Page 54 of Sunflower Persona (Classic City Romance #2)

W hy did I think letting Gage handle everything was a good idea?

That’s right, he asked me if I trusted him, which I do, but knowing my man, he’s out there planning some grand gesture of a wedding when all I need is him . He’s a romantic at heart but would balk if I ever called him on it.

He was practically vibrating when we met at the courthouse earlier. After we signed the paperwork, he slipped a ring on my finger, kissed me in a way that set my whole body on fire, and said he would see me tonight.

The ring is a foreign weight on my hand and a gesture I wasn’t expecting.

Not that I’m complaining—it’s gorgeous with its bright-yellow stone set in a golden band.

I have no idea where he got it, or how he managed to find something so perfect on such short notice…

or how he knows my ring size, because that’s something we’ve never talked about before.

Maybe it’s best I don’t ask too many questions.

It’s been crickets since then—not only from him, but all our friends.

I invited Evelyn over so we could freak out together about the fact I’m getting married today, but she said she was busy and would try to stop by later.

Shaunee and Jayla were busy too. I didn’t even try with Nathan.

He’d be the first in line to help Gage with whatever plans he has them wrapped up in today.

It wouldn’t be the first time my boyfriend—no, fiancé—got them all involved.

Fiancé.

I’m not going to have time to get used to the idea before it transitions to husband. Move over, 90 Day Fiancé , you’ve got nothing on us.

Now all I can do is wait. It’s beyond agonizing. I wish he would have given me some details. Like a timeline…or overall vibes. Hell, I’d take skywriting with cryptic clues at this point. Anything but being left in the dark.

A soft knock on the front door breaks through the endless monotony, and butterflies spring to life, fluttering around with a mix of excitement and nerves. It’s time . I open the door and find Evelyn waiting, already dolled up in a baby-pink dress with her makeup artfully done.

The sight of my friend brings the sharp sting of her earlier refusal to the surface with an edge of resentment. I didn’t realize how much it affected me until now. It would have been nice to have at least one friend with me through this, even though I know they are all working on something for me.

“I thought you were busy,” I accuse.

She ignores my attitude and pulls me in for a hug with an excited squeal.

“I’m so sorry, I had to finish my other task first, but now I’m all yours.” She pushes her way inside without an invitation. “Bridesmaid duty officially starts now. I can’t believe you’re getting married.”

My friend lets out another high-pitched noise and hugs me again.

“It barely feels real,” I tell her, smiling as the negative emotions are washed away by her glee.

“Gage was vague on the details. I need to know everything. Was it romantic?”

I choke on a laugh remembering exactly how romantic last night wasn’t. It was perfect, though. It was us—no bullshit.

“I think it just sort of slipped out, if I’m being honest. He nearly panicked after he asked, but as soon as he said it, I knew it was right.

There was no question. Although this whole twenty-hour wedding thing wasn’t part of my plan when I said we should get married today.

I’m ready to be his wife—I don’t need all the frills—but it’s not surprising he’s trying to make it something special. ”

“Of course he’s trying to make it special. It’s your wedding, it should be. Not to mention that man worships the ground you walk on. He’d do anything for you.”

“I know. So what exactly does bridesmaid duty entail?”

“Mainly making sure you are ready and arrive on time without cold feet.”

“Don’t worry about my feet. They are extra toasty.”

“Good. Now let’s get you ready to go. We need to leave in an hour.”

“An hour?”

That’s no time at all. How am I supposed to get ready for a wedding I know nothing about in an hour? This was a terrible idea. I should have insisted Gage do it my way, just the two of us and some legal documents. All of this is too much.

“Don’t panic,” Evelyn says, pulling me out of my tailspin. “We’ve totally got this. An hour is plenty of time. Just call me your fairy godmother.”

***

The botanical gardens are the last place I expected Evelyn to bring us, but the familiar parking lot is where we end up.

True to her word, Evelyn helped me get ready in record time.

I ended up in a yellow dress—I don’t own any white, and even if I did, it wouldn’t feel right—and at her suggestion, we went light on the makeup.

She might be magic because, somehow, I feel both beautiful but comfortable and wholly me in a way I never could have pulled off on my own.

Anxiety grips me as we climb out of the car and head toward the entrance.

“All right, be real with me. What’s waiting for me in there? Do I need to brace for an onslaught of good-intentioned well-wishers and a crowd whose sole attention is on me?” I ask as she tries to usher me further into the property.

That would be my nightmare.

“Do you think Gage would put you through that?”

“No.”

“Then deep breaths. He loves you, and he knows you. He would never plan something you wouldn’t also love.”

She’s right. He’s always put my needs above everything else. I take a deep breath to steady my nerves and start down the path. This is Gage, the man I love, the man I’m marrying. Nothing else matters.

The garden isn’t as busy as it is on the weekends, but there are still other groups basking in its beauty. They don’t pay us any mind as we make our way to the field in the back—the same field Gage brought me to the first time we came here.

He is waiting for me in that same spot, dressed in a nice button-down and a pair of slacks I know he didn’t own this morning. There isn’t a trace of nerves in his posture as he watches the entrance, and when he sees me, his face lights up with a soul-stealing smile.

No large crowd or huge celebration greets me—just a small group of the people we love the most. My eyes prickle as I notice my parents for the first time. I didn’t even think about getting them involved, but now that they are here, I can’t imagine doing this without them.

Gage doesn’t wait for me to make it to them.

With heat in his eyes, he strides across the manicured lawn and greets me with an all-consuming kiss.

He doesn’t hold back as he claims me with the clash of tongue and teeth.

Fuck the ceremony. If our friends weren’t here, I’d beg him to drag me somewhere secluded and call us good and married.

“We get it, you like each other. That’s why we are all here. But I don’t think I need to remind you that this isn’t a sanctioned event, and time is of the essence.” Karis’s sarcasm-laced words break us apart.

Gage pulls back, still wearing that dopey smile, and grabs my hand. “You ready for this, Low?”

“I’ve never been more ready.”

With a gentle squeeze, he leads me toward our friends. Toward our future. Toward our forever.