Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 74256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
“Wow.”
He steps up next to me and wraps me in his arms. “I need to make sure my wife is taken care of.”
“You do. You have, I just—I didn’t expect you to buy a car.”
“A car, a new house, and this.” He pulls back and drops to his knee for the second time today.
I watch closely as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small ring box. Opening it, he plucks something out, and rests the box on the floor next to him. Taking my hand, he smiles up at me. “I didn’t have this earlier, but that’s okay. I have it now. Faith Gregory, will you do me the incredible honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?”
My heart pounds in my chest, and tears pool in my eyes. It’s the same exact overwhelming emotions coursing through my veins the second time around. This time with a gorgeous diamond ring being offered to me.
“Yes.” Tears roll down my cheeks and my hand shakes as he slips the diamond onto my finger.
Chad stands, pulls me into his arms, and kisses me. The kiss steals the breath from my lungs. When he finally pulls away, he rests his forehead against mine. “My wife,” he murmurs.
“My husband.”
His grip on my hips tightens at the name, and that gives me hope. So much hope and light inside my heart that this isn’t just temporary. That this could be—no, that this will be, our happily ever after.
“Nervous?” Chad asks. His fingers are laced with mine as we reach the chapel on base.
“No. Are you?”
He scoffs. “I’m marrying my girl today. What’s there to be nervous about?”
His words have my heart melting inside my chest. Sometimes, the things he says, it makes me think this is more than just an arrangement while he’s deployed. Either way, I’m pushing that out of my mind, and today, I’m going to pretend. I’m going to give the day my full attention, because I hope with everything inside me, this is my one and only wedding. It’s a day I never want to forget.
Pushing open the doors to the chapel, we take a few steps and then I freeze. Standing before us are our families. My parents, my brother with Shayne, Chad’s parents and his younger sister, they’re all here.
Chad squeezes my hand. Then again, maybe I’m the one doing the squeezing.
“Chad?” I ask, fighting back tears. I want to look at him, but I can’t seem to take my eyes off the group of people who are the most special to us standing in front of me.
Chad leans in, placing his lips next to my ear. His words are soft and only for me. “Surprise, wife. We can’t get married without our families.”
I find the strength to turn to face him as tears well in my eyes. “You did this for me?”
Lifting his hand, he wipes at my tears with his thumb. “Nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Faith.”
It takes everything I am to not blurt out how much I love this man. Thankfully, my brother steps forward and stops me.
“What’s going on?” Ford asks. He watches me closely with suspicion in his gaze.
“You don’t know?” I ask my brother.
“All I know is that Chad called and said I needed to get everyone here by noon today.”
Chad drops my hand and slides his arm around my waist. “Thank you all for coming. I know it was short notice, but we needed our families here for this.”
“Here for what?” my dad asks. He glances from me to Chad, wearing the same suspicious gaze as my brother.
“Chad and I are getting married today.” I watch as my father processes that information. He swallows hard and nods. My eyes move to Mom and there are tears in her eyes.
“Married?” Ford asks.
“I asked Faith to marry me and she said yes. I’m being shipped out tomorrow, and we didn’t want to wait. She’ll be moving into married housing later this week, and I hope that some of you can stay to help her.”
“Son, you know we will,” Chad’s dad speaks up.
“Thank you for being here. All of you,” Chad tells them. He releases his hold on me and steps in front of my dad. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to talk to you first, but this was so last minute, there wasn’t time to do things in order. Sir, I love your daughter. She’s my best friend. I want to marry her. I’d love your blessing, but please understand we don’t need it.”
“Chad,” I scold as I try to process what he’s just said. I know it’s to ease my parents’ minds, but my heart didn’t seem to get that memo. He sounds sincere, and oh how I wish that’s what this wedding’s about.
He turns to me and smiles. “We’re doing this, Faith. You and me.” He holds his hand out for me, and I take it.