Page 22 of Offside Bride

“You know this,” says Bruce.

Hannah nudges us in front of the Judge. “I’ll insert images of a beautiful chapel. And then for the honeymoon photos, I’ll make it look like Niagara Falls. Trust me, it will be great.”

Maggie snorts. “Can you make it look like Sawyer’s falling into the waterfall?”

“If you want to take a shower with me, sweetcheeks, why don’t you just say so?” I say, flashing Maggie a quick wink.

“Just shut up and marry me, or I swear…”

The judge clears his throat, probably wondering if he’s officiating a wedding or refereeing a hockey match.

“Dearly beloved,” he begins, clearly eager to get to his golf game.

I tune out most of his words, focusing instead on Maggie’s face. The way she casts her eyes down, her lashes flutteringacross her cheeks. The way she bites her bottom lip. She’s doing her best to look bored, but I catch a flicker of something else on her features. Nervousness? Excitement? Indigestion? Hard to tell.

The judge, bless his heart, soldiers on. “Do you, Sawyer David O’Malley, take this woman…?”

I lean in close to Maggie, my lips barely grazing her ear as I whisper, “As often as possible.”

She jerks back, her cheeks flushing a delightful shade of pink.

The judge looks between us. “Um, is that a yes?”

I give him my most winning smile. “That’s a hell yes.”

“Language,” Griffin scolds mockingly somewhere behind me. Maggie scoffs but I catch the hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

“And do you, Margaret Ann Jones, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Margaret Ann. I like that. Funny that I should learn my wife’s name on my wedding day.

Huh. My wedding day.

I inwardly chuckle at the thought.

Maggie hesitates, and for a moment, I wonder if she’s going to bolt. But then she locks eyes with me, a challenge blazing in her gaze. “I do. God help me.”

The judge tries to prompt us to say some sappy vows, but I get him to skip all that. I just want to finish up here and take my bride home. I don’t have illusions of a traditional wedding night. I just like the thought of her being there, under my roof.

“The rings?” the judge prompts.

Owen hands me the pink diamond ring, and as I slip it onto Maggie’s finger, I delight in watching her widening eyes.

“I thought I said no to this ring,” she hisses.

I play a slow, smug grin across my face. “Too bad. This is the ring my wife would wear. So deal with it.”

The truth is, seeing that ring on her finger does something to my insides. It’s like it belongs there, sparkling defiantly, just like her.

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

Now, we didn’t discuss much in planning this rush-rush wedding. We certainly didn’t discuss the first kiss as a married couple. Have I thought about it? Oh yes. And I’ve been looking forward to feeling Maggie’s lips on mine, even if it’s just this once. My pulse drums in my ears—all my attention zeroed in on Maggie. Everything around us blurs.

That is until Griffin sneezes three times in succession. Griffin is known for breaking the sound barrier when he sneezes. And his timing couldn’t be worse.

Emily shushes him. Hendrix takes off his baseball hat and smacks him with it.

I pause. Kissing is not mandatory for this to be legal. Or is it? I suppose we better do it, if only to cover all our bases.

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