The Resurrection of Wildflowers (Wildflower #2)(89)

CHAPTER 54





SALEM





It’s beneath the treehouse, the entire structure covered in the peonies Thayer has lovingly grown for me, and a bouquet of them in my hands, just two months after finding out we’re having our second baby, that we’re having our official wedding ceremony in front of our loved ones.

Ironically, it was this same day a year ago that I returned to Hawthorne Mills, and now I never plan to leave this small town. We didn’t plan for it to work out that way. Thayer just wanted to finally have a real ceremony, and to make good on our promise to Seda that she could be the flower girl.

The backyard is covered in peonies and white twinkle lights. It looks like something out of a dream.

I walk down our makeshift aisle on my own.

I don’t need someone to give me away. I’m not an object to be given to another. I’m my own person and I chose to be Thayer’s partner, his equal, a long time ago.

My bare feet brush over the grass mixed with the petals Seda scattered. She stands at Thayer’s side, smiling like a sweet little fool. Her blonde hair is curled in ringlets, hanging down her back, with a floral headband sitting like a crown on top of her head.

She’s so beautiful and so grown up.

I haven’t even made it to Thayer and I’m already going to cry.

The people we have here with us are an eclectic mix. Thayer’s parents and brother, my sister and her family, Caleb, Cynthia and Thelma, Lauren and her husband Anthony, Hannah and Susanne from my cupcake shop, and even Jen that owns the shop in town and who has become a good friend. At the end with Thayer and Seda sits Binx and Winnie. Binx looks dapper with a bowtie and Winnie is sporting a tutu, both made by Thayer.

I finally reach the end, stopping beside my husband.

There’s no officiant since our marriage is already official, this is just the icing on the cake, I guess.

Thayer’s eyes crinkle at the corners. There’s more gray at his temples now than a year ago, but I love it. I love him.

We’re going to be exchanging our own vows today, new rings as well, since before we just got whatever we could in Vegas and it was nothing special or meaningful.

Thayer looks down, at the small swell of my belly pushing against the white satin of my slip dress. You can barely tell I’m pregnant yet, but soon enough my belly will pop. We’ve decided not to find out the gender. We thought it would be more special to wait until the birth. The anticipation might kill me, but I know it’ll be worth it.

Thayer clears his throat. “I’ll go first.” He takes each of my hands in his. “When you came into my life almost eight years ago, I should’ve known from the get go that you were going to shake up my life. With your blonde hair, long legs, and beautiful smile you were the most gorgeous thing I’d ever seen but also the most confounding. It drove me crazy when I realized you were running so early in the mornings and the way you’d sit on your roof nearly gave me a heart attack.” I laugh, shaking my head. I think I worried everybody but myself with my love of sitting on the roof. “I fell for you slowly, accidentally, and suddenly you became my whole world. Our journey to this moment wasn’t a straight line. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but they’ve made us who we are, and I love you, I love us, and I love the life we’ve built together despite everything stacked between us.”

I pull one of my hands from his, wiping beneath my eyes. “You made me cry.”

Chuckles sound around us and Thayer smiles down at me.

I give myself a moment to catch my breath before I start.

“Thayer, Thayer, Thayer,” I cluck my tongue. “Do you remember the first thing you ever said to me?” He smiles, knowing where I’m going with this. He certainly didn’t smile at me that day. Oh, no, all this man did for the longest time was glare and grunt at me like some prehistoric caveman. “You said, and I quote, ‘You’re trespassing.’” I make my voice deeper when I say it, ringing out laughs from everyone. “And now you’re marrying that trespasser in the exact spot you were that day. How about that?” His smile grows bigger. “You said it best when you said our path wasn’t linear. There’s been a lot of trials and tribulations thrown our way, but somehow, we’ve come out stronger in the end. Thank you for letting me love you. Thank you for choosing me. I love you. Today. Tomorrow. All my days.”

I sound like such a sap, but I’m pregnant so I’m allowed to be.

Cupping my cheeks, he leans forward and brushes his nose against mine, our lips a breath apart. “I love you, too, Sunshine.”

His lips meet mine, kissing me with a promise.

When we break apart, Lauren passes me his new ring and Laith hands Thayer mine.

I slip the thick black band onto his finger. The inside is gold, so he’ll always have the sun close to his heart.

He takes my left hand, smiling as he slips the ring in place. It’s gold with suns carved into it all the way around. It’s perfect and I love that we had similar thoughts with our choices.

He kisses me again, his hand on my stomach.

A year ago, I was still angry at him.

A year ago, I was terrified to face him.

A year ago, I never could’ve imagined us standing in this spot.

But a lot can happen in twelve months. That’s three-hundred and sixty-five days of change.