Page 30 of The Billionaire's Baby
“Love, are you okay?” Adira asked when he said nothing for a few moments.
He looked up at her and the happiness on his face stunned her. “I’m more than okay, I’m perfect. I was thanking God that I have you and our son in my life.”
“So you believe the ring test then?” Adira asked as he settled back close to her.
Favian pulled the covers around them. “Uncle Felipe pulled me aside and told me to think boy. He’s dead set that we must have a nephew.”
“Truthfully, I don’t think he’ll mind either way,” Adira said sleepily.
“I don’t think he will either,” Favian replied and kissed her. “Good night, Mrs. Rivera.”
“Good night, Mr. Potts,” she said and was rewarded with his deep rumble of a laugh. With fingers laced, they fell asleep.
Their wedding day, in August, dawned bright, clear and warm. In such a short time Adira’s life had done a complete three-sixty. She’d gone from a shop girl one minute to marrying one of the richest men in New York in a wedding that looked to be out of a fairy tale the next minute. Michael turned his restaurant into a summer wonderland of sheer lace and green garlands with tiger lilies. The chairs and tables had been pushed back, set around the sides of the large room to make space for an aisle.
Favian’s suit was charcoal black and the silk gray tie complemented the crisp white shirt he wore. Adira had decided on a simple white satin dress with an empire waist high under her breasts. It left room for her burgeoning belly and still looked elegant. Lynette wore orange to match the tiger lilies and Remy, who you’d very rarely see in a suit, had one on and his tie matched Lynette’s dress. As she walked down the makeshift aisle to Pachelbel’s Canon in D, between the tables and guests, she couldn’t take her eyes off Favian. He was truly the man of her dreams.
“Dearly beloved, we’re gathered here today to celebrate this family.” The priest, Father Carlos Ruiz, was an old family friend. He smiled at them before continuing. “I’ve known Favian from the time his mother brought him home from the hospital. I’ve seen you run with the wrong crowd back in the day and I’ve seen you grow up to the honest man you are now. I call you a family because of the baby that is present in its mother’s womb and I saw how you looked at her as she walked up the aisle toward you. In your heart, you are already married. My being here is just making it legal.”
The family and friends gathered gave a little laugh before Father Ruiz continued. “I could repeat the words that bind you together, but I feel it’s time to let you both speak from the heart. Favian, tell this woman why you want her to be your wife today.”
Favian turned to her and took her hands in his. She watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed and met her gaze. “Who knew that standing and looking into a shop window would have led me to you, my soul mate. It was on that day—April third—that it felt like I just started breathing and each day since it’s been you that has kept me going. You look at me and my heart grows stronger. You smile and I want to give you the world.” He put his hand on her belly. “Now this gift that is growing inside you means more to me than any money I will ever have or make. You are my treasure, mi querida, and you honor me by being my wife.”
She couldn’t help the tears that fell at the words he spoke. Looking at the people gathered to celebrate with them she saw that his words affected them too. She didn’t think anything she could say would even compare to what he said.
Adira centered herself and tried to focus on her feelings and how to put them into words. “Favian, I know loss. I had a great childhood, but then my father died. My mom married a man who ripped our world apart and then she was gone too. I’ve learned how to scrape by and how to survive, but I never really knew how to love. But then I met you and I knew my life wouldn’t be complete without you. You tease me and I laugh, you smile and I smile, whenever we’re apart it feels like part of me is missing. Favian, I love you so much. Some people use those words so lightly that sometimes it loses meaning, but I vow to love you, to cherish you, and to spend the rest of my life showing you that you are loved completely by me and that our love will never lose meaning.”
Then there was silence while everyone took in the words that weren’t rehearsed and came directly from the heart. Father Ruiz smiled and then clapped his hands together and sighed. “That was better than anything I could have ever said. There is only one thing left for me to say: I now pronounce you man and wife. Favian, kiss your wife. Adira, kiss your husband. May your marriage be forever filled with God’s blessings.”
