Page 123 of Broken on the Mountain
"Maybe." Her eyes are shining, bright blue and full of everything I never thought I'd have. "Have I ever told you you look good in a tie, Morrison?"
"In fact, you have. Have I ever told youyoulook good in everything, Whitman?"
"Not for long." She squeezes my hands and winks. "In five minutes… I'm a Morrison."
My throat tightens. "Yeah. You are."
The officiant is a friend of Jamie's who's performed half the weddings in Stone River. In the last few years, he's suddenly become a busy man.
He clears his throat. "Shall we begin?"
I nod, not trusting my voice.
He starts talking about love and commitment and choosing each other every day, but I'm only half-listening because Isabelle's tugging on my pant leg whispering, "Daddy, when do I give Mama the ring?"
"Soon, baby," I whisper back. "Real soon."
The officiant gestures to us. "Chase and Piper have prepared their own vows. Chase, whenever you're ready."
I pull the folded paper from my pocket. I've rewritten the thing seventeen times in the past week, but when I open it, the words still somehow manage to blur together.
So I shove it back in my pocket and just... be myself.
"Piper." My voice cracks.Great start, Morrison. "Five years ago, you climbed a fire escape because you wanted to make one terrible decision. Turns out, you made the best decision of both our lives."
She laughs, tears already streaming down her face.
"You chose me when I didn't think I was worth choosing. You stayed when I was sure you'd leave. You built a life here. With me, with Isabella, with this whole chaotic town. And you never looked back." I reach up, thumbing away her tears. "You're my True North, Piper. The thing I navigate by. The direction that always leads home. And I promise to spend every day, every single day, being the man you deserve. The partner you can count on. The dad Isabella needs. The husband who loves you so much it's honestly embarrassing."
"It really is," Knox mutters.
"Shut up, Knox," several people say in unison.
Piper's crying harder now, and I'm pretty sure I'm making it worse, but I keep going.
"I love you. I've loved you since that first week you spent away from here and studied wildflowers just to impress me. I'll love you when we're old and gray and Isabella's bringing home terrible boyfriends I'll have to scare off. I'll love you forever, Chicago. You and me. Forever Friday."
She's full-on sobbing now, and I'm not far behind.
The officiant looks at Piper. "Piper, your vows?"
She wipes her face, takes a shaky breath, and somehow finds her voice.
"Chase Morrison, you absolute disaster of a man."
Everyone laughs, including me. She steps closer, and I can smell her perfume, the special one occasions like this.
"You taught me that home isn't a place. It's a person. It's you, holding me on a mountainside. It's Isabelle, always messy and still perfect. It's this town, this meadow, this life we built together." Her voice breaks. "You're my home, Chase. My safe place. My forever. And I promise to choose you every single day. To be your partner in this beautiful, messy, perfect life."
I'm done. Completely wrecked.
"I love you," she whispers. "So much."
"I love you too."
"Rings!" Isabella announces, apparently deciding we've had enough time for mushy stuff.
She marches forward with her basket, reaches in, and pulls out…
