CHAPTER 3
“Lunch is almost ready. Should we wake Asher?” Claire asked, peering into the oven. I shook my head and took a long sip of my chamomile tea.
“No, let him sleep. He was pretty emotional after Mom and Dad left last night. The sun was already up when he came to bed.”
“I felt terrible, ambushing you like that,” Claire apologized for what seemed like the hundredth time. She pushed a loose piece of hair behind her ear and pulled a tray of savory tarts out of the oven.
“It needed to happen. Now that it’s over with, I wish we’d done it a lot sooner,” I confessed.
My parents had been plenty angry, but only because we hadn’t told them the truth weeks ago. They gave Asher the cold shoulder for the first hour, lectured us both about honesty, and then finally accepted our apologies. Mom calmly asked to be brought into the loop and Asher launched into his life story. By the time he reached his teenage years, Mom was holding his hand with tears in her eyes.
“I knew as soon as Ellen and Graham saw the way Asher looks at you, they’d soften up,” Claire told me. “I’m surprised they didn’t take him up on the offer to move in.”
“You know they’d never leave the B and B,” I reminded her. “But they do plan to start coming by in shifts. Mom will be here tonight. She insists on giving you a break from cooking.”
“I may run some errands. Can I pick up anything for you?”
“Lotion. Something unscented for sensitive skin. This thing on my ankle is chaffing the hell out of me.”
Claire pulled a tub of coconut oil from the pantry and tossed it to me. “Rub some of this on it for now. I’ll see what I can find at the drug store.”
The front door sprung open and Kennedy glided into the room. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled back in a slick, almost severe bun and her plain black suit highlighted the dark circles under her eyes. I felt a pang of guilt for causing her so much worry and a rush of appreciation for how hard she’d been working to clear our names.
“Hey, Kennedy,” I greeted her, pulling out the stool beside me. “Claire made tomato leek tarts. And there’s a fresh pot of coffee on the counter. Sit down and relax for a few minutes. You look like you could use a break.”
“We don’t have time,” she replied. “The judge granted the motion to separate your case from Asher’s. The DA’s office had no objections and immediately scheduled a meeting. We have less than two hours to get to San Luis Obispo.”
I slid off the stool and turned toward the master bedroom. “Asher’s sleeping. I’ll wake him up and we can be ready to leave in twenty minutes.”
“Let him sleep,” Kennedy insisted. “They only want to speak with you.”
Nervous tension built in my stomach and I turned to her with a raised eyebrow. “I’ve already given them my statement. What else could they possibly want to ask me?”
“We’ll discuss it in the car,” Kennedy said, her words rushed. She stepped over to the tray of tarts and pointed down at one. “Do you mind?” she asked Claire.
“Of course not. If you want, I’ll wrap some up for you to take with you.”
“That would be perfect. The stale cereal at the hotel’s continental breakfast left a lot to be desired.”
I looked down at my t-shirt and yoga pants. “Should I change?”
Kennedy shook her head. “No time. Put your shoes on and grab your purse. We need to be in the car in five minutes.”
I walked to the entryway and slipped my socked feet into unlaced tennis shoes. “I’m ready,” I told her, pulling my purse from its wall hook.
Claire passed Kennedy a brown paper bag filled with food and tossed me two bottles of water. “Call me the second the meeting’s over,” she called as we stepped outside.
The same black town car was waiting in the driveway. Kennedy introduced me to Bruce, the driver, and slid into the back seat after me.
“I take it the police have taken Rachel’s official statement?”
Kennedy nodded. “Cynthia spoke with them late last night. I’m not going to lie to you, Lauren. It’s bad. The investigators were at the hospital for nearly five hours. She gave vivid details of mental and physical abuse that she allegedly suffered at Asher’s hands after they left California. Since he took her across state lines while she was a minor, this new case is federal.”
“Asher was a minor too,” I reminded her.
She nodded. “He was when they left California. He wasn’t when they moved from Vegas to Vermont.”
“Son of a bitch,” I said with a sigh. “So now Asher’s facing state and federal charges?”
“Yes.”
“What about EnvisionTech? What are the chances that the FBI or the SEC is going to audit the company?”
“It’s a case of when, not if,” she replied bluntly. “Quite frankly, Lauren, this case is scaring the shit out of me. Cynthia scares the shit out of me. When we first learned Asher had an FBI file, I wasn’t particularly concerned. But the more lies that woman spins, the more worried I’m getting about it. There was nothing particularly damning in the file. But there were a few things that didn’t quite make sense. For instance, there seems to be some sort of code used in the company’s shipping manifests. I didn’t point it out last week because I assumed it wasn’t important.”
“Until we learned that the feds started watching Asher because they thought he was smuggling something in his shipments,” I finished.
Kennedy nodded again. “Exactly. Do you happen to know if Cynthia’s office has been cleaned out?”
“I know that Detective Austin’s men have all of her computers. HR cleared out her personal stuff. It’s probably in storage somewhere. What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that I don’t know what to think,” she replied, frustration growing in her voice. “I’m not sure if I’m on the right track or if I’m grasping at straws. When we’re finished in San Luis Obispo, I’m going to EnvisionTech headquarters. I want to look through Rachel’s personal items. I also want to sweep Asher’s office; if she put those codes in the shipping manifests, she probably planted a key somewhere to implicate him.”
“How deep do you think this will go, Kennedy? How many nightmares are we going to have to survive before we can put Rachel behind us?”
“I have no idea,” she replied with a sad, honest smile.
I sighed and changed the subject. “What should I expect from this meeting?”
“Now that the cases are separate, the DA’s office will try to get you to flip on Asher,” she warned. “Donaldson hasn’t mentioned a plea deal yet, but I know it’s coming. You can expect him to ask you lots of questions about Asher’s behavior and how he treats you. He’s going to suggest or maybe even insist that Asher abuses you. After what he heard from Cynthia, he’d be negligent if he didn’t ask.”
“It’s so weird to hear you call her Cynthia,” I broke in. “And I still don’t understand why she’s suddenly embracing her old name. You should have seen the way she freaked out when Asher refused to call her Rachel.”
“I have to get used to saying Cynthia because it would look bad if I accidentally called her Rachel in court,” Kennedy explained. “And as for her motivation, I think it’s safe to say it’s all part of her game. When the cops asked her why she was at the cabin with Luis, she claimed he was helping her break free from Asher’s brainwashing. She described some text book deprograming exercises that psychologists use to deprogram people who’ve been rescued from cults.”
“And Luis supposedly became some sort of deprograming expert in prison?”
“I know it doesn’t make any sense,” she replied with a yawn. “But the cops seem to be eating up her story.”
“You’re exhausted. We have at least an hour before we get to the sheriff’s office. Why don’t you take a nap? I’ll wake you when we get off the highway.”
“Are you sure?”
“I insist. I need you sharp when we meet with Donaldson.”
“I’m not meeting with Donaldson, Lauren,” she replied, her brow pinched with confusion.
“What do you mean? You said we have a meeting.”
“I meant ‘we’ in general… you said you wanted me to represent Asher, remember? I’m just escorting you to the station. Parker is meeting us there.”
That’s right. I asked for this.
“I’m sorry, I guess I assumed you understood that,” she continued. “Or maybe I’m just so tired I thought I mentioned it.”
“Don’t apologize. I wasn’t thinking. Will I be meeting the new lead attorney today?”
She shook her head. “Clark is focusing on Asher’s case. If yours ends up going to trial, another senior partner will be assigned to you.”
She yawned again and I insisted that she get some sleep. I spent the next hour staring out my window, wondering how much more heartache my future could hold.
***
“Ms. Matthews, Ms. Parish, thank you for meeting with me today.” Assistant District Attorney Donaldson stood behind his desk and greeted us with an extended hand. His handshake was firm to the point of being aggressive and I felt my skin crawl at his clammy touch.
“Please, take a seat,” he continued, gesturing to the chairs in front of him.
Parker and I sat down. I crossed my legs and folded my hands on my lap while she balanced her briefcase on hers.
“Ms. Matthews, I was happy to learn that you’re distancing yourself from Mr. Reynolds. After learning more about his character, I’m inclined to believe you were manipulated into your current situation. And I feel compelled to offer you my assistance. All I ask for is your cooperation.”
“I’ve cooperated from the beginning,” I replied, attempting to keep my tone respectful.
“I’d like to ask you a series of questions,” he pressed on. “And I’d like to remind you this is a safe place. No harm will come to you if you tell the truth. We can put systems in place to protect you.”
I looked to Parker and she nodded.
“Ask whatever you’d like. I’ll answer honestly.”
“Your relationship with Mr. Reynolds progressed rather quickly, correct?”
“Correct.”
“And would it be fair to say that in that short amount of time, your life has changed quite drastically?”
“You could say that,” I agreed, wondering where he was going.
“You started working for EnvisionTech shortly after meeting Mr. Reynolds, correct?”
“Yes.” I was tempted to explain further, but then I remembered Kennedy telling me not to offer any information that wasn’t specifically asked for.
“Did Mr. Reynolds suggest that you leave your old job and start working for him?”
I shook my head. “No. I was fired from my old job. Asher offered me a position at EnvisionTech. If you’re suggesting that—”
“I’m not suggesting anything, Ms. Matthews. I’m simply trying to understand the facts. Did you feel pressured to accept the job?”
“I felt honored to accept the job.”
“I see.” He shuffled some paperwork on his desk and then looked up to me again.
“Ms. Matthews, would you say that you’ve seen your friends and family with more, less, or the same frequency as before you began dating Mr. Reynolds?”
What the fuck does any of this have to do with the case?
“A little less,” I admitted. “But not significantly less. It’s not unusual for people to get a little preoccupied when falling in love.”
“Uh huh,” he said, scribbling on his legal pad. “Ms. Matthews, are you aware that isolation is the first step many abusers take after focusing on a new victim?”
“Don’t answer that,” Parker snapped. “With all due respect, Mr. Donaldson, if we wanted a psychology lesson, we’d speak with a doctor. If you have questions for my client regarding this investigation, get to them. If not, we’ll be leaving.”
Donaldson turned to her with a look of amusement and then looked back at me with a straight face.
“I’ve been studying your life, Ms. Matthews, and I know you’re a smart woman. So I’m going to throw my questions out and cut to the chase. I know that your boyfriend had a terrible childhood. I also know that he’s continued the cycle of abuse and become an abuser himself. You don’t fit the profile of a woman who’d typically be drawn in by someone like Asher Reynolds. But stranger things have happened.
“What I’m offering you is an out. Tell me what Asher’s really like when no one else is around. Tell me the truth about the morning Luis Chavez died. And then retell your story to a jury. In exchange, all charges against you will be dropped. And more importantly, you’ll be free of Asher.”
“Are you making an official offer?” Parker asked.
He held up a stack of paperwork and she took it from his hand.
“Like I said, I’ve been studying your life. I know you’re a smart girl who stumbled into a bad situation. Asher Reynolds has already ruined enough lives and I don’t think you deserve to be the next. Take the deal, Lauren. Get on with your life and pretend that these last few months were just a dream.”
I took a deep breath, pretending to consider his words. “This is a big decision. Can I have some time to think about it?”
Parker straightened her shoulders, but didn’t comment.
“Certainly. Though time is of the essence. Remember, the moment you accept the deal, you’re safe. You’re free.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Donaldson rose to his feet, politely signaling our dismissal. Parker and I followed him to the door and shook his hand again before stepping into the hallway. Parker turned on me immediately, backing me into the wall. She stared into my eyes, her expression tense.
“Lauren, if Asher is abusing you, I need you to tell me right now.”
“Relax,” I whispered. “Asher’s never raised so much as his voice to me.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Then what the hell is going on? Why are you considering the deal?”
“There’s no way I’m taking that deal,” I assured her. “I just needed to buy some time.”
“For what?”
“I’ll explain everything as soon as I’ve talked to Asher.”
***
I stepped through the front door and Asher jumped up from the sofa.
“Baby, I was so worried about you,” he said, moving to greet me. I fell into his arms and held him tight.
“We need to talk,” I whispered into his ear.
“Okay,” he agreed, pulling away. He looked from me to Kennedy, then to Parker, his eyes narrowed with concern.
“Don’t look at us,” Parker told him. “She refuses to tell us what’s going on in her head until she’s had a chance to talk to you.”
“Let’s go out to the terrace,” I insisted. I took him by the hand and pulled him across the living room. We stepped through the French doors and made our way to the lounge chairs. Asher sank down on one and I settled in beside him.
“What’s going on? Claire said you had a meeting with the prosecutor. Did you learn something?”
I nodded. “I found out what Rachel told the cops. Has anyone explained it to you yet?”
He shook his head. “No, but I can just imagine what she must have said. I’m sure she gave them graphic details of my so called abuse.”
I nodded. “Kennedy’s afraid she has more tricks up her sleeve too. Do you use some sort of code in your shipping manifests?”
“Not to my knowledge,” he replied, raising an eyebrow. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Your FBI file. Kennedy noticed a strange code in your shipping manifests. She thinks Rachel’s framing you for smuggling.”
“I’ll go pull up the file and take a look at it for myself,” he said. He moved to stand, but I took him by the arm and pulled him back down to the chair.
“That can wait,” I insisted. “There’s something more important we need to talk about.”
Asher sighed and sat back down. “They offered you a deal, didn’t they?”
“Did someone call you?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No, it was just the logical next step.”
“Donaldson believes Rachel’s story and made it clear he thinks you’re abusing me. He offered to drop the charges and protect me if I agree to testify against you.”
“I wouldn’t blame you for taking him up on it.”
“Stop it. I’d never in a million years consider doing that. But I started thinking. We have no idea what else Rachel has in store for us. She could be setting us both up for something that would make the last few weeks seem like a trip to Disneyland.”
“I know. I agree with Kennedy. Rachel’s had years to plan this. There’s no telling how many traps she’s set, just in case.”
“I pretended to be interested in the deal,” I confessed. “I’m hoping I bought us some time.”
“Some time for what?” he asked, his voice suddenly nervous.
“I spent enough time helping Kennedy study to know that Donaldson’s going to force me to testify whether I take the deal or not. That’s not really a problem with the Chavez case. I’ve already told the truth about that and I have no intention of changing my story. But a federal investigation has been launched into Rachel’s new accusations. And we agree that we have no idea what she could have in store around the corner. I only see one way to protect ourselves.”
“I’m not following you, Lauren.”
I took his hand and met his confused eyes. “I love you, Asher. I know you love me. I can’t picture my life without you.”
“Lauren… are you saying—?”
“Marry me, Asher.”
His mouth dropped open and he studied my face. I moved to his lap and held his face in my hands.
“I know this is sudden. And people will probably accuse us of getting married for the wrong reasons. But I’m asking you because I love you. Isn’t that the only reason that matters?”
Asher swallowed and shook his head. “I love you too, baby. But I can’t let you do this. If I go to prison—”
“We’ll deal with that if it happens. I know you don’t want me to wait for you if you’re sent away. But we don’t have time to worry about that right now. As we speak, there’s a task force tearing through your past. It’s only a matter of time before they find more of Rachel’s planted evidence and your bail is revoked. We have to get married before that happens. It’s the only chance we’ll have…” I looked him in the eye. “Don’t you want to marry me, Asher?”
“Of course I do,” he assured me. “I’ve known I wanted to spend my life with you since the moment I laid eyes on you at the gallery. But this isn’t how I envisioned it happening. You deserve so much more.”
“All I want is you. Please.”
He kissed the top of my forehead and then slid me back onto the chair. He dropped to one knee on the tile in front of me and took my hands in his.
“Lauren Matthews, you are the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me. I can’t promise that we’ll get our happily ever after. But I can promise you that I will love you until I take my last breath. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
My heart soared and all thoughts of court hearings and ankle monitors left my head. Asher and I were engaged. One of my dreams was coming true.
“I thought you’d never ask,” I teased, pulling him into my arms. I kissed him hard on the mouth and he lifted me into his arms.
“Come on,” he said, carrying me towards the house. “We have some planning to do.”
***
“Oh, sweetheart, you look so beautiful,” Mom gushed. She pinned a final curl to my head and stepped back, staring at my reflection in the mirror.
“You do make a gorgeous bride,” Kennedy agreed. She pulled a long, thin box out from underneath the bed while Mom and Claire pulled gifts of their own from the master closet.
“You guys didn’t have to do this,” I said, trying to fight back my tears. “You’re going to make me ruin my makeup.” I dabbed my eyes with a tissue and they sat the presents in front of me on the vanity.
“Mine goes first,” Claire said.
I lifted the lid of the small silver box; a perfect pearl on a delicate gold chain lay nestled in white tissue paper.
“This is your something old,” she explained. She fastened the chain around my neck and stared at me in the mirror. The pearl fell just above the sweetheart neckline of my strapless wedding gown.
“It’s beautiful. You didn’t have to do this, Claire. None of you did,” I insisted. “I’m still in awe of the fact that we’ve thrown a wedding together in less than forty-eight hours.”
“Piece of cake,” Kennedy replied with a grin. “And we wanted to do this. You deserve to celebrate this, Lauren. Here, mine’s next.”
She slid the box in front of me. I tore through the gold wrapping paper and lifted the lid; my eyes fell on the lace veil Kennedy had worn at her own wedding. It had been her something new, a gift from me.
“I forgot how beautiful this is. How in the world did you get it here?”
“I called Mom and had her overnight it,” she explained. “She and Jack send their best wishes.”
I fingered the soft lace and then passed it to my mother. “Will you do the honors?”
“I’d love to.” She pinned the veil to the base of my up do and fanned it out around my shoulders.
“And that just leaves my gift.” Mom smiled.
I pulled tissue paper from the top of the small white gift bag and my hand brushed against soft leather. I turned the bag upside down and a jewelry box fell into my hand. Inside, I found a pair of dazzling sapphire earrings.
“I had Grandma’s anniversary necklace taken apart,” she explained. “I had a set made for myself as well. I was going to give them to you for Christmas this year, but after you called, my first thought was they had to be your something blue.”
“I love them,” I said, tears welling in my eyes again.
I removed my simple white gold hoops and slid my grandmother’s jewels into my ears.
“When Asher and I decided to do this, I was certain we’d have an uphill battle convincing anyone it was a good idea. The way you’ve all rallied around us means more to me than you’ll ever know.”
“I do wish your father and I had been given a little more time to get to know Asher,” Mom confessed. “But you’ve never given us reason to doubt your judgement. If this is what makes you happy, of course we support you.”
Claire nodded. “I’ve known you my whole life, Lauren. And I’ve never seen you so happy. Nobody’s perfect. But I think you and Asher are perfect for each other.”
“I know I’ve been the least supportive. But let’s face it, who the hell am I to judge?” Kennedy added with a laugh. “I married my stepbrother. If there’s anyone who understands that the heart wants what it wants, it’s me. I love you, Lauren. And I just want you to be happy.”
When Asher and I announced our engagement, Kennedy was less than thrilled. She said all of the right things, but I could tell that her heart wasn’t in it. She pulled me aside later that night and confronted me about our motives. She warned that marrying Asher wouldn’t save me from the witness stand: spousal privileges weren’t retroactive. I would still be required to testify to events and conversations that occurred before the marriage. Her warning completely negated my original motives for becoming Asher’s wife. But I didn’t care. I loved Asher and I wanted the world to know it. I explained that to Kennedy and she’d slowly softened to our plans. .
I turned on my stool and rose to my feet, pulling everyone into a group hug. “I am happy,” I told them. “You’re going to think I’m crazy, but since Asher and I decided to get married, I’ve had the strangest sense of peace. I know the road ahead of us is going to be rough. But somehow, I also know that everything will eventually work out.”
Mom gave me a warm smile. “That kind of optimism is a sure sign you’re marrying the right person. And speaking of which, I believe we have a ceremony to get to.” She tapped the face of her watch and nodded toward the door.
“I’ll go get the bouquets out of the fridge and make sure the guys are in place,” Claire volunteered, darting into the hall.
“And I’m going to go make sure Dad’s ready to walk you down the aisle,” Mom added, disappearing after her.
Kennedy turned to me with a hesitant smile. “I really am sorry I wasn’t supportive about this from the start.”
I shook my head. “You’re my best friend. It’s your job to let me know if you think I’m about to ruin my life. Don’t ever apologize for doing your job.”
“I love you, Lauren.”
“I love you too.”
“Now, let’s go get you married.”
***
“Sweetheart, you look beautiful,” Dad whispered.
I took his arm as I reached the end of the hallway and he kissed me on the cheek.
“Thanks, Dad. Is everyone in place?” I smoothed the skirt of my tea length gown and peeked around the corner. Someone had covered the French doors with thick layers of tulle, blocking my view of the terrace.
Well, if I can’t see them, they can’t see me.
“We’re just waiting for Jackson,” Claire called from the kitchen.
I stepped out of the hallway and found her icing an elegant two-tiered wedding cake.
“Claire, you’ve outdone yourself,” I said, staring at the cake in awe.
The past forty-eight hours had left me overwhelmed with gratitude. When I proposed to Asher, I never imagined we’d have an actual wedding. I pictured us signing paperwork around the kitchen island and then maybe toasting with a glass of wine. But Kennedy and Claire refused to entertain such thoughts. Within hours of our engagement, Claire had assembled a Pinterest board full of recipes, color schemes, and DIY décor. Kennedy handled all of our paperwork and arranged for a Vera Wang consultant to come to the house with a selection of gowns. Even Jackson pitched in, volunteering to serve as our officiant; he’d been ordained on the internet a few years before to officiate for one of his fraternity brothers.
“I know you said you didn’t need a cake. But I wanted you to have one. I made the second tier for you to freeze. You’re supposed to eat it on your one-year anniversary.”
God knows what life will be like a year from now. But I can’t think about that, not today. Today, I’m choosing to have faith. Asher and I found each other and we’ve managed to stay together despite the chaos around us. There has to be a reason for that. There’s no way we’ve come this far, only to be pulled apart.
The door to the guest bathroom opened and Jackson appeared in the living room. He greeted me with a broad smile and buttoned the jacket of his tux.
“You look wonderful, Lauren. Are you ready to get started?”
I nodded and smiled back at him. “Is Kennedy outside?”
“Yes, she and your mother are keeping Ash company.”
Claire put a final touch of icing on the top layer of the cake and sat her piping bag in the sink. She pulled off her apron and smoothed the skirt of her strapless turquoise bridesmaid’s dress.
“If you’re sure you’re ready, Jackson and I will go take our places,” she told me. She pulled an enormous bouquet of white lilies from the refrigerator and passed it to me before retrieving her slightly smaller arrangement.
“I’m sure.”
“Then we’ll see you at the aisle,” she replied with a grin.
I took Dad’s arm and we moved to the wall beside the French doors. Jackson and Claire stepped outside, leaving the doors wide open behind them. A string quartet launched into the Wedding March and Dad and I stepped into the doorway.
After the wedding, I notice the twinkling overhead lights, handmade decorations, and other thoughtful details my friends and parents had put into the ceremony. But when I first stepped onto the terrace, all I saw was the man I loved and the sun dipping below the horizon behind him. Asher waited for me at the end of the burlap aisle, surrounded by flickering pillar candles and wearing a smile broader than I’d ever seen. His khaki tuxedo looked custom tailored, despite the fact that it was actually an emergency rental Kennedy had picked up after we realized he’d left his usual tux hanging in our hotel room in London.
Dad led me slowly down the aisle; I felt like I was gliding. When we reached Asher, Dad kissed my hand and placed it in Asher’s. Mom, Claire, and Kennedy stood to my left while Dad moved to stand beside my groom. Someone had set up a Go Pro on a tripod near the railing and one of the security guards had agreed to serve as our photographer.
Asher squeezed my hand and smiled down at me while Jackson cleared his throat. My heart raced knowing that in a matter of minutes, I’d be Mrs. Asher Reynolds.
“Claire, Kennedy, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews,” he began with a grin.
Nice touch, Jackson. I guess when there are only four people at your wedding, you can afford the time to welcome them individually.
“We all know why we are gathered here today. We’re here to celebrate the love between Lauren and Asher. Like their engagement, they’d like to keep this short and sweet. At this time, they’ll exchange vows they’ve written themselves. Asher.”
Asher took both of my hands in his and pulled them to his chest. He stared down at me, happy tears welling in his eyes.
“I’ve spent a majority of the last two days searching for the words to say to you in this moment,” he confessed. “I had a long, elegant speech rehearsed, but now that the moment is here, I can’t remember what I’d planned to say. I’m too much in awe of you, Lauren. I didn’t understand what love was until you walked into my life. Your support, your willingness to stand by my side and face the unknown… they are humbling. I love you more than words could ever express. I promise to honor, cherish, and protect you in this life and whatever comes after.”
I felt a single tear roll down my cheek and Asher’s eyes softened. He pulled the turquoise silk handkerchief from his jacket pocket and gently wiped my face. I covered his hand with mine and stared back at him.
“I am so thankful for all the ways you show me how much you appreciate me. But sometimes, you don’t give yourself enough credit,” I told him, my tears flowing again.
“You are the kindest, most generous man I’ve ever known. You push me to be the best version of myself and you’re the first to celebrate when I succeed. I wake up every morning and thank God for bringing you into my life. And I go to bed every night, secure in the knowledge that whatever comes, we’ll face it together. I am honored to stand by your side. And I promise to love, cherish, and protect you in this life and whatever comes after.”
Jackson cleared his throat. “The couple will now exchange rings.”
Dad pulled a white leather box from his jacket pocket and passed it to Asher. He opened it and pulled out a large emerald cut diamond set in a wide white gold band. I held out my left hand and he slipped it onto my finger.
“Lauren, I give you this ring as a symbol of my commitment to you, to us. This is my promise to never stop fighting for the life we deserve. No matter what challenges we face, my devotion to you will endure forever.”
I looked down to the ring, then threw my arms around Asher’s neck and found his lips with mine. I didn’t care that we hadn’t reached the kissing part of the ceremony and no one else on the terrace seemed to either. I kissed Asher with everything I had before finally pulling away and looking to Jackson, grinning even as I felt my cheeks grow hot.
“By all means, keep going if you’d like. We don’t mind waiting,” he teased.
“There will be plenty of time for that later,” Mom scolded, her voice brimming with playful sarcasm.
“We’re good for a few minutes, I think,” I answered with a laugh. Mom slipped Asher’s ring into my hand and I turned to him, knowing I was about to start crying again. I slipped the simple gold band onto his finger, kept my fingers closed around it, and held his hand in mine.
“Asher, the ring on your finger isn’t fancy. It isn’t even new. But it’s the perfect symbol of my commitment to you. This is the ring my great-grandmother put on my great-grandfather’s hand nearly a century ago. It’s seen lifetimes of victories, defeats, happiness, and heartache. And it’s endured, just as we will.”
I pulled my hand away and Asher stroked the band. He looked from it to Dad, then to Mom and me.
“I’m honored to wear a family heirloom,” he said, half choking on the words.
Dad clamped a hand over his shoulder. “We’re honored to have you as a part of the family.”
Dad and Asher embraced and Kennedy turned to Jackson with a smile. “I think we can wrap this up,” she advised.
“I think you’re right. Asher, Lauren.” He signaled for our attention and we faced him, our hands entwined.
“By the powers vested in me by the state of California and the online Church of Secular Humanism, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Asher, you may now kiss your bride.”
I wove my arms around Asher’s neck and he kissed me softly. We parted and he lifted me into his arms.
“I thought we were having dinner out here,” I said as he set off toward the house.
“We are. But first, I’m carrying you over the threshold. Is that okay, Mrs. Reynolds?”
My heart leapt with joy at the sound of my new name. “Yes, Mr. Reynolds. That sounds wonderful.”