Page 59 of Lost Love Found

“Here is my confession, may I be your possession?”

Agreed. Great song.

Shit. One of the groomsmen found the minibar. Gotta run. See you in an hour!

Go get ‘em, Tiger. xx

Finally, about 20 minutes before the ceremony is due to start, I leave the groomsmen in the hands of the best man, who seems to be the least hungover and most capable of the bunch. I walk out into the garden for some fresh air and immediately I’m hit with the most beautiful sight. Elaina is throwing her head back, laughing with her eyes closed as her curls fall low on her back. Her hand is gently and casually placed on my grandfather’s shoulder as he looks at her, pure joy on his wrinkled face. She leans down to say something in his ear and in turn he lets out a belly laugh. The scene is so unexpected it takes my breath away.

Before I can make my way to them, Elaina tucks Gramps’ hand in the crook of her elbow and guides him towards the chairs set out for the ceremony. I rush through the path, intent on getting to them as quickly as possible. Gramps sees me first, and stops.

“Adam, my boy. Your lady here found me in the garden and took pity on an old man.” He removes his hand from Lainey’s arm and reaches out to me, embracing me in a tight one-armed hug.

As I come out of the hug, I see Elaina smiling sweetly at us. “Oh, that’s not true at all. I was walking around the garden alone and Gramps rescued me like the true gentleman he is.” She winks at me then looks back over at him, green eyes sparkling.

“Well, the important thing is that we found each other, isn’t it, min skat?” Gramps takes Elaina’s hand and kisses it as he calls her my darling, a term I haven’t heard him use since we were kids. Elaina’s cheeks turn deep pink as she looks up at me.

“Gramps, are you trying to steal my girl?” I pull Elaina closer and kiss her temple, taking in her floral floor-length dress, not missing the slit that comes up above her mid-thigh or the way it hugs all her curves.

The deep belly laugh I love and miss comes out of Gramps again. “Oh, no, I couldn’t even if I tried. She’s quite smitten with you, this one. Hang on to her, muller.” He pats my arm as I take in his sky-blue eyes. “Now, would you two come sit with me? It seems fitting to be surrounded by love on a day like today. Come on, Elaina. You’ll sit by me, won’t you?”

Lainey’s blush deepens as she smiles sweetly at him. “How could I say no to you, Gramps?” And with that, the three of us walk to the second row and take our seats with Elaina between Gramps and me. Once we’re seated, she turns to me, taking my hand with a look of uncertainty in her eyes.

“Is it OK that I’m sitting here? Aren’t the front rows just for family? I can move. I can go sit further back, I just didn’t want to upset your gra–”

“You’re right where you belong, Elaina.” I squeeze her hand and lean in, taking in that coconut honey scent I love so much. “And you look absolutely gorgeous.” I brush her hair off her shoulder and kiss her there, feeling her body shiver at the contact.

She turns her face, so we’re nose to nose. “OK. And thank you. You look very handsome in this suit.” As she pulls away, her eyes meet mine and she smiles that smile that feels like it’s just for me.

We hold hands for the duration of the ceremony, and I catch Elaina wiping away a tear when Ryan says his vows. The rock star drummer took us all by surprise with his heartfelt words. The ceremony is beautiful, short and low-key, which suits Ashley and Ryan perfectly.

Murmurs and whispers and hushed laughter fill the room as the guests gather for the reception. Garrett, one of Ashley’s older brothers, gives me a sideways glance as he takes his seat at the table beside Elaina. He, like me, begged Ashley not to be sitting at a table with our parents. He taps my shoulder and motions to my face as he looks at Elaina.

“Nice beard, man.” He quickly moves his focus, and I don’t miss the way his eyes linger a little too long on her exposed thigh. “You must be the now infamous Elaina. Even Gramps is talking about how awesome you are!” He puts his right hand out towards her, flashing a wide smile. “I’m Garrett. Riv’s best-looking cousin.”

Elaina giggles and places her right hand in his. He doesn’t miss the opportunity and turns her hand to kiss her knuckles. I’m about to punch Garrett in his pretty face. He’s got the true Dutch genes, all blonde-haired and blue-eyed where I got my mother’s dark hair.

“Oh, well I see you learned your charm from Gramps. You Holm men are a dangerous troop!” As she lowers her right hand, she moves her left one to my knee and I feel some of the tension in my body release.

Garrett laughs, throwing his head back. “I like you, Elaina. I can see why Gramps and Ash have been singing your praises. You must be some kind of special to get this guy to come out of his dating hiatus. Though I’d be surprised if he still remembers what to do after so long.”

Elaina’s eyes widen in surprise, but she’s quick to respond to Gar’s less than witty remarks. “Oh, I can assure you his memory is intact, as are his manners, which is more than I can say for you at the moment.” I nearly spit the water out of my mouth as a laugh bubbles out of me. Leave it to Elaina to put Garrett right back in his place with a smile on her face.

I’m still laughing when I feel the wedding planner tap me on the shoulder, handing me a microphone. I guess it’s time for my speech. I give Lainey’s hand a squeeze before I stand. The music stops and I feel all eyes turn to me.

“Good evening, everyone. My name is Adam, but perhaps you know me as River. I’m Ashley’s favorite cousin, which is why I’m up here tonight.” There’s a low chuckle from the crowd and I hear a faint you wish from somewhere in the room, causing more laughter.

“When Ashley and Ryan asked me to stand here, in front of all of you, and speak about their love, I was speechless. As I stand here now, I can't help but be filled with a deep sense of admiration for them and the love that has grown between them. Marriage isn’t exactly something I know very much about. Being in a relationship isn’t something I know much about either, to be completely honest. I have been fortunate in life with wise examples of what it means to have a long, strong marriage. Grams and Gramps were the epitome of such a relationship for 62 years. Ashley and Ryan, I hope for you the same resilient, unwavering love. Ash, you've seen firsthand the power of love with your own parents, where communication, openness and the ability to laugh have kept them together despite any obstacles. I hope you and Ryan always find it in yourselves to openly talk to one another and laugh often - even when it’s difficult. From my lack of experience, all I can offer is that you remember to always see one another as best friends, each other’s greatest cheerleaders and, most importantly, put each other first. To find the love of your life in your best friend is an incredible gift, and I'm certain you have that. Here's to the happy couple!”

I raise my glass and as I sit to clink glasses with Elaina, I see she has tears openly streaming down her face. I put my glass down, cradling her face in my hands to wipe her tears. I kiss her softly once, twice, three times. “That was perfect,” she whispers. “Now go hug your cousin because you made her cry, too.”

She smiles up at me and I let her face go. “OK, pretty girl. I’ll be right back.” I make my way to Ash, who gets up quickly to hug me, scolding me for making her cry.

The only thing on my mind is the taste of Elaina’s lips on mine. How soft her skin feels when I touch her. The smell of honey and coconut ingrained in my memory as my favorite smell. That speech was for her. She’s my best friend and the love of my life. There’s no doubt in my heart. Now I just need to erase any doubt in hers.

26

how could you do that?

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