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“Hi – I’m Eileen, and you must be Elana,” his sister-in-law began, out of breath. “I don’t mean to rush you both, but if I get a call – then I have to leave. The truck is running.”
“Are you ready?” Max asked Elana quietly and held his breath, only letting it out at her sharp nod.
Time seemed to move so quickly as they walked inside, filled out paperwork, and were suddenly being ushered into a small room. There was a lattice arch that had fake flowers and leaves covering it to make it look ‘romantic’. It was dated and cheesy as could be, but he wasn’t going to argue in the slightest.
Reese and Eileen stood in the corner, holding hands and watching them, exchanging glances with each other, and Max was shaking like a leaf. He wasn’t sure why he was nervous when this was everything he wanted deep down inside, but a part of him kept thinking, ‘she’s too good for you’ – and he really worried.
“You look so beautiful,” he whispered, not even paying attention to the magistrate who was speaking the words over them as Elana’s eyes glistened with emotion. He was pretty sure she could tell he was nervous, his hands were trembling so badly.
“You look pretty good yourself,” she breathed, smiling up at him – and then looked distractedly to the side.
“Huh?” Max blurted out, looking at the magistrate, who was fighting back a smile and heard Reese cough bluntly, snapping ‘your vows!’ under his breath. Thank goodness for my brother, he thought.
“Oh! Yeah. Where do I begin? I wish I had something elegant to say or some really special poem that I saved, but we both know that isn’t me,” Max grinned at Elana, who laughed softly… and he melted.
“You’re everything to me,” he began, feeling something else take over as he spoke straight from his soul. “I look at you and realize just how lucky I am right now. You could have anyone, yet you are here with me – and I don’t know why. I hope it’s because I make some part of you smile, you recognize that I’m not a bad person and will be good to you, or because you see something in me worth saving,” he whispered. “Because that is what angels do, they save people and show them a better version of themselves…. And I want to be that man to you.”
Max nearly broke as a tear streaked down her cheek as she stared at him in wonder, her eyes so full of emotion.
“I want to be the man you deserve, and if it takes me a lifetime, I’m gonna do it… for us,” he promised tenderly and reached in his pocket for the ring. “And I’m already learning. I didn’t ask what size,” he chuckled – and heard her tearful laugh as she smiled… only to see it fade as he moved to slide the ring onto her finger.
Her eyes looked down – then shot back up to his.
“Max…?”
“Shhh…” he smiled tearfully. “I want my girl to be proud of me because goodness knows I’ll act up some other time.” And slipped the solitaire over her knuckle, coming to rest at the base of her finger like it was made for her. “See? I think it looks perfectly happy there.”
“It’s a ring, silly,” she chuckled, wiping her eyes quickly.
“A symbol of what this means to me,” he said softly for her ears alone.
“I, Elana Carolina Cole, pledge to give this my everything,” she was suddenly saying to him, speaking her vows in a softly hoarse voice full of emotion that he would never forget so long as he lived. “If I’m upset, scared, excited, or any other emotion – I promise to turn to you, to share every moment I can with you, as a friend and spouse.”
“Lover…?” he mouthed playfully just to see her smile at him – and winked.
“I promise to listen when we talk, to accept you as you are, because you have accepted me and made me feel treasured,” she paused, swallowing, and he saw her lip quiver. “I’m so grateful that we are taking our time to become friends because I can see it in your eyes and the way you treat me. Max, I am excited to walk this path with you, and we’ll figure it out together.”
“I promise,” he said tenderly, nodding at her.
“I promise,” she repeated softly.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the magistrate said, interrupting them. “You may kiss your bride, Mr. Carpenter.”
Max sucked in his breath as all thought left him, not looking away from his Elana. He stepped closer to her and nearly broke as a miracle happened – she leaned in to kiss him.
Their lips met softly as he kissed her, wrapping his arms around her and feeling himself melt into this moment. Kissing a woman had never felt like this before. It was like every nerve was standing up along his spine, waving hello and even this kiss was so different from the other one that he’d stolen in her office.
That had been a peck.
This was a soul-shaking taste of heaven.
“Wow,” she breathed as she stepped back and he was still holding her close, both of them trembling. Her lips were smudged so sweetly as her eyes met his… and then crinkled softly as she laughed. He felt himself smile, not caring why she was laughing at him, as he suddenly saw the two of them in her eyes. They would be holding each other, laughing and kissing, for decades if he had his wish.
“What?” he asked softly.
“I guess this makes you the ‘Trophy Wife’ now,” she teased gently, rubbing her lipstick off his lip with her thumb… only for him to bite at it playfully.
“You think I won’t wear pink outta here?” he chuckled. “I’ll wear it proudly and make sure you never run out of this gorgeous color.”
