Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 119476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 597(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 597(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
My maid of honor and best friend crosses her arms over her chest and scoffs. “Plenty taken.”
“Yeah, well.” Atlas shrugs and resituates James on his hip before continuing. “But with you, Pip, it’s like suddenly everything makes sense. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. The bravest. You’ve walked through hell—twice—and somehow managed to come out the other side still soft, generous, and kind. All of the good in you brings out the best in me.
“And this is going to sound like a line, but I mean it… You’re my reason for living, my entire purpose. You and James…” He trails off and presses a sweet kiss to our son’s temple, who readily turns and snuggles into him.
“The two of you are my whole world, and I promise to always put our family first. I promise to cherish you and to never take you for granted. You’re my heart, Pip, and I love you more than I can put into words. But know that even if I can’t articulate it, I’ll show you just how much you mean to me, every single day, for the rest of our lives.”
“I know you will,” I whisper as tears fill my eyes.
“Nora,” Paul prompts as Atlas tucks his notecard back into his pocket before focusing all of his attention on me.
“My life didn’t truly begin until you saved me.” I pause, fully aware he’s going to interject.
“You saved yourself, Pip.” Like freaking clockwork.
Smiling, I shake my head and press on. “Trust me, you did the heavy lifting. You gave me a safe place to land. You helped me heal. You never gave up on me, and I promise, anyone else would have. But not you, never you, Atlas. You’ve set the bar so high, it’s honestly unfair for other men.”
“Tell me more, Pip. Keep going.” He pretends to brush his shoulder off, making everyone laugh while I roll my eyes. This man.
“You’re as patient as the day is long. You’re kind and gentle and protective. You are every good thing, and I’m so beyond thankful to call you mine. To know I’ll get to raise a family with you, to grow old with you by my side, it makes every minute of suffering before you worth it. You’re the light that dispelled the darkness. I love you, Atlas Morgan. I love you—now, tomorrow, and forever.”
“The couple will now exchange rings as a symbol of their undying love and commitment to one another.”
Atlas passes James off to Ellis before plucking a velvet pouch from his pocket. A pouch that I know contains the band he has made for me—the band he’s all but kept under lock and key. Apparently, it’s a surprise.
My heart thumps like a jackrabbit in my chest as I give my bouquet to Scarlet for safekeeping. In turn, she gives me Atlas’s ring, which was tied to her bouquet with twine.
“Please repeat after me as you exchange rings—I give you this ring as a symbol of my love for you. Let it be a reminder that every day, I choose you to be my lover, my partner, and my best friend, now and forever.”
We repeat after him in tandem and then I slide Atlas’s ring onto his left hand before offering mine for him to do the same. My breath stalls in my chest at the sight of the band—I expected something simple, maybe even understated. But in true Atlas fashion, he went all out.
The band is dainty, with a slight curve, but what makes it really special is instead of diamonds, it alternates our birthstones.
“Atlas,” I whisper in complete awe as he slides the ring onto my finger. It nestles the diamond of my engagement ring perfectly. “I love it.”
“And I love you.” He boops my nose and then takes half a step back.
“Do you, Atlas, take Nora to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Paul asks, and despite us already being married on paper, I find myself waiting with bated breath.
“I do. Today and forever.”
“Do you, Nora, take Atlas to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do. Always.”
“By the authority vested in me, it is with joy that I pronounce you married. Atlas, you may now kiss your bride.”
Atlas closes the distance between us in the blink of an eye, banding his left arm around my waist while lightly cupping my cheek with his right hand.
“Love you, Pip.” He presses his mouth to mine, in the softest of kisses. “So much.”
I try to reply, but the second I part my lips, Atlas takes full advantage and deepens our kiss.
The crowd cheers as he takes us from zero to sixty, dipping me backward as he devours me whole.
“Okay, lovebirds, break it up,” Scarlet says, checking me with her hip.
My cheeks ignite as we break apart, both of our chests heaving.
“Way to kill the mood, Scar,” Atlas grumbles, but the dopey grin on his face belies him.