Forbidden Falls (Virgin River #9)(111)

“I love you, Noah. I tried not to. I usually screw up love situations. But, apparently, we have that in common.” She grinned. “A good start.”

“You won’t leave me?”

“Why would I leave you? I adore you. And unless I’m completely stupid, you just asked me to marry you.”

“I did. We should give the kids some time to get used to the idea. And we should find a house that can hold us, but as soon as we can work out the details, we should get married.”

“Okay,” she said. “Am I late for rehearsal?”

“We were waiting for you,” he explained. “Then Walt said he saw you struggling with luggage and thought maybe you weren’t coming, that you were leaving.”

She laughed a bit. “Noah, these are Vanni’s hand-me-downs. I thought I had time to unpack them before the rehearsal.”

He was shocked silent for a moment, absorbing this, then he grabbed her and kissed her hard. And he said, “I have a feeling I bit off more than I can chew with you.”

“No question about that, Your Holiness.”

The church was decorated in fall floral arrangements. The ribbons that held turning leaves, dark yellow roses, coral tulips and red calla lilies together were brown, orange, yellow and red. Two big sprays at the front of the church tied the whole look together. The decorations were an amazing complement to the shining dark wood of the pews.

Ellie’s role in the ceremony was small but important. When everyone was ready, she pressed Play on the stereo, then went back to sit beside Paul Haggerty so she could hang on to Hannah. The priest and Noah entered from the right, standing together at the front of the church. Luke and Sean Riordan entered from the left. Vanessa came down the aisle and, Hannah, standing in Ellie’s lap, raised a fat little hand and yelled, “Mama!”

Vanni beamed at her and blew her a kiss as she passed.

Ellie glanced over her shoulder to smile at her children, seated with Jo and Nick. As she did so, she noticed that Jo and Nick were holding hands and it gave her a lift in her heart.

Right behind Vanni was Shelby, her glorious long hair pulled back and held away from her face with a few small flowers and flowing down her back to her waist. She looked so petite next to her towering uncle Walt; so radiant as he passed her hand into Luke’s.

Noah began the ceremony. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God—and in the face of this company—to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men and therefore—is not by any—to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly—but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined.”

The priest was next with his part. “Marriage is the union of husband and wife in heart, body and mind. It is intended for their mutual joy—and for the help and comfort given one another in prosperity and adversity. But more importantly—it is a means through which a stable and loving environment may be attained.”

Next the reading of 1 Corinthians 13, which they also shared, reading every other verse, beginning with Noah. “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal…”

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud,” said the priest.

“Love never fails,” said Noah, nearly completing the verse.

And then the priest finished with, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Ellie watched Noah with admiration in her eyes, but Noah didn’t watch Ellie—he was busy. He focused on the couple before him, on the priest beside him. They presented the bride and groom their candles and they lit a unity candle together. He was so at ease, at peace before his own congregation. He was so beautiful. His smile was filled with joy and love; his eyes glowed. He spoke to the bride and groom softly, so softly no one but the couple could hear. He chuckled at something Luke said.

“There is no wedding sermon today,” Noah said. “The bride and groom have decided that the exchange of their vows will provide their message, after which Father Demetrius and I will have the honor of pronouncing them husband and wife. Shelby? Luke?”

Shelby handed off her bouquet and faced Luke, taking both his hands in hers. And she began: “Luke, I love you. I promise that each day I have you in my life, I will show you my love.”

Noah’s eyes drifted to Ellie’s and a smile played about his lips as the bride and groom spoke.

“Shelby, I love you. In each day of our lives together, I will show my love. And where there is injury, I will pardon without hesitation.”

“Where there is doubt, Luke, I will have faith in you.”

“In times of despair, you will be my hope.”

“In times of darkness, I will find my light in you.”

“When there is sadness, let me bring you joy.”

“Luke, I will not so much seek to be consoled as to console.”

“I will seek to understand, not just to be understood.”

“I will love, not just crave love.”

“I pledge you my heart, my life.”

“And I pledge mine to you.”

“I, Luke Riordan, take you, Shelby MacIntyre, to be wife, my best friend, my lover, my partner, the head of my family and other half of my heart. Forever.” He slid a ring on her finger.