Page 15 of Infinite Love Novella

That was until a gust of wind stirred her veil, along with nervous laughter from the guests. “Maybe we should make this quick?” she whispered, comically grimacing before we turned to the officiant.

“In case I forget to tell you…” I whispered, “… you’re the most beautiful bride who ever lived, and I’m the luckiest man on Earth.” I left out the part where I couldn’t wait to peel that dress off and ravish her since it didn’t seem the most appropriate time.

The thought was there. But then it usually was.

“We gather today to celebrate this beautiful couple.” The officiant was an old friend of Olivia’s parents, and he smiled fondly at her. “It’s a great honor and privilege to watch as two lives are united, but especially when there is already so much love between them…”

There was no keeping my thoughts from wandering as he went on. I couldn’t think about anything but Olivia’s grace and beauty and how fucking lucky I was to be the man standing at her side. I promised myself then and there that I would do everything in my power for the rest of my life to live up to the standard she deserved. I would be the man she needed me to be. I would make sure she never for a minute regretted joining her life with mine.

We turned to each other at the officiant’s request, taking each other’s hands. Hers were trembling, but when I looked up from them into her shining eyes, nothing but love and excitement were there. I took a handkerchief from my breast pocket and dabbed a tear away from her cheek, cueing laughter from the guests.

“Thanks,” Olivia whispered, grinning through her tears.

“That’s what I’m here for,” I reminded her with a wink before reciting our vows.

The most profound sense of gratitude filled me as Olivia began the customary words. I had heard them before at countless weddings, though I wasn’t usually paying much attention. Now, the meaning behind the simple statements struck me to my core. To have and to hold through everything that came along, the good and the bad. There would be storms—it didn’t matter how much a person had in their bank account. Certain life situations were universal and couldn’t be avoided, no matter a person’s net worth. We would be together through all of that and more. We would hold each other up when the other was too weak to stand on their own.

“All the days of my life,” she concluded, breaking into a huge smile when she did—one that was punctuated by a strong rumbling. Thunder rolled overhead, and I heard Noah whimper fretfully in his chair. The other kids would be inside with their nannies, but he’d be outside with us until the end of the ceremony.

We turned to him, and Olivia held out a hand. “Come here, sweetheart,” she murmured, and everyone laughed indulgently as our son flew to his mother’s side. She took one of his hands, and I took the other before I began my vows. Really, it was better this way. The three of us together, a family. Why shouldn’t he be with us as I pledged my life to his mother?

“In sickness and in health… to love, honor, and cherish…” Another low rumble sounded, louder this time and strong enough to shake the ground slightly. For the first time, concern flashed in Olivia’s eyes while Noah whimpered. “All the days of my life,” I concluded before looking up at the ominous clouds.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Barrett extend his hand. In his open palm sat our rings. “You better hurry up,” he murmured before an even louder crack of thunder shook the ground.

I wasted no time sliding the platinum band over Olivia’s finger. No amount of cloud cover could dull the way the diamonds sparkled. The weight of the band around my finger was welcome. I wondered about that since it seemed strange to wear a ring when I wasn’t accustomed to it, but it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

The officiant didn’t hesitate to wrap things up. “Then, by the power vested in me, I declare they are man and wife. Aristotle, you may kiss your bride.”

Finally. The best part. Olivia’s kiss was sweet, tender, and filled with all the love she had shown me over the years and the love she would show me from this day forward. I had never felt so right. It was as if I was exactly where I belonged, holding my son’s hand and kissing the love of my life while hundreds of guests applauded.

And the first big, fat raindrops began to fall.

Most storms started slowly. That had always been my experience, anyway. A little drizzle preceded the main event.

Not this time. We went from zero to downpour in about three seconds. A wall of water came down on us all at once, driven by wind and punctuated by thunderclaps. Somebody shouted, “Hurry! Inside!”

It was barely controlled chaos as guests began to flee across the lawn and up the steps into the house. I picked up Noah and immediately turned to my grandmama, who was being sheltered by a staff member holding an umbrella over her head. At some point during the ceremony, they had armed themselves and were now helping guests escape unscathed. I made a mental note to tip them more heavily than I had already planned.

Rather than let one of them shelter Olivia, I took the umbrella and held it over our heads while my parents helped Grandmama navigate the increasingly soaked ground. It was coming down hard enough that I could barely see where we were going, but we managed to make it down the aisle and up the stairs before Olivia dashed into the house with her arms crossed overhead. I could hear her laughter even over the thunder, the driving rain, and the shouts of confusion from the guests.

I set Noah down inside, and there was nothing to do but laugh. It didn’t seem like anyone was in bad shape, and most everybody laughed it off along with me while looking outside. “That’s one way to end a ceremony,” I decided, laughing again.

I turned to my wife and kissed her again, and this time, our guests had the time to cheer us on. What a shame we had to keep things chaste in mixed company. There was something familiar in my wife’s eyes once the kiss ended, and it told me she was thinking along the same lines.

“It looks like cocktail hour will take place indoors,” one of the planners called out, already rearranging things while winding her way through the large group. “Once the storm passes, we can go to the tents.”

I spotted Barrett standing nearby with Lourde and Colton. Waving him over, I asked, “Do you mind taking Noah to his nanny for me? Olivia will want to get changed into her reception dress.”

“Isn’t that something the bridesmaids could help with?” He was busting my balls, and I knew it. Smirking at him before taking Olivia by the waist, I turned her away from the French doors and the storm on the other side.

“Come on,” I murmured in her ear. “Let’s get you out of that wet dress.”

9

ARI

It was a relief to escape to my suite at the far end of the west wing, which had doubled as the bridal suite today since it was the largest cluster of rooms in the mansion.

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