I wanted this — with her.
Chapter Sixteen
Nat
My fingernails dug into my palms as I shifted from one foot to the other. The music started and I seriously thought I was going to lose it. My dad grabbed my arm and looped it with his. Okay, so now it felt like my heart was beating through my throat. Holy crap. I was officially getting married. But it was Alec, amazing rock god Alec, at the end of the aisle.
I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths as the music crescendoed. And then I was walking, I wasn’t actually sure how I was walking, I just knew that I was — that if I didn’t put one foot in front of the other I was going to go crazy. I kept my head down — not trusting myself to look at the smiling faces around us.
We’d chosen to get married near Mr. and Mrs. Smith’s bed and breakfast. After all, it was the place where we’d made so many wonderful memories, and we loved them like they were our own adopted grandparents.
Lucky for us, there was a private beach next to their cottage that gave us enough room to have at least two hundred guests. It was nestled in a small cove that had several natural caves and ponds. It was like something out of Pride and Prejudice, with grassy knolls and bluffs overlooking the water. I’d loved it the instant I saw it, but now all I could think about was the wind as it stung my face, and my bare feet as they dug into the sand.
“Smile,” my dad whispered in my ear.
Had I been frowning? Panicked, I looked up and stopped walking. The music swirled around me but all I could focus on was his face, the same face I fell for over a year ago. The same hand that helped me off the school floor was again lifted in the air, an invitation. His eyes were glassy, his nostrils flared, and for a moment it was just him and me. Memories of all the things we’d been through — his drug addiction, my inability to choose between him and Demetri, and in the end, his loss of control over everything precious in his life — it had all brought us to this moment, to this final invitation.
Confidence hammered through my body at alarming speeds, almost feeling like a sort of adrenaline rush as I gazed into his piercing blue eyes and smiled. His eyes were hooded as he examined my dress — his smile widening as he took everything in.
Alec wasn’t just watching me, but memorizing me, loving me with his eyes, caressing me with every glance. I almost tripped, I started walking so fast, ready to make the exchange — to leave my dad’s arms and step directly into forever.
He was beautiful. The type of beautiful girls see on TV and swear isn’t real… but he was. Alec Daniels was real and gorgeous and all mine. His dark hair was combed back; his misty blue eyes twinkled at me. His giant, toothy grin practically glowed in contrast to the sand.
Mine, all mine.
By the time I reached him, I jumped into his arms and kissed him. Luckily I could blame it on pregnancy hormones.
“I love you.” I sighed against his lips.
“And I you,” he said hoarsely as he rained kisses down my cheek and to my neck.
My dad cleared his throat.
Reluctantly, I peeled myself from Alec’s body and felt my face heat with embarrassment.
Alec didn’t release my hand, instead he leaned down and whispered in my ear, “You’ve always been mine, but today, I make it impossible for you to escape me.”
“You trying to be creepy or romantic?” I whispered back as the pastor welcomed everyone.
“Honest.” His teeth grazed my ear. “Desperate.” His wet lips came into contact with my cheek. “Obsessed.”
“So,” I said in a shaky voice, “Just a little creepy.”
“Alec?” the pastor called. “Will you lead your future bride the rest of the way down the aisle or did you need another few moments to kiss her neck?”
Chuckling erupted among the guests.
Fantastic. I gripped his hand and took a step underneath the makeshift white tent.
Chairs were in long rows with lanterns at the edge of each row. A chandelier hung in the middle of the tent giving the beach a glamorous feel.
“You may be seated.” The pastor called and winked in my direction. I’d only just met him the day before, and even then it seemed weird that a complete stranger would be marrying us, but he’d come highly recommended. It helped that he was Priscilla’s dad —another reason for Jaymeson to stay away from her. If that boy had any chance of going to Heaven it would be completely shot if he stole the pastor’s daughter’s innocence.
Once we reached our positions for the rest of the ceremony, I looked around. Demetri was sighing heavily in Alyssa’s direction and she was scowling back. Jaymeson was winking at Priscilla and she looked just about as interested as a person does when sitting in a dentist office.
“Please be seated,” the pastor instructed, as Alec took my hands. We stood side by side.
“This ceremony isn’t like others I’ve performed in my past.” The pastor smiled warmly at Alec and then at me. “You’re so young, yet you’ve both lived — extraordinary lives. Not only have you conquered demons, you’ve come through your own battles beaten and bruised, only to discover that you’re stronger than you thought.
“Strength is a funny thing.” He paused for a moment to clear his throat. “We assume it’s solely from within ourselves — and forget that a lot of times, it takes someone else holding our hand to pull us through it. Alec.” His gaze left mine. “She’s not just your wife. Nat is your partner. When you’re weak… She’s strong. When she’s weak, you’re her rock. Marriage isn’t just a union — it’s a partnership. Never again will you have to walk through life’s trials alone — because you have each other.”
Tears streamed down my face. How did this guy know exactly what to say?
“Nat.” The pastor’s warm smile put me at ease. “You are the crown of creation. You were created not only to be a complement to your husband, but to be his encouragement, his beauty, his pearl, his most treasured part of himself. For when you marry, you become part of him. Your souls no longer traverse the world independently, but interdependently — entwined with one another. With that being said, I have a question for each of you.”
By now the tears were flowing freely. I could hear Alyssa sobbing behind me and Demetri was wiping something from his eye as he squinted hard at the ground. But Jaymeson, Jaymeson’s face was perfectly impassive — as if the pastor hadn’t just made the most beautiful speech any of us had ever heard. It was almost like he wasn’t affected.
“Alec, do you take this woman—”
“—I do.”
The pastor chuckled. “I wasn’t finished.”
“I do,” Alec said again. “I take her.” He turned to face me. “I’ll take her when she’s sick, if she gets cancer, if she gets in a terrible wreck and doesn’t even remember my name. I’ll make it my purpose to convince her again, every single day, that she’s the love of my life, that she’s the reason I even want to live. I promise to provide for her, to take care of her always. I promise to put her needs above my own. I swear to never leave her side — ‘til death parts us.”
Sniffling was heard among the guests. I dabbed my eyes.
“Nat?” The pastor turned to me.
“Oh great,” I said in a wobbly voice. “I can’t compete with that!”
Alec’s warm chuckle soothed me, his eyes dripping with desire and love.
“Do you take this man to have and to hold—”
“—I take him.” I interrupted just like Alec did. “I promise to be his voice of reason when someone thinks it’s funny to un-alphabetize his music. I’ll stand by his side when people may criticize him. I’ll always encourage him, love him, take care of him when he’s grumpy and sick.” Demetri coughed out a laugh. “I’ll kiss him every morning and every night — I’ll be true to him and only him. I’ll take care of his heart, but mostly, I’ll swear my life to his, until the day we die.”
“Well then.” The pastor’s voice was warm with emotion. “I think that about covers it.”
Confused, I looked away from Alec only to feel his hands leave mine. He grabbed a nearby guitar. It was set up so that microphones were around us but nobody could see them, so I knew if he sang it would be loud enough for people to enjoy, but still… He hadn’t said a word to me. Not one word.
“Nat,” Alec’s voice croaked in the microphone. “This is for you.”
I wanna tell you, but there’s so many words to say. I wanna tell you, but the words get in the way. It’s all there on the tip of my tongue. My heart’s so full, brain goes numb. So I’ll just ask you. Do you? I do, me too.
I promise I will be there as the years go by. And I’ll be faithful to you till the day I die. Just to have and to hold your hand makes me the luckiest man, so now I’ll ask you, do you? I do, me too. So now I ask you, do you? I do, me too.
So many pieces of paper, crumpled up and thrown away. So many I’ll do it laters. Gotta get the nerve… Why such crazy behavior? Gonna say my vows today. I can’t wait.
Oh baby, I do. I do. I love you.
The chords changed and then he started another song.
I’m never giving up on you — I’m loving you forever — here’s my heart, take my soul and my body too. I live and breathe for you — want to die right beside you — hold my hand as we walk through this journey into eternity together.
I was just learning to love, when you walked in my life.
Now my greatest accomplishment will be to have you as my wife.
I’m sorry I’m so undeserving of your love — but I’ll promise you Forever and pray it’s enough.
Yes, I’ll promise you Forever and pray it’s enough.
The first song I recognized from Lovestruck, a musical I’d been obsessed with during all the wedding planning. We’d basically memorized it together. But the second part? That was all Alec. Correction. That was all AD2 perfection.
“I now pronounce you…” The pastor’s voice echoed as Alec strummed the last few chords then handed his guitar to Demetri. “Husband and wife. You may kiss your—”
His mouth crushed mine. In two steps he’d already grabbed me and lifted me into the air, silencing me with his kiss.
When we pulled back, Demetri was grinning like an idiot and Alyssa was trying to hand me flowers but was struggling, considering she was trying to wipe her face with her tissue. Priscilla stole a glance at Jaymeson, he winked. Idiot.
All in all it seemed like a typical day in the life of AD2… minus the whole wedding. The gang was just that, the gang. Together forever.
Chapter Seventeen
Alec
“I can’t do it.” I looked at the three-tiered cake from Sweetside Seaside Bakery; the frosted masterpiece was something out of Nat’s dreams. As a guy all I could really say was that it was cool, if you liked black and white, and lots of shiny objects that make you want to put on a pair of sunglasses.