Page 79 of His Long-Lost Baby

Clutching the flowers, I slowly walk towards the man I love. Our gazes are locked the whole time, his eyes misty with tears.

“You look beautiful,” he whispers as I approach the altar.

I want to tell him he looks the sexiest he ever has, to tell him that I’m more in love with him now than I ever have been. But the wedding officiate is already speaking.

“We are gathered here today for the union of James and Billie,” she says. “They have been through many ups and downs, and they have persevered, and in doing so learned the meaning of love. Today, they take another step forward, as they commit to spend the rest of their lives together. May their union be blessed with love and everything that is good in this world.”

James reaches over to take my hands, and I blink up at him. Can this really be happening?

“Billie?” the officiate prompts, looking at me. “Do you have vows you would like to share?”

“Yes,” I say, nodding.

I look around at all the people listening. I can’t believe we have so many friends here to witness our wedding. And most of them are from GarrisTech!

“James,” I start, meeting his gaze. “You are my soulmate. I promise to be there for you no matter what, even when things get tough. I promise to be your partner in life, and to never give up on us. I think you know this already, but I will love you forever.”

His eyes fill with tears. He looks like he’s trying his hardest to not break down.

“James?” the officiate asks.

He clears his throat. “I’m not good with speeches, so I’ll just say this. I love you, Billie. You’ve breathed new life into me. You’ve brought Quinn into my life, and I can’t think of anything better than having her as my daughter. Everything in my life has changed for the better because of you. I promise to take care of you, to love you and protect you. I promise to be your rock and your haven, to be there for you and to make you happy. I will be the best husband I can be, and the best father. I will spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you.”

There are tears in my eyes. I reach for my veil and pull it up. “James,” I whisper. “I love you so much.”

Some more words are said, but I don’t even hear them. I’m too busy drinking in everything about James’s face, doing my best to commit this moment to memory so I can hold onto it for the rest of my life.

Carlos hands James the rings, and we exchange them with trembling fingers.

“Do you, Billie, take James to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, for richer or for poorer?”

“I do,” I say, my voice breaking.

“And do you, James, take Billie to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, for richer or for poorer?”

“I do,” James says.

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

James leans in and kisses me tenderly, and I melt into his embrace. I feel so blessed to be here, to be marrying the love of my life in front of all our friends and coworkers.

As we walk back down the aisle, hand in hand, I can’t help but feel like everything in my life has finally fallen into place. I never thought I would find love, let alone marry the man of my dreams and create a family with him. But here we are, embarking on the adventure of a lifetime together.

The reception is a blur of dancing and laughter, of speeches and toasts, and delicious food and drinks. James and I steal kisses whenever we can, reveling in the fact that we’re finally together as husband and wife.

As the evening wears on and the guests start to drift away and Quinn is already at Monica’s for the night, James takes my hand and leads me outside. We stand together, looking up at the stars and breathing in the cool night air.

“I can’t believe we’re married,” James says, smiling down at me. “I love you so much, Billie.”

“I love you too,” I say, leaning up to kiss him. His lips are warm and soft against mine, and I feel my heart flutter with happiness.

He pulls me closer to him, his arms wrapping around me. I rest my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. We stand there for a while, lost in each other’s embrace, until he breaks the silence.

“I have a surprise for you,” he says, a mischievous glint in his eye.

I look up at him, my curiosity piqued. “What is it?”

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small box. My heart races as he opens it, revealing a delicate necklace with a sparkling diamond pendant.