He stepped forward and took my hands in his, and Lenz stood behind us with a small book opened up in his hands. He knew I would say yes. Of course, he did, because I had already said I would marry him that morning after we first said we loved each other.
This was ourwedding. We never recited any words from our hearts. Never signed a piece of paper promising our lives together. And here I was, puppeteered the entire night into coming to this party, wearing a white dress, makeup fixed and perfect—evenproposedto—and dragged outside to seethis. My heart squeezed in my chest as the warmth of Jack’s fingers seeped into mine. I got lost in the chestnut pools of his eyes as they gazed into mine.
“Hi, Mags,” he whispered just loud enough for me to hear. “Want to get married right now?”
“Jack,” I gushed, moving my hands to cup his face. He raised his hand to thumb away a stray tear, grinning ear to ear. “I don’t even have anything prepared.”
But it didn’t feel like he was putting me on the spot. It felt like he was asking me how I felt about him. Promising me that he would keep the words to himself forever. Just for us.
He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Just listen.”
Lenz stepped forward and kissed my cheek, whispering, “Thank you for everything you have done for my son.”
I gave him a knowing look, and he nodded before looking down at his book. “Jäck and Magdalene Hennicke, you are here today to solidify the promises you made to each other only a few months ago. While this has been a short journey, it has been an eventful one. You have chosen to enter a partnership that will last you a lifetime of love, laughter, happiness, and memories. Every challenge you face, you will face together.”
My eyes teared up as I held eye contact with Jack through Lenz’s every word. The world faded as everything that hadhappened over the last seven months, from rekindling our spark upon returning home to working for him to learning I was pregnant to…everything else, fled through my mind. It was the journey I never imagined I always needed. And Jack was there for every second of it, learning me, holding me, trusting me,lovingme.
My thoughts shifted when he reached into his left pocket to pull out a small, velvety red box and opened it to reveal two wedding bands. Tworealwedding bands. Jack and I still wore the excuses for rings we bought online all those months ago when we first came to Wyoming. We tried our best to put off purchasing new ones—and I hadn’t realized how sentimentally attached I was after Jack slipped them onto our fingers in the cab of his truck just before first meeting Mike and Alvita—but it never seemed to happen. Or maybe Jack was simply waiting for this moment.
He slid the yellow gold band with encrusted diamonds onto my left ring finger, where my new engagement ring sat, his eyes never leaving mine. I resisted the sharp intake of breath that threatened to break the moment. Faking a marriage to Jack for this long and overthinking the fear of anything that could happen in the future? That felt terrifying then.
Thiswas monumental.
Thiswas the true promise—in front of everyone—of how much we loved and cared for and cherished one another. All of the reassurances, the promises that we would stay for each other and for our family, the words of confidence despite our fears of the future—they all led up to this perfect moment.
“Maggie Hennicke,” Jack breathed out. It wasn’t loud enough for the guests to hear. I wasn’t even sure if Lenz could hear him. His words were just for me. “I know I didn’t give you the traditional wedding you deserve. I’m sorry you found out that you were going to be my wife over a Bluetooth phone call.” Ateary laugh escaped me. “But I’m not sorry about anything that happened between us. Not about how unconventional and scary everything has felt in the last seven months with you. I’m not sorry I was at the party that night, I’m not sorry you came to work for me, and I’m not sorry for taking you with me to start our new life here.”
Tears streamed down my face from my everything baring his heart to me. There were no words left to say. How could I bring myself to speak after that?
He wanted to hug me, I could tell. He wanted to comfort me on my emotional rollercoaster, not only from the pregnancy, but from each singular event today. I was tipping over the edge of crying for the next twenty-four hours out of pure disbelief. How could I be so fortunate to have someone like Jack cater to every part of my life?
I shook my head and took a deep breath. I could do this, right? It was only impromptu wedding vows.
You’ve never even had a wedding—just wing it.
And wing it I did, but it wasn’t hard. It was simply the truth.
“Jack Hennicke, there is no one in this world who could love me the way you do. Even before…everything, you knew me. You cared for me in ways I couldn’t do for myself. You shielded me. You protected me. You took the initiative to create a life for our family. I can never thank you enough for everything you have done for me. For our baby. For our lives together. I promise to give you a lifetime of happiness, trust, and safety, just like you’ve given me. I promise to love you no matter what.”
Even Jack’s eyes were teary now. A stray slipped from his tear duct.
I wouldn’t dare to look at Lenz and my dad. I knew they were losing it, and seeing that would only expedite my overwhelming urge to sob.
Jack leaned in and kissed my cheek. “I already love you no matter what.”
I offered a small smile and whispered back, “Wait until I yell at you when I’m in labor with our baby.”
His brows raised, hope pleading in his eyes. “You promise?”
I blinked slowly, noting that only Jack would be excited about being yelled at during the birth of our child. Of course, he was. He didn’t care what the tone was. He just loved me no matter what. “I promise.”
Chapter forty
Jack
“Quite the day you’ve had, boy.” My dad leaned against the kitchen counter, popping the tabs of two Pilsners. He held them out to cheer with me, and I clinked my own beer with his.
I hadn’t had a drink in months, but tonight felt like the occasion to celebrate. No way in hell I would tell anyone I was buzzed after two beers, though.
