Page 77 of Song of Lorelei
When Walt placed a hand on each of their shoulders, a wide smile pushing up his round dark brown cheeks, they gave him their attention. “I am so proud and happy for the both of you. Two people couldn’t be more meant for each other. You ready to do this?”
“Yes,” they said, wearing matching beaming smiles.
The sirens’ song fell to a low, melodic hum.
Pulling out a little black notebook from his pocket, Walt read out loud a passage about love, transcribed from a shared favorite book of theirs. When he finished, Lila joined her father, hooking her arm through his, and read a poem about family and courage.
It was a short, sweet little ceremony—just how they wanted it.
Walt finished by binding their hands together with braided rope, from which hung an antique compass. A hand fasting of sorts that they adapted to suit them. “Land or sea. Storm or bright sunny day. Wherever you both go, however the weather may fair, may you always be able to find your way to each other, and may you ever know the coordinates of your beloved’s heart.”
“I love you,” Killian mouthed.
She squeezed his hands. “I love you.”
“By the power invested in me, thanks to my daughter, the internet, and my special computer glasses, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Careful not to press against his chest, heavily bandaged beneath his shirt, Lorelei stood on her toes and kissed her husband.
Chapter Forty-Five
KILLIAN
White lace pooled between them, and Killian was grateful for having the foresight to get the inside of his truck detailed, the floor mats scrubbed and scrubbed again. Muck and fish guts had no business occupying the same space as his bride and her wedding dress.
Driving along the quiet, wooded road, he snuck glances to where Lorelei sat in the passenger seat, her hands folded neatly in her lap. And not for the first or last time, she stole his breath away. She looked out the window with a serene, thoughtful expression. The rings he slid onto her finger sparkled in the waning summer evening light, as she absently played with them, spinning them round and round. And whenever there were breaks in the forest, opening to one of Maine’s great sun-dappled ponds, her hair captured the setting sun, reclaiming it’s fiery, golden glow as if it was always meant to be there.
They’d driven this road too many times to count, and yet, she never seemed to tire of the landscape, the miles upon miles of trees and hills. That for all its familiarity, it was still a sight to behold in awe and love.
Lorelei’s ties to the ocean deep, and it’s ceaseless, unfathomable wonders, were strong, but Haven Cove had also become her home. And so had he. This ethereal creature as beautiful and dangerous as the sea had chosen him.
“So where are we going?” She looked away from the window then, to him, her unnaturally green eyes sparkling as she smiled, almost giddy. It had been ridiculously hard to keep their honeymoon plans from her, but he wanted it to be a surprise, and she trusted him to choose well—something that suited them both. He’d made all the arrangements, instructed her to pack layers and variations of casual and formal wear, then loaded their luggage into the back seat.
“The docks. I bought a new boat and thought we might ‘break it in’ it.”
She snorted, laughter not far away. “It’s not a mattress, Killian.”
“When has that ever stopped us?”
She rolled her eyes but gave him an indulging grin. “Good point.”
“Was also thinking we might take it out for a tour along the East Coast,” he said, one hand on the steering wheel, the other rubbing the back of his neck. “For our honeymoon, I mean. Stop port to port, try the food, see the sights, and anchor out at sea whenever you want to stretch your fins.” A furious blush heated his cheeks. God, he hoped this didn’t sound lame. “I also hired a scuba instructor down in Key West who’s discreet and will give me a crash course so I can swim with you. If you’d be okay with that, of course. But if not, that’s okay. I mean…”
He was babbling now. The wedding was over, but why did the thought of disappointing his wife make him even more nervous?
Ah, damn. His wife. He grinned like an idiot.
She placed a hand on his arm, her eyes twinkling. “Relax, Captain. That sounds like the perfect honeymoon.”
He exhaled. “It does?”
Lorelei nodded eagerly, an arresting smile stealing across her face. “Our maiden voyage as husband and wife.”
His stomach did a wicked fluttery somersault.
“I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it before.” She touched her fingers to her lips, giddiness creeping in. “But I freakin’ love the idea of us swimming together.”
He parked at the pier and helped Lorelei out of his truck, taking her hand and holding her train as she slid out. “Next part’s a surprise, too,” he said, loosening his dress tie. A brief spike of pain shot up his neck, but he suppressed a wince. He didn’t want Lorelei to worry; the bite wound hurt was healing fine. “Is it all right if I blindfold you?”