“Ella…” Micha’s voice is alarmingly off pitch. “What’s wrong?”

When I don’t respond, he pulls the blanket off my head and the cold air stings my skin. I peer up at him through tear-stained eyes and he sighs, looking like he’s on the brink of crying too. “Are you…” He swallows hard as he touches my cheek with his fingers, and then he shuts his eyes. “Are you getting cold feet again?”

I shake my head and sit up, rubbing the back of my hand across my face, making my makeup worse I’m sure. “No, it’s not that… I’m just…” I search for what I’m really feeling, because I want to tell him the truth. “I’m just scared. I keep thinking about putting the dress on, walking down the aisle, saying my vows… moving forward. I’m overwhelmed and I needed someone here who got me. Who could help me put my dress on and get me through this.” A slow breath eases from my lips as I realize that that’s all I want—Micha by my side because he’ll get me through this. Sure, I know that sometimes I have to do things on my own, but at the same time admitting when I do need someone makes me stronger.

He opens his eyes and blinks back the tears. “Are you sure that’s it?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” I tell him, wholeheartedly. “I just panicked and I’m so sorry. I just need you here with me right now.”

He studies me for what feels like forever and then he suddenly slides me to the side of the bed, takes my hand, and pulls me to my feet with this intense look on his face. Releasing my hand, he grabs the bottom of my shirt and tugs it over my head, moving carefully to avoid ruining the curls and braids or knocking out any of the black flowers. He discards my shirt on the floor, and then unties the drawstring of my pajamas, his eyes locked on me as he slips them down my legs. I refuse to look away from him and the longer I focus on him, the calmer I get inside, the violent rainstorm settling into a light drizzle. When the pants reach my feet, I step out of them. He makes his way to the closet and gets my wedding dress. It’s a beautiful dress, a shimmering black silk top, a red ribbon securing the back, and an elegant flowing white bottom bunched together in places by red and black roses.

Micha slips the plastic straps off the hanger as he returns to me and then lowers the dress to the floor so I can step into it. Once I get my legs through, he guides the fabric up my body until the top covers my breasts. Then I hold the front up with one hand and he walks behind me and grazes his fingers down my spine.

“Feeling any better?” he asks, his breath hot on my neck and I shiver.

I nod, freeing a trapped breath. “A lot better actually.”

“Good, because I want you to feel better. I want you to feel good about this—about marrying me, Ella May.” He slowly zips up the dress and the fabric constricts against my body, pushing my breast up the slightest bit. Once he gets it zipped, he steps back in front of me, nudging the flowing bottom out of the way with his boot. “Are you sure you want this—want me forever?” He has this guarded look in his eyes, like he’s trying to pretend that he can handle whatever, but I can tell that if I say no—that I don’t want this—it’ll crush him.

“Micha, I want this more than I’ve ever wanted anything,” I say honestly as I run my fingers along the bottom of my eyes and cheeks. “Just let me fix my makeup and we can go. I’m sure I look hideous.”

“You look beautiful,” he says without missing a beat. “You always do.”

“Hideously beautiful I think you mean,” I joke, and he cracks a smile, his fingers seeking my cheek.

“No, you look beautiful,” he promises. “But if you want to fix your makeup you can. I don’t think I can do that for you.”

I smile and pick up my makeup bag from the dresser, but he ends up holding one of my hands so it’s sort of like he’s helping me, only it makes the actual act of putting makeup on a bit complicated. But I manage and I end up getting the black eyeliner and lip gloss on without any mishaps. When I’m done, I sit on my bed and Micha kneels down in front of me and helps me put on my boots.

“I feel like Cinderella,” I remark as I put my foot in and he laces the boot up.

He peers up at me and a smile touches his lips. “Good. That’s how you should feel.” He stands up and then guides me to my feet before he leans in to kiss me. Then he walks over to the nightstand and picks up the wooden box he gave me last night. He opens it up, takes out the necklace, and, stepping behind me, puts it on me. As soon as the ribbon and rose are secured around my neck, I feel weirdly at peace.

He kisses the back of my neck and then walks around in front of me. “Are you ready for this?” His tone’s light but I can tell he’s worried about my response.

“I’m more than ready,” I tell him and then grab the front of his shirt and pull him in for another kiss. When I pull away, I give him a questioning look. “Wait a minute… did you smoke?”

He scratches the back of his neck, looking guilty. “Sort of, but only because I was a little nervous.”

“About what?”

“About starting our future… taking care of you the right way. I just want to make you happy.”

“You have since the day we became friends,” I assure him and the anxious look in his eyes evaporates as I slip on my leather jacket and tuck the photo of my mom inside it because I want her with me, even if it is just a picture.

He gives me a funny look, but he doesn’t say anything and then we leave the room, holding hands, and head to our wedding together and everything feels right because he’s here by my side and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Chapter 25

Micha

She looks beautiful in her dress, her hair all done up in braids and curls, her green eyes big as she stares at me, gripping onto my hands for dear life as we get out of the car. I try to stay calm but my hammering pulse makes it hard to breathe, not because I’m nervous but because I’m excited. I turn on “The Story,” by Brandi Carlile, so it’s quietly playing through the speakers and Ella smiles, remembering how it was playing at Dean and Caroline’s wedding when I told her that I wanted to marry her.

“You remembered the song,” she says.

“Of course I did,” I reply, extending my elbow to her. “It was an epic moment in our history.”

She loops her arm through mine and then we start to walk up to the aisle. By the time we make it up the snowy rose-covered path, with our friends and family staring at us, I feel so content and happy, knowing that in a few moments Ella will be mine forever and I’ll be hers. I think a few of them are a little bit surprised though to see this actually taking place, particularly Ethan and Lila, who are cuddled up together and who look a little bit shocked when we get out of the car. My mom, however, looks like she’s been pretty much waiting for this day. She nearly beams as she sits with Thomas, watching us with more happiness in her eyes than I’ve ever seen. Dean looks neutral, just how he always looks, and Caroline’s almost in tears. And Ella’s dad’s a little harder to read, but it almost looks like he’s about to tear up.

At the end, we stand under the canopy of the trees as the minister starts reading a marriage speech that I barely pay attention to. Snowflakes dot Ella’s hair and melt against her chest where the rose pendant rests just above her breasts, making her skin wet. She looks perfect and I seriously want to lick her right now, but I don’t think it would be appropriate, so I tell myself to keep cool until later tonight when I can do anything I want to her.

I basically zone out and focus on her until the minister announces for me to read my vows. Then I let go of Ella’s hand only to take out the folded-up piece of paper from my pocket, my fingers shaking as I unfold it.

Ella looks nervous, her breath increasing and causing more haze to surround her face as she waits to hear what I have to say, the truth about how I feel about her.

“I can’t think of a time where I didn’t want to be with you.” I glance back and forth between the paper and her as I speak. “From the moment you stepped out the door of your house, I thought you were beautiful and I wanted you in my life. I can’t say it was love at first sight since I was too young and I don’t believe in love at first sight. I believe in finding the right person who makes everything easy, who makes me happy, who makes life worth living and more exciting, whether it’s kissing on swing sets,” I say and that gets her to smile, “racing cars, getting tattoos, sharing Popsicles and tears, or just sitting in my room singing while you draw. I couldn’t have done life without you and every single moment, good or bad, has been worth it because it got us right here to this very place and this very moment where I get to have you for the rest of my life. You make me happier than I can even begin to explain. I love you, Ella May, more than life itself, and I’ll continue to love you until I take my last breath—I’ll love you forever. You own my heart.” By the end, my voice is getting unsteady with the emotions flooding through me as I think about everything we’ve gone through to get to this place and that in a few moments she will be mine forever, the girl next door who I fell in love with and gave my heart to completely.

I suck in an uneven breath as I stuff the paper back in my pocket, knowing Ethan’s going to tease the shit out of me for acting so emotional, but at the moment I don’t care.

I keep my attention on Ella, watching her as she fights tears back and takes a piece of paper out of her jacket pocket.

She stares at it for an eternity, like she can’t find her voice, and her hands tremble. My heart constricts in my chest as I wait for her to say what I mean to her, worried she won’t be able to do it. But then, surprising me, she finally releases a deafening breath and the sound of her voice sends a rush of relief through me.