揑 still can抰 believe you let her talk me into this.?
揢m, because it抯 sweet as pie, Dad. This is棓
揧eah, yeah. The first place we met,?I finish. 揕ike I could ever forget.?
It wouldn抰 be half-bad if I didn抰 have to use the men抯 room to suit up. The shop is the perfect size for our small group of family and close friends, sure. It抯 also easy to shut out anyone who just wants to gawk at the billionaire and the beauty too.
揧ou remember your promise, Dess? You agreed to a media blackout. You won抰 post anything online until it抯 over for twenty-four hours.?I stare at her.
揙h, yeah! I wouldn抰 dream of ruining this.?She gives me one of those teenage grins that seems so grown-up.
I smile back at her. 揑t抯 probably too late to ask, but you抮e still okay with this, aren抰 you??
揇ad, stop. If you抮e getting cold feet, you抣l have to scrounge up a better excuse than me. And if you walked out on Eliza, I抎 probably never talk to you again.?
揘ot even a thought.?I hug my daughter. 揑抦 walking out of here with a wife. I just realized I never checked in with you since the day I proposed. Time flies.?
揑t抯 a godsend. Someone needs to take care of you when I move away.?She smiles softly. 揑抦 just glad it抯 somebody you actually love. I would抳e had to like rent you a friend or something if Eliza hadn抰 shown up.?
揌ell, I抦 not that high maintenance, but I appreciate the thought.?She turns to go as I call, 揌ey, Dess??
揧eah??
揌ave you given any thought to where you抮e moving when the time comes??
Her eyes flare with excitement. 揌onolulu! Where else? With my grades, I抣l moonwalk into the U of Hawaii.?
揧ou抮e serious about this marine biology gig, huh??
揧eah.?She shuffles her feet and nods. It抯 cute how shy she is every time I remember that I抦 not the only one who let fate in this past year. 揌ey, Dad, one more thing…？
揥hat??
揇on抰 think you抮e getting off this cheap whenever I get married.?
揑 wouldn抰 dream of it.?My laugh bounces off the walls as she walks out.
A few minutes later, she抯 at the door again, tapping lightly and cracking it open. 揧ou need to come! They抮e about to get started.?
揙n my way.?
With one last look in the mirror, I抦 as ready for forever as I抣l ever be.
I march out the door and don抰 stop until I抦 standing beside the modified front counter that now sits behind an arch of fully bloomed white orchids.
Destiny strolls down the aisle alone in her coffee-tinted satin dress with the dark blue belt.
Lincoln and Dakota Burns are next with their daughter.
Then Mr. Angelo appears with Eliza on his arm and goddamn, she抯 so bright I regret not having shades.
She looks like the world抯 tastiest three-tiered cake in her strapless white dress with cascading ruffles. Every movement accents her curves through the fabric.
I抦 already throbbing at the thought of pulling it off her later.
Lyle Angelo, my future father-in-law, puts her hand in mine, gives me a death glare, and says, 揟ake good care of her, Lancaster.?
揧ou have my word,?I say, squeezing his hand firmly before I lock eyes with Eliza.
It hurts how beautiful she is.
All soft eyes and glossy smile.
I see the woman who saved me as much as I saved her, the face of my future, and God, the sexiest woman alive梩he one and only梩he treasure I抣l cherish hard and often.
With a dumbstruck smile for my wife-to-be, I turn to another familiar face. Katelyn Storm moonlights as an officiant when she isn抰 working for me.
She would have skinned me alive if I hadn抰 agreed to let her do the ceremony.
揥e抮e going to begin with a special unity ceremony,?she announces for our little audience.
Destiny leaves her spot as maid of honor, moving to the vials and burr grinder on the other side of us. She picks up the vial of toasted vanilla beans and pours it into the grinder before returning to her place.
Misty Angelo, Eliza抯 mother, moves to the unity station next.
She picks up the first vial on Eliza抯 side with a tearful smile梒acao beans.
My turn comes next. I walk over and take the peaberry vial, uncapping it and dumping it into the grinder.
Next, Eliza comes over and empties the vial with our standard Sumatra beans.
As soon as it抯 in, I crank the grinder slowly with Eliza抯 little hand over mine.
With the beans ready, I pass them back to her, watching intently as she sets up a pour over drip on top of a wide-mouthed decorative mug.
Wayne the barista hands her a small goosenecked kettle from behind the counter, already steaming at the perfect temperature.
She brews the coffee quickly and then picks up the mug.