Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Wesley took a deep breath. His heart was thumping with excitement, and he felt tingles of nervousness all up and down his arms.

Why am I nervous? he thought, taking a step back from the mirror as he straightened his tie. There's absolutely nothing I'm worried about. Today couldn't be better.

He smiled, reflecting that nerves must just come with the territory. After all, he was about to make a vow that he intended to keep for the rest of his life. It was a very big deal, and perhaps his body couldn't help feeling nervous about something that was that big of a deal.

He had no reservations, however. He couldn't wait to marry Josie and begin their life together. He closed his eyes for a moment, imagining coming home to her every day and going to sleep with her every night. He smiled again, feeling a glowing feeling in his chest.

"How are you feeling?"

Wesley turned as Dane stepped into the room. He grinned at him, taking another deep breath.

"Like I'm made of pinwheels and it's a very windy day. Is that how you felt at your wedding?"

"Oh, for sure." His friend grinned back at him. "Just wait until you see her walk down the aisle. Do you think you're going to be a smiler or a crier?"

Wesley chuckled. "We'll have to wait and see." The thought of Josie walking down the aisle in her wedding dress filled him with butterflies.

"Are you ready to get out there? Your parents are asking to see you."

"Oh, really?" His heart leapt up. "Yeah, I'm ready. I'll come out there now."

It felt strange, to hear his parents referred to as a unit like that. They'd been divorced for a long time now, but he was thrilled that they'd both agreed to come to the wedding. He'd known right away that his mother would be there, but it meant a lot to him that his father was there too, even though he and his father were still working on repairing their relationship.

He and Dane walked out into the hallway, toward the foyer of the church. He could see guests gathered there talking, and he grinned. All of his and Josie's friends were there, as well as most of their family members. He caught sight of his mother and father—not standing together, but standing near each other. Both of them were smiling—and he sighed in relief when he saw that things seemed to be amiable enough between them.

His mother hurried forward, along with Wesley's stepfather. Wesley gave her a big hug, and he could feel her crying a little.

"Don't cry yet, Mom," he teased. "The ceremony hasn't even started."

She wiped away a couple of tears, laughing, as Wesley's stepfather shook his hand warmly. He caught up with the two of them for a couple of minutes, and then he saw his father trying to catch his eye.

"I'll talk to you two again after the ceremony," he said. "I want to talk to Dad for a minute."

"Of course, darling," his mother said, kissing his cheek. She squeezed his hand. "We'll go sit down right away."

Wesley looked at the clock hanging on the wall and realized with a jolt that the ceremony was going to start in another five minutes. His heart pulsed with excitement.

"See you in there," he said, his voice shaking a bit, then walked across the room to his father.

"Hey there, son," his father said gruffly, grasping his hand with a firm grip. "Good to see you."

"Good to see you too, Dad," he replied, smiling. "Thanks for being here."

His father nodded, looking as though he wasn't quite sure what to say. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm sure about her if that's what you mean," Wesley replied, chuckling. "I can't wait to marry her."

His father nodded. "Oh, I just meant nerves. I know you're sure about her. I support that. I really believe you've found the one. She seems like a wonderful girl."

Wesley smiled, feeling his heart lift up at his father's words. It felt good to have his father's blessing over his marriage. And he agreed wholeheartedly with his father's words. Josie was the one for him. "Thanks, Dad."

"But it's still okay if you're nervous. What you're about to do is a big deal."

"I have to agree with you there," he said, grinning. "But I'm ready. I'm excited to marry her and put in the work of building a relationship with her. A lasting, lifelong relationship."

"The hardest kind, but the most rewarding kind," his father said, nodding.

Wesley wondered if his father regretted divorcing Wesley's mother, and he wondered if he would ever reach a point in their relationship where he felt comfortable asking him about that. He hoped so.

"There's that wedding planner again," Wesley's dad said, nodding toward a woman buzzing around in high heels, who was starting to gesture people through a doorway into the sanctuary. "Looks like it's time to get in there."

"Looks like it." Wesley took a deep breath and grinned at his father. "Want to go in there with me?"

"Sure."

Without speaking, the two of them stepped inside the sanctuary of the church. It felt hushed, as if the air was already starting to tingle with expectation. They walked down the aisle together, and Wesley felt his excitement growing. His father shook his hand one more time before taking his seat, and Wesley took his place in front of all the guests.

He turned his eyes toward the back of the church as the ceremony began to start. His heart was filled with happiness as he waited for his bride to come down the aisle.

Josie looked down the aisle of the church, grasping her bouquet tightly with both hands. Her heart was racing, and she felt confident that she had never been more excited in her life. She knew that Wesley was waiting for her at the front of the church, waiting to become her husband and spend the rest of his life with her.

A beautiful violin solo began to play, and she knew that was her cue to begin walking down the aisle. She stepped through the doors, and everyone stood.

Her eyes locked onto Wesley, who was standing at the end of the aisle, his eyes shining. She grinned as she saw him blink away a few tears.

She began to walk down the aisle, carefully taking it step by step. She felt that if they hadn't rehearsed the ceremony the night before, she might have just followed her impulses and run down the aisle toward Wesley.

Around her, her friends and family members were murmuring and smiling—and she saw a few people wiping tears away.

"Oh, she looks beautiful."

"I love that dress."

Josie smiled, hardly hearing the words that were being whispered around her. She kept her eyes on the end of the aisle, where she could see Wesley gazing at her with love in his eyes. Standing near him was Paige, who was Josie's maid of honor. Having her little sister there close by made the wedding feel so much sweeter, and Josie could see how thrilled Paige was for her. It was clear in every line of the younger woman's face.

Josie reached the end of the aisle, and Wesley took her hands. She squeezed his tightly, feeling that she'd suddenly become anchored. She took a deep breath, and the two of them grinned at each other as they began their vows.

The ceremony seemed to pass almost in a blur. They said their vows, keeping their eyes on each other, and she felt flooded with love for him. Time seemed to slow down and speed up all at the same time, and her heart kept fluttering with joy.

Their guests were quiet, watching the ceremony entranced, until it was announced, "I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride." Then the room filled with cheers and applause as Josie's husband took her in his arms and kissed her.

The applause continued as Josie and Wesley walked back down the aisle together as husband and wife, holding hands and grinning from ear to ear. Around them, their loved ones were smiling and crying.

The reception began shortly after the ceremony, and Josie and Wesley began to wander through the room, greeting their guests. Everyone congratulated them warmly and hugged them or shook their hands.

When they were about halfway through greeting all their guests, Wesley looked over her shoulder and his eyebrows rose.

"What is it?" she asked him, feeling suddenly nervous.

He smiled. "Look," he said, and turned her around.