Page 65 of Our Last Chance at Forever

For some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to write our own vows but standing up there with everyone’s eyes on me, I was seriously regretting that decision. The preacher asked Mason to say his vows and I met his eyes.

“Lennox, you came into my life and was exactly what I didn’t know I needed. I was angry, bitter, and falling apart when I met you. But, one day with you changed it all. Even with everything stacked against us, we made it though. I vow to love you every day for the rest of my life. You are the world to me and I will spend everyday of forever proving that to you again and again.”

I felt a tear slide down my cheek.

“Lennox, you may recite your vows,” the preacher said.

“Mason, I’ve worked on this for months, but nothing was ever good enough. I thought something would come to me when I was standing here in front of you and it has. I couldn’t come up with the perfect vows because we’re not perfect. Nothing about us has ever been perfect. I crashed into your life the same way you crashed into mine. From the moment I saw you, you swept me off my feet. I fell so deeply in love with you that I wasn’t a whole person on my own. It was only when I returned to you, that I realized I couldn’t live another day without you. Mason, you are the only one that has ever had my heart. I gave it to you a long time ago, but now I know that you will keep it forever.”

Sure, I could’ve came up with something better, but I meant every word of what I said. Mason and I, we were a train wreck. We never did anything right, and trouble seemed to follow us everywhere we went. Everything we tried to do was always fucked up. Finally, after we got everyone out of our way, one by one, we were able to become who we truly were. I couldn’t wait to have that ring on my finger and start the rest of our lives. I didn’t know where we would end up, but I didn’t care as long as he was by my side.

We placed the rings on one another’s fingers and the preacher announced us.

“You may kiss your bride,” he said causing a smile to break out across mine and Mason’s faces.

He didn’t waste any time. He pulled me in quickly and pressed his lips to mine like he couldn’t wait another second to kiss his wife. I could feel all the emotions rising up inside of me. Love, relief, happiness, they overjoyed me and a tear slid down my cheek. When he pulled back, he wiped my tear away.

“I give you, Mr. and Mrs. Mason Reynolds.”

Mason and I turned toward the crowd while the guests stood and clapped. Emma managed to get away from Kathryn and she came running up to us. Mason picked her up as the photographer snapped a quick picture. The three of us made our way back down the aisle.

The day couldn’t have been any more perfect. I was married to Mason, we had our baby girl, Chris was gone and out of the picture forever, and we could finally have our happily ever after.

After Mason, Emma, and myself were finally finished with pictures, we made our way to the tent. When we walked in, the DJ announced us and played our song. Mason took me by the hand and led me to the center of the makeshift dance floor where “Amazed” by Lonestar played for our first dance as a married couple.

That was our song, the song we never picked but a song that claimed us just as we had claimed one another.

Mason began to quietly sing the song to me while we danced. I looked into his eyes and felt every word. Nobody else was around, it was just us out on that dance floor. I didn’t want to look away from him while he sang his heart out and bared his soul to me. The song wrapped up and he pressed his lips to mine for a long, sweet kiss. The crowd stood and cheered. I was lead off the dance floor to start talking to the guests and get the party started.

We didn’t havea bridal party table, we only had close friends and family so we all sat at one big table. I sat next to Mason with Emma on his lap, surrounded by all our friends and family. It was better than I ever could have imagined. I didn’t want a big fancy wedding. I only wanted what I held nearest to my heart, and all of them were there.

We began eating when Alissa decided to kick off the toasts. She tapped her champagne glass and stood, getting everyone’s attention.

“I just wanted to say a few words before I get too drunk to do so,” she said causing everyone to laugh.

“I’ve known Lennox since I was twenty-one. She has been my best friend since the night she came stumbling into the bar I was working at in Tennessee. We instantly became friends and she hired me on the spot to travel and become her personal assistant. She doesn’t know it, but she forever changed my life that night. I was from a broken home, a broken girl who ran away from her problems to end up being damn near homeless and working in a bar. I remember after about five shots of Jack, she finally said, “I don’t know you very well, but I think you need to come with me on the road.” I laughed remembering the night we met.

“I said, ‘why in the hell would I go out on the road with you? I don’t even know you.’ And she said, ‘What else are you going to do?’ That right there showed me, she was just as crazy as I was. Yeah, it could have went bad and I could’ve gotten stranded in California, but she kept me by her side the whole way through. She let me stay with her until I had enough money to get my own place and she has always been there when I needed her. I’ve watched her start at the bottom and work her way to the top. I’ve watched her trip, stumble, and fall through life, but she’s finally where she needs to be. She found the best guy possible, he adores her and their little girl, and he will stop at nothing to keep them safe. I know, I’ve seen it,” she said with a smile.

“Lennox, Mason, what I’m really trying to say is, if anyone can make this work, it’s you two. I love you both.” She tilted her glass to us before sitting down.

I reached for her hand. “I love you too,” I mouthed the words with tears in my eyes.

We all looked to Dane, expecting his speech. He looked up from his plate.

“Oh, I have to be drunk before I can give a speech. Find me later.” He offered up a grin and held up his champagne glass.

We laughed but didn’t put any pressure on him. I looked around, everyone I had ever loved was right there. I looked over to my husband with our little girl on his lap and felt nothing but joy and love.

Emma wouldn’t letMason get a bite in, she would steal it every time. I couldn’t do anything but laugh. He would give her anything and that proved it since I knew he had be starving. I looked at her curly brown hair and her ice-blue eyes and knew I had everything I could ever need.

After everyone ate, the music was turned up and everyone began dancing.

“Can I have this dance?” Dad asked.

“Of course,” I said taking his hand.

We walked to the center of the dance floor and began to move along with the music.

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