The Billionaire's Best Friend(71)
Large puffy white clouds dotted the otherwise blue sky. Only family and close friends sat on the perfectly aligned white chairs on the flawless green lawn. Next to him stood his best man and older brother, Ryan, along with Scott Daily, a close friend and fellow Marine, and Justin Billings.
“It’s about time this happened,” Ryan said, his voice low so only Nate heard.
Nate controlled himself. He wanted to burst out in a grin. In fact, since she’d proposed today as a wedding date, he’d been going around smiling like an idiot. More than one person at work complained he looked too happy. Even so, he found it difficult to stop the smile from popping out.
As one, the guests stood when the musicians began the wedding march. Like a scene from a movie, he watched transfixed as Lauren made her way down the aisle with her father. When they reached him, Mr. McDonald shook his hand and said something, though the words didn’t register in Nate’s brain.
“You look amazing.” Nate squeezed the words out around the giant lump in his throat.
Lauren smiled up at him. “You clean up well yourself.”
From his spot on the temporary altar, the minister began the ceremony by explaining to all present how sacred marriage was. “Today the bride and groom have prepared their own vows,” the minister said, with a nod in Nate’s direction.
The words he’d agonized over for the past two weeks appeared in his mind. They’d never go down as the most poetic vows in history, but they came from his heart. “Lauren, we played together as babies. Learned to ride our bikes together when we were kids, and fell in love as teenagers. You’re my first and only love. I’ll always be right by your side.”
Even with the few tears sliding down her cheeks, Lauren looked radiant as he slipped the wedding band on her finger.
“Nathaniel Callahan, I have loved you all my life. You were the first boy I ever kissed, and you will be the last man I ever kiss. Regardless of what else life has in store for us, I know we’ll face it side by side.” Lauren slid his ring in place. Before she even finished, he tugged her toward him and sealed their vows with a kiss. Immediately, applause and a shout of, “Ooh-rah,” from his fellow Marines exploded around them.
As the noise subsided, Nate heard the minister clearing his throat. He’d jumped the gun with the kiss, but he didn’t care. This was their wedding, and finally Lauren was his wife. Man, he loved the sound of that. After one final taste of her lips, he pulled back and looked over at the minister, who stood there with his lips pinched and his eyebrows raised behind his glasses.
“Just couldn’t wait,” Nate said with a shrug.
The minister shook his head and continued on, “By the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. Now you may kiss the bride.”
Nate captured her mouth once again and another round of applause broke out. Finally, his entire body screamed.
Lauren pulled back first. “The sooner we get this reception started, the sooner we can be alone,” she whispered in his ear.
“I like the way you think, Mrs. Callahan.” He gave her one last brief kiss before they started down the aisle together.
THE END