Beyond Promise (25 page)

The moment he hired me at his company.

The moment he asked me to move in.

The moments we share over dinner.

The moments we share on the way to the
office.

The moments he tells me I’m beautiful.

The moments he shows me I’m beautiful.

The moment I thought I’d lose him.

The moment he remembered me.

The first time I saw him step into the
ring.

The last time I saw him step into the
ring.

Jason walked into the hut and smiled at me.
“You look gorgeous.”

He gave a quick kiss to Gabby as Mason led
her out of the hut. They waited at the end of the aisle a few more
seconds before walking, and my pulse accelerated.

This was it!

“You ready?” he asked.

I watched Mason and Gabby begin their walk,
and I nodded, dabbing the tear that escaped when the last few
thoughts of being with Ayden flooded my mind. Mason and Gabby made
it down to where Ayden stood stoically waiting for his bride.

And I was that bride.

Katie who was not only our flower girl, but
also our ring bearer began trucking down the aisle with such style
at a speed like no other, and the guests laughed while she took a
seat at Ayden’s feet, throwing petals at Gabby.

As the song faded, I took in a deep breath
and closed my eyes asking God to bless our new family before making
my way down the aisle.

Jason looped his arm through mine, and I
picked up my bouquet filled with orchids, pearls, and miniature
lavender roses.

“Thank you for walking me down the aisle,
Jason.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” He cupped his
hand over mine, and I nodded at Jenny who instructed the cellist to
begin Bach’s “Prelude Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major” and my walk on
the clouds began.

When Jason led me to the aisle, we paused,
and I watched everyone stand and turn. My heart raced with
excitement and fear. Not fear that I was about to get married.

No. I was a simpleton.

I was afraid I might trip or forget my
vows.

I raised my head and looked down the aisle
at Ayden. His mouth parted slightly as he took me in. His
expression told me that we’d conquer the world together, and I knew
I was ready to walk down the aisle. I let out a deep breath, and
took my first step to becoming Mrs. Ayden Rhodes.

As I clutched my floral arrangement between
my fingers, I felt Ayden’s eyes on me while I floated down the
aisle. It felt like the world stopped turning when I saw Ayden take
a step down and reach his hand out to meet Jason and me. The music
fell silent, and my pulse calmed to an almost bearable rate.

“Who gives this beautiful woman away to this
fine fellow?” Ayden’s father asked.

I smiled and the guests snickered as Ayden’s
father began to officiate our wedding.

“I do. Jason Baines, friend and brother in
spirit.”

Ayden bowed his head slightly and took my
hand from Jason’s. Jason placed a quick kiss on my cheek and took a
seat in the front row. That simple move was all it took for Katie
to bolt right to him. The guests chuckled and paradise shrouded our
area of the beach. Something going on here was special, intimate,
and perfect.

Ayden and I stepped back onto the platform
and turned to face one another, my hands still in his as Ayden’s
father began.

“Love is complicated. Love is brutal. Love
is uplifting. Love soars with the eagles and slithers with the
snakes. Love sees things that no one else does. Love understands
what no one else can. Love doesn’t conquer, love overcomes.”

Ayden squeezed my hand.

“Love defines lives. Love helps two people
choose how to live. Love doesn’t make life easy, but it makes life
worth living. Love seizes those small forgettable moments and
creates a sensation so deep—so profound—that life becomes
extraordinary. Love doesn’t predict the future. Love doesn’t
promise a future because love is beyond promise. Love is one step
better than promises. Love is potential.”

Ayden’s gaze steadied on mine, and I took a
deep breath in, trying to push down the lump that was already
forming.

“Do you have your vows?” Ayden’s father
asked.

We both nodded and I began.

“Love is beyond reason. Love can be waiting
for a person right in front of them, and they don’t see it until
the time is right. Ayden, the time is right.”

The guests twittered and Ayden’s lips curled
into a glorious grin.

“You’ve seen me at my worst and have lifted
me to my best. I couldn’t ask for anyone more loyal, protective,
kind-hearted, and fun loving. You’re full of life, a life I’m
blessed to be part of. You broke down my walls and made me realize
what it meant to truly love someone unconditionally. And you’re
patient, which God knew I needed. I love you, Ayden Rhodes, and I
can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together in or out of the
ring, jumping out of planes, diving into the deep blue sea,
heli-skiing, or watching movies at home. Sharing my life with you
is heaven on earth, and I look forward to my own version of
paradise.”

Ayden took a step forward and leaned down,
kissing me.

“Not how it works, son,” Ayden’s dad
laughed, along with the rest of the guests.

Ayden’s lips fell from mine and he took a
step back. I detected a slight smirk and my heart filled with
glee.

“Lily, something I don’t think you
understand—truly understand—is that I’ve been in love with you from
the moment I first laid eyes on you. My brother and the rest of my
family can attest to it.”

“It’s true,” Mason whispered.

I blushed but basked in the glory as Ayden
continued.

“People roll their eyes when it comes to
love at first sight, but I think they’re missing the point, and
that point is that finding someone you connect with offers hope. It
offers promise so the idea of love at first sight is really
offering a promise to explore the idea of love. Being near you
spoke to my heart. It showed me what I’d be missing if I couldn’t
have you. I’d miss out on your jokes, your feistiness, your
glorious laughter, your sultry voice. I’d miss out on the chance to
get to know a person who offers me great promise. Promise to become
a better man for the woman I love. I knew I wanted to spend the
rest of my life with you, Lily. You make me smile when I don’t feel
like smiling, and when I can’t smile, you smile for me. I can’t
imagine my life without you in it. I want to be in the weeds with
you as much as I want to soar with you. You’ve made my life
extraordinary, Lily. And for that I thank you.”

The tears I vowed to not shed were slipping
down my face. Brandy stuffed tissue in my hand and I dabbed the
joyful tears away. I glanced at Ayden’s dad, who was also swiping
at a few strays as well, and I knew I was in good company.

This time I leaned over and stood on my
toes, sweeping a kiss across Ayden’s mouth.

“I give up,” Ayden’s dad teased.

I came back down and stood in place.

“Do we have the rings?”

Gabby walked over to Katie and took the
pillow from her and stood back behind me.

“Repeat after me, Lily. I, Lily, take thee
Ayden, to be my husband, to have and to hold, from this moment
forward…”

I, Lily, take thee Ayden, to be my husband,
to have and to hold, from this moment forward…” I paused and waited
for more.

“For better—for worse, for richer—for
poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish till
death do us part and even after that.”

The guests chuckled.

“For better—for worse, for richer—for
poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish till
death do us part and even after that.”

“The ring?” Ayden’s dad asked.

Gabby handed me Ayden’s platinum band and I
slid it on his finger.

“Like a glove,” he whispered and I
giggled.

“I, Ayden, take thee Lily, to be my wife, to
have and to hold, from this day forward for better—for worse, for
richer—for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to
cherish till death do us part and even after that.” Ayden squeezed
my hands and took the ring from Gabby. He slid the diamond and ruby
band up my finger, and I wanted nothing more than to be kissed by
my husband.

“I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You
may kiss the bride.”

I wrapped my arms around Ayden’s neck, and
our lips met in our first kiss as husband and wife as the
excitement and realization zipped through my body at an unstoppable
speed.

Ayden slowly released his embrace, and I
unwrapped my arms from his neck as the guests cheered. I turned to
my two best friends and whispered, “You’re next,” as U2’s
“Beautiful Day” led us down the aisle to a party and a life that
was just getting started.

The reception was like one big beach party.
Hanging lanterns stretched across the sand, and short and tall
tables dotted the beach where friends and family congregated. I
looked over at my husband, who was drinking a beer and standing
next to Mason, chatting away. He was leaning on one of the taller
bar tables that had been draped with burlap. Orchids hung along the
rough fabric, and seashells mounded in the center of the table
created the perfect centerpiece with the candles flickering in the
night’s breeze. Appetizers were being passed and soon the buffet
would open. We decided to change up the order of events, and Jenny
informed me now was the moment to grab Ayden for our first
untraditional tradition.

I made my way across the beach, sinking into
the soft sand and shaking the granules off my foot with each step
toward Ayden.

“Ready?” I whispered, sneaking up on
him.

Ayden set his beer on the table and spun
around. His molten gaze secured mine, and I liquefied on the spot.
His eyes were so arresting that it wouldn’t take much for me to
forget we had a beach full of guests and follow him to the suite
never to return.

“Absolutely, Mrs. Rhodes. Whatever you say.”
He bent down and gave me a long kiss. My short veil shrouded us
from the guests as his kisses deepened, and my stomach stirred with
a pull that told me to leave the reception far behind.

“Really?” Mason interrupted.

My giggles ruined our kiss, and Ayden
released me, smacking his brother’s arm. “You just wait.”

“Yeah. You just wait,” Tori goaded.

Ayden slid his hand around mine, and we
wobbled our way over to the cake table. Jenny handed me a
microphone and the music softened. I flashed a dimpled grin and
felt Ayden’s embrace as I began

“Because in life, I don’t think we should
ever have to wait for cake, we’re cutting the wedding cake
now.”

“My kind of wedding,” Brandy seconded.

“Since I think cake is one of the most
important aspects of this whole event, feel free to grab a slice
whenever you like.”

Katie jumped up and down, clutching onto
Gabby’s small arrangement of orchids, and shouted, “cake,” to the
world as if it were the most exciting thing in Bermuda. And maybe
it was.

Ayden and I stepped toward the three-tiered
cake, and I glanced at Ayden and whispered, “It’s so beautiful. I
feel bad for cutting it.”

“It’s beckoning us,” Ayden assured me as we
both stood holding the knife as the photographer snapped away.

Even though the wedding cake was three
tiers, the form itself was narrow. The base was ivory, and tiny
aqua fondant ribbons draped each layer, and centering each bow was
an edible pearl. The flavors varied by tier with banana-blueberry
chiffon on the bottom, raspberry champagne in the middle, and
strawberry vanilla on the top. Fondant seashells were scattered the
table, each containing a fortune.

Ayden steadied my hand and gripped it
tighter as we sliced through the first layer.

Our friends and family cheered behind us as
the chant began. Ayden promised there would be no cake in the face
and I believed him, but there was a certain glint in his eye that
told another story.

We toppled the slice onto a plate and held
it, each of us gently taking a piece, readying to feed it to the
other.

I didn’t know what came over me, but a
charge of adrenaline coursed through my veins and rather than feed
him gently, I smashed the cake on his mouth. When his gaze met
mine, I realized he, too, had planned the same, but I beat him to
the punch.

Shaking his head, he dipped his finger in
the frosting and dotted the tip of my nose, beaming.

“I knew you couldn’t be trusted,” he
murmured.

“I don’t know what came over me,” I
giggled.

“That was totally premeditated.”

“I swear. It wasn’t.”

“Sure it wasn’t.” He dabbed the crumbs with
a napkin and then wiped away the frosting from my nose.

“I saw it in your eyes and I knew I had to
act,” I countered.