Hard to Love You (11 page)

She squeezes my hand, giving me the signal that she is finished. The burn in my eyes is back. I’m the luckiest guy to have her standing before me.

I clear my throat, trying to push away the tears, “I promise to choose you every day, to love you always.” I hope she knows that I will always choose her first now, even if it means hurting her. “I will love you faithfully through the trying times, the easy and the hard. To laugh with you, cry with you, grow with you and create with you. You’ve already given me one life,” I look over to Ryder and then back to CC, I feel complete with them. She is still crying but smiling too. “Let’s create more and fill our home with laughter and love. As I have given you my hand to hold, I give you my life to keep.”

I look her intently in the eyes, “I love you.” I say, just for her ears.

Dylan asks for the rings. Jackson helps Alex out and hands him the pillow with our rings on it and gives him a little push towards us. He’s so handsome decked out in his matching suit and tie. He’s been really good, sitting at Jackson’s feet and playing in the sand. We were all thinking that Alex was going to steal our show with his little self.

Mason raises his hand and Alex gives him a high five and tells him good job. Mason unties the rings from the pillow and tells Alex to go stand back with his dad. Mason hands the rings over to Dylan. I notice Hailey shakes her head as if clearing her thoughts. CC looks at me and winks. I wonder if Mason is doing the same thing, both picturing themselves up here.

Dylan is going on about blessing the rings and then instructs, “Hunter, please place this ring on MacKenzie’s left hand and repeat after me.”

I can feel the finish line.

“MacKenzie, I give you this ring, as a symbol of my love, and my choice to share my life and dreams with you. I give you this ring, with the pledge to love you, today, tomorrow, and always.”

Dylan hands CC my ring and asks her to repeat after him.

“Hunter, I give you this ring, as a symbol of my love, and my choice to share my life and dreams with you. I give you this ring, with the pledge to love you, today, tomorrow, and always.”

A few more minutes and my best friend will finally be my wife. If he doesn’t hurry the hell up I’m going to say screw it and just kiss her. I can’t wait any longer. It’s been almost twenty-four hours since I had her lips on mine.

“MacKenzie and Hunter, you have committed yourselves to each other in marriage. Having pledged your faith and love to one another in the presence of God and these witnesses, by the exchange of your wedding vows and the giving and receiving of the rings.” Alright Dylan, enough, I want to kiss my wife. “It is with great joy and happiness, and by the power vested in me, that I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride.”

I pull CC into my embrace; she slips her hands up my chest and places both her tiny hands on either side of my cheeks. I say, “I love you, wife.” While at the same time she says, “I love you, husband.”

I place a soft, gentle kiss on her lips. We never talked about our kiss so I wasn’t exactly sure how to do it. CC takes the lead, needing more; she licks the seam of my lips. We deepen the kiss and get lost in the moment, memorizing every single detail about our amazing day so far. It feels like our kiss is short but probably isn’t by the way all three of her brothers clear their throats.

We break apart and CC says, “I guess some things will never change.”

We both laugh. “Sucks they can’t do a damn thing about it now,
wife
.”

I offer my arm to my wife, my other half; she grabs it and we make our way down the aisle while our friends and family cheer and congratulate us.

My life is finally complete and I couldn’t be any happier. Well, except for what I have planned for us tonight. Just the thoughts of stripping her out of that dress are making me want to fake being sick so I can wrap my body around hers.

Our ceremony is over and I’ve got my prince charming. Our day is only half over and it couldn’t have been anymore magical. The sun is about halfway set, our guests are all having cocktails while my wedding party and I are having our pictures taken.

The photographer has us all out on the beach posing for different shots. We’ve taken some formal ones and funny ones too. Now that the formal pictures are taken with my brothers, we start the funny ones. I am being held up across their bodies.

Mason is holding me up by my shoulders, and I feel the need to start grilling him. “I saw you repeating the vows to Hailey.”

He looks surprised.

“Was she watching you?” I question him.

He doesn’t answer at first because the photographer is making us change position.

“Yeah.” He finally responds.

“Was she saying them back?” I probe.

He nods.

“Mase, talk to me.” I beg. He’s breaking my heart, I know he loves her. He worships the ground she walks on. I know my brother, he wouldn’t cheat on Hailey. He despises Lily so there has to be a reason why he was with her that night in the bar. I want to beat it out of him. I want to yell at him.

We change positions again, “I can’t Kenz.” He looks out over the ocean. “I want to, God I want too but it’s something I just can’t do right now.”

I place my hand on his shoulder and stand on my tip toes so I’m somewhat eye level with him, “I’m here when you’re ready. I don’t care what time or where I am.”

He looks at me and smirks.

“Well, just not until I’m back from my honeymoon.” I tell him.

Mason groans and I laugh.

“Everything will work out. Don’t worry that pretty little head of yours.” Then he kisses my cheek.

The photographer calls over Hunter and the girls while I stand aside with my brothers and watch.

I look on as Hunter bends down on one knee while Hailey sits on his other and Jaylinn and Chloe stand behind them and to the sides. The photographer snaps a few pictures and I see Hunter and Hailey start talking. I wonder if he’s questioning her like I did Mason.
After our honeymoon I’m stepping in and calling a family meeting
, I think to myself. We all promised to tell each other everything. No more secrets. It’s supposed to be us against the world.

The photographer dismisses Jackson, Chloe, Alex, Jaylinn and Cooper. Now it’s time for pictures with the bride, groom, best man and maid of honor.

The tension is making it feel awkward. We take a few just as the sun is setting behind the ocean, it’s beautiful. The sky is lit up pink, purple, orange and blue. The photographer places Hunter and I facing each other, hands held. Then he stands Hailey and Mason just behind us but to the side in the same position.

I hear Hailey say, “This is really beautiful.” And I couldn’t agree more.

Then I hear, but just barely, “so are you,” come from Mason. Hailey gasps and Hunter squeezes my hand, he heard it too. It’s the first time they have spoken to each other all day. I know Hailey would need alcohol to deal with this situation, but since it’s my wedding day she’s handling it fairly well. I think I would have run.

The photographer says she’s got all the shots she needs and tells us to go on ahead and join the rest of the party in the bridal suite. We walk into the suite; it’s our own little party. Everyone has champagne and they all cheer when we walk in. The group is talking about the wedding and how much fun the reception is going to be.

Hailey, Jaylinn and Chloe pull me aside and help me get my dress bustled. When we finish and join everyone else, I see Cooper and Hunter huddled in the corner talking softly to each other. I snake my arms around Hunter’s stomach, and he turns and pulls me in front of him. He kisses the side of my head. Cooper rolls his eyes.

Hunter and I laugh. “What are you two over here talking about?”

Cooper looks up to Hunter and he tells me, “Cooper is asking if we can change the song for the wedding party.”

I look to Cooper for an explanation. He huffs, “It’s a song that reminds Mason of Hailey. He doesn’t know that I know that. I heard him tell Hailey the other night when we were all at the bar.”

“
Changed By You
by Between The Trees.” We both say at the same time. Cooper’s eyes widen.

“She told me all about that night. I think it’s perfect.”

Hunter shifts just slightly so that we can see where both Mason and Hailey are. Mason is talking with Chloe and Jackson in one corner while Jaylinn and Hailey are in the other corner, chatting. Our family is divided and it’s killing me inside.

Hunter places another kiss to the side of my head and says, “I’ll go change it up.”

I turn in his arms and place a kiss on his lips. “Thank you, baby.”

Cooper and I walk over to Jaylinn and Hailey and start talking to them while Hunter sneaks away. A few minutes later he returns, winks at me and then says, “Let’s get this party started.”

The DJ announces the wedding party, Chloe, Jackson and Alex, followed by Cooper and Jaylinn and then Mason and Hailey. Our wedding song,
Easy To Love You by Theory Of A Deadman,
starts playing and the DJ announces us. Everyone is standing and cheering for us as we walk in hand in hand.

Hunter and I are dancing in the middle of the dance floor while our wedding party stands to the side. I have my fingers locked behind Hunter, while he has his arms tightly around my waist.

“Thank you for today. Everything is amazing and perfect.” I tell him.

He rests his forehead against mine. “Perfect, just like you.” He kisses me before he continues. “While you look stunning in this dress I can’t wait to strip you out of it later.” I feel my cheeks start to burn. “It’s all I can think about since you wouldn’t come home with me last night.” He pulls me a little closer to him and I feel his hardness between us.

I giggle. He’s in for a treat. Hailey and I had gone shopping for the lingerie under my dress; she even talked me into getting waxed. While it hurt like hell, I’m glad I did it. The look on his face is going to be priceless. “You’re in for a surprise.”

“I can’t wait.” He says, almost breathless.

We continue our dance, telling each other how much we love each other. Hunter’s mom sneaks up on the dance floor and hands Ryder over to us. The three of us wrapped in each other’s arms finishes up the dance as the DJ asks the wedding party to join us as he switches the song over to,
Changed By You
. Our friends and family have no idea what we secretly did for Mason and Hailey as the song is fitting for us as well.

Cooper and Jaylinn look over to us and then over to Mason and Hailey, who are barely holding on to each other. Hailey looks up at me and I give her a look that says, “Pretend for me.” She rolls her eyes and holds on to Mason tighter. I see Mason’s shoulders relax and then he wraps his arms around Hailey and rests the side of his head against hers so his mouth is just near her ear. As they are dancing Mason is now facing our direction. I glance up to Hunter who lifts his chin to Mason. I give Ryder a little kiss on his cheek while his head rests on Hunter’s shoulder.

Everything is perfect now, if only it would stay this way. Hunter and I sway back and forth and I see Hailey just over Hunter’s shoulder. She has tears streaming down her face.

I look up to Hunter who smiles and starts singing the song to me. It’s about being tongue tied and trying to express what the heart needs to say, changes that happen and the more that happens, the closer you become, and melting fears away. Being blessed and being the one, forever.

Now it’s my turn to cry. This song really is perfect for all of us, especially for Mason and Hailey. I don’t think Hailey has a clue about how much she really has changed Mason.

I steal a quick glance over at Cooper and he’s singing to Jaylinn, and Jackson is singing it to Chloe.

The song wraps up and there is barely a dry eye in the place. Hunter fully grabs Ryder in his arms and walks towards his mom and his aunt and uncles sitting at the table just off the dance floor. I follow behind them but catch Hailey running off in the direction of the bathrooms.

I place my hand on Hunter’s back, he turns and I tell him, “I’ll be right back.”

He smiles and says, “Love you.”

I follow after Hailey but swing past the bar first. I need my best friend to get her shit straight for the rest of the wedding. I want her to have a good time, not painful memories. We will remember this day forever. I take the two glasses of sex on the beach and stroll over to find Hailey. Just as I am about to open the bathroom door I hear Hailey’s laugh. I stop and listen for a second.

“I promise, no pranks. Well at least for a week.” I recognized that voice as Bentley’s.

“Okay. Deal.” Hailey says.

I push the door open and walk in. Bentley and Zeke are sitting on the couch in the bathroom in the ladies’ room. When they notice me both of their eyes go wide.

“Having a party without me?” I ask them. “In the bathroom nonetheless.”

“Of course not, beautiful.” Bentley replies.

“Benny, you know I don’t like liars.” I joke around with him.

“Hey now, Sweetie, you know it’s not a party unless the two of you are together.” Zeke says while waggling his eyebrows.