Hard to Love You (Love #3)(19)
Author: Megan Smith

“Alright, let’s do this.”

Jackson and Cooper both reach out for our handshakes, and then they walk around the chairs and seat a few more guests before they go and wait for Jaylinn and Chloe.

The processional music starts; Chloe, Jackson and Alex are standing up on the deck. All of our friends and family turn, and then Chloe and Jackson, who are both holding Alex’s hands with the ring bearer pillow, start to walk down the aisle. When they are about half way to me, I see Cooper and Jaylinn continue after them. Chloe winks when she reaches me, I stick my hand out for a high five from Alex. Jackson nods and leads Alex to my left while Chloe goes right. Next up are Hailey and Mason. I have to admit they make a nice looking couple, I hope they can work things out between them. Hailey, I can tell, has the fakest smile on her face; Mason has no emotions on display. When Jaylinn reaches me she smiles and winks, and Cooper, just like Jackson, nods as they both take their places. Looking back down the aisle, I notice Hailey’s smile relaxes when she walks past a guy sitting next to her mom and I see Mason’s jaw clench. Interesting. Hailey whispers, “Hey handsome” when she reaches me, I wink back at her.

The music changes to The Wedding March and all our guests stand up.

I suck in a sharp breath, CC is standing before me. Damn, she is stunning; striking really. I never thought this day would actually happen with all that we’ve been through. I nearly lost her in the accident that my damn step-sister Brittany caused. I’ve kept the secret of my dad from her when I knew that I could have trusted her with it. But with all that we’ve been through I don’t think I would change anything about it. It’s our love story. It’s something that she can tell our grandchildren about when we grow old.

CC’s long, chocolate brown hair is all curled and half of it is tied back, by her grandmother’s pins that Elle gave to her this morning, I’m sure. Her wedding dress is breathtaking; it fits her body perfectly. I love all her curves that it shows off; they’re my favorite thing about her figure. As she steps closer, with her arm wrapped in her dad’s, I take a quick glance at him. He’s got a few tears falling, and CC is whispering to him. I’m sure she’s thanking him for being such an amazing dad and telling him how much she loves him. The normally unfazed-by-anything Andrew Cahill is in tears, and it’s all because of his incredible little girl. I wish I could have had a relationship with my dickbag of a dad but he was too self-centered to care about his family. Andrew is handing his little girl over to me today and that is something I’m not going to take lightly. I know deep down that MacKenzie will always be his little girl and I hope someday that I get that with a daughter of my own. I gaze back to CC; she’s got the same tears her dad does now, although she is smiling and laughing. I feel the burn in my eyes the closer she gets. Wow, I can’t believe this is really about to happen.

CC and her dad stop just before me, he places a kiss on her cheek and she places one on his. He turns to me and says, “Take care of her, son.”

“Always,” I hold out my hand to CC, she looks back at her dad one last time before letting go of his and taking mine. An overwhelming feeling of relaxation comes over me now that she has been handed over to me.

As Andrew takes a seat next to Elle, MacKenzie turns and hands her flowers over to Hailey. When she turns back I entwine CC’s fingers with mine. I look up at her, she mouths the words, ‘I love you’ to me. I mouth them back and squeeze her hand. Ryder lets out a high-pitched squeal and everyone chuckles. I glance over to Mom who has him propped up on her lap, watching us. CC and I both whisper over to Ryder that we love him too.

Dylan starts his greeting to our guests as our wedding day proceeds. I’m barely paying attention; I’m so lost in CC’s eyes. She’s incredible, perfect. My palms are sweating and I want to get this wedding done with so I can take a deep breath and relax knowing we’re officially a family now.

CC and I are whispering that we love each other over and over again. Every time I tell her how beautiful she is a new tear falls. She’s so self-conscious now; the accident and C-section did a number on her self-esteem.

My anxiety kicks up a notch; the moment I pour my heart into my vows is almost here. CC and I decided not to share them before the wedding so I feel a little extra pressure. My heart is pounding so loud. Dylan goes on for a few more minutes, talking about our wedding vows.

“You ready?” CC asks me

“Absolutely.”

She smiles and I ask, “You ready?”

“You better believe it.”

“Today, Hunter and MacKenzie have decided to write their own wedding vows.” Dylan informs everyone. He looks at CC and gives her the nod to begin.

CC takes a deep breath. “I promise to be your partner in crime,” I chuckle at the reference to my job, “And your biggest fan. I promise to support your dreams and respect our differences. I promise to laugh with you in good times and struggle with you in bad times.” Tears pour down her face; I reach up and wipe them away with my thumbs. I wink and smile at her. I’m not sure who is shaking more right now, her or me. She takes a shuddering breath and continues. “I will always be there. I will love you and have faith in your love for me, through all our years and all that life may bring us. I … I,” she struggles speaking with the tears. I whisper to her to take a deep breath. My heart skips a beat. “I could conquer the world with one hand as long as you are holding the other.” She gives me the most angelic face I’ve ever seen from her, and I know in this moment that she is my soul mate for life.

She squeezes my hand, giving me the signal that she is finished. The burn in my eyes is back. I’m the luckiest guy to have her standing before me.

I clear my throat, trying to push away the tears, “I promise to choose you every day, to love you always.” I hope she knows that I will always choose her first now, even if it means hurting her. “I will love you faithfully through the trying times, the easy and the hard. To laugh with you, cry with you, grow with you and create with you. You’ve already given me one life,” I look over to Ryder and then back to CC, I feel complete with them. She is still crying but smiling too. “Let’s create more and fill our home with laughter and love. As I have given you my hand to hold, I give you my life to keep.”

I look her intently in the eyes, “I love you.” I say, just for her ears.

Dylan asks for the rings. Jackson helps Alex out and hands him the pillow with our rings on it and gives him a little push towards us. He’s so handsome decked out in his matching suit and tie. He’s been really good, sitting at Jackson’s feet and playing in the sand. We were all thinking that Alex was going to steal our show with his little self.