”
She liked how that sounded.
She liked it a whole lot.
* * *
Tank wouldn’t believe it was true until she’d said yes, but before they went to the courthouse with the license he’d applied for just yesterday, he wanted to show her something different.
Leila was babbling in the backseat and he couldn’t help but think everything was exactly right.
“What are we doing here?” Evangeline asked as they approached the office building. He smirked.
“You’ll see.”
Parking the car, he got Leila out and kept her in his arm before opening the door for Evy and offering her his free hand. She leaned onto it and onto one of the crutches he insisted she carry around. He’d have preferred her back in the hospital for as long as the doctors wanted it, but she refused, and Ryan had promised him he’d drop by and check on her, although Tank had a feeling there was more to the story of the doctor being so ready to drop by Hilary’s.
Not that he’d asked.
They made their way slowly because Evy couldn’t go any faster, but he didn’t care. They had all the time in the world.
The office was empty as they made their way upstairs because almost all of the preparations went on at the Aquarium now. Tessa had relocated everyone and everything to the venue so they’d have it right there.
“It looks like a bomb went off,” Evy commented, staring at the left-over papers, the cutouts, the scissors, everything, and Tank had to grin.
It indeed looked as if everyone had just run.
At least in here it did.
He led her over to her office while Leila stumbled off toward the toys they still had there.
“Ready?” Tank asked, his hands on the door handle.
“For?” Evy asked skeptically.
He grinned and then opened the door, knowing exactly what he’d find. All her friends had prepared the office, had moved the desk in along with some file cabinets. They had also put up pictures on the wall of Evy and the team, of Tank and Leila, of whatever they had considered Evy would love seeing when she was having a long day at work.
“This is…” She shook her head, clearly overwhelmed as she took the plants in, the decoration, the view. Tank stepped behind her and embraced her, kissing her shoulders.
“They have faith in you, Evangeline. They don’t think this gala will fail. They are sure you’re staying.”
It couldn’t be more obvious than it was in here.
She nodded, resting her head back, and he kissed her temple. “I don’t know why I deserved all of you, all of this, but I’m never letting it go again.” She turned in his arm, glancing out of the door, probably to check on her daughter, and then focused on him. “You are a dream come true. Your mother was wrong about everything, and once we’re married, we’ll go over there and I’ll tell her that I’m now the only Mrs. Michaels who has a right to chew out your ass because you’re my husband. And that I’ll hurt her if she ever so much as tries again to convince you you’re not lovable.”
He smiled softly. “I’m no longer talking to her. I’m done. I’m not going back. I sent her a check because I hope she finds herself a therapist that makes her see the error of her ways, but that’s it. However… I did talk to another mother.”
She turned away from him then, slowly making her way over to her daughter, and he followed.
“She loves you. She has a weird way of showing it, but she does, babe,” he told her and she shrugged.
“I know.”
Yet she clearly didn’t believe it.
“She’ll be there for us to get married because she wants it. I promised to call her. I want her there because I think she finally gets it.”
Evy glanced at him over her shoulder. “Gets what?”
“How amazing you are.”
“I’m done pleasing her.” It was a clear statement that left no room for discussion.
He nodded. “Good. However, she’ll try to be better with you. With us. She called me son. Damn, it was weird. However, will you be okay with a small wedding?”
“It’s our family. I don’t need more. You, Leila, and me. We’ll be there. My whole world. What else could I possibly want?”
He crossed over and kissed her, long and sweet, and then some more because she was his and he could.
“We’ll have a big wedding another time. Complete with the white dress and the walk to the altar. Not that I care how you look when you say yes, but I know it’s a woman’s dream, and at Tessa’s wedding you’ll regret it. I know you women.” He winked and she laughed, looking happy and free.
“So, I have one thing I need to demand about this wedding,” she finally decided and he arched a brow.
“Okay?”
“Hilary’s watching Leila tonight—for the last time in a very long time because she’s our child, our responsibility—and we’ll have a true wedding night. I need to feel you inside of me.”
Jesus, he got hard just imagining that.
“You drive a tough negotiation, but I’m in.”
He couldn’t help but think that at least soon he would be—and then wouldn’t move anywhere else until the sun rose on the horizon.
* * *
If Evy had ever allowed herself to think about her wedding day, it hadn’t been her in a weird woolen dress and with a broken leg. It also wouldn’t have been in a courthouse in the US, but what it definitely had been was her standing at the stairs ready to go in with a guy who looked at her the way Tank was looking at her, his eyes full of adoration and happiness.
Leila was in his arm, cuddled into him since she was clearly missing her lunch time nap, but it didn’t matter. She would be able to get some sleep soon.
They’d grabbed some food on the way and now it was time to go in, sealing the deal.
After that he was hers, and hers alone, and he wouldn’t have the chance to just walk away if she ever got complicated or doubted herself again. She’d hunt his ass down and would nail him to the promise he’d make to her in just a few minutes.
In the car he’d confessed to having taken Hilary to get the license they’d need and it made her laugh out loud.
Not that she cared, because she hadn’t even considered there’d be hang-ups and that one needed to prepare for a spontaneous wedding.
“You okay?” he asked and she nodded, taking his hand.
“Perfect. Let’s get this over with because I wanna go home and practice my new signature.”
He laughed, kissing her, and then led her inside toward the office they’d get married in, and when they arrived, Evy nearly cried.
They were all there: Tessa, Jazz, Hilary, Aimie, Ryan, her mother, Jazz’s mother and his sister, and most of her office staff.
Her girls also looked as if they had bigger plans.
“Come,” Hilary briskly ordered and then pulled her along, mindful of her leg, until they’d vanished in a bathroom. Tessa opened a clothing bag she had and inside was a white dress. Simple and definitely no wedding dress, but it was a long white one anyway, and it would hide her cast. They made her change and it fit, cute and yet somewhat formal.
God, Evy loved it.
When she got out again Hilary put makeup on her while Aimie sprayed some sparkling hairspray onto her head, fluffing up her dark hair.
“Ready?” Tessa asked. The whole procedure hadn’t taken longer than ten minutes and Evy couldn’t help but think the girls were efficient.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” she whispered.
Tessa hugged her, beaming. “Of course. Tank called your mom, and she called us, and here we are.”
Hilary hugged her, too. “We’re not going to miss your wedding—or let you get married looking like this. We’re glad you’re here.”
“And we’re not jealous. Especially not Tessa because you’re getting married before her,” Aimie piped in, making Evy laugh.
“Thank you for being here, too.”
Aimie squeezed her tightly. “Of course. I’m your friend, remember?”
Evy remembered, and she wouldn’t again forget that although sometimes there wasn’t much talk between two people, that didn’t necessarily mean they weren’t friends no matter what.
* * *
When Evy came back with the girls, Tank stared at the ceiling, hoping to reduce the burning behind his eyelids. Something had to be wrong, or he was close to tears, and that couldn’t be.
“You’re freaking beautiful,” he whispered as Evy stepped into his arms and she wiped at his cheek, catching a stray tear.
“Regretting it already and crying for your freedom?” she asked jokingly and he shook his head.
“I just…” Silence spread and then suddenly the girls burst out laughing.
“I just, too,” Evy replied and went on her tiptoes as best as she could to kiss him.
“What’s funny?” he asked after breaking the kiss, and just then remembered Jazz’s and Tessa’s secret code for ‘I love you’, which had come to be after she’d almost slipped and told him she loved him just two weeks after they’d met. “Never mind. Got it. Ready?”
She nodded and together they all walked in.
The ceremony was rather cold, as he’d expected, yet when they were asked to make the vows, he turned to Evy, clearing his throat.
“Evangeline Jackson, you are everything I could wish for.” He turned briefly to the small audience and winked. “Prepare for a lot of that emotional shit I’m such a pro at,” he joked and everyone chuckled while he sobered and turned to Evy again. “You are all I could’ve ever wished for. There’s no one who ever saw me until you did, and only when that happened did I see myself. I knew you were the one for me the night you sat across from me, mayo on your cheek from the burger. You were perfectly imperfect that day, better than anyone I’d ever seen and I knew. I couldn’t place the feeling back then, but I knew. I vow to always put you first, make you happy, and listen to you screaming at me if I don’t. I promise to kiss every night so you know I love you no matter what, and I promise you I’ll be the best father I can be. For Leila, and for the children we’ll have together, because I need more mini-versions of you.”
He cleared his throat, ignoring the quiet sniffles from all sides, and then took Evy’s hand in his, pulling out her ring. “I vow with this ring, that you own my heart, body, and soul, and that I’ll forever kiss the ground you walk on because you complete me. I, Thomas Michaels hereby take you to be my wife through it all, through every bit of pain and happiness, through light and darkness, through perfection and shattered worlds. I’m yours from this day on until forever.”
Evy sobbed, wiping at her cheeks with her free hand while he pushed the ring onto her finger. “I didn’t prepare a vow. I wasn’t as good as you,” she muttered and he chuckled.
“You can do it,” Tessa encouraged her from the sidelines.
“I, Evangeline Jackson, vow to be your wife through it all. Through the days when you’ll stare up at the ceiling, wondering if I’ll stay, and I will. Through the moments when you look at others and forget how amazing you are. I will love you through the days when the world is against us, and I’ll never let go of your hand if you threaten to fall. I vow to be your world, and shine brighter for you when you are in darkness. I vow to be the mother your children deserve, and the wife I wish you to have. I vow to love you when we are mad at each other, and to love you even more when you can’t love yourself. I vow to be yours, body, heart, and soul. I, Evangeline Jackson, hereby take you to be my husband through it all, through every bit of pain and happiness, through light and darkness, through perfection and shattered worlds. I’m yours from this day on until forever.”
He was surprised she’d remembered his words so well, and then he wasn’t because he didn’t think he’d ever forget her vow, either. He knew that while watching her push a ring onto his finger as well. Damn, he was glad he had remembered those.
“I declare you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride now,” the guy behind the desk explained, rather bored, but Tank didn’t care.
He drew his wife in and kissed her until they had no air left, and then he kissed her a little bit longer still, not believing it was real.
Everyone clapped. He heard it, and yet he didn’t want to let go, didn’t want to move.
“Mrs. Michaels?” he whispered against her lips and she giggled before throwing her arms around him, peppering his face with little kisses.
“Forever and a day,” she declared and he grinned, finally ready to face his friends.