Page 140 of Remember Us This Way

We drive through fields and fields of vibrant tulips when the driver finally eases onto the brake, and as I twist to gaze out the opposite window, I finally see him—Noah Ryan, my bestest friend and the love of my life—waiting for me among a sea of beautiful colors.

His smile is brighter than I’ve ever seen, and the way my heart races is something I’ve never experienced before. It’s overwhelming, pure, and filled with the most adoring, eternal love, and I know with every fiber of my being that my purpose in life, every single moment I’ve ever experienced, was a path leading straight to this.

My reason for being was to be with this man, to teach him how to love, how to grow, and to be the light that’s always led him home.

I’ve never felt so at peace, never felt so perfectly right.

He stands under a gorgeous wooden arch with drapes of white chiffon that sway in the morning breeze, but despite its beauty, my gaze remains locked on him. He’s so ruggedly handsome, and that sparkle in his eyes has me ready to barrel out of the limo and fall straight into his strong arms.

Despite the dark window tint, his piercing eyes collide with mine, holding my stare as that tether between us solidifies and turns into the most indestructible kind of metal, entwining right around our souls and holding us there. Not even in death will this bond falter.

He will hold me up, right through till the end of time, and when we finally get the chance to meet again, it’ll be like a sonic boom, the stars aligning as everything falls right back into place, right where it was always supposed to be.

I take a shaky breath as the limousine driver walks around the car and opens the back door. Dad gets out first, offering his hand to all of his girls, even Hope because my nana raised him to be the perfect gentleman—though sometimes I think he forgets that.

From within the car, I can hear the subtle music playing through the tulip field, and my heart sings. He really has thought of everything. When it’s my turn to get out of the car, my father offers me his hand, and I gingerly take it, beaming up at him as he smiles right back. “I won’t let you fall,” he promises.

Stepping out of the car, Mom and Hope fix my veil, making sure everything is just right, and as the celebrant strides through the beautiful tulips and takes his place by the corner of the arch, I turn to face Noah.

The wide smile on his face falls into a gasping breathlessness, gazing at me in complete, overwhelming awe, his eyes conveying the words he can’t speak. My heart races and booms like thunder among the rolling clouds.

It’s so much more than I thought it could be, so undeniably perfect.

Mom, Hazel, and Hope make their way through the small rows between the tulips, meeting with Aunt Maya and the small handful of friends and family that are gathered around us, and as the music shifts to From This Moment by Shania Twain, my father offers me his arm.

We walk toward the beautiful arch, and with every step I take, my gaze remains locked on Noah’s. My father holds me up, his strong hands ready to take me right to the end as he tells me how much he loves me.

Each step brings me closer, and as my heart races so much faster, I pick up my pace, unable to wait a second longer. My feet stumble to a stop in front of Noah, and my father leans in to wrap his arms around me. “Always my little girl.”

My eyes sting, but before my tears can fall, Noah takes my hand and pulls me right into him. It’s just the two of us existing in this moment, and the world fades away. His fingers entwine through mine as he drops his forehead, the two of us locked in pure bliss. “You’re so beautiful,” he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion. “I love you.”

“I love you,” I whisper right back, our hearts synching and beating as one.

The celebrant steps forward, and as the music fades out, he commences the ceremony, welcoming our family and friends and giving a brief rundown of our story so far. And with every second that passes, Noah’s dark gaze remains locked on mine, both of us absolutely captivated.

I breathe him in, wanting to revel in this moment, not willing to miss a damn thing. I want to save it all to my memory, the feel of his hands in mine, the way my heart races, the heavy pulse in my ears. I want to remember the way he smells, the way his hair falls forward into his eyes and dances in the morning breeze.

I want to remember the sound of my mother’s soft cries as my father holds her at his side, the overwhelming scent the tulips create around us. I want it all. I want to drown in this moment and feel it lift me right into the sky.

When it’s time to say our vows, Noah’s hold shifts on my hand as he places a gold wedding band at the tip of my finger. “Zo,” he starts, holding my gaze as though it’s the only thing keeping him breathing. “It’s simple. I will love you. I will love you today, tomorrow, and every day until the heavens and the earth no longer exist. Whether you’re here by my side, sharing our lives together, or watching over me from above, I will love you. You’re my everything, Zoey James, and as long as my heart continues to beat, it will beat for you.”

Tears roll down my cheeks as he gently pushes the gold band into place on my finger, and when it’s my turn, I take his hand, just as he did mine, looping the gold band around the top of his ring finger. “You’re my person, Noah. I’ve walked my life with you, side by side, right from the beginning, and as a little girl, I couldn’t have imagined the type of roller coaster loving you was going to take me on,” I breathe. “You’ve consumed me, have owned me in every possible way. So for me, today isn‘t about giving myself to you because I’ve always been yours, and I will continue to be yours until the end of time. My heart has always belonged right in the palm of your hand, just as yours has belonged in mine. We’re twin flames, and while I won’t be here to give you another fifty years, to build our lives together, or to build a home filled with love and laughter, I promise you that our souls will never part. I will always be with you, always love you with everything I am, even as I watch over you from the heavens.”

Noah drops his forehead to mine as I slide the wedding band into place, then before the celebrant has a chance to tell him that he may kiss his bride, Noah lifts the veil over my head and pulls me into him, wrapping his arms around my waist as his lips come down on mine.

Our family and friends applaud as the celebrant officially announces us as husband and wife, but all that matters to me is the feeling of Noah’s warm lips moving against mine.

Husband.

Noah Ryan is my husband.

Our family rushes us, congratulating us as the celebrant tries to pull us away to sign the documents to make this official. And once all is said and done, we spend the rest of the day celebrating. Coach Sanderson and Noah’s teammates hired out a whole restaurant just for us as a wedding gift, and after a magical day filled with love, family, and undeniable happiness, Noah finally gets me in the car, and I’m more exhausted than I’ve ever been in my life.

Dusk is just starting to fall over East View when Noah brings his Camaro to a stop outside the fanciest hotel in town. My brows furrow as I look toward him. “What are we doing here?”

“It’s hardly romantic spending our wedding night under your parents’ roof,” he tells me. “Especially considering that they’ll know exactly what we’re doing.”

My cheeks flush, and I try not to think about just how right he is. The fact that we’re spending the night in a hotel is even more of a reason for my parents to know what we’re doing. But we’re married now, and nothing is going to stop me from getting to spend my wedding night with the man I love. My husband.

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