Ian was waiting for Kate at the end of the makeshift aisle on the deck overlooking Shallowbag Bay. Phillip and Chad stood next to him, all of them sweltering a bit in their tuxedos. An August wedding might not have been their best move, but neither he nor Kate wanted to wait for cooler weather.
Kate and Steve’s arms were linked, and she held a bouquet of raspberry-colored roses in her left hand as they waited for the ceremony to begin. Ian had never seen anything more breathtaking than Kate in her wedding gown. Three months of lying on a beach and swimming in the ocean had turned her skin golden brown. The diamond headpiece he’d surprised her with, which had made her cry, shot out brilliant prisms of light and only added to her radiance. Looking at her reminded him how close he’d come to losing the best thing that had ever happened to him, and he was going to get choked up if he thought about it for too long. There weren’t many things that scared him, but not having Kate by his side was one of them.
There had been moments during their stay on Roanoke Island that had sliced through his heart, like the time Kate burst into tears after saying she liked the confines of their cottage and the island because she always knew where he was. Before he’d received the tear-filled voice mail she’d left him on his birthday, he’d never heard her cry. Before she’d stepped onto that plane and realized he was alive, he’d never seen her cry. Every single one of the tears she’d shed had been his fault, and he vowed not to ever make her cry again unless they were happy tears.
The faint notes of the wedding march filled the air, and Kate and Steve walked slowly down the aisle. When they reached the end, Steve bent down and whispered something in Kate’s ear. Ian hoped it wasn’t a last-minute plea for her to run, but he wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was. Steve kissed his daughter, and then he and Ian shared a look. An unspoken agreement passed between them: You will not hurt my daughter again. You will not put her in harm’s way. Earning Steve’s trust would take time, and Ian would be on probation with him for a long time, maybe forever. The reasons were justified.
Diane had convinced them to write their own vows. After the wedding officiant welcomed everyone and completed the invocation, he nodded at Ian. Phillip handed him a folded sheet of paper, and Ian recited the words he’d written.
“I love you, Kate. You’re beautiful and kind, and from this day forward I vow to be your partner, your lover, and your friend. I will be faithful, devoted, open, and honest. I will cherish you, I will keep you safe, and I will provide for you. I will never hurt you, and I will do everything I can to show you that you made the right decision when you chose me. I promise that life with me will never be boring. You mean the world to me, and my love for you will never waver.”
Her big brown eyes were swimming in tears by then, but the smile never left her face.
Now it was Kate’s turn. She gave her bouquet to Chad in exchange for her vows. “I love you, Ian. More than I’ve ever loved anyone. I promise to be your faithful partner no matter what life throws at us. I want you to know that I love you just the way you are because it’s part of what makes you special to me. I promise to always believe in you and support you and love you. I trust you and will stand proudly by your side. You are my one true love, and from this day forward, and all the days of our lives, you will have my heart.”
A tear ran down her face, and he let go of her hands just long enough to wipe it away. The sound of Diane, Susan, and Kristin sniffling could be heard as they proceeded to the exchange of rings.
“Kate, I give you this ring as a sign of my love and commitment,” Ian said as he slid the diamond-encrusted wedding band Phillip handed him onto her finger.
Chad gave Ian’s ring to Kate.
“Ian, I give you this ring as a sign of my love and commitment.” She slid the matching platinum band onto his finger.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”