Chapter Sixteen
Lauren looked in the mirror and she felt her heart beating fast inside of her chest. Everything was in place, and she looked beautiful according to everyone who saw her. Lauren had her father’s wedding ring on a chain around her neck, and his blue bandana tucked carefully into her dress. Her hair was in a curly updo with the veil tucked in front of it and falling over her shoulders. She swallowed as Jane walked into the room and smiled at her.
“You’re stunning,” Jane told her and Lauren met her eyes. “The guys look great as well and everyone’s ready.”
“I’m getting married,” Lauren said softly. Jane nodded with tears in her eyes. Missy joined them and they hugged tightly before the girls left to walk down the aisle first.
Once the music started, she took a deep breath and walked down the aisle with a smile on her face. She might be alone but Daddy was with her today. Her eyes rested on Cole. He was watching her come to him, handsome and emotional. There were already tears in his eyes and she smiled to comfort him.
Lauren paused in front of him, and Jane took her bouquet of white roses and lilacs. Lauren met Cole before everyone they knew. Their ceremony was short and their vows brief, but everyone felt the emotions in their words. Lauren spoke tearfully and Cole choked when it was his turn. They kissed slowly, softly before pulling away to applause and cheering.
The reception was simple and fun with a band and loads of food for everyone to eat. Cole and Lauren danced, sipped champagne, laughed and talked with guests before they blushed through the toasts and the tears that came along with them. They left before anyone else, heading back to their house before they went on a road trip the following day.
They fell into bed naked after kissing all the way through the house. Cole whispered the word “wife” over and over. He worshiped her, making her feel every part of his love for her as she came from his fingers and mouth, crying out his name. They made love and everything was perfect. They fell asleep with their bags packed beside the bed.
Their honeymoon was a week and a half of visiting every place they could get to, including The Grand Canyon for a night. It was beautiful, and Lauren smiled on every photo that was taken of her. They explored the land by day and each other by night.
It wasn’t part of Lauren’s life plan to marry her first love, but she wouldn’t have it any other way now. She got to know him more and more every night that they spent together. She knew that their bodies were made for each other and couldn’t believe that she was a wife. Lauren had to say it several times a day to Cole, whispering when they were out in public just to watch him grab her and smile.
They returned home happy to see their bed and pets but also a bit sad that regular life was going to start again. Lauren did have the baby shower to look forward to the following weekend, and she couldn’t wait to give Jane all of the presents that she’d bought for the baby. It was actually a barbecue for everyone since Jane wasn’t the type to sit in a room with a bunch of women and pretend that she was having fun.
The party was being held at Adam’s mother’s house, and Lauren arrived a bit early to help set everything up and get the food ready. They were serving a lot of appetizers, and the guys were going to grill a variety of meat. There was light alcohol and a lot of soft drinks and teas that were piled in coolers full of ice. Lauren walked around to make sure that everything looked good. Jane walked in wearing a beautiful pink dress that curved over her belly with matching lipstick and a huge smile on her face.
Everyone started arriving: friends, family and people from the town, bringing tons of gifts and even more food. Lauren took a deep breath and thanked people over and over for the kind wishes on her wedding. It was casual and Lauren liked this atmosphere. She could just hang with Cole and watch Adam enjoy the party to celebrate the arrival of his son.
The only tradition that the couple stuck to was opening the massive pile of gifts and cutting the cake before they served it to everybody.
It was a fun day, and Cole and Lauren helped bring the gifts into the house later that evening. They put the gifts in the nursery and Jane told everyone how she couldn’t wait for it to be completed, even though they knew that the baby would be sleeping in their room for a few months while she nursed at all hours of the night.
Cole assured Jane that they’d work on the nursery this week since she was due in just over a month. Then he took Lauren home and into their room where he pulled her down onto the bed and kissed her senseless.
“When do you want a baby?” Cole asked her, looking into her eyes in the light of a lamp.
“Did today give you baby fever?” Lauren teased him and she pulled him down for another kiss.
“Yeah, a little bit. I just thought ahead to the future,” Cole replied in between kisses. They undressed slowly. He slipped inside of her and Lauren whimpered his name. “I want to see you with my baby inside of you, Lauren. I want all of that for the first time in my life,” he said.