Page 67 of Christmas for Keeps

After a pause to enjoy the sight of the breeze tousling Zach’s hair, I said, “I will be overjoyed to be bound to you. I love you with every ounce of my being. My soul worships you, and my body can’t get enough of you. I will never be unfaithful, in mind or body. I will support you in anything you do until my dying breath. And I will try to make you feel like the most important man in the world every single day. Zachary Harris, you are my man, and because of that, I’m the luckiest guy in the world.” I glanced at the judge. “Go ahead and say we’re husbands, because I’m tired of waiting!”

Laughter rang out behind us, and the judge said, “Only a few more minutes. We need to hear from Zach first.”

Zach chewed his lower lip, then said, “Hold on,” and took his hands back. I chuckled when he rubbed them on the front of his shorts and then reached for my hands again. When we were safely joined, he blew out a breath and whispered, “Man, that was good. Sorry if mine’s not up to par.”

I rolled my eyes. He’d pass that test if he managed to say my name.

He licked his lips. “I’m not the knight in shining armor. You are. You make me feel needed and useful. When we met, I was scared to death because, although I knew I was gay, I couldn’t see how I’d ever get out of the closet. But we weren’t together very long until it was, ‘Hey, Mom, look at me, I’m out and proud, and I’ve got the hottest man you ever saw on my arm!’”

We all laughed again, but not at him. Coming out is much more difficult than many people think, and Zach had been a hero.

He gazed deep into my eyes, and his words were a serenade. “You’ve always made me feel like the most important man in the world because you love me. You saw potential in me when I had very little confidence, you loved me even when I let you down, and you—”

“Zach,” I said, “you didn’t—”

Shaking his head, he grinned and whispered, “It’s my turn now.”

“Sorry.”

He nodded and went on. “You gave me a chance during that holiday blizzard, even when your instincts must have been saying, ‘Run!’ That, more than anything else, says who you are. You love me. And since I love you too, we’d better take advantage of that. You said some things won’t change, but I’m not so sure about that. I cherish you already, but after what you said today, I cherish you more. I love you already, but since you’re willing to be my husband, I love you more. I thought I couldn’t appreciate you more than I already did, but I was wrong. This morning—you and me, the sunset, the beautiful silence we shared—I appreciate you even more.”

Oohs and aahs from the group gave Zach a moment to breathe. I mouthed, “Wait till I get you home.”

That made him snicker, and he said, “As for you not getting enough of me—well, I need more of you every day.”

My heart fluttered, and when he winked, my knees almost buckled.

He smiled. “I’ve never cheated on you, and I never will. I’ll be your biggest supporter and fiercest defender. I will move heaven and earth to give us a good life. Look how lucky we already are.” He tilted his head backward, toward our family and friends. “Strong love is behind us.” Nodding forward, he said, “Unimaginable beauty is in front of us.” Looking at me, he nodded. “You and me, babe. It doesn’t get any better.”

The judge waited until the sighs and nose-blowing stopped before pronouncing us husband and husband. The kiss we’d planned—sweet, sincere, and just long enough to be worthy of a wedding—turned into a moment that nearly melted the huge rock nearby, but that was okay. Like our shorts and shirts, like nature’s beauty surrounding us, that was Zach and me. We were crazy about each other.

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