Page 124 of Defend Her Heart

Your Superstar

P.S. Ask Sadie for the other box now.

I turn to see the girls, every single one of them with tears in their eyes, even Sloane. Sadie takes a step forward, knowing what I’m about to ask.

“Connor told me to ask you for the other box now.”

Sadie reaches into her bag and pulls out a jewelry box. Not knowing what else my incredible husband could possibly do to make this day any better, I take the box from her. When I open it up, the necklace inside steals my breath away. I pick it up to inspect it. Engraved on the front of the gold pendant is the Big Dipper, which causes me to chuckle. When I flip it over, I laugh through a sob. Engraved on the back isC + A 8/9/16, our initials and the day we met.

Sloane is the one to interrupt the sob-fest happening around her, clapping her hands three times.

“All right, ladies. Enough crying. Let’s get our girl married. Again.”

I’ve just finished getting my gown on and I’m looking at myself in the full length mirror on the back of the bedroom door. I asked the girls to give me privacy because I wanted to be alone for this. Scanning myself from head to toe, I’m completely taken aback by what I’m feeling.

The last time I inspected myself in the mirror, I hated everything about what was staring back at me. Now, dressed in this gown, I remember everything Connor told me about my body and I finally see it, too. My frame is slimmer than it’s ever been, but instead of seeing everything I lost, I start noticing what I’ve gained.

The dimple on my left cheek is a permanent presence these days, the smile never leaving my face with the incredible people I now have in my life. My hips and ass are smaller than they’ve ever been, but it’s not the lost muscle I see when I lookat them, it’s Connor’s hands holding and grabbing them any chance he gets. I look up and turn my arm, revealing the tattoo I got inked on my wrist last week, the words Connor and I said to each other all those years ago. The ones I plan on saying to him again today.

But what catches my attention most are my eyes. When I got to Green Bay last summer, not only were they sunken in and surrounded by puffy bags, but they were empty. They held nothing but loss and sadness. Now, they’re shining bright with hope and possibility reflected in them. Knowing that I’m about to walk down the aisle and marry my best friend for the second time fills me with a type of happiness I’ve only ever known with him.

Smiling one last time at my reflection, I turn and reach out to open the door. But before I can grab the handle, someone is opening it for me.

My mom pokes her head in, and I gasp.

“Mom? You’re here?”

The door opens wider and I see my dad. “Of course, we’re here! You’d think we’d miss this? Not a chance in hell, honey.”

I fling my arms around both of them, overcome with so much joy. I thought only our Bobcats family was going to be here, but knowing that they’re here too makes everything so much better.

My mom’s hands find my shoulders and she leans back, taking me in.

“You look absolutely breathtaking, sweetheart. Happy looks good on you.”

I sniff back the emotion, trying like hell not to ruin my makeup with my tears. Both my parents loop their arms through mine and my dad squeezes my hand.

“Let’s go find your husband, shall we?”

I smile up at him. “We shall.”

Niko’s backyard is a far cry from the last party we had here. There are noFrozencut-outs or icicles hanging from the pergola. Instead, peonies decorate every inch of the space and line the aisle where white wooden lawn chairs are filled with all of our friends and family.

I scan the crowd, and my eyes land on my grandparents first. My grandma waves erratically and my grandpa grabs her hand, trying to calm her down, which causes me to laugh. Next, my gaze moves beside them where my sister Charlie sits. I still can’t believe she’s dating my best friend. They got together in Sweden at the Olympics, but I can’t be mad because I’ve never seen either of them so happy before.

Speaking of my best friend, the backdoor of Niko’s house opens and Tamara stands with Luke by her side. They make their way down the aisle, and I’m overcome with happiness at the fact Niko and Sadie managed to get all of our people together in one place to celebrate tonight.

Luke takes his spot behind me and Tamara stands across from me, filling the space where Avery is going to be any minute now. The moment Avery takes her first step onto the patio, tears fill my eyes.

She is so fucking beautiful.

I think there might be music playing but I don’t hear a thing. All I can focus on is the beautiful woman, flanked by her parents, walking my way.

My wife.

The enormity of the situation hits me like a tidal wave, and I start crying real tears for the first time since I let her go all those years ago. How fucking lucky am I to have a second chance with the only woman who has ever owned my heart?

A hand grabs my shoulder from behind me and gives it a quick squeeze. “You ready, brother?”