Page 133 of Resisting the Running Back

But all that matters is that today we will be vowing forever to each other.

I was so scared that getting involved with Miller was going to spell the end of such a long, important friendship. Instead, that friendship became the foundation on which we’ve built literally everything.

People always say they’re marrying their best friend…and I am, too. Literally. I can’t honestly remember being closer to someone else in my life than I am with him, and even more so now that we’ve added the side of intimacy.

We’ve gone through growing pains, and that only tells me that we’re strong enough now to handle anything that comes our way. We both realize it’s communication that’s the key—especially when we’re forced to spend time apart because of circumstances beyond our control.

The season has been incredible so far. Watching Miller play football was always exciting, but knowing he’s stepping off the field and coming home to me takes it to another level entirely.

Jamie, the wedding planner, pops into the room where I’ve been hidden away getting ready the last few hours.

“Are you ready?” she asks.

“I’m definitely ready,” I say confidently. I thought I’d be a nervous wreck when a wedding planner told me it was time to walk down the aisle, but that’s not the case at all. I know I’m marrying my perfect match, and I know he will continue to show up for me in all the ways that matter.

“Miller wanted me to give you this,” she says, and she hands me a small box.

I open it and find a gorgeous diamond bracelet inside with a little note from Miller.

“April’s birthstone is the diamond, so this is for you in honor of our baby. Our future starts now, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. I love you. See you at the other side of the aisle.”

Tears heat behind my eyes as I pull the bracelet out and show it to the women in the room with me.

“He’s just the sweetest,” Jolene murmurs.

“His note says it’s because April’s birthstone is a diamond,” I say, my voice breaking as Cassie helps secure it onto my wrist.

It’s absolutely gorgeous, and I couldn’t be more excited about the future we have before us as well.

The ladies line up, and they start their walk down the aisle. My dad joins me, and he nudges my shoulder with his.

“You look beautiful, Sophie.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“I’m so proud of you. You chose well with that one, and we’re thrilled to welcome him into our family.”

I smile. I half expect him to say something like how just because his marriage ended in divorce doesn’t mean mine will, but he doesn’t mention it. We already talked about that, anyway.

The doors open, and it’s my turn to walk.

I see Miller standing at the other end of the aisle, and my face breaks out into a smile as I watch him looking at me. He wipes his eyes as if the very sight of me brought tears to them, and I close my eyes and take a deep breath as I memorize this moment.

A pianist plays a slowed-down version of Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph” as I start my walk toward Miller, and he starts to chuckle as he recognizes the song.

It’s true that loving can heal, and it’s true that love conquers all. My belief in that wavered for a minute, but then Miller Banks showed up for me the way he has the entire time I’ve known him, and that was the end of the wavering.

Nothing will ever make me waver from him again.

“We are gathered here today to witness the joining of Miller Matthew Banks and Sophie June Summers,” our officiant begins, and the rest of the ceremony is a blur.

He says something about having loved me half his life. I say something about how the love of my life was right in front of me the whole time.

We both wrote down our vows, and we’ll share them again later since this is all a blur at the moment. We’ll read them. We’ll frame them. We’ll live by them for the rest of our lives.

All I know is that twenty minutes later, I’m wearing a ring Miller slid onto my finger, and he’s bending me backward and kissing the hell out of me because I’m officially hiswife.

Because it’s Miller, of course he has a plan to give us a moment for just the two of us. We walk down the aisle with huge smiles on our faces as the photographer walks backward capturing every second, and instead of stopping to greet our guests, Miller grabs my hand and pulls me into the room where he got ready. We take a moment before we’ll be rushed by our bridal party and our families.

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