Page 42 of Wish You Faith (Christmas Sweethearts #1)

Love never failed indeed. Evan recalled how easily he’d fallen in love with Rosie the moment he saw her at the tree farm greenhouse. It was this enduring love that had carried them through their long-distance relationship all the way to this wedding day.

Evan and Rosie continued reading alternating verses until they reached 1 Corinthians 13:13, which Rosie delivered beautifully without crying.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Evan closed his eyes and listened. Rosie’s voice resonated in the community center and echoed in Evan’s heart.

Faith, hope, love.

When Rosie finished reading, she looked up.

“I love you,” Evan mouthed silently. Connor took his Bible from him.

“I love you too,” Rosie mouthed back as she closed her Bible and handed it to her matron of honor.

The wedding guests clapped boisterously. Some said, “Yes, Jesus,” and some said, “Amen” loudly.

Pastor Flores nodded to both of them and then addressed the wedding guests.

“This true love is given by God through Jesus Christ. God’s love enables a Christian husband to be able to love his Christian wife, and vice versa.

‘But the greatest of these is love.’ If you know Jesus, you know this love that Evan and Rosie just read from 1 Corinthians 13. ”

The rest of the ceremony went smoothly as they recited their traditional wedding vows and placed wedding bands on each other’s left ring fingers.

Tears streamed down their faces when they said “I do” to their promise to stay by each other in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, and to love and cherish each other until their dying days.

Evan felt that he had conquered the world after he slid the diamond-encrusted wedding ring on Rosie’s finger. He wondered if she felt the same, but she only smiled from ear to ear.

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Pastor Flores closed. “You may kiss your bride.”

As Evan pulled Rosie close to himself and lifted her veil, he could see her shyness about kissing in public—even though among the guests were family and friends. They had discussed this earlier, and Rosie wanted him to keep the kiss short and sweet.

However, Evan felt that it was imperative for him to make a statement.

This is my wife now, and I’m her husband.

Her lips trembled, and her eyes closed as though waiting for Evan to get it over and done with.

Still, Evan couldn’t help but take his time. Ever so gently, he kissed her, supported by a cacophony of cheers and whistles—probably from his side of the family in the front rows.

When Rosie had enough, she lifted her lips to whisper in his ear, “More tonight.”

That satisfied Evan, and he beamed with pride as he interlocked his fingers in hers. They faced the congregation.

“All rise,” Pastor Flores instructed those in attendance. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Evan and Rosie, husband and wife, our new Mr. and Mrs. Cavanaugh.”

Everyone cheered as Evan put his arm over Rosie’s shoulders, as he liked to do, and Rosie wrapped her arm around his waist, as she liked to do, and they walked happily down the aisle together.

Evan glanced at Rosie. He could see joy on her face and sensed thankfulness in her heart.

I feel the same, love. I feel the same.

Thank You, Jesus.

Read on for a sneak peek of Wish You Joy (Savannah Sweethearts Book 10), the prequel to Wish You Faith . Wish You Joy is where Christmastown began…