It was great to know they’d come just for the entertainment value of this moment, but all I cared about was Yve.
She walked toward me, the crystals on the dress catching the light of the chandeliers hanging from the trees in the courtyard. She looked like a goddamn fairy-tale princess come to life. Her skin contrasted beautifully with the shimmering blue of her dress, and her white heels seemed made for a wedding.
Yve’s brow furrowed when she saw the gathering of people. I should have told them to all get the hell out, but I hadn’t.
“What’s going on?” she asked when she reached me. “Are we having a party that no one told me about?”
“Something like that.”
“Lucas . . . what did you do?”
I smiled. She was right to be suspicious. I reached into my pocket, pulled out the diamond solitaire, and lifted her hand in mine and slid it on.
Her eyes widened. “Are you proposing?”
I shook my head. “We’re getting married. Tonight. Here.”
“What?”
“We’re getting married,” I repeated. “In front of your friends and family.”
Yve’s gaze flicked over my shoulder, and I could tell the instant she spotted her mother. “You invited my mother? And she said yes? Does she know what’s happening?”
I smiled, because in that moment, I knew Yve wouldn’t be saying no. “She gave me her blessing. She’s got your something borrowed.”
Yve’s golden eyes snapped back to mine. “You’re pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
I nodded. “I’m sure that my life wouldn’t be the same without you, and I’m damned sure that I love you and you love me. I’m sure that we’re better together than we are apart, and that you give me a reason to smile every day. I need you. I need this. Marry me, Yve.”
She lifted her hand to her mouth, the one with the rock flashing in the light, and nodded. “I should give you hell for pulling this, but all I want to say is yes.”
I took her hand and pulled it away from her face and pressed a kiss to her palm. “Then let’s do this.”
As we made our way to the gathered couples in the courtyard, Yve’s mother met us in the middle and pressed a folded embroidered handkerchief into her hand. “Your something borrowed.”
Yve hugged her mother, and while their relationship had been rocky ever since Jay Haines’s death, at least they were beginning to have one. Years of silence on both their parts had created a large divide to be crossed. But slowly, it was happening.
“I’m proud of you, Yvonne,” her mother said, and Yve pressed the handkerchief to her eyes to dab away the forming tears.
“Thank you, Mama.”
“So, are we having a wedding tonight?” the officiant asked as he came to stand before us.
I looked at Yve.
She’d blinked back the tears, and a smile graced her face as she nodded. “Yes, sir. I believe we are.”
We locked hands and stood before him.
“Wait, your something new,” Elle interrupted, hurrying toward us. She held out a silver chain with a charm.
Yve took it from her. It was a glass slipper. She looked at her former employee and tears welled again. She pulled Elle in for a hug.
“When he said you were wearing the Cinderella dress, I couldn’t resist. Love you, babe.”
“Love you too.”
Elle stepped back, and I clasped the necklace around Yve’s neck.
“Are we ready?” the officiant asked.
Yve threaded her fingers through mine and squeezed. “Yes, sir, we are,” she said, staring into my eyes. “Ready for forever.”
And we were—ready for a forever where our scars didn’t define us, but reminded us of how far we’d come and what we’d conquered to be together.
THE END