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Story: The Maverick

Agnes said, “Do you, Attikus, agree to color Vanessa’s life with the rainbow from now until the end of days?

“I do,” he said.

Agnes turned to me and asked the same.

“I do,” I replied.

I didn’t know what Attikus was feeling, but my heart was bursting with emotion. Why had he written such a beautiful vow for something that wasn’t real? This marriage wasn’t supposed to be this serious. We would separate in six months. Did he always put this much effort into everything he did?

“Do you, Vanessa, agree to be Attikus’s forever masterpiece?” Agnes asked.

“I do.” I laughed.

Attikus reached into his jacket and pulled out a set of rings. I’d forgotten about the rings too!Ugh.A spark gleamed in hiseyes, understanding my reaction. Goodness, I wasn’t good at this wedding stuff. The girls had asked me about the ring before, and I still hadn’t remembered to inquire.

He slipped the ring on my finger, and I did the same to him. I lifted the ring for a closer examination. I’d never seen anything like it. It was twisted, petrified wood molded into a ring.

“You may kiss the bride.”

Attikus pulled me to him, and we kissed. His lips were soft on mine at first, nibbling, tasting. Then he deepened the kiss, and I lost my balance. His arms tightened around me as the kiss lingered. When he drew back, desire darkened his eyes.

“Okay, lovebirds. Enjoy your day. I’ll be enjoying my time here on the beach for the next week. See you back in Providence.”

It sounded like Hoku snapped a gazillion pictures of us in the backyard before we kicked off our shoes and strode out to the beach. Two hours later, Hoku left, and we relaxed in the lounge chairs. Though I didn’t have to mingle like actual brides and grooms who had real wedding banquets, I was exhausted from everything—hair, makeup, getting dressed, the vows, and the surge of emotions. The nerves had added a layer of unnecessary stress.

He looked at me. “Want to go out or stay in for dinner?”

I didn’t know why, but a thought popped into my head—an outrageous idea.

“Stay in.”

“You’re missing a diamond ring,” he said. “I haven’t had time to get you one yet.”

He’d already spent so much on me and this wedding.

Shaking my head, I smiled. “No need for that, Attikus. This petrified wood is perfect. I don’t need anything else. Where did you get the set?”

“I know an artist who specializes in petrified wood. I asked him to create them for me from a sketch.”

I looked at him. “You sketched them? You can draw?”

He interlaced his fingers with mine. “Lily Pad, there are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”

“I guess so. Have you always drawn? What kinds of things do you draw?” This man fascinated me more and more. I knew he loved art because of the museum, but I didn’t know he could also create it.

He considered me for a moment. “It’s not a cheerful story, so I don’t want to ruin our wedding. How about I share it with you later?”

I wanted to ask when later would be, but I didn’t want to pressure him. He hadn’t pressured me on topics I didn’t want to discuss.

As though he knew what I was thinking, he said, “I’ll tell you my story if you tell me what the madman triggered in you, okay?”

An uncomfortable feeling overcame me. I knew I had to tell him sooner or later. When I looked into his eyes, I didn’t see judgment, just honesty.

“Okay.”

“Want to go snorkeling and exploring the island? Then we can order dinner to eat out here and watch the sunset.”

“Sounds wonderful.”

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