Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 102754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Roque stood across from me, looking at me like he had the day he proposed—with that quiet steadiness that grounded me even when I didn’t know I needed grounding.
He looked calm, whereas I looked like I might cry. That realization made me dread seeing our wedding photos later.
And between us stood Hurst Townsend, in a clean button-up and worn boots, glasses perched on his nose as he flipped through the hand-typed script he’d written himself. Ned stood beside him, arms crossed, grinning like he was holding in a hundred comments.
“All right,” Hurst drawled, clearing his throat dramatically. “We’re gathered here today—God help us—to witness Sayla Du Plessis willingly marry this man right here, this man—” he gestured at Roque with exaggerated caution “—Roque Edwards. Sayla…” he tilted his head, eyes narrowed, “…you are here willingly, aren’t you?” When I confirmed I was, he pressed, “And you’re sure?”
The crowd laughed. “Still sure.”
Hurst nodded, turning to Ned. “Governor, she says she’s sure.”
Ned raised a brow. “Let’s keep checking, it could be nerves.”
Hurst held his hands up. “Fair enough. We’ve got a bit of ceremony to get through, so there’s plenty of time for her to come to her senses.”
Roque shook his head, trying not to laugh.
Kairo looked up at me, confused. “Why they ask that?”
“Because they’re silly,” I said, brushing his hair back. “And because they love us.”
That seemed to satisfy him.
The vows came next. Roque’s were quiet and steady, the kind of words that didn’t try to be poetic but landed with weight and warmth. “You didn’t just love me, you found me and helped create a world for me and the kids to thrive in. And I want to spend the rest of my life being the safest place for you, the way you’ve been for us.”
I kept thinking about how awful the photos would look if I cried, and it managed to deter the ugly crying that wanted to burst out of me.
I went next. I told him how I hadn’t just found a partner, I’d found a family. How I’d never planned for this, never expected this kind of life, but now I couldn’t imagine anything without them in it. I promised to keep showing up and love them as fiercely as I had from the start.
“Still sure?” Hurst asked again, tugging a handkerchief from his pocket as he dabbed his eyes. “We’re at the point of no return, sweetheart.”
“She’s sure,” Roque answered for me, his voice rough.
“I am,” I laughed, reaching for him.
Ned stepped forward with the rings and passed them to the kids, looking between us with mock solemnity. “Well, you heard her, Hurst. Time to seal the deal.”
Kaida handed Roque my ring with both hands, whispering, “Don’t drop.”
Kairo gave me Roque’s with intense focus and a very serious nod. “You have to be gentle.”
We exchanged rings, and Roque’s thumb brushed over my hand like he was memorizing the moment.
Hurst looked between us, finally serious. “By the power vested in me by the state of Texas and the very persistent Governor Ned Thorn—who would not stop calling me about this—” Ned gave a dramatic bow, “—I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Roque was already pulling me in before Hurst could add, “You may now kiss the bride, though I guess it’s a little late to change—”
I kissed him before Hurst could finish.
Later, we danced barefoot under the stars. Kairo stood on Roque’s feet to dance with him while Kaida fell asleep in my arms, clutching a squishy piece of cake. It may not have been the fairytale wedding people dreamed of, held in a grand property with marble and perfection, but it was our fairytale, and that’s all that mattered.
Two months later…
We’d decided early on that when it came to their adoption, the choice would be down to what the kids wanted. When they were old enough to understand what it meant and what they wanted, we’d let them decide. It mattered that the officiality came from them, not from a decision we made for them.
But for now, I had something else to do—something all my friends had already done. I’d been putting it off for months and dreaded it more than I wanted to admit. But now the trials were over, and my new nails and dog pampering products were about to be released, the right people were behind bars, and the kids were safe, happy, and thriving, so there were no more excuses.
I tapped the screen on my phone and hit record, trying to calm the nerves buzzing in my chest.
“Hey,” I said, smiling gently at the camera. “My name’s Sayla Edwards. And if you’ve been following along, you know my friends started a little series called ‘When You Know You’ve Found Your Forever.’”
I paused, my smile growing as my eyes softened.
“Well, it’s my turn now. And this is how I found the man—and the kids—I never knew my heart was waiting for.”