Page 28 of A Breeze Over Rosewood Beach (Rosewood Beach #9)

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Hazel’s heart danced somewhere between her ribs and her throat as she stared at her reflection in the courthouse bathroom mirror.

The simple white dress hugged her figure, making her feel elegant despite the simple cut and the plain material.

She smoothed her hands over the soft fabric, breathing in deeply and trying to calm the fluttering inside her.

She smiled at her reflection, enjoying the vibrant color of her red lipstick.

“I can’t believe I just got married,” she whispered to herself, her voice carrying a mix of awe and delight. A soft laugh spilled out of her. She tried her new name out loud, savoring the way it rolled off her tongue. “Mrs. Hazel Dorsey.”

Her smile widened as the sound of the name settled into her bones like it had always belonged there. It felt like home.

Jacob was waiting for her in the hallway, rocking slightly on his heels, his hands tucked into the pockets of his navy-blue dress pants.

His tie was slightly askew and his hair was rumpled just enough to reveal that he’d been running his fingers through it, a tell that Hazel had long ago learned meant that he was nervous.

When he saw her, his entire face lit up with a smile. Hazel walked toward him, her nerves dissolving with each step until all that remained was the bubbling joy of the shared secret between them.

“Hey, Mrs. Dorsey,” Jacob said softly.

Hazel rose up onto her tiptoes to give him a little kiss. “Hey, husband.”

As they left the courthouse together, Hazel felt as light as air, as if she were walking on clouds.

“Sam is blowing up my phone,” she said with a laugh as she climbed into the car next to Jacob. “She loves the pictures we sent her.”

Samantha was away on a school trip with her cheerleading squad, but she’d given Hazel and Jacob her full blessing to get married without her there. She’d phrased it as, “Isn’t that the whole point of eloping? It’s just you two sneaking off. Have fun!”

“I can’t wait to give her my first official hug as her father,” Jacob said, looking overjoyed.

“You’ve been her father for a while now,” Hazel said softly, squeezing his hand.

“But now it’s official.” He grinned.

For a moment, they shared an adoring look. Then Hazel squirmed, the weight of their wonderful secret pressing against her ribs like a balloon ready to burst.

“Let’s go tell my family,” she urged. “I can’t wait for them to find out. Should we just head over to The Lighthouse Grill for a late lunch? Mom and Julia should be there for sure, and there’s a good chance Alexis will be there waitressing as well.”

“Sounds perfect.” Jacob leaned over and gave her a big kiss. “Turns out getting married makes you really hungry. I’m famished.”

He drove them over to The Lighthouse Grill and they hurried inside.

A moment later, Hazel saw her mother, Julia, and Alexis all seated together at a booth, taking a late lunch break together.

Her heart leapt up when she saw them. These women had been her anchor for as long as she could remember, and she couldn’t wait to tell them her good news.

Vivian was the first to spot Hazel and Jacob. “Hey!” She waved to them eagerly. “Would you two like to join us for lunch?”

Hazel exchanged a delighted glance with Jacob. “Sounds perfect. You guys can help us celebrate.”

Julia smiled. “Yeah? Are you two ready to move into your new place?”

Hazel nodded, her hand reaching instinctively for Jacob’s. “Actually… we just got married.”

For a heartbeat, there was perfect silence as no one spoke. Then, the booth erupted with joy. Vivian squealed and leapt up to hug Hazel, peppering her cheeks with kisses. Alexis clapped her hands, tears welling up in her eyes. “How was it?” she demanded. “Why didn’t you invite us? Who cried first?”

Julia sat quietly, smiling, with tears filling her eyes. Although her expression was happy, there was a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

Hazel noticed it immediately. “Jules? You okay?”

Julia bit her lip, nodding. “I’m so happy for you. But—I guess I’m just a little sad we didn’t get to be there with you. I’ve always imagined celebrating something like this as a family.”

Hazel reached out and squeezed her sister’s hand, understanding what Julia meant. Julia wasn’t upset, but she wanted to feel included in Jacob and Hazel’s life-changing moment and to stand by Hazel’s side the way she always had.

Hazel nodded. “I get it. And you’re right. I would’ve loved to have you all there—but Jacob and I—we felt like we couldn’t wait. It felt like the right moment for us.”

Jacob nodded. “Hazel and I wanted to make this commitment to each other in a way that felt like it was just ours. We love you all—but if we invited you, we’d need to invite my family too, and they live all across the states and it would have taken so long to plan it all out.”

“I understand,” Vivian said, smiling, even though she also looked slightly disappointed.

“You know what?” Hazel said suddenly, gasping a little with excitement. “Let’s do something. A celebration of our marriage. It won’t be a wedding, but it’ll be a party. A chance to celebrate this with everyone we love.”

Vivian perked up immediately at that. “Like a family dinner?”

Alexis clapped her hands. “Yes! We can dress up, toast to the newlyweds, and have some cake. It’ll be like a mini reception.”

Julia grinned. “I love that idea.”

Hazel felt her chest swell with gratitude. She and Jacob had done this their way, quietly and intimately, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t celebrate with the people who mattered most to them. She loved that her family was so quick to volunteer to plan a celebration.

“That sounds wonderful,” Hazel said, her eyes flicking to Jacob, whose grin told her that he was as excited about the idea as she was. “Let’s plan something.”

Jacob and Hazel ordered lunch and ate it at the booth with Vivian, Alexis, and Julia. They showed them all of the pictures they’d taken before their ceremony and after, and Julia and Alexis gushed over Hazel’s simple wedding band as if it were a tiara.

As they talked, Hazel kept stealing glances at Jacob. She could hardly believe he was her husband, and that she got to spend the rest of her life with him.

I can’t wait, she thought, her heart swelling with happiness. Today is the beginning of the rest of our lives.