Page 145 of You Kissed Me First

The event coordinator comes over and whispers with Nessa for a few moments before heading off.

“I told them to forget your speech. We are going to cut the cake, then dance for a bit before I toss the bouquet. Is that okay?”

I chuckle. “I didn’t want to do a speech anyway. I love you, but you know I hate being in front of people. I might have puked myself.”

She shakes her head. “No talking about it. It’ll make me nauseous again.”

“Deal.”

As Nessa makes her way to the cake, I stay toward the back of the crowd. Dominic slides next to me, leaning against the wall.

“What an eventful wedding, huh?” he muses.

“Very. Seems the best man had a lot to say,” I tease.

“He has a lot more if the maid of honor is willing to listen.” He’s smiling, which only makes me smile.

There are cheers from the crowd, but I don’t care about them right now. Nessa will forgive me for missing part of her wedding. This is more important.

“Care to take a walk with me?” I ask.

He holds his hand out, threading his fingers through mine once I grasp him.

Then he leads the way.

Stepping out of the venue, I smile. The sun is setting over the ocean. It’s beautiful.

“We can walk down to the beach if you want,” Dominic whispers, pulling me into his side.

“We can’t go too far. Nessa might need me. How about the table?”

I indicate the picnic table a little ways away from the door. He leads me over there, sitting down.

As soon as I settle next to him, his arm finds its way around my shoulder.

“I owe you an apology,” I start.

He shakes his head. “It’s in the past. Don’t even worry about it.”

I smile but insist, “No. I need to do this. It was immature of me to run off like that. I knew it in the moment, and I definitely knew it after the fact. I should have stayed and talked to you.”

“Apology accepted,” he says without hesitation.

“What you said in there? You meant it?” I peek up at him from under my eyelashes.

“Every single word.”

“Then I’d like to see what forever looks like with you.”

* * *

Didshe say what I think she said?

I’m frozen. I never expected her to actually say yes.

“Dominic, are you okay?”

Her voice breaks the spell.

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