24

I Do

Two Years Later

Normally, anything to do with marriage had me running in the other direction. My parents wanted me to marry a good decent guy, how's Alexander for you?

A year ago, when things were going smoothly due to the fact that I gave in and the idea of love didn't scare me anymore, Alexander took me out on a date at La Grenouille, on 3rd East 52nd Street. This is where the next step in my life began.

"Margo," he starts. I look up at him from cutting my stake. "From the first time I caught sight of you, I knew my whole world was going to change. You were different, mature, sexy, and unaware of the fact that you were the most beautiful woman in every room. I wanted to be with you, love you forever, wake up to your face, and make you feel loved in every way possible. And I want this love to continue until the world ends."

He shoves his hand in his blazer pocket, and at that point, I laid my fork and knife on my plate. He took out a small velvet jewelry box. From that moment I knew what was about to happen, but I wasn't scared, instead, I smiled. He got up from his seat and kneeled beside me, and flips the box open revealing a side stone engagement ring.

Everyone had their eyes on us, smiles and gaped expressions throughout the room. Even the waitresses stopped in their tracks to watch.

Then Alexander was speaking again.

"Margo Soriano Ambrosia," he says. "Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

My smile spreads, and I nod. A relieved laugh escapes his mouth, I hold out my hand and he slips the ring onto my finger. The room erupts into a burst of laughter, applause, and cheers. We both stand up and hug, he lifts me off the ground.

"Wow," Amber stands behind me now in the dressing room as I glance at myself in the mirror. "You're getting married."

The stylist doing my hair smiled at me in the mirror.

In an hour or two I'll be walking down the aisle to marry Alexander Romano. I'm glad he never gave up on trying to get with me. We wouldn't be here, happy and starting a new chapter in our lives.

My parents turned out to like him. At least that's what Amber told me. "They told me that they didn't know who you would've picked to marry, but they're glad that it was him." This was what she told me after the day that my parents came to my penthouse to have dinner with Alexander, me, Marco, and my friends.

I called them to give them the news about my engagement and they flew in a month before the wedding and stayed at The Plaza Hotel.

And now here we are, in North Carolina, at my beach house on Wrightsville Beach, which was just outside of Wilmington on the southern reaches of North Carolina's coast. I wanted my wedding to be on the beach, and Alexander said we could do anything I wanted, which was the right answer if you know what I mean.

"Your husband to be is sexy as hell," Sofia says walking into the room with a cocktail in hand.

"You don't say."

"Congratulations, I'm glad you didn't end up alone as I expected." She finishes. Amber and I give her a flat expression. She puts her hands up. "I'm fucking with you."

The vow I wrote, was in my palm. Sweating away with my nerve-racking mind. I hoped it was as good as the one I was positive Alexanders will be. I wrote it from the heart, I poured my kisses onto it. The memory of the past, between him and me, flashes through my mind, and I always feel thankful that I didn't decide to keep things distant.

I went for that kiss, for him, I was done running away. I was ready to be loved the right way, to be happy and in peace.

He gave me all of that and more.

"That boy is going to make you happy," Amber states, then looks at my stylist from the mirror. "He's going to make her happy."

The stylist looks at me. "I'd have to agree with your friend, you got lucky with this one."

"You may be seated. Welcome, everyone, and thank you for being here today, as we join these two lovebirds for life," Sofia, who begged me to be our officiant, says. She printed out wedding readings, and here we were.

I look at Alexander with a soft smile and watch as he returns it with a glint in his eye.

"Does anyone here object?"

We look around, and then back at each other, as the room stays silent.

"Wonderful! Margo and Alexander, you have our full support as you take your vows. Please join hands,"

we join hands, our smiles only spreading. "Alexander, your partner in life for the last three years stands before you, ready to become your partner for a lifetime. Your soulmate, Your best friend. When you're ready, please read your vows."

He clears his throat.

"Margo, I was drawn to you from the moment I saw you. And you were transparent, I knew what kind of person you were and that made me want you more. You're strong and brave. You speak your mind. With other girls, I always needed a reason to talk to them, but with you, I just talked to you, there was something there, and I saw it in your eye. We connected, and although it took a while, I'm grateful to be standing before you and calling you my wife. Thank you for accepting me for all that I am, and for telling me how hot I look in my work clothes. And in return I'll do the same, I promise to hold and to love you through it all."

Tears slide down my cheeks as I smile up at him. The girls were right, I did get lucky with him. But how am I going to say my vows, his were beautiful.

"Margo, your partner in life for the last three years stands before you, ready to become your partner for a lifetime. Your soulmate, Your best friend. When you're ready, please read your vows."

"Alexander, when I resisted you, you always came back. You never gave up, and when I had thought you did, you came after me. All along, I wanted to accept you, let you hold me, you were my safe place. I was myself with you. You allowed me to be vulnerable. You knew me when I had barely known myself. Your love scared me, I've never met a guy like you. Before you, I never believed in "the one", but with you, I now know that what we have is just that. We have a deep connection, one I'm still wrapping my head around. I love you, and I'll continue to love you because I know you'll love me even with my hardheaded personality."

I get some snickers from the audience and smile.

"Those words were so beautiful! I'm going to cry... We're all going to cry! It's ok, it's worth it. You two are perfect for each other," Sofia says and grins. She releases a happy sigh and gives us the wedding rings.

"These wedding rings symbolize eternal love and devotion and will serve as a reminder of the promises you've made here. Wear them with pride – for the challenges you've overcome together, your integrity and commitment to each other, and for the life, you're building for the future. Let these rings remind you of how blessed you are to have one another."

Alexander and I exchange a look, then look back at Sofia. "Alexander, place this ring on Margo's finger please and say, "With this ring, I marry you."

Alexander holds my right hand in his and smirks at me. "With this ring, I marry you."

Our eyes stay locked, for a few seconds the world was silent, and then Sofia was saying, "Margo, place this ring on Alexander's finger please and say, "With this ring, I marry you."

I take his hand and smile at him. "With this ring, I marry you."

"Alexander, do you take Margo to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love and cherish her, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her, for so long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Margo, do you take Alexander to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love and cherish him, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him, for so long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

Before, if anyone had told me that this moment will happen, I would've given them a flat expression and avoided them for the rest of my life. But now, I can't see myself ever being that way with anyone. Being with Alexander had changed me, and he's made me the happiest woman alive. Who would've known, that my brother's best friend was my soulmate?

"Beautiful! Margo and Alexander, you've exchanged vows and the gift of rings as a promise of your love and commitment. It is my great honor and privilege to now pronounce you husband and wife," Sofia says. "You may now kiss!"

Alexander places his hand on the small of my back, the contact makes my body heat up with a jolt of electricity, and my heart flutter as he pulls me in for a passionate kiss.

In a blink of an eye, with joined hands, we walk back down the aisle.

Alexander takes one of my hands in his, slid the other down my back, and used it to pull my body closer to his. We were now dancing on the dance floor with our loved ones dancing around us.

I wore a thin white dress with, of course, a tight slit.

He looks deep into my eyes, "Mrs. Ambrosia," he says, his voice raspy. A chill flies down my spine. "You're mine."

A smile forms on my face as I look at him. "I'm yours, Mr. Ambrosia."

He pulls me closer, so now my head was on his shoulder. His lips trace my ear, getting a gasp from me before he whispers, "You look gorgeous tonight." I feel myself get weak, and my breath catches in my throat.

He kisses my ear and pulls me back, twirls me around before bringing me back against him. I look up at his eyes, that blaze with desire, I'm sure he sees flames in mine. I was burning up.

We're already married, and something told me what happens next will set me on fire.

A few hours later, Marco was on the stage with a microphone telling everyone to count down from three. It was time for me to toss the bouquet, I stood in front of Marco in the middle of the dance floor as the girls stood behind me ready to catch it, or ready to dodge it.

"3, 2, 1!"

I threw the bouquet over my shoulder, and then there was a cheer, when I turned around, I see Amber holding the flowers with a broad smile plastered across her face.

She held it up to the air and jumped in place, I smiled at her and clapped. Five minutes later, Alexander took my spot as the guys stood behind him ready to catch the garter.

"Hopefully, your brother doesn't catch that," Amber says to me as we stand to the side. I look over at her.

"Why's that?" I lift an eyebrow.

"Because he's been flirting with me for weeks now, and don't get mad but...he kind of took me out on a date this one time and I hated how good it went."

I put a hand on my hip as I smirk at her. "Look who's dodging the bullet now."

She rolls her eyes, a smile on her face. "I mean, I won't mind if he gets it, but I don't know...do you think he'll be good for me?"

I look at my friend and place both hands on her shoulders. "He's the best brother I could've asked for," I say and look over at Marco before looking at her. "And he'll make a great husband, I'm sure of it."

She smiles with a nod, and then we hug. When we pull away we hear a loud cheer, and look over to see that Marco did end up catching the garter. She cheers, and Marco looks over with the garter up in the air and his finger pointed at Amber before he makes his way over to her, getting ready to put it on her leg.

A few hours later, Alexander and I are walking through a path our guests have made where my limo waited at the end. I wave, and hug everyone I'll miss for the time I'll be away.

"This pretty lady you're taking away from us is our most precious gift, cherish her, and don't hurt her," Javier, my father says, he started with a smile but now he looked at Alexander with a flat expression.

"I will, sir, I promise."

Alexander planned the trip, so I had no idea where we were going. But the sooner we leave the sooner I could have him all to myself, which I've been waiting for all night.

As George opens the door, I look at my closest loved ones and blow them kisses, then I dip my head and slide into the car. Alexander slips right in after me, and the door closes behind him.

He takes my hand and smiles. "Margo, I have one question for you." I nod. He leans in. "Have I opened you up yet?"

A smile slowly spreads on my face, "More than you know."

LA FINE

(The End)