Page 85 of A Royal Arrangement
“I have one more surprise for you,” Colin leaned down and whispered into her ear. He saw the goosebumps rise over her arms, and it made him smile that his nearness had that effect on her. Colin motioned for Addie to come over, and she ran to them, bouncing excitedly at what she knew was coming next. He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out the envelope he and Addie had put together.
Addie took it from him and handed it to Rosalie.
“What is this?” she asked, shaking it next to her ear, making Addie erupt into a fit of giggles. She opened the envelope and read the piece of paper inside.
Addie had drawn a picture of her holding both his and Rosalie’s hands. Underneath the picture, Addie had written the sweetest note that still brought tears to his eyes. Colin knew the words written on it from memory. He had helped Addie with writing it a dozen times before she had finally been happy with how it looked.
Rosie,
You make our family whole. I love when you help me get dressed and do my hair. I like how you always hold me when I’m sad. I love our dance parties. And I really loved our water fight with Daddy. I want you to be my mama more than anything in the world.
Love,
Addie
Rosalie’s eyes flew to Addie, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Are you serious?”
“Yes!” Addie squealed. “Will you please be my mama?”
Rosalie looked to him for confirmation, and he nodded, too choked up to say anything. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before she knelt and pulled Addie into her arms.
“I would love to be your mama more than anything in the whole wide world. I love you to the moon and back, my girl.”
That did Colin in. Tears streamed down his face as the two most important people to him hugged each other and cried happy tears. They were officially going to be a family. He truly couldn’t ask for anything more.
Once they were ready, they mingled with their guests for a while, constantly locking eyes across the way. Colin hated small talk, but he was learning that, for Rosalie, he would do anything to make her happy.
Wes walked up to him with a conspiratorial smirk. “Just wait until you hear my best man speech later. You might regret asking me to speak in front of an audience.”
“I’ll return the favor one day.” Colin smirked.
“Who said I’d ask you to be my best man?” Wes laughed as Colin shoved him in the chest.
“That is, if you ever get married, since it would require that you actuallydatesomeone first.”
“I go on plenty of dates,” Wes scoffed.
“True, but you’ve never had a girlfriend.”
Wes pressed his lips together.
“Exactly my point. Remember when you told me, ‘You don’t need to be dating someone to fall in love’? I want tohear the story behind that—and what was with your pale face earlier.”
His friend’s smile faltered just as it had the first time he’d brought it up. Only this time, Wes’s flirtatious mask never reappeared. He simply said, “It’s your wedding day. Wouldn’t want to distract from that.” He looked over Colin’s shoulder. “Oh, would you look at that? It’s time for your first dance with your wife. Enjoy!”
Colin rolled his eyes. “I’m not going to let this go.”
And from the stubborn look on his friend’s face, he wasn’t sure Wes would ever let go of whatever story he was holding onto either.
Wes turned on his heels and walked toward Addie, picking her up and tossing her into the air before holding her on his hip as Colin joined Rosalie in the middle of the makeshift dance floor the palace staff had put together on the sand.
He bowed to her, and she curtsied before stepping closer. She wrapped both her arms around his neck and rested her head on his chest as they swayed to the song together.
Colin smiled. He finally knew what true peace was. It was this. Having Rosalie in his arms felt like coming home after wandering for so long without a place to call his own.
She was his home. His safe place. His sunshine. And he would spend the rest of his life doing everything in his power to make sure she never lost her light.
Read a bonus scene about a singing telegram surprise when you sign up for my emails.
