Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Of course, I’d never invite my asshole brother. And my parents couldn’t be bothered, busy flitting through their meaningless lives. I wish I could say I was surprised, but after they missed Summer’s funeral and Autumn’s birth, I didn’t expect them here. And if it weren’t for Norah, I never even would have asked them to be.
Norah’s smile is big and bold and beautiful, and her eyes shine in the powerful sun. Butterflies dance throughout the tall grass around us, and I have to clutch at my chest to ease the warmth inside it.
She’s everything I never knew I wanted. She’s everything I thought I didn’t need. Norah Ellis is the love of my life.
“Who gives this woman to be married?” Pastor Bob asks from behind me as Pete and Norah come to a stop just in front.
“I do,” Pete boasts proudly before placing her hand in mine.
Norah’s smile is soft as she kisses Pete on the cheek, and an unbelievable blush hits him right underneath. I didn’t know the old goat had it in him.
Norah hands her bouquet to Josie, and Lillian steps forward to fix the back of her dress as Norah turns to face me. I take her hands in mine and immediately have the urge to skip all the formal stuff and go straight to the kiss.
Norah smiles and winks, and I swear she knows exactly what I’m thinking.
With a small shake of her head, she puts her hands in mine.
“Welcome, welcome, everyone,” Bob recites, scanning the crowd with his signature smile. “Thanks for joining us today to celebrate this magical occasion.” His focus turned back to us, he carries on. “Norah and Bennett, today we gather to join your lives together—though the baby probably did that pretty well already.” The crowd laughs, and I roll my eyes. “Anyway, let’s get started, shall we?”
I nod eagerly, making Norah’s smile soften with affection.
“Norah, will you take Bennett to be your husband, through thick and thin, sickness and health, for richer or for poorer, until your dying breath?”
“I will,” Norah answers quickly, and my fingers spasm around hers.
“Bennett, how about you? Will you take Norah to be your wife, through thick and thin—”
“I will.”
“Bennett, I didn’t finish.”
“It doesn’t matter, Bob,” I say simply. “I’ll take Norah through anything.”
Norah licks at her lips as tears moisten her eyes, and I reach up to catch the first drop before it falls. “I love you, Norah.”
“I love you too, Bennett.”
Pastor Bob laughs. “Well, I’m not sure that you two need me here, but just in case, let’s do the rings, okay?”
Norah nods through a laugh, turning to Josie, and I turn to Clay to get my own. “Now, Norah, you’re going to slide your ring on Bennett’s finger and repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.”
“With this ring, I thee wed.”
“Good. Now, Bennett, same to you. With this ring, I thee wed.”
“With this ring, I thee wed,” I repeat, sliding the ring, but stopping abruptly when I see it. Tattooed around Norah’s ring finger just like mine—Summer.
“Norah.” Her name is a whisper.
“I did it last night. I wanted to do it earlier, but I was afraid you’d see it and it’d spoil the surprise.”
I pull her body to mine, slamming our lips together in a kiss. She tastes perfect and feels perfect and is…perfect.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride,” Pastor Bob says so quickly the words practically run together. Lips dancing over Norah’s, I chuckle as her mouth pulls up into a laugh.
“Sorry, Bob. I just couldn’t wait a second more.”
The wait from the moment I saw her on that yellow bridge has been long enough.
Finally, Norah Ellis is officially my wife.
…
Norah
I dance and sing to myself as I finish washing my hands in the powder room, my cheeks filled with a perfect, happy glow.
I can’t help but notice how different this trip to the bathroom is from the one I had in a wedding dress a year ago.
The door bumps me in the butt as it closes behind me, and I laugh a little, my buzzed brain enjoying all the little things today.
As I make my way back outside, I take a minute to let all the goodness soak in. Bennett and Breezy are in the middle of the dance floor, swaying together with a sleeping Autumn in their arms.
Sheriff Peeler is flirting with Eileen Martin, of all people, and Betty and Earl are cutting one hell of a rug. Lil has found a group of old men to entertain over by the bar, and lover boy Lance has more than one teen girl hanging on his every word. It’s a perfect smattering of every walk of life and a reminder of the joy I feel living here every day.
The only people missing are two I’d never expect together, and that fact alone makes me feel suspicious in a way I can’t ignore. Walking the perimeter of the party slowly, I glance into the dark shadows with avid eyes, searching for my sister and the one man who always seems to be trying to get her attention these days.