They waved and walked off down the small, freshly mowed aisle of sunflowers. My heart filled as I watch them go. My family. I only had to wait a minute before the strains of a guitar started and Poppy and her dad, Captain O’Henry, came around the pathway and paused at the end of the aisle.
Poppy stood in a long and flowing white dress, her dad beside her. I never thought I’d see the day when that man walked Poppy down the aisle to me, but here it was. By the time they reached me, Poppy was wiping tears and Storm was standing loyally at her side, one tiny sneaker lace untied and a tiny ring pillow in his hands.
“I love you,” I whispered when she was close enough to hear. She wiped at her eyes some more, and while she did I caught her dad’s gaze over her shoulder and passed him a wink and a silent thank you.
After everything.
Love had thawed decades of hate between us.
The Captain nodded once and stood to the side, pulling a tissue from his pocket to wipe at his own tears.
Emotional. Like father, like daughter.
Storm ran underneath the long train of Poppy’s dress then, curling himself around her leg until Aspen came to the rescue and pried the little guy from her. I whispered a thank you to my eldest daughter, before swiping the rings at the last second, while Storm curled into his sister’s embrace and let her rock him into a sleepy nap.
We exchanged rings and Poppy and her dad dabbed at more tears as the wind whipped off the bay then, rustling the sunflower petals like the chords of a love song.
“You chased the storm clouds away.”
Poppy laughed softly. “You’ve been saying that since Storm was born, but the truth is you chased darkness from my life, Maverick. We’re better together.”
The officiant of our wedding cleared her throat then, pronouncing us truly married.
“Finally!” I scooped my wife in my arms, kissing her until we were breathless.
“Hurt her feelings and I’ll put an all-points out for you before you can even make it down this ridge.” The Captain glared over Poppy’s shoulder.
“He won’t ever give me a damn second—”
“He keeps you on your toes.” Poppy caught my chin, pressing my lips to hers in another long kiss.
“You make me lose my mind, Petal.”
“In all the right ways?”
“In only the right ways.” I kissed her again, unable to keep my lips off of her.
“Good, I plan on keeping you on your toes,” she whispered in that way that made me want to whisk her away to our bedroom and never come out again.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” I took that moment to unveil my surprise. A long, thin velvet-wrapped box.
Her eyes widened, and then her mouth fell open when I opened it. A diamond tennis bracelet shimmered in the orange sunset. I pulled it from its pillow and wrapped it around her wrist, clasping it and then pressing a kiss at the lock.
“I had the jeweler make this.” I fingered the bracelet as I spoke. “If you look closely the diamonds are designed in the pattern of flower petals and thorns, and the lock is a dove in flight. You are my Petal, and no matter how hard I try I’ll always be the thorn in your side.” She smiled as tears welled in her eyes. “And the bird is our boy—Storm chased away the clouds I carried for too long. I’m so thankful for both of you.”
Poppy wiped at her eyes, linking our fingers together and walking down the path that led to the overlook where so many of the tumultuous moments of our relationship had happened. “You’re dramatic, Maverick Wright, wild and untamable. A total caveman sometimes, but you’re always so strong and capable and good at taking care of us. I love you bigger than I can show you and so much more than I can say. Thank you for being mine, for being ours.”
Emotion welled at my eyes then. I wiped it away and pulled her into my arms. “Thank you for bringing the flowers back that night we first met—” I began to rock us back and forth as the sun set over the bay. “I hate to think where I’d be if you hadn’t.”
Poppy’s lips traced along my jawline and she whispered along my ear. “You’d still be living with ghosts.”
THE END
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CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE:
FROM SALT TO SKYE
Available June 22, 2021
PRE-ORDER NOW on Amazon
WHISKEY GIRL
BAD FOR LOVE
AN ARROGANT GENTLEMAN
WILD
BEAUTIFUL BURN
REBEL PRIEST
~
Short and steamy romance from my other pen name:
ARIA COLE
SECRET HEIR
THE DUKE’S BROKEN ANGEL
THE PRINCE’S PET
SAVAGE SAINT
~
DOMESTIC THRILLERS
THE SUNDAY WIFE
Available June 22, 2021
PRE-ORDER NOW on Amazon
THE LAST WRITER
BEFORE SHE LIED
Adriane Leigh is an
Amazon _Top 20 and_ USA Today Bestselling Author, creator of RARE: Romance Author & Reader Events, and host of The Rebel Artist podcast.
She loves sweatpants, anything with cheese, and working with her pups in her lap while she writes.
She’s been featured in VOGUE Magazine and The Montreal Gazette, and her work has been translated into French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.
Visit adrianeleigh.com for more or follow her on Instagram @adriane.leigh.writer
