Page 116 of Cruel Proposal
I go and take my place beside Hector, letting out a deep breath.
Soft music plays in the background as Summer goes to take her position at the end of the pier again.
She holds the flowers in her hand tight, and for a moment, I wonder if she'll turn and run.
I'd be upset, but I was right. Having everyone here with her was the right choice, even though she said she wanted to elope. She would have regretted not having her family here, eventually.
I keep my hands clasped in front of me, and the closer Summer gets, the more my cheeks ache.
As the music comes to an end, she stops in front of me. "Hey."
Chuckling, I reach out and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear as the salty air tugs at it. "Hey."
Summer smirks and hands the flowers off to Jade, reaching for my hands. "Are you sure you want to do this? It's not too lateto run. I mean, you don't seem like the marrying type, and now here we are, standing here, and you're about to tell everyone that you love me."
Hector glances between the two of us. "Do you even want me to officiate?"
I snort and nod, pressing my lips into a thin line for a moment before the smile breaks back out. There's no controlling it as Hector goes through the lines he has to say.
And then comes the part for the vows.
I shift my weight from one side to the other, looking down at her, and everything I'd practiced suddenly leaves. I have no clue what to say to her, but I have to say something.
Winging it, I guess.
"Summer, before you, I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life alone. I was comfortable with the thought of dying young and not hoping for much more than I had. I didn't consider being a better man."
I take a deep breath, my gaze locked on hers. "When you came into my life, I knew that I was never going to be the same. You love me unconditionally, and I adore you. Hell, I'm pretty sure the sun sets and rises with you, and I don't ever want to spend another day without you in my life. I love you."
She blinks back tears, laughing as she reaches up to wipe her eyes.
Hector winks at her. "Your turn once you're done crying."
Her laughter breaks the stream of tears flowing down her cheeks. "I'm gonna be honest, I didn't write anything. I was sobusy prepping for trial, and then every time I sat down and tried to write, I couldn't, so this is probably gonna suck, but I've been thinking about what I want to say to you all day."
Chuckling, I reach forward and wipe her tears. "You don't have to say a word."
"I do, because I love you. I love you so damn much, and I haven't been able to picture what my life would look like without you for a very long time."
Summer wipes her eyes again, her voice wavering a little. "Falling in love with you came easily, even when you were being difficult. You brought a new light into my life; you breathed life back into me. It would be impossible not to love you. And all I can do is hope that forty years from now, when we're old and gray, with our children, I'm even more in love with you than I am right now."
Hector gives Summer a beat after she finishes speaking to collect herself. "And with that, I now pronounce you husband and wife."
I don't wait for him to say the rest, instead grabbing Summer and pulling her in, dipping her low and kissing her until we both run out of air.
Our family erupts in cheers as we straighten up and pull apart.
Summer blushes and buries her face in my chest for a moment, her entire body shaking with laughter.
I hold her tight, lifting her hand, staring at the ring on it for a moment before leaning in to kiss her again.
Summer grins up at me as we break apart. "You know, getting married on a private island might've been the best idea you've ever had."
"Don't let your family hear that," I whisper in her ear. "They're going to think that shipping them out here was the best idea I've had."
"Well, I'm glad you did that too. We barely get to catch up these days." Summer leans into me as soft music plays once more.
I begin to twirl her around, moving to the beat of the music, my heart crashing through my chest. I don't know how it's possible, but I love her even more now than I did before. "I was thinking that they could come back to the beach house with us. The house has enough room for everyone to stay with us for a week or two if they want."
