Another Chance (32 page)

“I had to come up with some unique way to give it to you, Cass, and I wanted Sophie to be involved.”

Cassie hugged him tight. “It’s lovely.”

“Put it on. I need to know if it fits. I took a guess at the size.”

Cassie gave it to him, and he placed it on her finger. “It’s just a little big. I can operate on your hand and fix that.” She laughed, slapping his arm.

“Kidding. We’ll take it to the jeweller and get it resized. I’m just glad you have it now. You’ll be marked as mine.”

“Is that right?”

He laughed, mocking her with a growl in his throat before kissing her. “You guys are gross, but I love you anyway,” Sophie said. She hugged her parents. “Can I be a bridesmaid?”

Cassie stroked her face. “I can’t think of anyone else I would rather have.”

Planning for the wedding was simple. Patrick wanted something intimate, and Cassie was in full agreement. The garden of their new home was the perfect setting, and with just a handful of guests Cassie soon had everything under control. She had wanted to get it done before her pregnancy was too far advanced, so it wasn’t long before the wedding day arrived.

In a break with tradition, neither of them wanted to be apart the night before or even the day of the wedding.

“It’s bad luck,” said Lauren. She had arrived for the weekend, but had a job interview lined up before she went home.

“Cassie and I have had our share of bad luck. We’re hoping that not being separated turns out to be good luck.” Patrick grinned, his fingers interlocked with Cassie’s as they sat having an after dinner drink the night before.

“Lauren, we’ve had enough time being apart. Now we want to be together all the time,” Cassie said. Patrick leaned over, kissing her tenderly while Sophie mimed a gagging motion.

“I agree with you kiddo,” said Lauren.

“What you need, Lauren, is to get some romance in your life. One of my friends will be at the wedding tomorrow. I’ll introduce you.”

Patrick winked at her. Her face lit up. “Really? What’s he like? Is he hot?”

“He’s older than your usual type,” Cassie said.

“That’s all right. I’d be happy with someone a bit older, settled.”

“He’s also divorced with adult children, but he hasn’t been serious about anyone since he split with his wife. I am sure he will like you,” Patrick said.

“He’s a nice guy, Lauren. Mark would have liked him.”

Lauren’s grin grew bigger. “Sounds great. Well if we don’t click, then at least it’s worth checking out. Who knows.”

At the end of the evening, Patrick and Cassie went to bed, laughing about Lauren’s reaction. “She’s so excited. I hope they hit it off.” Cassie nestled into Patrick’s arms.

“He is going to have no idea what hit him if she takes a shine to him.” Patrick laughed.

“We’re getting married, Patrick.”

He looked into her eyes. The love between them had never been stronger. The years of separation falling away as if they had never happened.

“We are,” he said. “Cassie, I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am right now.”

“I think I know,” she whispered.

In the morning, she ushered him out of the bedroom. “You get changed somewhere else, I need to get my dress out and make sure everything is okay.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in traditions.”

“Well, maybe this one. Just go.” She laughed, and he kissed her before grabbing his things to go to one of the other rooms. The wedding was set for later in the morning, neither one of them wanting to wait much longer. Patrick discussed the final details with the celebrant before dressing and waiting.

“At least she can’t be too late for the wedding,” Ethan said laughing.

“If she is, I’ll go upstairs and carry her out. I’ve waited my whole life for this woman, she won’t keep me waiting today.”

“That friend of hers is a bit full on.”

“Lauren? Yeah she is very excitable, but she has a good heart, and she’s cute.”

“I noticed.”

Patrick watched Ethan eyeing up Lauren, grinning at his friend’s obvious attraction. “She’s a good woman, Ethan, needs to find a good man. I think she’s been hurt quite a lot in the past.”

“Haven’t we all?”

When the time came, Patrick waited with the celebrant surrounded by friends. His parents were there too, and he realised with a tinge of regret that Cassie’s parents never saw her settled and happy. If it took the rest of his life to help make up for it, he would do it.

Then she was there, and Patrick held his breath as Cassie made her way to him, hand in hand with Sophie. She had joked about it not being appropriate to wear white, but she wore a cream dress, similar to the one her mother had bought her all those years ago for the dance. No one else would make the connection but the two of them.

He looked across at his parents, and his mother smiled at him, before miming wiping his face. For a moment he was confused, then realised that there were tears on his cheeks.

“Get it together Cross,” he said to himself.

“Hi,” said Cassie. She had seen him wipe his eyes, and struggled to fight back her own tears.

“You look beautiful.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself.” He’d worn a tux by her instruction. Now he realised why she had insisted on it. This was their new start, the way to begin again. It was like pressing the reset button on the years in between.

Overwhelmed by emotion, he pulled her to him and kissed her, taking her breath away as he had all those years ago when they first kissed.

“Patrick, the ceremony comes first. Then you get to kiss the bride,” said his father. He grinned, squeezing Cassie’s hand. It was their secret, their special moment that only the two of them would ever understand.

“Then let’s get on with it so I can kiss the bride again.”

Cassie laughed, squeezing his hand in return.

When it came time to exchange vows, he held her hands in his. Looking into her eyes, he struggled to speak the words at first, but they flowed once he got started.

“Cassie. You were always the one. Even when you thought you weren’t, and we were apart, it was always you. My heart and life are yours, and you and Sophie fill them every day with your love. You are my soulmate, my everything. I love you, Cass.”

They had to stop while Cassie wiped her face this time.

“Your turn,” Patrick whispered.

“Patrick. You are my everything. My best friend, my rock, my heart, everything I am. Today we finally become one and will be for the rest of our lives. I can’t wait for us to start our life together, with our children. I look forward to growing old with you. My love, my life.”

Neither of them paid much attention to the rest of the ceremony, exchanging rings before they were declared husband and wife.

“Now you can kiss the bride,” said the celebrant brightly.

Patrick laughed, pulling Cassie in for another kiss.

“Presenting Doctor and Mrs Cross.”

Cassie grinned as Sophie came in to join the hug, and the three of them held each other for just a moment before turning back to their guests.

“Now everyone,” Patrick said, “lunch is inside. Cassie and I are having some photos done so you all go and eat, and we’ll join you shortly for cake.”

“Sophie, stay,” said Cassie as Sophie pulled away from her.

She pulled a face. “Mum, do I have to have my photo taken?”

“Our wedding photos wouldn’t mean anything without you,” said Patrick.

“You’re our girl. Just a few and then you can get something to eat while Patrick and I finish up.”

Sophie kept them to it and after several photos whined that she was hungry. “Go then.” Cassie laughed.

“Come here you, and pose for some photos with me,” Patrick said. He pulled her close so he could murmur in her ear. “This makes me think of the first night we danced together.”

Cassie looked up at him, her eyes telling him she was thinking about the same night. “That was the plan.”

“That’s good,” said the photographer, “great photo.”

“That night, I looked into your eyes properly for the first time. There was something between us, Cassie, I could feel it. I knew then I wanted to be with you. All those days we spent together as kids, the birthday parties, the sleepovers. They all meant something. But that night, that night was something special.”

Cassie nodded, and he bent his head to kiss her again. “Let’s get all this over with so we can get on with our day, and our night.” When they were finished, they walked hand in hand inside, standing at the doorway to watch their guests.

Ethan and Lauren were tucked away in a corner, deep in conversation. “Do you think there’s a future in that?” Patrick asked as they watched them flirt.

“I don’t know,” Cassie said, “Lauren doesn’t have the best track record, but he’s the oldest and probably most stable person she’s ever shown interest in. Leave them be, Patrick, they’re grownups, and I’m sure they’ll do whatever they want to.”

Patrick laughed. “Yes, oh wise one.”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“Isn’t that what I just promised to do for the rest of my days?” He kissed her, and she snuggled back into his arms, watching Sophie spend time with her grandparents. Mr and Mrs Cross had just met their granddaughter for the first time, and Sophie was lapping up the attention.

“I never told you, Patrick, that Mark gave us his blessing,” she said quietly.

He grinned. “He said the same thing to me, the day we met at the hospital.”

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me, he had a habit of knowing me better than I know myself.”

“He knew what it was like to love you, Cassie. It’s not as easy to walk away from you as you might think.”

“Thankfully, I never have to worry about that again though do I?”

Patrick shook his head. “Never.”

They celebrated into the night before Patrick dragged Cassie off to bed. “Apart from it being our wedding night, you need to be resting. The baby will start taking a lot out of you soon.”

“You worry too much,” she murmured.

“I am allowed to worry about my wife.” He grinned. “My wife. That will take some getting used to.”

“You have a lifetime to get used to it. Now get into bed and wait for me. I need to get ready.”

“Get ready? That sounds good.” Patrick grinned at Cassie’s blush. “I remember a young woman who didn’t want to be naked with me in the same room.”

“That was so very long ago.”

“I’m glad you’re more confident now. You always were so damn beautiful, Cassandra.”

“I never felt it until you.”

“Go and get ready for bed. I’ll be waiting.”

She emerged from the bathroom wearing a short, low cut nightgown and Patrick held his breath as she walked towards the bed.

“My bride,” he said, the grin wide across his face.

“My groom,” she replied, looking at him with so much love he knew without her saying another word just how she felt. Cassie slid between the sheets as Patrick stroked her body, marvelling at how beautiful she was.

“You could have just walked out naked, then I wouldn’t have had to remove this.”

She laughed. “Where’s the fun in that? I wanted to look nice for my wedding night.”

“We did it, Cass. We finally did it.”

“Yes we did. Now husband, love me.”

“Your wish is my command wife.”

His lips grazed her neck as he caressed her breasts before his hand moved down.

“Patrick, I love you,” Cassie whispered.

“I love you too, Cassie. Tonight is the start of everything.”

Cassie woke to kisses from Patrick. “Good morning wife.”

“Good morning husband. I am starving so I’m going to go and make breakfast.”

“Stay in bed with me.”

“My stomach is grumbling, I need food.” She laughed as he pulled her back from every attempt to leave.

“I need more kisses from my wife.”

Finally, she broke free and threw her bathrobe on, laughing at him reaching for her.

“I have the baby to think of too, Patrick, isn’t that what you were saying last night.”

He pouted. “It should be illegal to use my own words against me.”

Cassie laughed. “I’ll make you breakfast too if you want it.”

“Sounds like a fantastic idea. I might jump in the shower and meet you in the kitchen.”

On the way, she stopped at Lauren’s room, opening the door to see if Lauren wanted something to eat. Late night drinking usually brought out Lauren’s appetite to kill the hangover. All she could see when she opened the door was a pale white body moving up and down on top of Lauren. Cassie stuffed her sleeve into her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud. It was very obviously Ethan.

She was still laughing when Patrick made it down to the kitchen. “Are you all right, Cassie?” he asked.

“I’m fine. It would appear that Lauren and Ethan got along really well last night.”