Page 4 of Saving Forever
Holly
“Do you, Holly, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
I feel a trickle of sweat begin between my shoulder blades and ever so slowly slide down the middle of my back.
“To have and to hold…”
My voice sounds weird as I repeat the phrase, and I try to breathe through the tightness in my chest.
“From this day forward…”
At least for the next year.
“For better or for worse…”
Things are going to get worse before they get better, once our families discover what we’ve done.
“For richer or for poorer…”
I’m going to be two million dollars richer when this is all over, but I don’t know what the emotional toll will be.
“In sickness and in health…”
Does wanting to puke during your wedding vows count as sickness?
“Until death do us part.”
I sincerely hope neither of us dies in the next year.
“I now pronounce you…man and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Kiss me?
Oh, shit, I totally forgot that we would have to kiss, but we have an audience and this has to look real or everything we’re doing will have been for naught.
Looking up into Viktor’s deep-set green eyes, I see everything I’m feeling reflected in his expression. Wariness. Anxiety. Not to mention the rigidness of his posture. His hands don’t appear to be shaking like mine are, but there’s no doubt he’s feeling some kind of way about all of this.
“Everything will be okay,” he whispers softly, surprising me as I tilt up my face.
He puts one hand on the side of my face, as if trying to reassure me, and then his eyes close. As if touching me somehow soothes him.
Why do I like that I can soothe him?
I don’t have time to think about it because everyone is waiting, watching, and about to take pictures. This has to look real. It has to be real.
So, I close my eyes too.
When his lips touch mine I’m surprised at how soft they are. How warm. He’s very handsome so kissing him isn’t as weird as I thought it would be.
Then the kiss is over almost as soon as it begins, and the officiant gives us a smile.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Viktor reaches for my hand since we have to make this as realistic as possible.
We talked about this. We’re prepared, but my hand is ice cold when he laces our fingers together, I can’t help but shiver just a little. He gives my hand what I hope is a reassuring squeeze as we turn away from the officiant and face the small group of friends who came to support us.
“Congratulations.” West is the first to reach us.
