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“Get ready,” he smiled, happily, needing to step back before he pushed his way into the bathroom and offered to wash her back in the shower.
He was a guest in their house and would need to be on his best behavior, but knowing that the woman he loved thought he looked handsome and was standing there in just her pajamas… well, it was certainly tempting to break a few rules.
No, he could wait… because he would wait forever for his paladin, princess, and partner.
“Enjoy your coffee, take your time getting ready, and I’ll see you soon,” he offered, stepping back and giving her a salute that caused her to smile as she shut the bathroom door… but not before he heard her breathy sigh of happiness.
Gosh, he loved that woman!
* * *
The morning flewby for Austin and every time he felt a momentary twinge of nervousness or anxiety, he would see Giselle’s smile or feel her touch his hand. It was like she just understood how nerve-wracking this was for him.
That scared boy that had once been rejected and abandoned so many times over the years was shaking in his boots, afraid that this might be the time that truly broke him.
If Giselle ever got sick of him, was done with their relationship, or decided to move on… there would be no recovering from that heartache. He was all in, no matter how hard he tried to hold back at times, and understood Max’s words this morning in a way he never imagined.
That light drew him in uncontrollably… and he wanted to bask in her smile. Whether they were standing at the fence, sweaty from their runs? Or dancing awkwardly on the airstrip in the darkness, just because he wanted to hold her close. Breathing in that essence that was Giselle, was everything to him.
… And now, Giselle was standing at his side at the courthouse, looking so beautiful before him.
Her dress uniform felt so strange yet almost surreal compared to his own blue one. She was dressed in drab greens and tans of the Army, in a fitted jacket that nearly matched his – except it was belted. Her arms proudly displayed chevrons, patches, and other insignia that gave her rank.
Giselle’s hair was pulled back in a bun low on her head, as was regulation, with a woman’s garrison cap angled on her head. Everything about her looked perfect. The only stray from her military ensemble was the bouquet of red roses that she held in her hands from her sister, Gemma, that saw them married this morning.
“Beck and Calder wedding party?” a voice called out, and they shot to their feet almost in unison, causing him to look at her, seeing that precious smile as she looked at him.
They took their places in front of the magistrate and Austin reached for her hands immediately, only for them to hesitate as Giselle looked for a place to set down her bouquet… opting for a nearby table.
“Sorry,” she whispered anxiously – and he smiled.
She was just as nervous as he was.
Listening absently, he couldn’t help but admire this woman before him and hoped he could make it through the ceremony without completely breaking down or making a fool of himself. Glancing around, he saw a box of Kleenex on the table where Giselle’s flowers lay and felt eyes on him.
Giselle was looking at him curiously – and angled her head at the magistrate.
“I’m sorry, what?” he asked sheepishly, feeling like a heel.
“I asked if you took this woman for your bride, Mr. Calder,” the magistrate asked, smirking knowingly.
“Oh I absolutely do, sir – but I wanted to say something too,” Austin began and dug in his jacket pocket immediately.
He hadn’t even realized that they were saying their vows now and pretty much missed it, but that was just a formality… these words were from his heart, he thought emotionally, looking at Giselle and saw her brilliant smile.
“Giselle,” he began nervously, clearing his throat and felt it getting thick with emotion already, his hands trembling as he began to read.
“Once upon a time, long, long ago…,” he started and chanced at glance at her, only to see her beautiful eyes widen with recognition as her hand fluttered up to her face, covering her mouth emotionally as a tear streaked down her cheek, knowing that she recognized their story.
“There was a handsome knight, and a frustrated but breathtakingly beautiful paladin with infinite patience, who put up with the devilish rascal - because it made them both incredibly happy to take five minutes a day to see each other, share brief messages, and snack on unexpected delights in the moonlight,” Austin paused, smiling at her knowingly as she moved her hand from her face, revealing that joyous smile that captivated him.
“But what that knight didn’t know was the paladin yearned for what she could not have, searching the world over for a treasure few would discover… What a journey it would be, especially if they traveled together, pairing their skills and attributes that made each of them special.”
He sniffed and felt tears burning in his eyes as the paper before him blurred wildly as he tried to hold back.
“Though she was scared, the paladin was intrigued – wanting to know more… and the valiant knight vowed to sweep her away to a foreign land – far, far away,” he glanced at Max and Gigi sitting in the front row, holding each other close and saw Giselle’s father nod at him proudly.
“She took his hand, feeling more alive and happier than ever before. That knight wasn’t stupid - he grabbed her hand, smiled at her, and whispered, ‘Baby, let’s run away together and never look back…’ “
