Intent(70)

Ace hands over the license and Martha rushes excitedly to her home to get Ralph while Ace and I walk into the chapel. The inside is immaculately decorated and I’m instantly pleased with Ace’s wedding location choice. I pick up the book that lists all the available packages and start thumbing through the pages.

“Before you pick one of the indoor packages, let me show you the outdoor options,” Ace says with a sly smile.

“Okay, show me.” I follow him through the French patio doors in the rear of the chapel and out onto a beautiful expanse of thick, green grass. Covering the entire backyard, the lush carpet of grass is perfect for a barefoot wedding. The huge barn at the end of the yard makes the perfect backdrop with its contrasting dark wood, the green grass, and the multitude of blooming rose bushes. A tall tree with long, shady limbs stands proudly to the side of the barn.

“So you found the oasis,” Martha says from behind us. “I love it out here. We cleared the trees off from that little nook so we can get amazing shots of the mountain range, the valley, and the sky.”

“You have a beautiful place here. I love it,” I reply.

Martha wraps her arm around my shoulder. “You are welcome to come out here anytime. Since you’re about to marry Ace, I assume you’re staying in town for a while longer.”

Laughing, I reply, “Yes, a little while anyway.”

“Yeah, like forever,” Ace chimes in. “You think I’m ever letting her leave? No way.”

“You’re both sure you want to do this today? You don’t want to wait and invite a few people to be here with you?” Martha asks hopefully.

“Today’s the day,” Ace replies. “No time like the present, right?”

“Here comes Ralph now.” Martha looks over our shoulders at her approaching husband. Judging by the admiration in her eyes, it’s obvious she still loves him as much today as when they were first married.

Ralph hugs Ace in a manly embrace and says hello. “This isn’t the same girl you brought by here yesterday. Are you trying to pull my leg?”

The teasing glint in Ralph’s eye looks familiar, a lot like the one Ace uses on me. With these two together, I don’t stand a chance.

Ace shushes him with a conspiratorial sideways glance. “Ralph, you’re not supposed to tell her.”

“Oh, my bad. What was your name again, young lady? Are you Lana? Or are you Leslie?” He’s still teasing, trying to rile me up.

“Nah, they’re both long gone now. I ran them off. My name is Layne, and I’ll be the last one who comes here with him.”

Ralph looks at Ace, who’s beaming with pride at my retort. “I like her. You’d better keep her happy or some guy will come along and snatch her away from you.”

“They’d never find his body,” Ace asserts.

Ralph and Ace lock eyes and a knowing smile crosses Ralph’s face. “You’ve found the one for you, haven’t you?”

“I sure have,” Ace replies to Ralph but looks at me. “Found her and can’t live without her now.”

“Let’s get you two hitched, then,” Ralph replies.

With a simple ceremony under the branches of the shade tree, Ace and I exchange our vows, with an emphasis on “till death do us part,” after every phrase we recite. He slides a ring onto my finger that I didn’t even know he had, and I gasp audibly at how beautiful it is.

“You didn’t think I’d propose and not have a ring for you, did you?” he whispers.

When it’s my turn to put a ring on his finger, a moment of panic surges through me. Ace reaches in his pocket and retrieves a simple wedding band and hands it to me. “You thought of everything, didn’t you?”

He winks at me and I take the ring from him and recite the words after Ralph says them. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

“Don’t forget to add ‘till death do us part,’” Ace reminds me.

“With this ring, I thee wed, till death do us part.” I can’t help but giggle at his insistence, but I also can’t help but feel loved and cherished for it.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride,” Ralph states with pride.

Ace crushes his lips to mine to seal the ceremony. His tongue slides across my lips and presses against the part until I give him full access. Our first kiss as a married couple makes me weak in the knees. It’s perfect—soft and sweet, with undercurrents of sexual tension and barely controlled passion.

“Mrs. Sharp, I’d love nothing more than to take you away now,” Ace murmurs against my lips.

“Mr. Sharp, I’m all yours.”





Chapter Twenty-Three





ACE



I can’t believe she agreed to marry me.

That impromptu, ridiculous proposal wasn’t exactly the stuff dreams are made of. But she still said yes.

The ceremony wasn’t planned, her friends and family weren’t invited or even told about it, and it was held under the limbs of a huge tree. But she still said, “I do.”

The whole thing has to be the most unimaginative, unromantic proposal and wedding ceremony ever. But she still took my name.

We’re in my truck leaving from the chapel and I glance over at her. She has the most angelic glow and the most beautiful smile.