Page 144 of Crazy Imperfect Hearts

Regan’s smile fades. Gasps are heard from the crowd. Chatter echoes throughout the room. I think I even see money changing hands in the third row.

Regan leans forward and whispers, “It’s okay if you don’t want to do this. I still love you.”

I stare into her forgiving eyes knowing that right there is why I’m about to do what I’m about to do. And that it’s unequivocally the right thing.

I swallow and breathe and shore myself up. I turn to the audience and raise a hand. “Can you all quiet down please? You’ve got it all wrong.” I take both of Regan’s hands. “I thought this was what I wanted. Me standing here telling you I’ll always be here and that a piece of paper doesn’t mean shit. But the truth is, I’m a goddamn liar. I want so much more. I want Maddie and Ava standing next to you. Blake and Dallas standing next to me. I want a pastor. I want rings and vows—weddingvows. I want it all, the whole nine yards. I want to marry you, Regan. Right here and now. Today. We already ripped one contract to shreds. Why not just go all the damn way?” I lean in. “How’sthatfor crazy?”

When I look into her eyes, I realize she’s not crying at all. She’s laughing.

But the rest of the room is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Then Mitchell lets out a howl.

“See?” I say. “He agrees.”

She giggles jubilantly. “Yes.” She throws her arms around me. “I say yes.”

My eyes go wide. “Yes? Are you serious?”

“I said I wanted to keep the crazy going, so yes.”

I turn to the crowd. “Is there anyone here who can marry us?”

“I can,” a low voice booms.

Judge Elfman, friend of my father, is standing near the back.

“But not until tomorrow,” he says as he approaches. “You need a marriage license.” He checks his watch. “The courthouse is open for another few hours. You can apply today, and we can meet back here twenty-four hours after.”

Shit. I forgot about the marriage license.

Regan waves the judge over. “Let’s do it anyway,” she says. “I don’t want everyone to have to come back tomorrow. As long as we’re here, we might as well.”

I raise my brows at Judge Elfman.

“I don’t see why not.” He comes up and stands in front of us. “We’ll have the ceremony now, then you get the license, and we can meet at my office tomorrow to make it official.”

“But tomorrow’s a Saturday,” I say.

“I don’t mind,” he says. “I owe your dad a favor or two.”

I turn to Regan. “Are we really doing this?”

She nods. “We really are.”

Maddie and Ava race to Regan’s side. My brothers come to mine. Mom and Dad offer us their wedding rings to use.

Someone holds up their phone and playsHere Comes the Bride.

I take Regan’s hands once again. The hands of my fiancée—even if it’s only a title she’ll hold for the next two minutes. Then I pour my entire goddamn heart out to her and say all the things I never got to say—neverwantedto say—every other time I stood in this exact spot.

Chapter Fifty

Regan

It’s my wedding night.

Technically that will be tomorrow. But I’ll always think of today as the day we got married.

Lucas’s parents took Mitchell for the night, along with some breast milk from the freezer. It’ll be strange to be without him, but if I’ve learned anything over the past six weeks, it’s that I have this new extended family I can rely on who loves that kid as much as we do. I have every confidence that Mitchell is in good hands.

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