Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 97592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
I had to have her. And I had to have her forever.
Luckily enough, she felt the exact same way, which is why, two months ago on an overnight trip to Vegas for an anesthesiology conference, we decided to get married. Put simply, we couldn’t exist another minute without pledging our lives to each other.
We always knew we’d have a reception here, with the boys and our families and the other friends we love, at some point after Brooke and Chase tied the knot, but for making it official?
We couldn’t wait.
And I know Sammy is worried about how Brooke will react to the news, but I’m confident in my friend. She’ll find it in her heart to forgive us.
“I’d like to thank all of you for being here today to celebrate the marriage of Brooke Baker and Chase Dawson. They’ve invited you all for a reason—because sharing their most special of days with the people they love is of utmost importance to them.”
Sammy’s eyes slice to mine, and for the first time today, I start to get a little nervous with her.
“Your role today is to bear witness to their incredible love and to lift them up in their decision to commit to each other forever. Without your support, the best of their love isn’t possible.”
Oh man. Did Brooke write this stuff personally? Or is it just, like, standard wedding jargon? Because I’m starting to feel a little scared.
Sammy glares at me across the aisle, and I take the coward’s way out by pointing toward the bride and groom and mouthing, “Watch the wedding.”
She rolls her eyes, and I don’t blame her. If I were her, I’d know my game too.
“Now, the bride and groom would like to exchange some personalized vows.” The officiant gestures to Brooke to go first.
Her voice is shaky as she unfolds the piece of paper from inside the top of her dress and starts to read. “My dearest Chase. What can I possibly say to you that I haven’t already written in a book?”
The whole crowd laughs, including me.
“I’m not sure. But I guess a safe place to start is I love you. Every day, I wake up knowing that if there’s one thing I’ve done right in this life, it’s choosing to share it with you. You and our daughter are the absolute light of my life. I hope to be the same to you, and today, I promise you to make achieving that my mission. I will love you and honor you and fight for us every step of the way. You’re the man of my dreams, and I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to be the woman of yours.”
Sammy’s face is red with suppressed tears as she deep-breathes in an attempt to save her makeup. I smile at her beautiful face the second her eyes meet mine.
God, I love her so much.
“Chase,” the officiant offers, gesturing for the groom to answer his bride.
Chase untucks the small sheet of paper from his chest pocket and then rips it up before taking Brooke’s hands in his. All of the guests gasp, but Brooke just shakes her head with a smile.
“What are you doing?”
“Telling you I love you from the heart. You and I both know I could edit my speech until the end of time, but that’s not what this is about. This is about you and me, and the fact that we’re destined for each other. If I only had the choice to keep one thing in my entire life the same, it would be you. You and Emmy are the reason I exist. The reason I get up in the morning and the reason I sleep peacefully at night.” He laughs. “When, you know, Emmy actually sleeps.”
I chuckle along with everyone else.
“You’re it, Brooke. You’re the one. So much so, I’ll never need any other number.”
But while everyone else’s attention is on the bride and groom as they exchange rings and all of the official “I dos,” my eyes are back to Sammy, solely fixated on my gorgeous wife.
My wife. Man, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of saying that.
Sammy
Three hours into the reception of my sister’s imagining, the time of reckoning has finally come.
The bouquet toss.
Not a moment has gone by since the start of the reception that Brooke hasn’t taken the opportunity to wave it in my face or taunt me with it or put it in my chair every time I’ve gotten up, and I’m on the brink of absolute insanity.
“Come on, it’s going to be fine,” Noah coaches again in my ear. “So what if you catch the bouquet when you’re already married? It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Not that big of a deal?” I nearly shriek. “Brooke caught the bouquet at my wedding and married Jamie not long after.”