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I giggled.

Carter shook his head and then pressed a kiss on my temple.

A few more speeches were said, and then Stella took the microphone and said, “And now it’s time for the groom to say a few words.”

Carter kissed me softly and then stood.

I watched the man I was lucky enough to trick into marrying me head to the stage, take the microphone from my mother.

He looked around the space and then right at me, “Most of you know this, some of you don’t.

But I first met Harlee when she came over to spend the night with my little sister, Talia.

Thought she was as cute as a button. She still is.

Only now, she’s the most gorgeous living, breathing thing I’ve ever seen in my life. ”

I wiped a tear away, sniffled, and then giggled when his brothers all reached forward and pulled a tissue from the little box and handed them to me.

“My mom told me a story once upon a time, and I want to share it with y’all. She said that everyone has their true Darling. The one person who can read deep inside our souls and will always be our safe place.” I watched as his throat swallowed.

“A few months ago, I had one of those moments. One of those moments where your life changes in a second. Let’s talk about that for a moment. One second, it seems so insignificant. But in reality, it means so much.” He sniffed.

“When I was thrown off the oil rig by my best friend, who unfortunately isn’t here tonight, but I know he’s up in heaven smiling down and probably saying, it’s about damn time.

There was that split second before I went under, and the only thought, the only image in my head, was Harlee Belle’s smiling face.

“Over the years, she’s always been my safe place. Anytime something has gone wrong, all I had to do was close my eyes and see that little light over a hundred feet deep, and know that she was there, guiding me home.”

“So, if you’ve found your Darling, like I was lucky to do, grab hold, hold tight, and never let them go.

Harlee Belle? I love you. Those three words don’t cover nearly enough, but it’s god’s honest truth.

I wouldn’t want to ride this thing we call life without you.

So, here’s to you. My light. My Incandescent. ”

All around the reception area, drinks went up, “To Harlee.”

I was grateful his brothers had all handed me tissues, because I definitely needed them after that.

Once I was in control, I stood up on shaking legs, tagged another tissue, then made my way to the stage.

Carter smiled at me, offered me his hand, and helped me up. Then, I leaned forward and whispered, “As soon as we can, we need to leave. After that, I need you inside of me. As deep as you can go.”

When laughter sounded, my cheeks went pink because Carter still had the microphone in his hand.

Carter laughed, then said, “Anything you want. I’ll always give it to you, long as it’s within my power.”

Taking the microphone from him, I walked to the center of the stage and waited for Carter to take his seat.

Then I brought the microphone up and said, “I don’t know if I can beat all of that. Honestly, I don’t think I want to. Because it was perfect. Totally Carter.”

Everyone laughed.

Then I locked eyes with Tatum and said, “Tonight, we are missing someone crucial to our story. Carter spoke about his best friend. What y’all don’t know is that Granger is the one who threw Carter off the rig so he could come back to me.

Not knowing that he wouldn’t have enough time to get off himself. ”

“There’s more to the story. Something that I was told, something that I’ve held close to my heart ever since I met Granger.” Then I looked at Carter and said, “Sin, I’m going to have to share one of your secrets. Okay?” At his nod and wink, I continued.

“Carter had a bad day at work. His umbilical line had gotten kinked. That night, I received a call from Granger. He told me what had happened, and then he watched as Carter had texted with someone. He knew that Carter was texting me. He told me that in the fourteen years he has worked right alongside him, he’d seen him chuckle.

But never, not once, has he heard him laugh.

And he’s seen him smile but never seen him smile like he did when he talked to me. ”

I swallowed, recalling that conversation, then I said, “Here’s to Granger. We wouldn’t be here without him.”

All around the space, glasses or bottles were held up, “To Granger.”

Then I looked at Talia and said, “I love you. Made you a promise, sorry I broke it.”

She laughed, then called out, “So worth it.”

Then I looked back at Carter. “To my heart, to the man I’ve had on a pedestal ever since I was seven years old, skinned my knee, and you broke the sound barrier by how fast you got to me.

There have only been six years of my life where you weren’t a part of it in one way or another.

I know that the man above planned things like he did, so I would treasure you, more than I did yesterday, more than I do today, and more than I will tomorrow. ”

He smiled.

“Like I said, I can’t top Carter’s speech, and no, I still don’t want to, but I’ve been holding onto another piece of information. Wonder why I’ve only been drinking water tonight?” I asked, and then I waited.

Heads tilted.

Eyes searched.

But it was Misty and my mother who stood up and asked, “Are you serious?”

I nodded.

Then they both cried.

Carter got it soon after that, and I watched as his face transformed into a blinding smile, then he was up, walking to me.

I handed the microphone off to Stella, who took it and said, “Congratulations.”

The moment Carter reached me, he hauled me into his arms and then kissed the daylights out of me.

And then... he carried me out of the reception, but not before calling out, “We love all of you.”

Hoots and hollers followed after as he carried me to his truck, and then he took us home.

I was in his arms once I was free of the truck, he kicked the door closed, and then our lips never separated until we were behind our closed front door.

I had him out of his tux, and he had me out of my dress.

Clothes followed us to our bedroom.

Hands roamed.

Kisses were shared.

Tongues danced rhythms that only the two of us understood.

We had made love well into the night, and as dawn was kissing the morning sky, we were still making love.

He had just thrust inside of me, long, slow, and sweet with his hands on either side of my cheeks, he asked, “I’m going to be a daddy?”

I smiled and nodded, “You’re going to be the best. Frank is awesome, and my dad is too. But you had Misty for a mother. You're going to blow all of them out of the park.”

Yes. Oh yes.

My man, my husband, buried himself as deep as he could get, all the while keeping his eyes locked with mine.

Felt like the very first time,” I whispered as tears cascaded down my cheeks.

He winked, then used his thumb and brushed them away, “Always will be. You’ve held my heart in your hands far longer than either of us realizes it.”

“I love you, Carter Griggs.

“I love you, too, Harlee Griggs.”

***

The next five months followed like this.

He kissed me stupid when he headed to work, only four hours away.

I worked with my clients and hired a second massage therapist to take over while I finished this pregnancy and went into maternity leave.

Something had happened with Tatum.

She actually ended up moving into my old house with her boyfriend.

I wanted the story there, so bad, but I knew that if I pushed it, it would be wrong.

But what wasn’t wrong was calling Garrick and Dominik to come over and hang pictures of our wedding. It also included my mom and Misty bringing over pictures of me and Carter through the years, then having them blown up and hung in our house, too.

And there, on our mantle hanging right above it, was the very moment my eyes were closed, my hair done up, soft makeup, my wedding dress, Carter in his tux, leaned down, pressing a kiss on my forehead as we danced as husband and wife for the very first time.

Oh, and if you didn’t already know that my man was that kind of man.

He proved it when he pulled the rocking chair he made in the living room into the nursery, told me to plant my cute ass in it and keep him company while he built furniture, and moved it to where I wanted.

We were ready for our little one to grace this world.

Everyone wanted to know what we were having, but neither of us wanted to know.

Call us crazy, but we wanted to be surprised.

Another thing we had done... we hadn’t discussed names.

We were going to wait until we saw our baby for the first time in our arms before we named him or her.

The only name that really mattered was Griggs.