Page 195 of The Broken Note

I’ll deal with her when I get back home.

“You look smoking by the way.” Vi winks. “Dutch is going to faint.”

“Let’s hope not. His tux is a rental.”

Vi giggles.

We turn the bend and I finally get to see how the balcony’s been decorated. A dazzled exhale gets trapped in my throat.

Bex Dane’s people managed to transform this balcony into a wedding destination. Delicate white flowers. Beautiful arches. White cloth tastefully draped over white pillars.

But nothing is as breathtaking as the backdrop of the New York skyline. I don’t even want tothinkabout how much it costs to see a view like that every day.

Finn and Zane are to the side. Zane is playing an electric drum kit, looking sharp and mischievous as always. Finn has on a white shirt and black pants, but the simple outfit looks like a fashion statement as he plucks his bass guitar.

My eyes skip over the brothers and land on the man at the end of the aisle.

Dutch.

He’s wearing a black suit and a bowtie. His hair is slicked back for the first time since I’ve met him.

As our eyes collide, something strange happens.

All the nerves in my stomach settle.

It’s like I’m right where I’m supposed to be.

Vi and I get to the front of the aisle. She breaks off to stand behind me while Finn and Zane stand behind Dutch.

The officiant is a small man with a long, Santa beard. I don’t know if they just grabbed a Salvation Army Santa off the street to do this or if that’s just how he grows his facial hair. It doesn’t matter.

My entire focus is locked on Dutch.

As the officiant speaks about love, commitment and forever, Dutch leans forward and says soft enough that only I can hear, “After I marry the hell out of you, I’m going to rip that dress off.” His fingers tighten around me.

My heart beats faster and heat washes over my skin. The memories of him touching me last night are still sharp around the edges.Am I marrying a man or a beast? And why doesn’t that scare me anymore?

“We’ll be traveling home right after this,” I mumble.

“Then we’ll have our honeymoon on the plane,” he murmurs.

I shudder, my body tightening with the promise burning in his eyes. I can already feel his body pressing into me and my heart trembles in anticipation.

“Dutch,” the officiant says.

Dutch cuts him a hard glance.

“Your vows?”

He nods. “Cadence Cooper, I’m going to love you, honor you and serve you for the rest of your life. Words don’t mean a damn. So take this as day one of me showing you—and I’m going to show you every day going forward—why you’re the most important person in my life.”

“Aw,” Vi says behind me.

I squirm and push at my veil. “I didn’t write vows.”

“That’s okay. Just say what’s on your heart,” the officiant says.

I look up at Dutch. “I won’t promise you that I’ll always say what you want to hear. Or that I’ll always do what you tell me to do.”

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