22. Tammy

CHAPTER 22

TAMMY

A ripple of excitement shimmies through my chest as Baxter takes my hands and faces me. Our friends form a circle around us to try and block out the noises of the waiting room—the curious whispers, the nosy looks, the ring of the siren, and the bustle of the medical staff.

My mother stats muttering about how inappropriate this all is, but then my dad shushes her.

“Let them have their moment, Faith. Your daughter looks radiant. Enjoy this.”

Mom shuts up, giving me a closed-mouth smile that I only barely see from the corner of my eye.

I’m focused on Baxter. On the tall, strong man in front of me. My best friend. The love of my life.

Nova tries to wiggle between us, and Rachel takes her, distracting her with soft tickles as Caroline’s father clears his throat and begins a short service.

“We’re gathered here today…” His words become muffled, turning to white noise as my world is consumed with Baxter. I drink him in, loving him with my gaze, my smile, a squeeze of my fingers.

He looks down at me like I’m precious. I’m the most beautiful woman in the world to him, and I can feel it all the way to my core. He loves me. He’s only ever wanted me… and he’s loved my son like he was his own… and now we have a daughter together. No matter what comes our way, I know we’re going to last. We’ll grow old and gray together. We’ll never stop laughing and playing games and being each other’s best friends.

“I love you,” I whisper under my breath, emotion cutting my voice off.

Mr. Mason pauses, his smile kind and patient, before asking, “Do you have vows you’d like to exchange?”

“Yes.” Baxter clears his throat, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. “I was going to try memorizing it, but I had no chance of pulling that off.”

Asher gently snickers behind him, squeezing his shoulder, while Caroline shifts in her wheelchair.

She’s probably sore and uncomfortable. She should be lying down. I glance at her, about to say it, but her smile is so full of joy. Everyone around us is insanely happy, and I can’t stop this moment.

“Tammy.” Baxter steals my attention, and the world turns fuzzy around me again. “I’ve loved you since the fifth grade. You’re my best friend, and doing life with you makes me so incredibly happy. It’s such an honor to become your husband, and I promise to love you and cherish you and look after you, through every up and down, for as long as I live. I will never judge you, I will never criticize you, and I will always protect you and cheer you on. I’ll be honest with you, and I won’t hide away, even when life gets hard. I’ll be open with you, and I’ll see you… every day, I’ll see you.”

It’s impossible to hold back my tears, his rich voice filling me from the tips of my toes to the ends of my hair. My body buzzes, my heart thumping wildly.

“I’ll love our children with everything I’ve got, and we’ll raise them as a team. You are the only person I want do to do this with. You’re my one, Tammy Tan, and you have my heart forever.”

I hear a swooning sigh behind me, but I don’t know who it’s from. I can’t take my eyes off Bax as I squeeze his hands and attempt to remember the vows I wrote three weeks ago.

My throat swells with emotion as I battle my tears, sniffing and willing my brain to comply. I spent hours memorizing those words, and they’ve all just disappeared suddenly.

“It’s okay.” Baxter brushes his thumb down my cheek. “Just say what you feel.”

“What I feel?” I let out a soft laugh. “I feel so full of love for you. You are the best man I know. I love being with you, talking to you about anything and everything. I love that you listen. You actually listen, and you hear what I’m trying to say. You understand me like no one else does, and I love that so much.” I blink, sniffling as I try to get this out. Kai’s little hand rubs my arm, and I give him a watery smile before looking back up at Baxter. “You’re my best friend, and I am so stoked that I get to be your wife. I will love you always. I will turn to you when I need help, and I will walk with you through any valley. I will hold your hand on the bad days when you just need to be quiet, and I will sing and cheer with you when it’s time to dance and celebrate. I will be your partner, your teammate in all things—from parenting our beautiful children to shuffling through a retirement home with a walking stick. It’s you and me forever, Baxter Brown, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

His eyes are glistening by the time I’m done. In fact, I’m pretty sure there’s not a dry eye in this waiting room. Those close enough to hear us are wiping their cheeks with sappy smiles, and I can’t help a soft laugh.

“Beautiful,” Mr. Mason murmurs. “Now to the formal stuff. Baxter Brown, do you take Tamara Tan to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do.”

“And Tamara Tan, do you take Baxter Brown to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do,” I squeak, stars bursting through me as I let out a soft squeal and wiggle my hips.

“Yay, Mama!” Nova claps her little hands.

“Do we have the rings?”

“Yes.” Kai steps forward, carefully taking a small pouch from his pocket.

With shaking hands, Baxter slips the ring on my finger. My hands are so tiny compared to his, and I love that about him. He’s so strong and sure, and I know he’ll stay true to his vows.

I feel so incredibly loved already, and I believe that’s only going to get stronger as we live our lives together.

Slipping the ring onto his finger, I give it a squeeze and open my mouth with an excited smile.

“It is with great pleasure that, by the power invested in me, I can now pronounce you husband and wife.”

A cheer goes up around us.

“You may now kiss your bride.”

Baxter’s arms curl around my waist as he bends down to meet my lips. I giggle against his mouth before he deepens the kiss, lifting me off my feet and holding me close.

“I love you so much,” he murmurs between kisses.

“I love you so much,” I whisper back, my insides going crazy when he pops me back on me feet and I stare at my wedding ring. “We did it!”

“About time!” Kai groans, and we all start to laugh.

This moment right here couldn’t be more perfect. Sure, we’re in a hospital waiting room and Caroline’s in a wheelchair and her precious daughter is in an incubator, but I’m so freaking happy right now.

“Thank you.” I take Caroline’s hand, kissing her on the cheek before Casey wheels her away to go see Lyla. Troy gets buckled into the stroller while Billy dances over seats, being chased by his grandfather.

Nova reaches for Baxter, and he nestles her in his arms as Kai wraps me in a hug. I kiss his head and snuggle him against me. We get a string of congratulations from all our friends… and those sitting around us.

“You know, the reception area is still set up. We could go there?” Lani suggests.

I look up to Baxter, to see what he thinks, and he’s nodding in agreement. With broad smiles, we gather the tribe and start heading for the door and this special surprise he’s planned for me.

Just as we’re exiting the hospital, a cell phone rings behind me. I look over my shoulder, watching Mikayla wince, glance at Ethan, who’s shaking his head, then answer the call.

“Fuck,” he mutters under his breath, scowling deeply as she turns her back to him and walks around the corner of the hospital.

Running a hand through his hair, he stands there fuming while Rachel gives him a confused frown but is beckoned away by Liam.

I wonder if this has something to do with their fight last night, but it’s probably not my place to ask. Slipping into Baxter’s truck, I watch Ethan pace around the side of the building and hope everything’s okay.

Baxter made some comment about Ethan and Mikayla going through a few struggles at the moment. But surely they’ll be okay. They’re Ethan and Mikayla. They’re one of my favorite couples ever. Their marriage can’t be falling apart. They’re meant to be together for life… just like me and Bax.