“Never.” He held me tighter. “I love you. Nothing could change that. Nothing.”
Thomas cleared his throat. “I hate to interrupt, but there are two hundred people inside that church waiting for a wedding. It’s your call, Emily. We can send everyone home if you need time. Or we can do this thing.”
“I want to get married,” I said. “I’ve waited my whole life to start over. I’m not letting him take this day from me too.”
Thomas smiled. “Then let’s get you married. But first—who’s walking you down the aisle?”
I looked at my mother. “Mom? Would you?”
She wiped her eyes. Smeared mascara everywhere. Looked like a mess. “Really? You want me?”
“You didn’t know. And now that you do, you’re here. You’re choosing me. That’s all that matters.”
She took my arm. Squared her shoulders. Held her head high despite the tears still streaming down her face.
“Let’s go get you married, baby girl.”
The bikers parted. Fifty leather vests creating a corridor of honor. As we walked through them, each biker nodded respectfully. Some had tears in their eyes.
“Please stay,” I said. “All of you. Please.”
He signaled to his brothers. They filed into the church and stood along the back wall. Fifty bikers in leather and patches, watching over a wedding they’d crashed.
The music started. Everyone turned to look.
I walked down that aisle on my mother’s arm. No father. No pretending. No more lies.
Jake was crying at the altar. His best man looked confused. The priest looked absolutely bewildered.
But when I reached Jake and took his hands, when we looked into each other’s eyes, everything else disappeared.
Continue reading…
