After The One (The One Series Duet) (33 page)

Since I was busy hugging and saying goodbyes, I didn’t pay attention to who paid.

I’m going to have to make them tell me on the way back to the villas.

We were all about to walk out when my father caught my arm. “Sweetheart, can I talk to you for a minute?”

I tilted my head slightly, studying his face. “Of course, Dad.” Looking back at my friends, I said, “I need to talk to my dad.”

“That’s fine,” Keisha replied. “Gives us a chance to check out the gallery.”

“Take your time,” Koko added.

Lenny blew me a kiss and then the three of them caught up to the rest of my family at the elevator.

Sitting back down at our table, I studied my dad’s handsome face. Even though I looked more like my mom, I had my dad’s eyes—although his looked troubled. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I knew whatever he said was going to make me cry. I could feel it.

“What’s going on, Dad?” I asked nervously.

He took his hand and covered mine, patting gently. “I just wanted to give you a little fatherly advice before you get married. When we get back, it’ll be go time. You’ll do all the primping and everything and then there will be people and cameras all around you and I won’t get this chance.”

My eyes watered instantly and I nodded in agreement.

“Marriage is hard, Sweetheart,” he started.

My freshly shaped up and arched eyebrows flew together in bewilderment as I hadn’t expected him to say that. “What?” I snickered, unsure of what emotion I was feeling since I was reeling. “You and Mom are the perfect couple. Your marriage is the kind of marriage I want.”

Dad chuckled as he leaned over to grab his glass from a couple seats down and took a swig of the sweet tea and lemonade combination. “Marriage is hard. Your mother and I work hard at this. We love each other. I love her more today than I did when we got married, but marriage is compromise, sacrifice, and forgiveness as much as it is companionship and love. Your mother and I are best friends and that’s the secret to marriage. You don’t get to thirty years of marriage on that ‘in love’ kind of love. That comes and goes as the years pass. It’s only that real steadfast love that lasts. We put our relationship first and we communicate, and just hearing you talk about him just now…” His voice trailed off as he looked away and nodded. “You and Julian remind me of me and your mother when we were your age, except we already had Zach by then.”

I rolled my eyes playfully. “Dad!” I swatted him.

“If I didn’t at least mention it, your grandma would get on my case.” He laughed. “But on a serious note, stay grateful and thankful for one another. Pray for one another. Build on what you have because when you have real, genuine love as your solid foundation and you are both committed to each other and to your marriage, nothing will stop you. When Julian asked me for your hand in marriage, I had no doubt in my mind that he would take care of my baby girl. You’re in good hands and so is he.”

“Thanks, Dad,” I sniffled as I dabbed at the corners of my eyes. “You’re going to make me cry and you know how I feel about that.”

He stood up. “You are just like your mother,” he teased, extending his hand to help me up.

I threw my arms around my father and clung to his body tightly. He held me like a bear holding his cub and I felt the tears about to spring from my tightly closed lids.

“I love you, Dad.”

“I love you, too, Sweetheart.” He kissed the top of my head. “And I am so proud of you.”

When I lifted my head up, my dad flashed me a crooked smile. “I know how you feel about crying in front of people so how about you run to the ladies room and wipe off some of that makeup that smeared under your eyes. I’m going to call your mother and let her know I wanted to show you one more thing before we’ll be down.”

I nodded and walked off, scared that if I said anything to him the levies would break.

The bathroom was empty and I took a few minutes to catch my breath and get myself together. I wiped the small amount of makeup I had on off and only reapplied the eyeshadow. I didn’t use the eyeliner because it smudged and instead of gloss, I decided to rub on some lip balm.

I’m going to just have my makeup redone in a couple of hours anyway so why bother.

The only reason I even bothered with the eyeshadow was because I wanted it to distract from the fact that my eyes were slightly pink and anything even slightly sentimental would result in me breaking down and crying.

Okay.
I opened my black clutch.
I have my phone, eyeliner, keys, keycard, wallet.
I looked back in the mirror.
Koko has my cardigan. So I think I have everything. We leave now, get back to the villas, and the glam squad will get me TV ready. Then I’m going to marry Julian Winters. In a few short hours, I’m going to be Julian’s wife. I wish he was here to hear what my dad said.

I took a step back from the sink and checked my white dress to make sure I hadn’t gotten anything on it.

I really love this dress. This was a good choice to wear today.
My stomach fluttered and I put my hand to my belly.
Oh my God, I’m marrying Julian today.

Happiness carried me as I bounded out of the bathroom to find my dad standing near the elevator bank.

He smiled warmly and his eyes looked glassy.

“Everything okay, Dad?”

“Everything is perfect, Sweetheart.” The elevator door opened and classical music floated out. He took my arm and linked it with his as we entered. “It won’t be long before I’m walking you down the aisle.”

I repositioned my arm more comfortably as it wrapped around his. I closed my eyes and let my head fall back. “You are killing me, Dad. You are going to make me burst into tears.”

He laughed lightly. “Okay, no more sentimental talk. I just want to show you this view and then we are heading back to the resort.”

“Sounds good.”

The door to the elevator opened and my mouth dropped open. I was speechless.

My grip on my dad’s arm tightened as we stepped off the elevator.

I noticed my immediate family, Julian’s immediate family, and our best friends standing in front of white chairs on either side of a black and white rose covered aisle. I noticed the breathtaking view and how the unseasonably warm sun beamed down, casting a glow over everyone. I noticed it all, but I never focused on any one particular thing because I had tunnel vision. Once I locked eyes with Julian in a pair of black pants, a tailored-to-perfection white button-up shirt, and a black bowtie, everything else faded away.

One of the tears I had just barely been able to hold back during my talk with my dad streamed down my face as I looked at the man I loved. I started to walk toward him, but my dad held my arm and prevented me from moving.

Beverly approached from seemingly nowhere, took my clutch out of my hand, and replaced it with a bouquet of black and white roses. She wiped my face with a cloth and then kissed my cheek. I sucked in a deep breath, determined not to let another tear fall.

And then I heard it.

The smooth yet soulful sound of an acoustic guitar’s strings being slowly plucked gripped my heart. Even with the hustle and bustle of the city below, I could distinctly hear the slow drag of each guitar string as the fingers of whoever was playing maneuvered over the instrument. Each note was heavy and light, romantic and heartbreaking, full of love and loss.

An acoustic instrumental! Oh my God, this is perfect. I love—OH MY GOD!

Chele King’s achingly beautiful voice began singing the lyrics to “Always The One” as I gazed at Julian. The music sounded like a melancholy lullaby against the lyrics that longed for the love of her life. As she described the man she loved and why she loved him, my father nudged me to start walking. With each step, my heart broke open as the words hit me. I felt vulnerable and exposed as I stared at Julian. Hearing those words being sung the way they were being sung and knowing I felt that exact same way about Julian filled my eyes with tears. I bit my bottom lip to keep my cheeks dry. I didn’t even bother letting my bottom lip out from between my teeth until the song came to an end.

He did this. Julian did this. For me. For us.
I stared at the man I loved and my heart beat for him. I blinked as hard and as rapidly as I could, but I couldn’t help it. A second tear slid down my face and threatened to bring all of his friends with him. I swiped at my cheek with my manicured fingers and swallowed hard.
I love him.

“We are gathered here today in the sight of God and in the presence of friends and family to unite Zoe Elise Jordan and Julian Evan Winters in holy matrimony. Who is it that offers this woman to this man?”

Ummm what? Who offers me?
I thought, immediately snatched from my romantic bubble.
“Offers me” as if I am a commodity to be bought and sold? You can’t “offer” other people. You can only offer yourself.

I caught the slight cringe in Julian’s eyes and I couldn’t help but smile. We’d talked to the pastor performing our ceremony at the resort and he knew what language we wanted changed. I guessed Julian had forgotten to tell the man performing this ceremony.

But it’s okay.
I winked at him.
He put this whole thing together.

My dad and I looked at each other at the same time and he lifted his eyebrow at me.

“I do,” I answered, holding my father’s arm tightly and watching the man holding the Bible.

The officiant did a double take before shifting his shocked stare between me and my father and Julian. He even seemed to look at the other guests for help.

“Who is it that offers this woman to this man?” the officiant restated, his voice a little quieter and slower.

“I do,” I repeated with a smile. I looked at Julian and my heart fluttered. “I offer myself to Julian.”

The officiant paused, clearly unsure of what was happening. “I know we didn’t do a rehearsal, but Mr. Jordan…you’re supposed to say, ‘I do’ or ‘we do’ when I ask the question.”

My dad spoke up proudly. “Zoe’s mother and I have always taught our daughter to be independent. The word ‘offer’ implies that this is our decision. As proud and happy as we are for Zoe and Julian to be making this commitment, only Zoe can offer herself to him. But if the question is do we support her decision to offer herself to him, that’s something different.” He looked back at my mom and when I glanced at her, she looked like she was going to make out with my dad on the spot.

Yep. That’s not what I’m trying to see.

I quickly turned back around.

“We do,” my parents said in unison.

The officiant looked as though he was going to roll his eyes.

“Okay,” he replied with only slight annoyance. “You may all be seated.”

I heard the rustling of chairs and amused murmurs as everyone took their seats.

The officiant told Julian to take me from my father and return to the altar with me.

Julian and my dad started to shake hands, but in the few seconds that they were in arm’s reach, they fell into a hug. My father, who was slightly larger, grabbed Julian and clutched his head. I realized quickly that he was speaking in hushed tones. Whatever he said filled Julian’s eyes with tears as he nodded. When they broke apart, they shook hands and then Julian turned to me.

“Hello, Beautiful,” he whispered, blinking back tears. He reached over, wiping a third tear that had managed to escape from the corner of my eye with the back of his hand.

“Hello, Love,” I uttered weepily as we moved in front of the officiant. I couldn’t stop grinning. “This is the wedding we said we wanted. I can’t believe you did all this.”

His grey eyes, wet with tears, burned into mine. “I would do anything for you.”

My stomach flipped.

Hold it together. Hold it together.

“Are you two ready? You want to save some of that for the vows?” the officiant joked, causing all of us to laugh.

“Sorry about that,” Julian apologized, amusement lacing his words. “Please continue.”

The officiant spoke about love conquering all and what marriage represented and I pushed my feelings back down. As he spoke, I studied Julian’s handsome face. He seemed happy, genuinely happy. I couldn’t see my own face, but the way my heart leaped from my chest between flutters, I was sure I had the same goofy smile on my face as he did. I loved him and he loved me, but more than that, I chose him and he chose me.

“Would you please join hands?” The officiant directed us. “Now I was told that instead of traditional vows, you two are going to just speak from the heart. Julian since you knew about this, I will give you the opportunity to go first.” He turned his head to look at him. “Julian Evan Winters, please recite your vows.”

I watched Julian’s Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed several times before he began.

“Zoe…” His voice trembled as my name tumbled from his lips. “My life makes more sense with you in it. My goals, my decisions, my direction became clear when we got together. Everything I’ve done in my life was to get me into a position to meet you and be a man worthy of you. You are beautiful and I’m not even talking about your physical beauty yet. I’m talking about your energy, your heart, your soul…all the things that make you
you
.”

My eyes began to water and I didn’t care. I didn’t try to stop them.

“You are beautiful and I felt that unique beauty the moment you walked into the garden. It could’ve been anyone else and I probably wouldn’t have looked up from my notebook, but my heart ached as if it were longing for something, then I looked up and there you were…” He shook his head and swallowed audibly.

I let go of his hand temporarily so I could wipe the fat tears that dropped from both eyes simultaneously. I let out a shaky breath as he continued.

“I felt a spark or something between us at the meet-and-greet, but I didn’t think too much of it at the time…until I couldn’t get you out of my head. So when I saw you in the garden, everything that makes me
me
recognized everything that makes you
you
before I even had a chance to look up. As clichéd as it sounds, I knew I was in love with you in that moment right there in the garden, but over the last twenty-two months, I’ve grown in love with you and grown in my love for you. Every day I love you more than the day before. I vow to spend my life showing you that love. I will honor you, treasure you, respect you, and protect you until the day I die. I will never hurt you. I will never leave you. I will never break your heart. My life is your life and your life is mine. I look forward to building our family and our legacy together.”