Page 188 of His Boys to Protect

“Are we ready?” Beau asked, joining them.

Ward glanced at Skylar and Charlie. The boys looked nervous but eager, and they all nodded.

“Magnifique!” Beau exclaimed. He clapped his hands together and turned to face the crowd. “Everyone, please take your seats. We are about to begin.”

People rushed about, squeezing into the chairs and sofas all over the sitting room. Beau directed Ward to the front bay window. Ward took up his position, hands clasped in front of him to keep them from shaking.

Beau led the boys over, positioning them between Ward and the crowd, then quickly took his seat next to Dakota, up near the front.

A hush fell over the room, making Ward's own heartbeat seem extra loud in his ears.

“Thank you all for coming today,” he began, looking from face to face. “We're going to do the legal ceremony first, but the real one—the one that matters to us—will come after. We'll make our vows then, so this part will be short,” he promised. Ward cleared his throat. “Charles Emmanuel Pratt, do you take Skylar Evans to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Charlie rolled his head towards the crowd and raised his eyebrows in question. Dakota gave him a quick, tight shake of his head and mouthed, “Not yet.”

Ward frowned. What was that about?

Charlie turned back to him and nodded. “Hhnn.”

Ward shook his head. Maybe Charlie just needed some cues to remind him how this was supposed to go. Ward turned to Skylar. “Skylar Evans, do you take Charles Emmanuel Pratt to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Skylar swallowed hard. “I do.”

“By the power vested in me,” Ward began, then spoke the words necessary to pronounce them legally married. They brought out the marriage license, which Ward had already validated, and they all signed it, with Dakota serving as witness. There was no cheering, no applause, all by request.

That would come later.

With the legal part done and the marriage license safely tucked away, ready to be sent in, Ward stepped past the boys and turned around, facing the window. In his place, Dakota stepped up, serving as officiant for what they all considered their real wedding.

Dakota's eyes watered as he began. “We're gathered here today to witness the joining of our dear friends and loved ones, Charles Emmanuel Pratt, Skylar Evans, and Wulfric Ward Freeman. Their beginning may have come as a surprise, butto see them standing together now, it's clear that this union was fated. The love and connection they share is something we should all be so lucky as to experience.” Dakota paused, looking around. “And we are that lucky, aren't we? All of us. Everyone I see here has found their special someone or someones, joined together for life. And now we get to witness and celebrate that same joy for our friends. We've worked with you, lived with you, loved you. Even watched you grow up,” Dakota added, getting choked up as he looked at his baby brother. “To share this moment with you is an honor, and we couldn't be happier for you.”

Ward swallowed hard.

“This part will be a little backwards from tradition,” Dakota went on, “but I think it's a beautiful choice they've made. Each man will give his vows as he accepts his ring from the others. Charlie? Would you like to begin?”

Charlie took a deep breath, then held out his left hand. Dakota pulled out a ring, and both Ward and Skylar took it, holding it together as they slipped it halfway onto Charlie's finger. With his right hand, Charlie signed that he would love them, cherish them, respect them, defend them, and always take care of them until the end of their days. When Charlie was finished, Ward and Skylar pushed the ring the rest of the way onto his finger. Charlie stared down at it. For a moment, Ward worried that the boy might change his mind. That he wasn't going to like wearing it after all. But then Charlie squeezed his eyes shut and gave a long, drawn-out, happysqueak.

Ward grinned as his heart clenched with joy.

“Skylar?” Dakota asked.

Skylar blew out a breath and held up his left hand. He stared down at the ring that Ward and Charlie held halfway down his finger. Tears shone on his eyelashes, and he had to sniff and swallow hard before he could speak.

“Gosh, I don't deserve you,” he breathed. “Either of you. But I'm done running. I'm done hiding. I don't ever want to be apart from you ever again. You both are my light. My life. My everything. My reason for being. You saw value in me when I didn't see it in myself, and I swear to spend the rest of my life honoring that. I love you both so much–” He broke off and stifled a sob.

Ward gave his fingers an encouraging squeeze, then helped Charlie slide the ring into place on Skylar's hand.

The boy looked down at the ring as fresh tears streamed down his cheeks. He looked up, glancing from Ward to Charlie and back, his gaze so full of love and gratitude that Ward felt it right down to his core.

“And Ward,” Dakota prompted.

Ward's hand shook as he held it up, suddenly glad that his back was to the crowd. He could ignore them and just focus on his boys. They slid the ring halfway onto his finger, and Ward had to take a moment to gather himself.

He'd made it.

Ward took a deep breath. “I never expected any of this. You both caught me completely by surprise and turned my world upside-down, but I can't imagine my life without you. You've brought so much joy and innocence to my life. So much happiness that I never even thought it was possible to feel. Your strength and bravery inspire me. Your care and determination humble me. I can't believe it's my great honor to spend the rest of my life loving you, taking care of you, protecting you. You boys are my entire world, and I swear to spend every day telling you and showing you just how much I love you. I'll never stop fighting for us. Not as long as I'm alive. I promise to hold on tight. Every single moment.”

Skylar bit back another sob.

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