Page 11 of Harvey

Bending a reassuring smile on Kendra, he began. “We are gathered here in the sight of these people to bind this couple together in holy matrimony. If anyone here thinks these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold their peace.”

For one wild second, Kendra wanted to shout that this was wrong! Lifting her head from the bouquet she was holding, her eyes connected with watchful silver ones that sent prickles of awareness and fear skittering along her spine.

Tearing her eyes away from his, she concentrated on Silas, her lips curving in a proud smile as he began the ceremony after the brief pause.

Harvey shifted restlessly as his brother went on about the sanctity of marriage and the first marriage between someone called Adam and Eve and how a man should take care of his wife and love her the way Christ loves the church.

All the talk about the Bible and the love between a man and his wife was making him decidedly leery, and that was before he turned his head and caught sight of his mother dabbing at her eyes.

“Great.” He muttered under his breath, unaware that he earned a sharp glance from his fake bride.

“The rings, please.”

An eager usher rushed forward with both rings and placed them into Silas’ hand.

He started stretching his hand out when he realized his brother was closing his eyes and offering a blessing.

“Harvey Antonio Blackwood, do you take Kendra Alexis Sinclair as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, to be there for her until you take your last breath?”

Harvey hesitated briefly, more than a little shaken by the heartfelt vow.

“Harvey? Take her hand.”

“Ah, yes, of course.” Turning to face the petite woman, he nodded and drew her hands into his.

“You are supposed to say, ‘I do’.”

“I do.”

“Your turn now, Kendra.” Silas smiled at her warmly. “Do you promise to take this man, Harvey Antonio Blackwood, as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold in sickness and good health, to love and to cherish, to obey and to support as long as you both shall live?”

Harvey felt the tremors in her fingers and the slight look of fear on her face.

Acting on pure instinct, he squeezed her hand reassuringly, which caused her to give him a startled look.

“Kendra?” Silas’ calm voice jarred her back to his face.

“I do.”

He beamed at her and had them exchange rings. “Now, by the power given to me by this state, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

“No. I- “

Before she could finish, he was pulling her into his arms and pecking her on the lips. “There, over and done with.” Looking at his brother, he lifted a brow. “All done?”

“Except for the signing.”

“We never talked about signing any damn thing.”

“It’s the final thing, and you can go and do whatever you have on ice.”

“Work and then a date.”

“I was thinking we could all go and have dinner-“ Silas stuttered to a stop at the look Harvey gave him. “That’s a no then.”

“I am revising my opinion of your level of intelligence. Let’s get this over and done with.”

*****

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