Thirteen

Andy

" Y ou ready to go marry your man?" Mom asked as we stood and waited for Link and Dad to get to the end of the aisle.

"I think I've always been ready. I was just too stubborn to believe I could fall in love with my best friend from my hometown." I watched as Link and my dad made their way to the front of the barn, and even though I was anxious to join them, I loved watching the way he took time to say hello to everyone he recognized. When they made it to the front, Link moved to the right side of the lectern they'd fashioned from rustic wood, while Dad walked behind it and shuffled some papers. "What's Dad doing?"

"Didn't Link tell you?" Mom asked.

"Tell me what?"

"You're about to find out," she said without actually answering and tugged me toward the aisle. "Come on, baby boy, your future husband is waiting."

That was all it took to get me moving, and unlike Link, I was completely focused on him while I walked. Mom held me back from running but the longer it took the more it made me need to be by his side. I knew most of our friends were there, but I couldn't force myself to take it slowly and by the look on my dad's face I must have broken some land speed record. When we got to the front Mom turned me to face her. She glowed with happiness, as she pulled me in for a hug and kissed my cheek.

"I love you both," she whispered. After wiping a tear, she guided me to Link and placed my hand in his. "This is my lucky day. Today I gain another son." Link pulled her in for a hug without letting go of my hand and finally she took a seat in the front row.

"You ready, baby?" Link asked. He was so fucking calm while I was a mess of nervous energy, but like he always did, he wrapped me in his calm.

"Hell yes," I murmured, and he chuckled before leading me to where my dad waited. We stood hand in hand before him, and even though I knew everyone we loved was there all I could see was Link.

"Dearly beloved—" he started, and it was then I realized my own father would be marrying us. He looked at both of us like the proud father he was and spoke as though he performed marriages all the time. When he finally got to the part where he asked if I would take this man as my husband, I couldn't wait to answer.

"Yes, a thousand times yes." Love surged through me. All the memories of us as kids, all the times we'd made love and the times it had been more dirty than sweet. All the ways he told me he loved me, and all the times I needed him so badly I thought I'd die if I didn't see him soon. All the times I'd driven home, and those last five miles felt like they lasted for fifty. Finally, he was going to be my husband.

"And you, Link, do you take this man to be your husband?" He smiled as he waited for Link to answer.

Link paused for a moment and lifted my hand to his lips without ever breaking eye contact. "I, Link Stanton, take you, Andy Lawson, to be my one and only husband forever and ever and ever," he added making everyone laugh. "I'll always love you and I'll always be the best husband you ever dreamed of and more. You're all I've ever wanted, Andy, and I'll show you how much I love you every day for the rest of our lives."

I cleared my throat and closed my eyes for a moment, before repeating my vows to him. "I take you, Link Stanton, to be my lawfully wedded husband. Through sickness and health, richer or poorer, to love and to cherish forever and ever." We'd changed the vows to be what we wanted and as I watched Link while I said mine, I could feel his love for me like never before. Here we were in front of every person who had ever been a part of our lives, sharing our love.

When it was my turn to slide his ring on, I took out the one he had no idea I'd had made. Not long after Link had proposed to me, I'd decided I wanted to give him a ring too. I had one made by a jeweler that was close to the salon I worked in, but I'd never shown it to him, saving it for that perfect moment. I had planned to give it to him this Christmas the same way he'd given me mine, hidden under the tree, but this was better. So much better. It matched the one he'd bought me perfectly but like our tuxes it was just a little different. "With this ring, I thee wed," I whispered as I slid it on. For a long moment he stared at both our hands, still clasped together and both rings visible. When he finally looked up his eyes were shining with unshed tears.

"You may now kiss your husband," Dad said, breaking the spell, we were both under.

"I love you," I whispered before his lips were on mine. He ran his tongue over my lips as his arms wrapped around me and pulled me close. We kissed the way we always did, full of passion and lots of love, and just like always I was out of breath when we finally broke apart.

"Okay, family and friends, please welcome Mr. and Mr. Lawson," Dad said and grinned at both of us. We turned and lifted our joined hands above our heads just as everyone started clapping and cheering because there was no way they were going to be quiet today. Before we made it to the aisle almost everyone was out of their seat and pulling us in for a hug or shaking one of our hands. Through it all neither of us let go of each other's hand.

"Andy, congratulations," Mark from the salon said and pulled me in for a hug. "You two look gorgeous. What a beautiful wedding."

"Mark, thank you, I'm so happy you could make it. When are you and the boyfriend tying the knot?" I asked him. They'd been dating for a while now since he'd finally told his family about them being together and I really did expect they'd get married next.

"As soon as he can convince me," Mark said with a shrug of his shoulder.

"Elise, great to see you," Link said, and hugged the woman who had made custom cookies for me when we'd first met.

"Link, thank you so much for inviting me. I wouldn't have missed this for anything," Elise said and hugged us both. "Andy, it was a beautiful wedding."

"Thanks, Elise, it's great to see you."

"I put in a special order for some of Elise's cookies," Link said while she smiled and after another hug stood back to let someone else congratulate us.

"What else did you do?" I asked, after a promise to Elise we'd visit with her more before the party was over. He led me to the front of the barn again, where the lectern was still set up, but some of the chairs had now been removed, making more room for everyone to mingle. To the side on a tripod was a picture of the two of us and under it was a newspaper article announcing our wedding. "Link." Words failed me and all I could get out was his name.

"I know, baby," he said as he slipped his arms around me to rest his chin on my shoulder. "It's all real."

"Thank god, because if this is a dream don't wake me up," I whispered just before he kissed my neck, and my eyes slid shut.