The Billionaire's Temporary Bride (Scandal, Inc #3)(90)
Her pulse quickened as she looked to the crowd. Her parents were standing next to Jack's mom, and her sister was with Jack's siblings. Her mother was holding baby Emma in her arms. Charlotte found it hard to remember a time when the Coburns and the Crowleys weren't one big, happy family.
Both families had spent the week at the house in the lead up to the renewal of vows. Unlike her first visit, the house had felt alive with laughter and conversation. Every morning, after Charlotte would come downstairs to her father and Jack's mother having spirited debates about politics, or to everyone fussing over baby Emma. The week had been such a success that Angela had already insisted on having her parents back for two weeks the next summer.
Even Jack and Caroline were getting along better than ever. After Jack left politics, he and Caroline co-founded the Coburn Family Foundation. They had spent the past year and a half working together to fund projects that were near and dear to their hearts. Jack had brought several members of his congressional and campaign staff to jumpstart the organization. Caroline was able to use her social connections to raise even more funds and awareness for the foundation's core causes: conservation, education, and assistance for single mothers. Whit even helped set up a micro lending program in the Caribbean.
Jack had resigned from political life in order to prove his love for Charlotte, but he ended up saving his relationship with his family as well. It was like he had freed them from the ghosts that had haunted them for years and years. By choosing to move on with Charlotte, he had helped them to move on too. Charlotte couldn't help but think that they had never looked happier than when they joined hundreds of family and friends to witness Charlotte and Jack renew their vows.
Jack squeezed Charlotte's hand. "You've got this love," he said. She smiled and looked down at her simple white dress. She thought about the beautiful home they had built together, the joy of waking up next to Jack every morning and all the times they had taken turns to soothe baby Emma back to sleep in the middle of the night. Jack was right. She had this. She had everything she could possibly want.
Charlotte turned to the crowd. "I used to have this theory that you could see true love, that two people who loved each other could light up a room with the raw power of their love, but now I know for sure. As I look to all of you today I'm so overwhelmed by love that I feel like my heart might burst." She turned to Jack. "'Every day I watch you light up the lives of the people you love, family and friends and, most of all, me. I can't imagine what it would be like to spend another moment without you, and I never want to find out. Jack, I love you more than I knew possible."
"I love you too," Jack said. His voice broke halfway through his words, and Charlotte could see the tears welling up in his eyes. "Now that's how you give a wedding speech."
Charlotte laughed and kissed him. She felt like she could slip into the warmth of that kiss and stay there forever. Forever, she thought, that sounds just about right.