Valorous(59)

That, however, is not my concern right now. At the moment, all I can think about is that I’m about to marry the most wonderful man I’ve ever known, and I can’t wait to commit the rest of my life to him.

Everyone else leaves, and I take a last look in the mirror before I declare myself ready. I’m not sure if I should wait in the bedroom or go out to see if Flynn is ready, too.

A soft knock on the door ends my debate. My belly flutters with excitement as I cross the room to answer. Flynn is there in a sexy black suit with a thin tie. His hair has been combed into submission, and he’s freshly shaven. He’s absolutely stunning, and the way he looks at me takes my breath away.

“Natalie… God, you’re beautiful. Come out here and let me see you.” He takes me by the hand and leads me into the enormous living room that’s bigger than my entire apartment in New York. Still holding my hand, he places his other hand over his heart. “I have to be the luckiest guy who ever lived to have found you. And that you love me…”

“I love you so much. I can’t wait to be your wife.”

“Then let’s make it official, shall we?” He hands me a bouquet of white roses and snapdragons and other flowers I don’t recognize. Then he places a call on the house phone, and a few minutes later, the doorbell rings again. This time he admits a man in a suit who gestures for the woman who is with him to enter ahead of him. They both have gray hair and warm, friendly smiles.

“Natalie, this is Judge Henry Gallagher and his wife, Teresa. He’ll marry us, and they’ll serve as our witnesses.”

I shake hands with them. “Nice to meet you both.”

“Likewise,” he says. “We’re both huge fans of your work, Mr. Godfrey.”

“Please, call me Flynn.”

“I have a few things for you both to sign,” Judge Gallagher says.

We take care of the paperwork and decide to stand before the fireplace for the ceremony. When Flynn reaches for my hands and flashes a giddy smile, I set the flowers on a nearby table and take hold of his hands.

All of a sudden, it registers with me that we’re actually doing this. We’re getting married, and I’m not even slightly nervous. That’s because I know without a shadow of a doubt that I’m doing the right thing. The smile that stretches across Flynn’s handsome face lets me know he feels the same way. I squeeze his hands.

“Flynn and Natalie, you have come here tonight to be married. Are you both taking these vows of your own free will?”

“I am,” we say together.

Flynn squeezes my hands.

“Natalie, if you’ll repeat after me.”

I recite my vows, listen to Flynn recite his and become teary when he slides a platinum band on my finger that matches my engagement ring. I panic for a second when I realize I don’t have a ring for him, but of course that’s been taken care of as well.

He produces a matching ring and drops it into my hand with a wink and a smile.

As I slide it onto his finger, the magnitude of what we’re doing seems to hit me all at once, leaving me light-headed and joyful. It’s been so long since I’ve felt anything that could be described as joy, but standing here in a luxurious suite in Las Vegas, marrying the man of my dreams—hell, the man of everyone’s dreams—I know real, true joy for the first time in longer than I can remember.

And then he’s kissing me and the judge is declaring us husband and wife. I’m Flynn Godfrey’s wife.

Flynn produces his phone and asks Mrs. Gallagher to take a picture for us. She takes a dozen and then asks if it would be too much to get one of her with Flynn. Naturally, he obliges and produces an envelope that he hands to them. “A little something to thank you for your time.”

As we’re seeing them off, two tuxedoed waiters arrive, one pushing a table that’s been set for two and the other carrying an ice bucket containing two bottles of champagne. The older of the two says, “When you’re ready, Mr. Godfrey.”

“Give us ten minutes, please.”

“Of course.”

They depart, closing the door behind them and leaving me alone with my husband. My husband. Someone pinch me, please. He wraps his arms around me and buries his face in my hair. “Hello, Mrs. Godfrey.”

I slip my arms inside his suit coat to return the embrace. “Hello, Mr. Godfrey.”

“How does it feel?”

“Unreal. Amazing. Perfect.”