Page 82 of Hidden Vows
She presses a light kiss to my lips before she nestles her head against my chest, and I know she’s listening to my heart beat in time with hers. I should probably pick her up and carry her back to bed, but I don’t move from where we are.
Abbey’s soft voice breaks the silence what feels like hours later, but is really only minutes. “Thank you for sharing these with me. For sharing all of you with me.”
“Mo ghrá,” I whisper. “You’ve always had all of me, and you always will.” I shift, pulling her face from my chest to meet her eyes. “But maybe you should take your time reading these,” I suggest. “It’s going to be years before I start being nicer to myself, and I can’t stand to see you cry—not over these.” I gesture to the piles of journals around us.
“That might be a good idea,” she concedes, her eyes taking in the mess she’s made before her gaze comes back to me. “Are you still writing in a journal?”
“Yeah, I don’t really have a specific routine, but since I gothome I’ve been journaling in the morning. I fit it in wherever I have time.” I shrug.
“Will you let me read your current one?” A sly smile forms on her lips, and I don’t even try to stop my laugh in response.
“Love, you can read absolutely everything I write whenever you want.”
“Including your next manuscript.” Her eyes sparkle and I melt into them.
I’d give her anything she asked for right now.
“Anything and everything, Abbey Selbey.”
Her smile beams before she presses a quick kiss to my lips, springing out of my lap and practically leaping to the kitchen island where I left my laptop.
“Mo ghrá.” I laugh, standing from the chair and taking the space behind her. “How about you start on that later. We’re meeting Willie and Mae for breakfast in four hours and you’ve barely gotten any sleep.”
“I’m not tired,” she says distractedly as she opens my computer.
“I can help with that,” I murmur against her neck, nipping at the skin below her ear.
“Hmm,” she hums, leaning her body into me. “You’re right, this will be here later.”
I don’t give her a chance to change her mind before she’s in my arms, my lips on hers in a heated kiss.
“I love you, Jude Murphy,” she murmurs against me as I lay her on the bed. “More and more with every passing day.”
“I love you too, Abbey Selbey. With everything that I am and everything I can be.”
—
November 8, 2025
Do you know how happy you make me?
Seriously, Abbey. I know I’ve told you plenty over the last four months, but I don’t know how I survived without you.
I don’t know how I got lucky enough to get a second chance with you, but I’m taking it and I’m never letting you go.
We got married today.
It may be our second wedding, but in my heart I’ve always been married to you. You are the love of my life, and today I got to share that with everyone I hold dearest.
I thought you were beautiful at our first wedding (and you were), but today? Mo ghrá, I’ve never seen you shine so bright. Your joy was the greatest gift you could have given me (well, at least for another six months).
I know we said our vows under the oak tree in Dad’s backyard, with all of our loved ones surrounding us, and while I meant them with everything I am, they weren’t the ones I would’ve written.
So, my love, my greatest treasure, and my everything, before the clock strikes twelve and our wedding day is officiallyover, I want to make these vows to you.
I vow to keep you safe and warm in the shelter of my arms, always.
I vow to help you and support you with all that I am.
