Splendor(174)
“It wasn’t just that and you know it.” He brushed a soft kiss on her lips. “It was what you told me about doing absolutely anything for me. That just – touched something in me, made me go a little crazy with needing you. All I knew at that moment was that I had to own you completely, be just as raw and honest as you had been with me.”
Tessa touched her forehead to his. “I love you, Ian. And I meant every single word.”
“My sweet, darling girl. You are the love of my life. Now, let’s see about that bath and then breakfast, hmm? After all, we have a wedding to attend.”
***
Julia looked breathtakingly beautiful, Nathan incredibly handsome, and their wedding was rather like a fairytale. At least it seemed that way to Tessa, who had never actually attended a wedding before. She and Peter had married in a brief, rather clinical ceremony at City Hall, and the extent of their celebration had consisted of eating dinner at the Olive Garden. She had seen a lot of lavish weddings being set up when she’d worked at the Tucson resort, but had never actually attended any of them, of course.
Tessa had gotten a little misty eyed while her friends were exchanging their heartfelt vows, and she smiled gratefully at Ian when he took her hand.
“It’s so romantic, isn’t it?” she whispered.
In reply, he merely pressed a kiss to her temple and squeezed her hand a little tighter.
The words he had spoken to her last month during his parents’ visit suddenly came back to tease her – what he’d said about her being his wife one day. He hadn’t mentioned anything further about marriage since that evening, and she hadn’t permitted herself to think about it too much. But now, in this exquisitely romantic garden setting, with a string quartet playing, flowers everywhere, and two starry eyed lovers pledging themselves to each other, it was easy to imagine her own potential nuptials one day. At the same time, though, the idea made her a little sad, because unlike Julia she had no doting father to give her away, no proud mother watching teary eyed from the front row of seats, and no devoted sister to stand as her maid of honor. If Ian did in fact marry her someday, it would really only be his family and friends in attendance, and it occurred to Tessa for the first time since moving in with him just how alone she would be without him.
Impatiently, she forced her maudlin thoughts aside just as the minister was pronouncing Nathan and Julia to be husband and wife. With something of a twinkle in his eye, the white haired officiate nodded at the rather impatient groom.
“Well, go ahead, Nathan, it’s finally time. You may kiss the bride.”
Tessa joined in the applause as a grinning Nathan wasted no time in sweeping Julia into his arms and kissing her soundly, not seeming to notice that two hundred other people – including her father and uncle – were watching them intently. Somewhere to her left Tessa heard loud whoops and cat calls, as well as several suggestive comments being shouted out.
Ian murmured in her ear, clearly amused. “The, ah, cheering section there would be Nathan’s old college mates that I told you about.”
“The ones from the bachelor party?” At Ian’s nod, Tessa glanced over at the group of a dozen or so noisy thirty-somethings in concern. “Oh, God, I hope they don’t ruin Julia’s wedding! From what she’s told me – and what you saw firsthand - they can get a little rowdy.”
Ian arched a brow. “A little rowdy? Darling, a rugby match is a little rowdy. Nathan’s chums over there take rowdy to whole new levels. Think Animal House on steroids.”
Tessa suppressed a giggle, especially when the string quartet started to play a rousing version of the Beatles’ All You Need is Love as the recessional. She’d heard all about the drunken bachelor party – where Ian had drolly told her he’d been not only the oldest but the most sober of the attendees. It had taken place the same night as Julia’s only slightly less wild bachelorette party, to which Tessa had been invited.
Fortunately, Nathan’s friends quieted down long enough for him to walk down the aisle with his beaming bride on his arm, the two of them waving and smiling to as many guests as they could. When Julia saw Tessa and Ian she blew them a kiss before continuing down the white carpet to the back of the outdoor chapel.
“She looks so beautiful,” sighed Tessa. “And so happy.”
Ian slid his arm around her waist, guiding her out of their row of chairs as other guests began to leave the chapel. “They deserve it, darling. Like with us, it took a little time for the stars to align properly so they could be together. Now, come, the festivities are beginning.”