Page 77 of We Drank the Dawn

Bea giggled. “Considering you have to report to the front in ten minutes, she better be in her dress.”

“She’s okay with me seeing her? Early?”

Bea laughed again. “Yes, she’s okay with it. It was her idea.” She cracked up into the palm of her hand. “Your face is killing me. Do you want to see her or not?”

“Yeah.” My voice came breathless. “I do.”

“I’ll send her in.” Bea went to her tiptoes to plant a kiss on my cheek then disappeared. With my heart in my throat, I waited for the door to open again, unwilling to take a breath until my eyes landed on her. And when they did…

My stomach fell out of my body.

Her dress was a champagne color with sheer lace sleeves and a teasing neckline that made her chest look like the softest place in the whole world. The folds flared out around her waist like a ball gown and her hair was twisted to one side, cascading over her right shoulder, exposing her white neck. She had just the right amount of make-up.

And she was all mine.

My throat tightened with emotion.

“Sarah.” My hungry eyes couldn’t figure out where to stop as I memorized every detail of her. “You look…” I shook my head, unable to find the words. “You look like a princess. I can’t believe I get to marry you.”

She moved through the room, straight into my open arms. For a long minute, I just held her, relishing in the warmth of her body. As if someone flicked a switch, the remaining tension I’d carried spun away, down a drain, lost and forgotten.

She pushed me back, surveying my outfit. “You look so handsome, too.”

I dropped my forehead to hers and our gentle kiss made my previous trepidation seem silly. There was no way in hell I’d go through the rest of my life unable to kiss this woman. I would starve to death.

Why did I always resort to worry?

It was a question to answer another time.

Right now, my bride was in my arms and I funneled my love through our kiss.

Abruptly, she pulled away. “I brought you something.”

That was the first time I noticed she brought a gift bag into the room and placed it on the table.

A smile curled into my cheek. “I have something for you, too. But I was going to give it to you after.”

She quirked an eyebrow. “I won’t object if you want to give it to me now.”

“Alright.” I found my duffle bag and fished out the tiny box. “Who first?”

“You.” She handed me the bag. Stifling the gigantic smile blooming across my face, I tore the paper out of the bag to find a book. Across the front were the words Sarah and Peter and the year of our establishment, which was fifteen years ago if you counted all the way back to the beginning of our friendship.

“You probably don’t have time to look at it right now. But we can later.”

I flipped open the first page to find her handwriting on the inside cover.

To the man who holds all my dreams,

Thank you for being the greatest adventure of my life. I love you.

Your Sunshine Girl.

I took a deep swallow and flipped the page. It brimmed with pictures of us in seventh grade. Quickly flipping through gave a quick preview of all the adventures we’d taken. The hikes, the rivers, the sneaking, the laughter, the events, the risks.

She was right. There wasn’t time to really look right now, but I thanked her with a kiss and we slipped the book into my bag to make sure it went on the honeymoon with us.

“Your turn,” I whispered.