Page 42 of Bad Call
I let out a shaky breath, handing my bouquet to Arden in exchange for the paper I scribbled everything on last night. I struggled to find the words at first, feeling like nothing I said would be enough, but when I finally got going, it all just poured right onto the page. By the time I was done, tears were streaming down my cheeks, peace washing over me like the warmest wave as I drifted off to sleep.
“Emmett,” I begin, my voice trembling. “From the moment we met, my entire world was changed. Even at five years old, I somehow knew you were the one for me. It may not have been the type of deep, emotional love that you feel as an adult, but it was the beginning of somethingpure, real, and true. You were my sunshine through the rain and my strength when I felt weak, making the world right when everything seemed so incredibly wrong.
“Walking away from you when I did was the biggest mistake of my life, but I left something very important with you that day, and you’ve had it ever since. Every milestone, every touchdown, every night you went to sleep thinking you were alone—a piece of me was with you.” I look up, catching his eyes with mine because I don’t need the paper to remember the rest. “So, today, as you do me the honor of becoming my husband again, I want to thank you for keeping my heart safe while I found my way back home. And now, I want to give you the rest of me—mind, body, and soul.
“From today forward, I vow to be your biggest fan, your best friend, and take your side, even when you’re wrong—which you probably always will be.” I smile through tears, making him huff a soft laugh in response. My heart swells at the sound, and I swallow thickly, pushing down the emotion that clogs my throat. “I love you so much, Emmett. And I can’t wait to be the wife you’ve always deserved.”
“I love you,” he whispers quietly. I can tell he wants to kiss me, but he holds himself back as the officiant turns his way.
“Emmett, it’s your turn.” His throat works with a rough swallow, and he nods, taking his phone that Theo is currently dangling over his shoulder. I giggle, rolling my eyes playfully at how completely extra his best man is being, but also loving the support that he has in his corner. We’re truly blessed to be a part of this team.
“Stella,” he rasps. “From the very second you punched Jimmy Ackerman in my honor, I knew you were my other half. Things were a lot simpler back then, but I made a promise to myself that day—that no matter where life took us, I’d do everything in my power to make sure you never had to do it alone.
“Somewhere along the way, we got lost. As much as it killed me to let you go, there was one thing that kept me from spiraling out of control while fate worked to make things right again. In those moments, where you felt so far away, I’d close my eyes and imagine another universe—one where we were losttogether. We held hands in the darkness, and even when we were pulled in separate directions, our connection never faltered.
“Those years we spent apart felt like an endless cycle of anger, sadness, and despair. But the idea that somewhere out there, a version of us was fighting to get here today gave me the smallest sliver of hope—hope that one day, a beacon of light would lead us right back home.” His brown eyes lift, locking onto mine, and I can feel the love radiating from every part of him. I can’t stop myself from inhaling deeply, taking in his familiar cologne as the warmth in his voice keeps me tethered to the moment.
“I vow today to hold your hand in every universe,” he continues. “To walk beside you in the darkness, and always help you find the light. To be the arms you run into when you need to feel loved, and the voice in your head when you think you’re not enough—because you are. You’re my happily ever after, Stella Hayes, and it’s an honor and a privilege to marry you twice in the same lifetime.”
My mind flits back to the very first time I saw him, that adorable, crooked smile pulling me in and never letting go. Like a slideshow, memories from our childhood fade into one another, a beautiful story of two kids who grew together, fell in love, fell apart, and let destiny guide them back where they belonged. This man is everything to me, and I’ll never forget the way he selflessly forgave, caring for me and loving me as we healed from all the pain and heartbreak of our past. And now, we’re starting over as husband and wife, embarking on a new adventure of endless happiness and hope.
Next, we exchange rings, a symbol of our renewed commitment to one another. I was ready to use the old ones, since Emmett held onto them for so long, but he wanted to give me the wedding I always imagined—sparkly dress and jewelry included. In the end, we compromised, melting our old wedding bands down and reusing the metal to make brand-new ones. I have to admit I love the idea that they grew just as we did, facing the fire and coming out stronger and more beautiful in the end. Every time I look at it, I’ll be served with a reminder that no matter what happens in life, I have a husband who would go to the ends of the earth for me, just as I would for him.
“By the power vested in me by the state of Ohio, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Emmett, you may kiss your bride.” As soon as the words are out of the officiant’s mouth, his arms are around my waist, lifting me into the air as our lips press together. Cheers erupt throughout the room, but when he gently pushes his tongue inside, it all fades away. A barely audible whimper rolls up my chest,but before it can even break through the air, he swallows it, greedily plunging in for another. My body obliges, giving him what he’s starving for until Syd’s loud voice pulls us back to reality.
“Everybody relax,” she quips. “Grab a drink. Some popcorn. The show is long, butdoeshave a happy ending, if you know what I mean.”
“Oh my God,” I groan, dropping my forehead to Emmett’s chest as it shakes with laughter. The entire room joins in, and my cheeks heat—because once again, kissing him made me go momentarily brainless in front of our friends and colleagues. I wonder if it’ll always be like this, neither of us able to control ourselves when the other is around. My guess is no, since we’ve been this way since high school, but it’s fine. I’m perfectly happy knowing that I’ll get the most passionate kisses every day for the rest of our lives.
I love the sound of that.
THIRTY-NINE
EMMETT
“Fuck yeah!”Maddox shouts, slapping Jett’s shoulder as he waves Stella’s garter above his head. After a night of dancing and fun at our reception, things are coming to an end. But not before our very well-thought-out scheme comes to fruition.
When Jett told us he was ready to take his relationship with Bailey to the next level, Stella insisted he catch her off guard by proposing at the very last place she’d expect. She’s unknowingly foiled two of his previous plans already. The first time, she got car sick, which wasn’t within her control. But the second, she forgot her purse at home, causing them to miss the plane he had hired to pull a sign that saidBailey, will you marry me?The poor guy has been trying to wife her up for months, to no avail. But tonight, the quest will come to an end.
“All right!” the DJ says into his microphone as electronic music continues to bump through the speakers. “Can I get all the single ladies up front for the bouquet toss? Who’s ready to be next in line for wedded bliss?”Stella takes her spot up front as the girls shuffle in, everyone but Bailey aware of what’s about to happen. Nerves and excitement wash over me, rivaling the very emotions that I felt right before both of my proposals. We all know what the answer is going to be today, butfuck, I’m antsy for my teammate.
“On the count of three, our beautiful bride is going to throw her bouquet. Everybody ready?” he asks. The girls pretend to stretch, readying themselves to make the grab right before the DJ begins the countdown. “One! Two! Three!”
Instead of tossing the flowers over her shoulder, Stella turns, her gorgeous hips swaying as she makes a beeline for her friend and extends the bouquet between them. Bailey’s brows pull in, confusion written all over her face, but she takes the offering, stumbling just slightly as my wife takes her by the shoulders and spins her around. The entire crowd gasps as Jett drops to one knee in front of her, opening the turquoise box in his hand to reveal a gigantic sparkling diamond. Bailey’s free hand flies up over her mouth, tears spilling down her cheeks as she looks at him.
“Bailey Faith Hart,” he says, his voice trembling. “When we were twelve years old, we made a pact—that if we were still single by the time we were twenty-five, we’d marry each other. That was the day I started counting down, hoping that no other lucky man would get to you before then, because I couldn’t see any kind of future where you weren’t my wife. Now, here we are—twenty-six, and so in love that it hurts. The only thing that could make it better is giving you my last name—or me takingyours, if that’s what you want. But please, baby. Be mine forever. Will you marry me?”
Unable to speak, Bailey nods her head so fast that I think she may give herself whiplash. Everyone watching bursts into raucous cheers, clapping loudly as Jett slides the ring on his fiancée’s finger, stands, and lifts her off her feet. She squeals as he presses his lips to hers in a chaste kiss—one that could never be mine and Stella’s because we’d much rather dry hump in front of a crowd than hold ourselves back—before placing her back onto her feet. The girls take the opportunity to rush their friend, demanding a closer look at the ring as the guys and I congratulate our tight end. We celebrate loudly, love swirling in the air around us while dance music vibrates the floor under our feet. But when I catch my wife’s attention, those big, beautiful golden-brown pools conveying all the happiness she’s feeling, I know I need to get her out of here. Jett wasn’t the only one with a plan for the evening, and now that all the attention is on them, it’ll be easy to leave without anyone giving a fuck.
I sneak over, bending down and throwing Stella over my shoulder. She screams, my name coming out in a tinkling laugh as I give her ass a small swat. “Say good night to your friends, Mrs. Hayes,” I tell her, turning so she’s face-to-face with Arden, Livvy, Sydney, Bailey, and Lauren.
“Byeeeeee,” she says sweetly, her little body bouncing on my shoulder as I move toward the exit. She giggles softly all the way to my truck, where I open the door and deposit her onto the front seat.
“Where are we going?” she asks as I reach across andbuckle her in, only answering with a charming wink before making sure her dress is out of the way and closing her inside. I run around the hood, grateful that the guys took care of everything else so I didn’t have to worry about making any stops. It isn’t long before we’re pulling out of the parking lot and driving toward Lake Erie with the full moon illuminating the darkened road ahead.
“Helloooooo…” she implores, drawing out the word. “Are you just kidnapping me? Gonna take me to some dark, wooded area and have your wicked way with me?”
I chuckle, turning my head. She’s as beautiful as ever, her skin flushed and glowing from a night of dancing. My heart squeezes in my chest, thankful that I’m actually getting her alone for the first time in two days. With all the commotion, I feel like we’ve barely seen each other.
