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Russ brought a worn-out Bible from behind his back and flipped to a marked page. Clearing his throat, he made a quick disclaimer before continuing. “Just so you know, I’m no real minister. I’m just a simple church-going man. But I’ve tithed my share for fifty-odd years. I got ordained off the internet because Mr. Bale paid me to. I just wanted to clear that up in case the missus wanted a real clergy.” Phoebe stared at him in silence, and Russ continued. “Mr. Bale, do you have something you want to say to Miss Ryan?”
The formality was ruining this for me. “It’s Julian and Phoebe.” I faced her and stared into the azure eyes I’d fallen in love with the moment I’d first gazed into them. “Each time I look at you I can’t believe you’re mine. I constantly wonder what I did right in life to deserve you, and I worry every day I’ll screw it up.”
She ran a finger under her eye. “Julian…”
“Listen to me, princess, I need to say this.” Releasing her hand, I cradled her neck, holding the back of her head in my palm. “I’m not perfect. I’m going to piss you off, and I may screw things up sometimes. But I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy and proud of me.”
“You already make me happy.” She would’ve blushed if her cheeks weren’t already stained with berry juice. “I’ve always been proud of you. I’m not marrying you to change you. I love you just the way you are.”
I sniffed back the volcano of emotion building behind the surface, the words rough in my throat. “I don’t want you ever to regret this. I’ll make sure you don’t.”
Hooking her finger underneath my chin, she forced my gaze on her. “Hey, enough of this. Don’t you think we need to save some of this for the vows?”
My watery chuckle reverberated throughout the greenhouse. “Baby, I write songs for a living. If you think I haven’t had something tucked away up here for a long time, you’re crazy.” Taking my hand from her neck, I tapped my temple with my index finger.
“Okay, so not fair, Bale. How am I supposed to compete with that?”
“You’ll know what to say when the time comes.”
“What if I don’t?”
“Then just say, ‘I do.’ That’ll be enough for me.”
“I just want it to be perfect, Julian. It’s already the complete opposite of what I envisioned.”
“What do you mean, opposite?” I didn’t know what the hell else I could’ve done. If she wanted symphonies and flights to Paris, she was marrying the wrong guy.
She ran her hands down the swell of her stomach. “Well, for starters, I never envisioned waddling down the aisle.”
“Good thing we’re sitting,” I joked.
She stared down at herself. “You have to admit, it’s not exactly…well, conventional.”
I cocked my head and conceded to her argument. “Point taken. But honestly, I like that we don’t do things the way everyone else does. Did I imagine marrying you eight months pregnant in a greenhouse with zero chance of a honeymoon? Hell no. I wanted to give you the fucking Cinderella wedding—huge, with a massive church, and bells, and horses.”
She covered her mouth to contain a giggle. “Horses? You, um, you envisioned horses at our wedding? Where did you plan on getting married, the Orange County Steeple Chase?” The harder she laughed the hotter the redness crept up my neck.
“Damn it, you know what I meant. The things all girls dream of when they think of getting married—carriages, horses, and shit.”
“And pumpkins and mice?”
“Smart-ass.” I was sweating bullets and she cracked fucking jokes.
She chuckled again and curled her arms around my neck. “Listen to me, Julian Bale. I’m not Cinderella, and I don’t need a castle or a glass slipper. All I need is you.”
“Mr. uh—Julian?” Russ called out in a supremely uncomfortable voice. “Are we ready to begin?”
Phoebe furrowed her brow. “I thought we were finished.”
I tapped her nose with the tip of my finger. “Oh, that’s cute. You thought this was symbolic? And here I thought you knew me, Ryan.” Her eyes widened, and I couldn’t contain a laugh at her expense.
“You mean…”
I turned to Russ with a nod. “You may begin.”
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, and solemnly. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.”
He paused as the silence in the deserted greenhouse negated any inkling otherwise. Shrugging, he continued. I’d tuned out half of what he’d been saying as I concentrated on the red stains streaking Phoebe’s face and hair. This was the way I wanted to remember her.
