Page 46 of My Billionaire Seal Next Door

I can't believe I am going to ask her to marry me. But the truth is I cannot be without her. This past week or so without her has been hell and everything about her makes me happy.

Everyone stands to watch them walk out of the church and I watch Gabi. She is effortlessly elegant in that long flowing yellow dress.

I follow behind her family and the large crowd of people as they walk out into the garden. I am the last one to leave the church, not wanting to get in anyone's way as they follow the newlywed couple. I feel completely out of place here.

I stand to the side, underneath a large tree, listening to the crazy chatter and loud noise of the crowd while the photographer somehow manages to organize everyone into the correct groupings. He is bossy and loud which I see now that he really needs to be otherwise, he would never achieve his goals.

Gabi is looking around and I have a feeling she is looking for me, but I think I need to get out of the way here. I ask someone standing nearby where the reception is being held and they point me to a hall down the street, so I head that way. I did not come here to distract Gabi from her family time or her brother's important day.

I walk to the reception alone and the sudden quiet feels heavy. My thoughts travel right back to the first time I saw Gabi when she was moving in across the street from me. Then to the fight, we had in the park over whether or not Bella should be doing the kiddies' bully proof class. I really have to suck it up on that one. I could never have been more wrong. I am so glad Gabi pushed harder and even snuck that pamphlet into my mailbox. I laugh out loud thinking about how angry I had been with her on that day and how I had crumpled it up and thrown it in the bin. It was so rude of me, but I was so determined to get this bossy little firecracker to stop pushing my buttons.

I shake my head with a broad smile on my face.

She drives me crazy in the most beautiful ways.

She is the most beautiful soul I have ever met. Inside and out her beauty shines and you can see it in the way she treats everyone around her and her fierce determination to achieve her goals even when she is faced with the biggest challenges. Just look at what she has achieved in life. I have seen where she grew up now. I know how hard she had to work to get to where she is now. It is beyond impressive.

I arrive at the reception and there is already a crowd there. Some of them glare at me with narrow eyes, wondering who I am, no doubt. An old lady comes over to me and pokes at me with her finger. "Who are you, young man?" I smile. "Alex, I am a friend of Gabi's," I say. "Gabi? Are you her boyfriend? Gabi did not tell us she has a boyfriend." She demands to know, poking at me again.

"Leave the boy alone, Mercy." An older man says with a shaky voice. "Let him be. Come and sit with me and leave the poor boy alone."

"No, Reg, I need to know who he is."

The old man laughs. "No, you don't. Mind your own business and come sit down." I smile at the way they banter between themselves.

Then a younger girl saunters over to me and leans against the wall near where I am standing with my arms folded across my chest.

"So, it is true? Are you Gabi's boyfriend?"

I don't actually know how to answer that. "I am close with Gabi," I say, uncommitted to answering fully until I have had a chance to talk with Gabi. I have no idea who any of these people are and I do not want to upset her by saying something that is not true.

I managed to brush off some other interrogations. I am starting to feel like I am being put under a lot of pressure between the curious glares and the questions from everyone who arrives and immediately notices this tall out-of-place person who does not look like he belongs here. A few times I feel like I should leave, but there is no chance that I am not going to wait this out and tell Gabi how I feel. I have come this far.

I cannot and will not back out now.

After a long wait, I hear a cheer when the bridal party starts arriving.

First Gabi's parents walk in, and her mom actually waves at me cheerfully. I wave back. Then her brother and his new wife walk in, they look lovely together, smiling and glowing with happiness.

Finally, I spot Gabi, standing to the side as everyone cheers for the newlywed couple.

After what feels like forever, I see Gabi walking towards me. My stomach leaps into my throat. Finally, I am going to be able to talk to her.

She reaches me and before I can even say hello someone grabs my arm and then her arm and says, "Come on, the bridal party has to dance with the bride and groom for their first dance." And we are pulled onto the dance floor. The music is loud but slowly and I pull Gabi into my arms. It is too loud to say much with everyone cheering and the music blaring, so I just hold her against me. She melts into my arms and rests her cheek on my shoulder. I lean down and breathe in the smell of her. I can't believe she is in my arms again. I can't believe I was almost ready to give up on the idea of having her in my life forever. I hold her tighter against me and her body feels like it fits perfectly in mine like two puzzle pieces that were just waiting to find each other.

She leans back slightly and looks up at me. Her face is glowing and beautiful. She looks absolutely gorgeous. I have so many things I want to say to her, but I cannot say them now so I do the only thing I can think of doing. I lean down and kiss her. I hold her tight and press my lips against hers. I feel the soft moan vibrate from her lips against mine. I slip my tongue into her mouth and pull her deeper into the kiss, not caring who is around us.

I am completely lost in the moment. Around us, the music softens a little and the song changes, and people drift on and off the dance floor. The crowd has dispersed a bit after the first dance is officially over and I finally feel like Gabi will be able to hear me when I speak.

I lean close to her ear and say, "Gabi, I can't believe I managed to find you. I thought it was your wedding and I almost ran away."

She stares up at me. "What are you doing here though, Alex? Did my mother call you?" She asks nervously.

"No, it was actually Bella who remembered where you told her you were going and then I remembered the name of the street you grew up on. It was not that hard to find out the number by asking a few of your neighbors and then there I was, at your mother's front door."

I smile down at her, her body still pressed against mine.

"So, my mom did not phone you? She did not tell you to come?"

---