Page 25 of Caught By the Chief of Staff

Rick doesn’t take his eyes off me through the entire ceremony.I love you, he mouths the words, and I whisper them back. The moment is so beautiful it’s seared on my heart.

“Rick, do you take this woman to be your lawful wife, to have and to hold for all the days of your life?”

“I do.”

“Cara, do you take this man to be your lawful husband, to have and to hold for all the days of your life?”

“I do.”

“Rick, please place the ring on Cara’s finger and repeat after me.”

Rick slides the solid gold band down my finger to sit next to my diamond band. “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day.”

“Cara, place the ring on Rick’s finger and repeat after me.”

I slip the ring down past his knuckle and speak from my heart, hoping he hears how important these words are to me. “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day.”

“And now, by the powers vested in me by the State of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

Before Elvis ever speaks his final words, Rick sweeps me into his arms and dips me back as he crushes his lips to mine. It’s as if he was waiting for those little words to be spoken before he could act, and he waited so patiently. Almost.

Elvis and the older woman chuckle at our passionate display that is over too soon. She gives us a card to collect our photos tomorrow, and Rick leads me out into the night while they throw rice at us.

It’s by far the best day of my life, and as I look at Rick as we run out into the Vegas night, I know it will only get better from here.