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He doesn’t say anything else, and I understand that he asked his father to take care of the problem. From what I know, he’s never before been involved in his father’s shady business, but this time he crossed a line. I don’t need to ask him about it. His smile is happy, but it also carries a weight that is heavy on his heart. He did it for me, for my family, for our life together. I can never thank him enough for taking this on his shoulders.

I kiss him on the lips, on the cheek, and then just below his ear. “Thank you. This means a lot to me. I promise we will carry this burden together,” I whisper.

He stills for a moment and when I look in his eyes, I see gratitude radiating from them. He nods slightly before putting a hand around my neck and pulling me in for a kiss that leaves me breathless. He puts every emotion into it, every fear, every burden, every tear, but also every happy memory we will build together, every year we will spend making this dysfunctional agreement into a real family. There are promises hidden in this kiss, unspoken words that taste like love and caring.

“I can’t wait to spend my life with you,” he whispers against my lips.

And I smile and then laugh outright at the happiness bubbling in my chest.

“Are you in there?” I whisper.

“Of course, I’m in here. Where else would I be?” Silver whispers back.

“I don’t know, I was scared that this night apart would make you reconsider.”

“Raphael, it’s literally one night,” she whisper-shouts.

“I know, but you can never be too sure. Can you open the door?”

She sighs loudly enough to hear through the wooden door. I smile imagining her, hands on her hips, scolding me.

“The whole point of sleeping in separate rooms is so you can’t see the bride until she walks to the altar, which is fifteen minutes from now. Shouldn’t you be there already?”

“Yes, I should,” I admit.

“So, why are you here?”

Good question. “I don’t know. Maybe because I want to say that I love you before we’re overwhelmed by this day?”

There’s a long pause and I’m almost sure she’ll open the door, but she doesn’t. “I love you too,” she whispers.

“Oh, for God’s sake, you two. Can we get on with this wedding? You can see each other in fifteen freaking minutes.” Silver’s sister, Roxanne, shouts from behind the door.

There are giggles and shushing noises, and I can’t stifle a laugh.

“How many are in there listening to this conversation?”

“Five! Five women dying of envy listening to you two lovebirds,” Lola chimes in.

“Where the hell have you been? We’re waiting for you at the altar!” I turn around and see I’m surrounded by my friends in tuxedos.

“Harrison! Can you drag him away so we can walk out of this cottage?” shouts Lola.

“Is that Harrison Bates? How do I look?” Roxanne whisper-shouts but we all hear her.

Harrison’s ego puffs out his chest until his shirt is almost busting open as a grin spreads across his face.

“Don’t even think about it. She’s twenty-two.” I point a finger at his face.

He opens his mouth to protest but Leonard gives him his terrifying scowl. It works every time.

“We’re going!” Aaron shouts through the door and then they drag me away from Father George’s cottage.

When we told the priest we were getting married in his church, he offered his home for Silver to change in, since the church is too small to have a separate room for the bride. They walk me through the trail that leads to the small white building. Matthew, Aaron, Harrison, and Leonard, all surround me to the point that I almost trip on their feet.

“If I rip my pants because you trip me, you’ll have to answer to Silver,” I complain, and they all take a step away from me.

“We thought you bolted. We were making sure you’d be at the altar on time,” Matthew explains.