“Livia stopped to hold her small tiara on with her bouquet hand, and she finally looked at him. As always, her blazing beauty ignited him as she approached.Me. She sees me.She was only a few steps from the bottom when she smiled at him. Blake mouthed the number back to her.“You’re here,” she whispered.“Always,” he said loud enough for everyone to hear.”

“Me? I want you to be sure." he said."You," Livia whispered. "Me." His eyes were full of intent. "Always you." Livia gave him her biggest, heartfelt smile. "Five hundred." Blake touched her face as if she might be a mirage and smiled back only when she didn't disappear.”

“You’re beautiful.” Blake said hello as he’d said goodbye.“You said that already,” Livia mouthed over the banging music.Blake just shrugged. He flashed Livia a shy smile and held out the pink napkin to her. He’d turned it into a beautiful, perfect rose bud with a single leaf. Livia took the rose from his hand and turned it over carefully. He’d pinched tiny thorns into the paper stem. Livia put it to her nose as if to smell it. She realized he was waiting.“You’re beautiful,” Livia mouthed. She would have hugged the rose if it weren’t so delicate. She hugged him instead.With her ear so close, Blake was able to murmur into it. “May I have this dance?”

“Blake waited for her to look at him with a smile, but her shoes were still too captivating. He held a hand up to stop Cole from beginning the ceremony. He knelt on one knee, close to the hem of her dress, and looked up at her. She watched him as he kissed her hand.“Beautiful, enchanting Livia, will you marry me today?”Livia’s disobedient tears emerged, gravity bathing his smiling face with their small, splashy wishes. She took her hand from his and covered her mouth. She nodded over and over as she cried.Blake stood and gathered her. Livia dissolved into him, leaving the guests alternately tearing up or looking in other directions.Blake tried to stroke her hair through the veil, but he was afraid he would pull it out. “Shhh. It’s okay. I’m not that terrible, am I?”Livia shook her head.“I’m making you my wife right now, even if you cry through the whole damn thing.” Blake switched to wiping her tears.”

“She held her breath as it stopped ringing and connected.“Hello, beautiful Livia,” Blake answered.“How did you know it was me?” Livia saw her wide smile in the rear view mirror.“The phone looked sexier when it rang.”She could hear a matching smile in his voice and sighed. Livia hugged herself with her free arm. Just the sound of him made her skin beg to be touched.”

“Blake waited until she set her deep gray eyes on him. “He has no idea the beauty in front of him. He’s a fool.”His words made her heart glow. She smiled and looked at her hands.”