Love Unrehearsed

You’re my best friend,

You’re my love,

You’re my life.

I can’t wait to

make you

my wife!

Love, Ryan

My breath hitched as his message sank in. I covered my mouth, holding back from sputtering. I had envisioned the man I would marry one day, and Ryan had transformed that image into an unbelievable dream. I wasn’t nervous anymore. I knew with absolute certainty that my Ryan wanted me just as much as I wanted him. Tears dripped down my cheeks as I handed the shoe over to Ellen so she could see her son’s sentiment. Tammy was already reduced to a pool of tears, spurring me to cry harder while I was reprimanded for ruining my makeup.

A few minutes later, Ryan’s mom uncovered my dress. It was white silk and had a thin ribbon crisscrossed over the open back. I received four nods of approval when I first tried it on but my teeth chattered now as I shimmied into my dress.

Janelle unwrapped my three solitaire diamond necklace—my “something new” wedding gift from Ryan. I had my mother’s beaded hair comb that she wore when she’d married my dad, tucked into the top of my loose braid—my something old. As much as I wished my parents could have been alive to see me on this special day, I knew that they were looking down on me. They were be in the sunrays that cracked through the clouds and the warm breeze that tickled my skin.

Jill had a small box in her hand. “This is from Joe and me. Thank you for letting us be a part of your day, Taryn. It means the world to your father and to me that you’ve included us.”

I hugged Jill, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for being here.”

She touched my face and smiled. “Go on. Open it.”

My fingers fumbled opening the lid. I gasped when I saw the exquisite sapphire bracelet. “Oh my God!

This is beautiful!”

“It’s your something blue,” she said happily.

“Thank you so much! Would you help me put it on?”

Leave it to Janelle to yank me back into reality with her humor. “We have to go soon This is the easy part. Not killing him when he ticks you off is the hard part.”

I gaped at Ellen as she was nodding her head. “You’re telling me there are times you want to kill Ryan’s father?”

“Oh yes,” she admitted. “It’s not often—maybe three or four times a year—but it definitely happens.”

I looked over at Tammy.

She agreed. “I threatened to kill Pete on the flight over here.”

Marie was finishing trussing up my dress when I caught a sparkle on her hand. Her fingers were bare when she was putting on my makeup.

I spun so fast I almost fell over. I grabbed her hand. “Oh my God! What is this?”

Marie smiled coyly. “Mike proposed to me last night!”

I was so elated; it was hard to contain myself. Could this day get any better? I hugged her fiercely.

“How? When?”

Marie giggled. “Last night. He took me for a walk on the beach and told me that he’s never felt this way about anyone and he can’t imagine living life without me.”

I think I screamed. I definitely know I was tugging hard on her left hand, taking in the huge rock on her finger.

“He then said he didn’t want to wait to ask; he didn’t want me to think that he was motivated by your wedding or anything.”

I hugged her again, whispering my words of congratulations. This was a big step, but I knew no matter

what happened, I’d always have her in my life. After all, her three-bedroom house was physically attached to mine—separated only by a breezeway.

Marie gave me a smile. “What say we go get you married? Ryan Christensen is waiting.”

There was a gentle knock on my door before I saw my birth father, Joe, peek around the corner.

“Everyone dressed and ready?” he asked.

I smiled at his awkwardly i

The sun was just starting to set when I walked on shaky knees down the beach. I held Joe’s arm as he steadied me.

I felt instant relief when I saw that Ryan was in fact standing next to the man who would be officiating our union.

As soon as I saw him there with his hands clasped in front of him, his hair gently tussled by the ocean breeze, that breathtaking smile he wore just for me—nothing else mattered. This man was my everything.

He’d been there for me through thick and thin, through the good, the bad, and the ugly. Our vows on silly napkins were framed and mounted above our bed for us to always remember and never take for granted.

As soon as Ryan took my hands in his, all of my nervous worry drifted off into the breeze.

I woke with a smile to tiny kisses peppering my shoulder. I think I actually fell asleep with this same smile on my face. I rubbed my hand over his arm so he’d know I was awake.

“Good morning, Mrs. Christensen,” Ryan said while kissing my neck. It tickled.

“Good morning, husband.” I glanced at the clock. “More like, good afternoon, husband.” I rolled over and nuzzled into his chest. “Do you think they’ll miss us if we skip out on di

Ryan laughed softly. “I have no desire to get out of bed. That’s why they invented room service.”

I drifted my fingertip around his new platinum wedding band; my vow of “Yours Forever” engraved inside. I was hoping that this all wasn’t just a dream. “I never gave you your wedding present.”

Ryan smiled and kissed my forehead. “I think that thing you did last night when you were on top and riding me was a wonderful gift.”

I nudged him. “Smart-ass. Hang on.” I crawled out of bed.

“Gift number two—my wife completely naked.”

I wrinkled my nose at him, retrieving the thin box I had wrapped in gold foil.

He flipped the box over, inspecting both sides. “What’s this?”

I crawled back under the blankets. “A dream.”

His eyes narrowed. “A dream?”

“Yep. Dreams only come true if you point yourself in their direction.”

He fingers combed his hair back. God, that was so damn sexy. I hoped I’d never lose my appreciation for it.

He slid his leg over, tapping me in the foot. “Is that so?”

I fluffed the pillows under my head and nuzzled back into his side. “Yep.”

“Well then, I guess we’re tossing your birth control pills in the garbage.”

He caught me off guard. “You ready for all of that?”

He shrugged. “I’m ready for whatever life throws our way.”

“Good. Now open your gift already!”

Ryan slid his thumb under the edge of the paper, tearing it off. “Gold paper, eh?”

“Yep. That’s what it is. Inside is your golden ticket, too.”

He shook the box, separating the lid. A tinge of panic seeped through me when he frowned at my gift.

“A script? You bought this?”

“Yep. TLC Productions owns it.”

He examined it again. “This is that script you were so adamant about me pushing. Tar, no one wanted to back it.”

I shrugged. “That was then. We have a meeting with Jeff Westfield at Universal whenever you’re ready to put on pants again.”

Ryan was astonished. “You got producers on board?”

I gri

He gri

“Yes, I was. Sneaky.”

He pursed his lips. “You really want me to act again? After all we’ve been through?”

I rubbed my hand over his heart, noting the subtle change of pitch in his voice. “Yes, I do. It’s who you are. It’s what feeds your soul. The rest . . . the rest is just details.”

Epilogue

Just Rewards

Breathe—just breathe . . . Nope, holding my breath works better.