Page 44

July

Five Months Later…

T here is a slight breeze blowing into the suite where we’re getting ready through the balcony doors, causing the sheer curtains to flutter in a way that relaxes me. I tighten my silk robe and take a sip of my coffee before running my fingers over the envelope Gemma just handed me.

The dusty blue envelope matches our custom stationary and color palette for our wedding today, and I get caught admiring the way my name looks in Bennett’s chicken scratch handwriting.

Butterflies erupt in my belly as I open it to find a letter he wrote to me. We agreed to write each other letters to open on the morning of our wedding, and it’s something I’ve been looking forward to most.

To my blushing bride (because I know you’re blushing right now),

I know we’re going all-out traditional with everything today, but I just had to let you know that last night was the worst night of sleep I’ve had in months because you weren’t by my side.

Even though we’re already technically married, I’m happy that we’re doing the big, traditional celebration today with our friends and families present. I can’t wait to have the entire world know that you are mine and I am yours .

Your grandfather gave me another sage piece of advice a few months back for our wedding day, and I thought I’d share it with you now since he unfortunately couldn’t be here with us today.

I can’t tell you how sorry I am that things took a turn with his health so quickly; I just hope that when we get back, he’ll enjoy the videos and photographs we share with him.

Joseph’s advice to me was something I hadn’t heard before.

He suggested we take a moment to ourselves during the reception, just the two of us, to soak in the moments and gravity of this day.

I think a part of him knew his health was declining, so he took me aside and told me this after our elopement.

He said that his favorite moment from his wedding day with your grandmother was when they took a walk outside their reception hall together after their first dances were done, and they talked about their favorite moments from the day thus far.

So what do you say, Scar; will you take a walk with me as the sun begins to set behind the Eiffel Tower and tell me all of your favorite details from our wedding day?

I’ll be seeing you soon, baby girl.

All my love,

Benny Boy

I set the letter on the table, and choke back a sob threatening to escape. My emotions have been all over the place since we had to make the tough decision to have my grandfather receive round the clock care as his dementia rapidly progressed.

Gemma is beside me in a flash with a tissue, rubbing my shoulders in a soothing way.

“I love you, Scar. I’m so happy that you found Bennett. And I know that Pop Pop is so proud of you and happy for you too.”

“Thank you, Gems. I’m thankful I found him too. And I love you more. ”

“I’m serious, Scarlett. Ever since he came into our lives, you’ve been lighter.

It’s like he took one look at the weight of the world you carried on your shoulders and decided right then and there to help take on the load.

Look, I know the two of you started out as some agreement—I overheard the two of you talking about it a month or so after he proposed.

But I can tell the love the two of you share now is more real than any love story I’ve ever seen.

” Gemma’s pale green eyes shine with sincerity.

I take a deep, stuttered breath, still consumed by the emotions brought on from his letter, but I’m also shocked to find out she knew about our agreement for months now and hadn’t said anything.

“There isn’t a more perfect man to have brought into mine and Gunner’s lives.

You did an amazing job raising us on your own for so long, and I’m just so incredibly grateful that you now have a partner to stand by your side, to lean on when you need to, and to love you unconditionally through the good times and bad.

” Gemma wraps me in a tight hug I hadn’t realized I needed so badly.

Squeezing her tight, I rub my hands up and down her back. “When did you get so wise beyond your years, Gemmy?”

With the loss of our parents and her diagnosis, she had to grow up a lot quicker than most kids, and my heart aches at the realization.

“Not sure, but someone must be doing one heck of a job raising me,” she says, winking as she pulls out of my embrace. “Here,” she says, handing me another tissue, “you’ll ruin your makeup.”

“I think it’s a little late for that. But I’m sure Walker can touch it up for me. She’s a magician when it comes to hair and makeup.”

We walk into the other room to find McKenna, Dakota, and Alexa have joined us and are taking their turns having Walker help them get ready .

“Alright ladies, do we understand our assignments for today?” I turn and ask them once Gemma has left the suite to give Bennett his letter from me.

“Are you sure you want to do this? Poor fella isn’t going to know what hit him,” Dakota drawls in her southern accent.

“Positive. And make sure you get video evidence of his reaction since I won’t be there to see it,” I tell them.

McKenna chuckles at his expense. “Poor fella is right. I can’t wait to watch him drown in his misery. Happy wedding day, Benny Boy!”

My hands aren’t shaking like I thought they would as I hold my beautiful bouquet with both hands. Even though I wish my grandfather was here at this moment to walk me down this aisle, I’ll be forever grateful that we were able to share that moment together when he walked me down the aisle in Vegas.

As I wait for my queue, I can faintly hear Gemma’s voice and the strum of her guitar through the wooden doors.

I’m not sure I’ve ever been more surprised than I was when Gemma asked if she could sing a song while I walked down the aisle.

And for her to be playing the guitar that Bennett has taught her how to play on makes me all the more emotional even thinking about it.

Gemma chose to sing “Crazier” by Taylor Swift and as the chorus hits, the doors open to the rooftop terrace where we’re getting married.

All the air escapes my lungs as I take in Bennett standing at the end of the aisle in a black tux. He looks so devastatingly handsome waiting for me beneath an acrylic arbor with white flowers climbing up the sides and the Eiffel Tower behind him in the background .

Not even a moment later I hear a matching gasp as Bennett sucks in a shaky breath. He brings his fist up to his mouth, and the sight of him bending at the waist because he’s so overcome with emotions is enough to bring me to my knees.

When his head lifts and his gaze connects with mine once again, I’m left breathless.

The way he’s looking at me now—with such reverence and devotion—makes me wish I could run down this aisle to him.

But I don’t because I’d likely trip over myself in my haste to get to him.

Besides, my knees are now shaky and knocking together as I place one unsteady foot in front of the other to get to him.

I’m not sure how many guests are in attendance, or what the floral arrangements along the aisle look like because I’m too enraptured—too overcome with emotions—at the sight of my husband standing at the end of the aisle, wiping stray tears from his cheeks as he waits for me.

Who would’ve thought that my big, burly husband would’ve become such a sap in only a few months time? I tease him about it quite often. He says it’s just “dusty” and therefore his eyes water, but it’s been happening more and more since we got married in February.

I’ve just made it to the end of the aisle, the beaming smile on my face matching his own, when Bennett extends his arm out to help me up the two steps of the stone altar.

Handing my bouquet off to Gemma once she takes her place beside me, I turn to face Bennett, holding both of my hands out for him to take in his. Instead, he surprises me by pulling me into his chest and catching my lips in a slow, fiery kiss that leaves me even more breathless.

There’s a loud “whoop!” from I’m pretty sure Jackson and laughter follows from the guests.

Griffin, who is officiating our wedding, gasps beside us. “ You’re supposed to wait until I tell you to kiss the bride ,” Griffin mocks in a voice that sounds eerily similar to Bennett’s. “See, now he gets it. It’s hard to wait, isn’t it?”

A giggle slips past my lips when he breaks our kiss to subtly flip off Griff.

Griff lets out a huff before welcoming our guests. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today for the second ceremony of matrimony to join together Bennett and Scarlett. The couple wants to thank you for making the trip to be a part of their big day.”

Griffin continues his opening remarks, but the words sound like background noise to me as I hone in all of my focus on Bennett’s features.

We didn’t have a first look, so this is the first time I’m able to take him in since the groom’s dinner last night.

He looks so strikingly handsome in his black tux with his black bowtie.

His facial hair is neatly trimmed and his hair is perfectly styled with the relaxed texture that has me itching to run my hands through it.

He’s taking me in just as intently, his eyes rove over me like a caress, causing goosebumps to pepper my skin.

I’m pulled from our mutual perusal when my grandmother joins us on the altar to do a reading my grandfather helped us pick out for the ceremony before his health declined, when he had more lucid days.

Bennett patiently wipes my tears as they fall down my cheeks, only letting go of my hand so we can each pull my grandmother in for a hug once she’s finished the reading.

We each take our turns repeating the declaration of intent that we wrote together with the help of Dakota so it sounded more polished. Now comes the part I’ve been most nervous for. The exchange of our vows.

Griffin has Bennett go first, so when he unclasps one of my hands to reach into his jacket pocket for his vows, I hold onto his other hand with both of mine, loving the way his big hand eclipses mine .

Benny clears his throat. “Scarlett, we may already be husband and wife, but that doesn’t mean I’m not nervous as hell standing before you and our closest friends and family to declare and vow my undying love to you.

But that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Because I love you, and I want the rest of the world to know that too.

I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love another.

And I promise to continue loving you every day for the rest of our lives.

I’ll cherish you, and us, and this family we’re building until my last breath, and in every life hereafter.

“You are the very best part of me. Calling you my better half doesn’t even scratch the surface of the role you play in my life.

You knocked me on my ass seven years ago, and when you came back into my life a year ago, I decided right then and there, I was never letting you go again.

” He shifts on his feet and takes a deep breath.

“And now here we are. Don’t ever say I’m not determined. ”

I cut in. “And stubborn. Don’t forget that.”

Unable to help himself, Bennett pulls me in again for a quick kiss. “And stubborn. But not too stubborn to know that a happy wife leads to a happy life.” He takes my hands in his again and smiles down at me.

“But declaring my love to you isn’t enough right now.

So before our friends and family, I want to secure my hopes and dreams for our future in these vows.

Scar, I vow to not only love, honor, respect, and cherish you, but also to serenade you every night before falling asleep with you in my arms. I vow to always take care of you, Gemma, Gunner, and any additions we make to our little unit.

I vow to always carry the weight with you when life’s challenges come our way.

You will never need to stand alone. I vow to fill up your water cup when you forget before bed.

” That earns him some chuckles from the guests.

“I vow to also fill up your gas tank when it’s running on empty and your tires when they’re running low on air.

” He looks away from the vow booklet he’s holding and winks at me.

“Matter of fact, I vow to fill up whatever needs filling.”

Bennett squeezes my hand in his and continues, “From this day forward, your happiness is my happiness, your sorrows are my sorrows, and your aspirations are my aspirations. My heart beats for yours until the end of time. I love you, Little Red.”

At this point, as tears steadily stream down my cheeks, I’m cursing myself for not having gone first because I’m not sure how the heck to follow that.