Page 118 of All In

I gently pulled her away from me so that I could see her face. “Maria, would you look at me, please?”

When she did, tears tracked down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Sam. I will never be able to forgive—”

To keep her from saying anything further and beating herself up, I gently pressed my finger against her lips. “Maria, I didn’t tell you that to make you feel bad. That is the past.” I pulled her hand up and kissed the ring. “This is our future. There is no turning back, no looking back. There’s only forward.”

She nodded her head in agreement, and then I kissed the crap out of her.

Something I do a lot.

We were married three weeks later. Seems fast, I know, but there was no point in waiting. Few people can say they had two quickie weddings in one lifetime. But this marriage was going to be different from my first because it’s going to be my last.

Our ceremony was exactly what we wanted. Everyone that was important to us was there. Mikey, Mason, and Brielle, our parents, my siblings, Ricky and his new girlfriend (he’s finally settling down), Big C, Jasmine, and the little girl they adopted, now their daughter. Richelle and Amanda, along with their husbands, rounded out the guest list.

It was small, intimate, and absolute perfection.

My favorite part … watching Maria float down the aisle with Mason on one arm and Brielle on the other. A sight I gave up on ever being able to see. Yet there I was, watching her walk to meet me and become my wife. The one thing I have wanted since I was sixteen years old.

I cried.

I broke my promise that day to never cry over Maria.

Totally worth it.

We promised to love and cherish each other, in sickness and in health, until death parts us. I slid the wedding band on her finger. Five diamonds. One for me, her, Mikey, Brielle, and Mason. She placed my band on my finger, five diamonds as well.

Our family, with us always.

After that, we spent the next two weeks on our honeymoon. The first week we were in the mountains of Montana in a rustic cabin (my favorite), the second week was on a beach in Hawaii (her favorite).

I’ll leave the details of those two weeks to myself. But yeah, it was fun.

Since then, we spend a lot of quiet nights together. Mostly, in front of the TV or in bed. Together, just the two of us. Then on the weekends, we venture out and discover new places, making new memories.

That may sound boring and mundane, and perhaps it’s our age, but justbeingis enough for us.

All those years apart were torture. I missed her constantly. So now that we are together, that’s what we want to be. Together.

Maria and Sam.

Sam and Maria.

All in.

Finally, Maria stirs, breaking me from my thoughts. Her eyes open, sleepy, green, and beautiful.

“Hi.” Her voice comes out hoarse from the night’s sleep.

“Morning.” I swipe another stray of blonde from her face.

“How long have you been lying here staring at me?”

I trace my fingers up her arm, and goosebumps erupt on her smooth skin. “Not long enough.”

With a subtle shift of her body, she closes the gap between us and plants a tender kiss on my lips. She moans, and her body sinks deeper into the bed. “What do you want to do today?” she purrs.

It’s Saturday morning, so the entire weekend is ahead of us.

I shrug. “I don’t know. Just be together, I guess.”

“Mmm…” She smiles. “Sounds wonderful.”

I roll her over onto her back and cage her in with my elbows on either side of her head.

I kiss her.

And we spend the morning in bed, as well as the rest of our lives … together.