“Ry, I love you to the moon and back, babe. I’ve loved you since the day you yelled at me to stop kicking rocks at you. You are my spitfire. You’re my home. You are the love of my life, and I want to spend the rest of my day racing you. As long as I am behind you though, I kinda like your ass.” The room was silent until his little ass remark, but then a few cat calls, and whistles punctured the silence along with several deep chuckles and girly sighs. Cole winked as he pulled the princess cut diamond ring from its resting place in the box.
Lifting the ring up so I could see it, I took a split second to look at the large diamond surrounded by several tiny black and white diamonds that not only outlined the main diamond but also covered the setting and band. It was gorgeous, unbelievably gorgeous, but not nearly as breathtaking as when I lifted my gaze and met Cole’s. His dark eyes locked with mine, and I could see the depth of his love in his eyes.
“I would be honored to share my trophy room with you, babe. I’ll even give you the top shelf if you’ll do me a huge favor and say yes, you’ll be my wife. Rylan, will you marry me?” He clutched my left hand in his, waiting for my answer.
I wiped a few wayward tears and nodded, “YES! Hell yes!” He slipped the ring on my finger as I leaned in, cupping his face in my hands and placing a lingering kiss on his lips as the room around us ruptured in cheers and congratulatory yells.
***
Jamie and I had been pampered, primped, polished, and fed. We were headed to my salon to have our hair styled and from there we were headed to Cole’s. I mean my house. I still can’t believe that huge estate is mine. I was awestruck the first time Cole took me to our home. It is a colonial style home, white with a brick red trimming and black faux shutters. All the windows are arched as are the double front doors. The wrap around porch creates a beautiful setting for afternoon beers or places to snuggle and watch the lightening bugs on all sides of our home.
We chose to have the wedding there because it is so astonishingly beautiful. Cole was smart when he purchased the mature property. The evergreens, bushes, and flowers that made up our backyard were the perfect size and made the yard look like an oasis. Cole had a Koi pond installed in one corner, a hammock strung between to large trees in another section of the open yard, and then there’s a rose garden with an arch and bench and brick walkway, which is where we were going to get married.
I had felt nothing but excitement until my soon to be mother in-law walked into the salon with several bags and a forced smile covering her face.
“McKenna, I didn’t expect to see you until I got to Cole’s.”
“It’s your home too, Rylan.” She quirked an eyebrow at me.
“I know. What’s up?”
“Well, every bride needs her traditional wedding charms. I brought them for you. Most are family heirlooms that I hope you’ll wear, and the something new is from your father in-law to be.”
Shit! I hadn’t thought about all that. What was it again? Something new, something blue? I couldn’t even recall them. “Okay, I know this sounds horrible, but what are the traditional charms?”
“Oh, your something new, borrowed, old, and blue. Sorry, dear.” McKenna reached into her bag and pulled out an old yellowed box that had yellowing tape holding it together. “This is your something old; I think we can tie it on to your bouquet.”
My hair dresser continued to pull and tease my hair, currently tipped with red to match the color of Jamie’s dress and Brant’s tie and vest. Jamie, of course, was my maid of honor, and Brant was Cole’s best man. They were the only two people we were going to have in our ceremony. I flinched as Susan, the stylist, pushed a bobby-pin a little too far into my scalp. When my eyes met hers in the mirror, she mouthed sorry and shrugged. Trying not to laugh, I took the tattered box from McKenna. “Do you want me to rip the tape?”
Susan nodded toward her station, right in front of me. “There’s regular scissors in that drawer to your right.”
McKenna pulled the scissors out for me. “Thank you.”
I opened the scissors and slid one side between the cardboard lid and base, successfully cutting the tape. Handing the scissors back to my mother in law, I slowly opened the box. Nestled inside was a rock. My brow furrowed for a second before a grin slowly turned up the corners of my mouth. “To represent the day we first met.”
McKenna pushed her lips together before nodding. “Here’s you’re something borrowed. It was my great grandmother’s; all of her granddaughters and great granddaughters wore it. I’d be honored if you did, too.”