Page 85 of Forever Flirting

“Diane…” she prompted.

“Everly Diane Briscoe,” Alex continued dutifully… and let out a shaky sigh, before smiling shyly at her in wonder.

“Everly Diane Briscoe… Wilcox,” he repeated, brushing his thumbs over her knuckles where he held her hands in his between them. “I always wondered what your name was since that night. It seems somehow so right to finally say it fully, now that you are taking my name in marriage.”

Everly couldn’t help the tearful smile that touched her lips as she heard the gratitude and relief in his words.

“I’ve never paid attention, never looked twice at someone, and wasn’t a good person, until I saw my reflection in your eyes… and I wanted to be the man you saw somehow within me. Just meeting you, seeing your eyes, your smile, and kissing you that first time, was like…” Alex struggled, letting out his breath and then sniffing as he blinked.

“I know people talk about sudden recognition, an indescribable understanding or comprehension, but to see it –to feel it– in action? That is a miracle.”

Alex swallowed, and nodded, looking at their hands.

“Meeting you was like allowing a blind man to see for one moment in time, giving a deaf person the chance to hear the voice of the person he cares most about, or letting a person with blurred vision don a pair of glasses before having them ripped away… that fundamental knowledge was suddenly given to me who my soulmate was – and then knowing you’d left,” he whispered hoarsely, his voice thick with feeling as he looked up at her.

“… And I understand why. I was frightened, alarmed, fighting it – and felt it all slam back into place so suddenly when I saw you once more in front of your office, on the sidewalk, but in your eyes? … I amhome, Everly.”

He smiled tearfully at her, no longer hiding his emotions, and she felt her own tears track down her cheeks at the beauty of his words, recognizing them.

“Your heart, your soul, your very presence ismyhome, and I am no longer whole without you. I don’t care if people think this is fast, if people judge me for my past, or if people think that I’m not the right man for you – because I know…” he hesitated, his voice gruff. “Iknowthat there is no one else for me – and I am honored to become your husband.”

Alex’s hand was trembling as he slid the wedding band on her finger, and laughed slightly as it got stuck at her knuckle – only for Everly to nudge it over, and he put it against the diamond anniversary band.

She took hold of Alex’s wedding band in her fingers, and moved to hold it over his finger, speaking her own heart as she met his eyes.

“I, Everly Diane Briscoe, do take you, Alex Kendall Wilcox, for my husband… because I feel the same as you. I see something so beautiful within your eyes, your heart, and soul… and recognize it as a part of my own; so strong, so visceral a connection, that it’s almost overwhelming to behold.”

He chuckled tearfully and nodded, smiling at her.

“That first meeting, I could feel you, sense you, and when I laid eyes on you, it was recognizing a part of me was housed within a stranger I never expected – and slightly frightening at how fast that attraction was there. Just seeing you, meeting you, holding your hand, makes me believe in what our forever could be like… and that was not something I had ever imagined for myself. I never wanted ties, spent years building a career, yet now? I see my home, my world, my future, in your very smile.”

Everly slid the ring to his knuckle, still holding his hand, and spoke.

“I want those days at the park, those holidays with our family, a home, a future with all of us… I want our friends to share in our joy, knowing they are welcomed in love and a part of our world, our family,” she breathed – and saw Mallory nod tearfully, kissing Caleb on the cheek as he chewed on his finger, watching them curiously.

“You are my partner, my soulmate, my best friend, and my confidante. You are the person I share my deepest secrets with, the person I turn to when I need to smile, and you are the one that makes me feel whole just holding my hand, hugging me, or smiling back at me.”

Her breath shook as she slid the wedding band to rest in place for all time on his ring finger, as she met his glistening hazel eyes so full of love, that it made her hesitate at the intensity of recognition within her soul.

“… And when you kiss me,” Everly whispered softly, her voice thick with emotion. “When you whisper that you love me, tell me I am yours, or look at me just like you are doing now… Iseeour forever, Alex, and I am honored to become your wife today.”

“I love you,” he whispered, pulling her into his arms, and moving to kiss her as the officiant was speaking above them – and a flurry of voices could be heard in the background as she focused on holding the man of her dreams in her arms, kissing him with everything in her.

“My Daddy kiss my Ebberleee?”

“Omigosh, I love weddings, Hunter…”

“Somebody pass me a tissue…”

“He’s awfully mushy.”

“Aeron, it’s sweet they are so in love.”

“Hey, I love you – I love you every night, babe…”

“You know what I mean!”

“Daddy no’leggo?”

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