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Everything slows while my heart picks up. I no longer hear the music, no longer see anyone else but her. My beautiful bride. Her eyes are on mine when she smiles, tears glistening in them. Fuck.

My eyes grow misty as I blink and clear my throat. I bring a hand up over my mouth, like that may help. All I know is that right now, I need to hold onto something before I run down the aisle to her.

She looks jaw-dropping, heart-stopping, earth-shattering, magnificent. Nothing in this world is as stunning as my bride in this very moment. The dress is purely exquisite, and I can’t wait to take it off.

I can’t do it. I can’t hold back any longer.

“Fuck,” I say under my breath as tears make their way out. My hand comes to my eyes, and I wipe them away immediately. Not from embarrassment, but because I don’t want to miss a second of this moment.

Clay pats me on the back, then squeezes my shoulder in a supportive way. I never thought I’d be one to cry at my wedding, but watching my future wife making her way to me makes that impossible.

The tears she was holding in begin to spill when she sees my reaction to her. She smiles and giggles softly, which makes me laugh quietly, too. I can’t believe I get to marry the woman of my dreams today.

Finally arriving in front of me, Lance passes her over and I take her delicate hand in mine. She passes her bouquet to Emma as I bring her into position and wipe the tears off her cheeks.

“Minnie, you look...” I start then shake my head. “There are no words to describe how breathtaking you are.”

She lays her hands over my chest and looks up at me. “I could say the same,” she says while I lower myself to kiss her perfect pillowy lips.

A throat clears from beside us and we pull apart to look at my father, who smiles with a raised eyebrow.

Right, wedding. We both take a step back and hold on to each other’s hands while my father begins his speech.

The words he speaks aren’t registering. I can hear him, but my focus is on Cecilia. She’s so beautiful.

“The bride and groom have each prepared their own vows that they will now read. Silas?”

I look to my father, who nods, indicating it’s my turn to talk.

I take a deep breath and look back to my bride.

“Cecilia, I never dreamed of a love like this, a love so profound it consumes you eternally. I knew it existed, I had the honor to witness it with my parents, but I never thought it was for me. I never thought I’d get to experience it.

But then you came out of nowhere and stole my heart. Changed my life forever.”

Tears form once more in her eyes as I rub my thumb over her hand in small circles, trying to soothe her.

“I know one day I’ll lose you, one day life will take you away from me, or me away from you.

But until that day, I vow to love you, to laugh with you, to cry with you.

I vow to hold you until my arms give out, to kiss you until my lips turn numb.

To look at you and only you until I can no longer see.

I vow to be your best friend, your confidant, your savior.

.. your everything. I love you forever,” I whisper the last four words to her.

The whole crowd is sobbing by the time I finish my speech. Cecilia’s hand trembles in mine while she wipes beneath her eyes with a handkerchief.

“Cecilia, you may say your vows now,” my father informs her. She nods his way, then turns her gaze back to mine. She lets out a few shaky breaths before clearing her throat and beginning her speech.

“Silas, before I met you, my life had no purpose, no meaning worth exploring. I may have smiled, I may have laughed, but I was numb to the world. Then you showed up and gave me a reason. A reason to believe that there was more out there for me, a reason to want more for myself. And you became that reason.” Tears streak down her cheeks as she holds the softest, most loving smile.

“You brought me light through all my darkness, joy through all my sadness. You gave me everything I could have ever wanted, and even things I didn’t know I needed.

You gave me a friend, a lover, a home...

a family.” Her voice starts to quiver with every new word.

My eyes blur more and more as I sniffle.

“With everything you’ve given me, I vow to fall in love with you a little bit more each day.

I vow to always make you laugh when you’re feeling down.

I vow to be your biggest fan cheering you on in the crowd.

I vow to be your everything. I love you forever,” those four last words are whispered once more.

By the time she’s done, my cheeks are soaked. Clay taps me on the shoulder and hands me a handkerchief to help. Cecilia and I both laugh when we realize our similar state.

Once we’re mostly settled, my dad starts his speech again. “And now do you, Silas Hayes, take Cecilia Rose to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as you both shall live?”

I look at my girl and smile. “I do.”

“Do you, Cecilia Rose, take Silas Hayes to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as you both shall live?”

She smiles lovingly back at me, a tear rolling down her cheek when she says, “I do.”

Joy spreads through my veins as my father continues to speak. He asks for the rings and Milo comes strolling down the aisle with a cushion tied to his back that holds both our rings. I slip one on Cecilia’s finger, lining it up with her engagement ring while she places the other on my finger.

“...I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride.”

It’s all I’ve been waiting for. I grab onto Cecilia so quickly she nearly stumbles.

Slipping my hand through her hair, I angle her face and seal my lips to hers.

I devour her mouth with explosive passion like I’d been starving for years.

Everyone around us cheers, some telling us to get a room, but nothing stops me from kissing my wife.

MY. WIFE.

CECILIA

The rest of the wedding goes on without issue, we eat and laugh, everyone enjoying themselves. As I come back outside from the bathroom with Aubrey, who had to help me with my dress, we bump into Shane, the Griffins head coach .

“Cecilia, I don’t think I’ve had the chance to tell you how exquisitely beautiful you look today. Congratulations again, Hayes is a lucky man,” he says as he kisses my cheek.

“Thank you, Coach.” I smile, then look over at my friend. “I don’t think you two have been introduced yet. This is Aubrey Ford, Greyson’s sister.”

He takes her hand and kisses the top in the most gentleman-like way. “Please, call me Shane. It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you... Aubrey.” His eyes bore into hers as he keeps her hand in his. She turns beet red at the way he says her name.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too... Shane,” she finally replies, that same tone lacing her voice. Well, I’ll be damned. Seems someone has caught our little girl’s eye.

Then they just stand there, gazing at each other for a little longer than necessary, until he eventually let’s go of her hand and excuses himself.

“It seems you may have caught someone’s attention, Brey.” I nudge her in the side once we’re alone.

“He was just being polite. It was nothing,” she answers, but the blush on her cheeks tells a whole different story.

“If you say so, although he’s never kissed my hand and said my name like that .” I wink before leaving her side and returning to my husband. God, I love saying that.

A little while later, the DJ announces it’s time for our first dance as husband and wife. We head over to the makeshift stage while everyone gathers around. Silas takes my right hand in his and places his left on my lower back, mine going to his shoulder.

The sun has set and now the string lights are the only thing illuminating the backyard, making the moment even more enchanting.

The song Silas has chosen, ‘ Falling like the Stars’ by James Arthur, starts to play while we begin our dance.

In perfect sync with one another, while my husband sings the words in my ear.

I look up at the man I love, emotions coursing through my body. I want this day to last forever, this feeling to never die. And when I look at him, I know deep within my soul that it never will.

“I love you, Silas.”

He releases my hand and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling my body flush against his. I fold my arms around his neck and rise to my toes as he lowers his head to mine.

“I love you, Minnie,” he whispers against my lips before capturing them with his. “You and me.”

“You and me.”