Ridge turns to me, holding his hand out in front of him just as the music starts playing outside. "Are you ready to become my wife?"
"I suppose so, since you're already my life." He tugs me into his side.
"Let's take a walk." He leads me over to the wall of glass, stepping out onto our patio.
In the distance, our family, and friends gather under a tent, by the old barn where our love began and grew with each passing year. The grounds are decorated in pink roses and gold accents.
Ridge and I walk, hand in hand, to the alter standing against the barn doors. The tree house swing is adorned with roses and white daises laced with gold leaves and wisps of organza.
His hold on me is tighter than the first night we made love, yet it's soft and sweet, just like his love. Ridge reaches over, laying his hand on my belly when my breath hitches.
"He's already the epitome of his father." I giggle to Ridge's delight. He helps me up the steps and turns to the brood of people.
"Hey, y'all. Harper and I are thrilled to have each and every one of you here to witness our love and to watch my dream come true, one I never imagined that would." I lay my head against his shoulder. It's piled high on my head with a ring of miniature pink roses adorning it.
Ridge is dressed in tan with my pink roses as his boutonniere. He never flinched at a thing I planned after I won the dress battle, I think he finally understood, it's exactly the way I wanted it.
"My family and I invite you to watch as I finally get to marry the woman of my dreams. To make Harper my wife and the mother of not only our beautiful daughter, Leighton but our growing son... Matthew Ryder Willis." Ridge makes the announcement, that's been kept between us for four months now, for everyone to hear. To which he's rewarded with gasps and cheers, with a few tears thrown in for good measure.
"Now, if you'll please, sit tight and let me lock this down." He chuckles with the crowd as I gape at him.
The minister greets us with a friendly smile when we turn to him. "Are you ready?"
"We are." We offer in unison, garnering us another fit of giggles from the crowd behind us.
"Do you, Matthew Ridge Willis, take Harper Blaine to be your wife?" He asks of Ridge.
"I do, more than you'll ever know, I'll take her for eternity." Ridge gazes at me, his eyes gleam with his next words.
The minister continues. "Do you take Leighton Avery to be your daughter, to love and cherish for all your days as her father?"
"I do, without a doubt and beyond." Tears fill our eyes, and I'm overcome.
"I love you." I gush to the sighs of our guests.
The minister interjects. "Do you Harper Blaine Jennings, take Matthew Ridge to be your husband, no matter how hard-headed he may be?"
"Yeah, somebody has got to do it." I laugh. "I do, forever."
"Now, please share with us your own devotional words to one another." The reverend lowers his head, stepping back.
I bite and release my bottom lip, hoping to settle my nerves. I close my eyes, forcing myself not to cry as I gaze up at him. Ridge squeezes my hands, reassuring me as he always has through life.
"I wrote these out, but standing here now, they feel so trivial. I wanted to declare my undying love for you and tell everyone how much you mean to me. Those words fall short of the true meaning of love that you are Matthew Ridge Willis.
"You are a force, one of dedication to those you love and unyielding devotion. Our time apart did nothing to our hearts, they've been connected from the moment they spoke to one another. Little did I know that love would see me through all the darkness." He reaches over, drying my falling tears, leaving him as witness to our story.
"Your love, the beacon of hope and goodness that it is, held onto me, pulling me from the muck and mire. It called me home, to a place I thought I'd never find again. Only to be shown, I truly had never left.
"I'm so honored to be your wife, to be present in all of your gorgeous colors of love and shades of understanding, giving me hope and a place I will forever belong." My chest tightens, never wanting to let this feeling go.
"Thank you for loving me and never letting go. For being a father and a best friend. Most of all, for being the man you have grown to become and knowing this was worth fighting for... forever. I love you, Ridge Willis." He leans in, resting his forehead against mine.
"Harper Blaine, you have always been so unexpected. The girl next door, one of my best friends, and fast becoming my reason for living. You are perfect for me in every way. My other half, and the rhythm to which my heart beats." He rears back, locking eyes with me.
"You've never ceased to underestimate yourself and what your love does for me. It's the way you see me and your belief in me, that makes me a better man. Your love emboldens me to reach for the moon, only to hand it over to you. Its beauty pales beside you, not even the sun shines brighter than the gleam in your eyes.
"The years we spent apart, were only meant to make us cherish the days to come, giving us a second chance, we so well deserve, but never could envision until they come to fruition.
"I'll spend the rest of my days by your side, loving you for all that you are and that which you have yet to become. Your love for our daughter, and soon to be son, embodies whom you truly were meant to be... ours." He lays my hand over his heart.
"I can't remember a time this hasn't been filled with love for you. When the lights dim, and the day comes to an end, there's not another person I want by my side. Give me your good, your bad, and all your forever's.
"Eternity is what I'm asking for and always is the only I'll settle on. Thank you for making me a father, the only other dream I've ever wanted and the one thing I wanted with you. I love you, Harper Blaine Willis."
The minister steps forward. "The rings please."
"Here ya go, Dad." Landon holds Leighton out, our rings tied to her dress. Ridge undoes them, not turning back until he kisses our girl.
"Thank you." When he turns back to me, his tear-stained face makes my chest clinch. I hold my growing belly as our son leaps and flips with excitement, mirroring my own.
"Repeat after me," the reverend directs. "with this ring, I thee wed."
"With this ring, I thee wed." Ridge sniffles as he slides the princess cut diamond in rose gold onto my finger, the matching band is surrounded by small diamonds. But it's not until he pulls out a matching ring for Leighton that I snub.
Again, he inclines his head as I take Ridge's ring in hand. "With this ring, I thee wed." I repeat, slipping Ridge's gold band on his hand.
"With the powers invested in me, I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Ridge Willis. You may kiss your bride." Our gracious minister barely gets out of the way before Ridge is hauling me to his chest.
"A lifetime will never be enough moments to share with you, I love you Harper." Ridge's lips takes mine with hunger, devouring me. I find his hair, fisting it and holding him to me.
I love this man and all he gives me but Ridge himself will tell you that we don't work without the other. Find you for yourself first, love yourself most, and find those who take you for who you are and love you despite whom you think you are.