Page 64 of Her Bachelor Cowboy Billionaire

“All right Roark, you and Jessica come forward with your witnesses. The rest of you can take a seat.”

Roark put out an arm.

Jessica wrapped a shaking hand around the crook of his elbow.

He covered her hand with his and squeezed gently.

She looked up at him and smiled.

“Are you ready?” he whispered.

She nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Okay. Let’s go.” Roark moved toward the judge.

The judge walked down the steps from his desk to the courtroom floor, carrying a small book.

Roark and Jessica stopped just in front of him.

Trevor and Lanie followed.

Lanie in the lead.

They took their places just behind Roark and Jessica.

To Roark’s right stood Trevor, and to Jessica’s left stood Lanie.

Judge Stone opened the book to a marked page and then looked up. “Are you ready to get married?”

“Yes, sir,” said Jessica.

“I am, Your Honor,” said Roark, extending the license.

“Very well.” He looked at the marriage license and then turned toward Roark. “Roark Edward Sullivan, do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”

Roark took her right hand in his. “I do.”

“And do you, Jessica Ann Kirby, take this man to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”

She looked up at the man she was marrying. “I do.” Her heart filled near to bursting with love.

“Good. Roark repeat after me. I, Roark Edward Sullivan, take you, Jessica Ann Kirby, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”

Roark gazed into her eyes and repeated the words the judge said.

The judge turned toward Jessica. “Repeat after me. I, Jessica Ann Kirby, take you, Roark Edward Sullivan, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”

Jessica repeated the words. She looked into Roark’s emerald eyes and knew she was absolutely doing the right thing.

“Are there rings to be exchanged?” asked the judge.

“Yes,” said Jessica and Roark together.

He chuckled.

She laughed softly.

“Now, repeat after me,” said the judge. “With this ring, I thee wed.”