Page 80 of Never Stop
And I was nervous as all get out.
When I’d married Dana, I was cocky. We were one of the first in our class to get hitched. But back then, we didn’t know what it entailed. We only knew we were of legal age and we could do it. Since I chose to not go to college, I figured I’d make my choice worth it and get hitched. The only thing worth getting married so young was getting Cheyenne out of the deal.
It still hurts my heart how everything turned out in the end. When I was getting divorced, I was no longer in love with Dana, but every day I wish she were still here for Cheyenne. I was certain Dana looked down on Cheyenne, watching her grow up to be just like her.
“Who would have ever thought we’d be here again?”
I looked toward Avery from the reflection of the mirror as we both straightened our ties. Gary was out checking to see if any guests were arriving yet.
“Ma.” I chuckled.
He laughed in return. “If she only knew all the tail you used to get, she’d probably have thought it was hopeless.”
I groaned. “I thought I was hopeless. Fuck—I never thought I’d be with one woman for the rest of my life.” I didn’t even think I would be monogamous when I was married to Dana.And I sure as shit wasn’t.
“Feels good, huh?” Avery smirked.
I finished with my teal tie and turned to sit in one of the worn brown leather chairs in the Groom’s Room. “Let’s not start your hopeless romantic bullshit today.”
He followed and sat in the chair next to me. “Whatever. You just better not fuck it up this time.”
I rolled my eyes. “Do you think you could have stayed married to Dana?” I asked.
Avery grabbed the bottle of whiskey and poured us each two fingers. “I would never have cheated on her to begin with.”
“I’m not going to cheat on Brooke. This is different.” I took a swallow of the amber liquid.
He held my gaze for a few beats. “I know it is.”
“Good. Can we drop it now? It’s my fucking wedding day.” I glared at him. I didn’t want to be grilled. I wanted to marry the love of my life.
He cracked a smile. “Yeah. Let’s go get you hitched.”
I couldn’t breathe.
The glow around Brooke as she walked down the white linen covered aisle, took my breath away.
She was beautiful.
She was stunning.
She was gorgeous.
She wasbreathtaking.
We were getting married on a rooftop in Tribeca that had a three-hundred and sixty degree view of the city. You could see the Hudson River, the Empire State Building, Soho and downtown Manhattan as you walked around the sides of the roof.
Cheyenne had walked down the aisle, tossing red rose petals as she went. When she got to where I was standing, she handed Avery the rings.
“Good job, baby girl.” I smiled, and she looked up at me, a grin plastered on her face.
“You look nice, Daddy.”
A lump formed in my throat as it hit me that she was allowing me to marry again. She was involved in the wedding and accepting that Brooke was going to be her step-mother. When I introduced Cheyenne to Brooke the first time before Chey’s softball game, I’d wanted her to approve of Brooke. When she said she was okay with Brooke moving in with us, it was a check on the approval list. And yet another check when she told me that the halo ring I’d picked out was perfect. But now—now, I was officially marrying the woman who had helped me become a better father for my baby girl, and my Peanut was happy for us.
Brooke was officially one-hundred percent approved.
“Thanks, Peanut,” I replied quickly so no one knew I was having a moment. “You’re very beautiful in your teal dress.”
