Author Note: Thank you all for being so patient as it took me even longer to finish this chapter than I expected it to. My family and I are moving a week from today, so I've been taking care of my nephew more so he's out of my step-mom's hair. I do hope to get another chapter done before next week, so keep your fingers crossed.
The reading Farkle does was found at ceremonyofficiantsdotcom/wedding-ceremony-readings/#A Lovely Love Story
The reading Auggie does is from the song Something in the Air by Lila McCann.
Place My Bet on Us
Riley woke up, feeling the effects of the night before as she tried to stretch in bed, for the first few moments she tried to figure out why she didn't feel Lucas' body next to her. As she slowly opened her eyes she realized she wasn't in the room at the ranch, no instead she was in a hotel room.
"Take this, and drink this." Maya handed her a dose of Advil and a large bottle of water.
"Thank you." Riley looked around; "What time is it?"
"Still early, I called room service, breakfast and coffee is on the way up." She sat next to her friend, "You are getting married today are you ready for this?"
"I've never been more ready for anything in my life." Riley smiled to her best friend before taking a long drink of water, "Did we really see all of our mother's at the strip club last night?"
"Yes, and Mama Babs, and please let me be the one to tell Zay, please?" Maya begged.
Riley giggled, "What if Sarah already did."
"Damn her!" Maya glared off at the distance. "Go shower finish your water you've got a long day ahead."
Riley did as her best friend told her and when she came back breakfast had arrived and Maya handed her a cup of coffee, "Okay, so this is real, I'm really marrying Lucas in a few hours."
"You really are" Maya studied Riley, "You're not wishing you could run off to Glendova right this second are you?"
"God no, I was being a moron." Riley confessed before sipping her coffee, enjoying the flavor and the quiet moment. "So what is our game plan for this morning?"
"Breakfast and then we're going down to the salon for hair, then we're going to grab a quick little lunch before we go to the ranch to get you married off to the Huckleberry once and for all."
"Remind me to be this sassy to you when you and Farkle get married."
"That still sounds kind of weird to me." Maya confessed, "By the way your wedding invitations showed up while Farkle and I were telling our parents."
"Was that good or bad?'
"Maybe good" Maya confessed, "I think almost everyone but Jennifer was stunned."
"Well I know that the two of you are going to be very happy together."
"Just as you and Lucas will be."
"Rise and shine boy!" Pappy Joe threw Lucas' door open and was followed by Clark, Cory, Shawn, Auggie, Zay, and Farkle.
Lucas opened his eyes, "What, can't I sleep in just a little bit this morning?"
"Nope, time to get up and get ready." Cory and Clark pulled him out of the bed.
"I'm up!" He stared at them, "What do I need to do? The barn is decorated, the ceremony area set up, my vows are written."
"Shower, get dressed, we're taking you to breakfast." Auggie explained, "This is from me and the team, since we wanted to thank you for coaching us so well that we won the state championship."
Lucas' heart melted just a little bit, "That's sweet Aug."
"Now get up, you have a big day and you need to start it off with a decent meal and well Riley isn't here to make it for you." Pappy Joe reminded him, "Now get goin'."
"I'm going, I'm going!" Lucas grabbed some clothes on his way out to the bathroom, today was the day Riley was finally going to become his wife."
"Hey, could I come in?" Cory poked his head in the door of Clark and Leigh's room where Riley was getting ready.
"Of course Dad" Riley came out from behind the changing screen in her dress, "Well, what do you think?"
Cory stared at his daughter in the white dress that went just to her knees, "You're beautiful, I am so proud of you sweetheart."
"Really Dad you were barely speaking to me before I came down to Texas."
Cory took her hands as he sat with her at the foot of the bed, "I was terrified Riley, you spent a decade in love with Lucas, I knew the moment he walked into my class and saw you, he was your future husband. It took me almost a decade to get used to the idea. I love Lucas like a son, and I didn't understand at first how you could let him go."
"I was scared Dad, I'm not scared anymore." She could feel the tears coming and tried to will herself not to cry since she didn't know if she had waterproof mascara on or not, "I know that Lucas and I are going to be together forever, we'll be blessed by however God decides for us to have children. We have some pretty big role models to live up to."
"Riley you don't have to"
"Dad, we don't have to live up to you, we don't have to be as good as you guys are, but we want to try. We love you both we just hope we're half as happy as you and Mom are."
Cory hugged his daughter, "You will be, probably more than your mother and I are."
"So you're really cool with Lucas and I living with you guys until our apartment is ready?"
"Of course we are, besides you'll only be moving down the hall." He pulled back, "You will always be my little girl no matter how grown up you are."
"So how do I look?" Lucas turned to Farkle, Zay and Auggie who were sitting on his bed. He was dressed in a pair of khakis with a pale blue button down shirt and a purple tie.
"Riley picked this out, didn't she?" Zay rose and circled around Lucas, "Not bad."
"Wow no snarky comment?" Lucas looked to his friend, "Oh God, you're in love."
"Who me" Zay looked to his friends; "Sarah and I just started dating."
"Yeah, and you brought her to this wedding." Farkle reminded him.
"She knows Lucas and Riley." Zay moved back to the bed.
Auggie rolled his eyes, "Please you and Sarah aren't new you've been together for a while. You just finally realized what it could be a few weeks ago."
Lucas couldn't help but laugh, "Busted Zay."
"This isn't about me this is about you and Riley finally getting married." Zay looked around, "You two have been through so much already you deserve a happy life together."
"Thank you Zay."
The alarm on Farkle's phone went off, "Well it's time to get you married."
"Already?"
"Already." The three spoke as a chorus.
Lucas stood under the oak tree with Zay by his side. The officiant, a middle aged woman with short dark hair was with him as the music began to fill the air. His breath hitched as his heart swelled and caught in his throat as he saw Riley on her father's arm. He was sure any moment he would take from this dream, discover this wasn't real.
Each step closer convinced him this was real, this moment was finally coming. They were finally going to become husband and wife.
Cory took a deep nervous breath as they reached the end of the aisle, placing Riley's hands in Lucas' before he looked at the young couple one final time, giving them a proud smile and nod before sitting down.
"We've come here today not to mark the start of a relationship, but to celebrate a bond that already exists. This marriage is one expression of the many varieties of love. Love is one, though it's expressions are infinite." The officiant began her Texas drawl thick and sweet like syrup.
"It is fitting to speak briefly about love. We live in a world of joy and fear searching for meaning and strength in the disorder. We discover our truest guideline when we realize love in all its magnitudes. Love is the force that allows us to face fear and uncertainty. For giving of our self in love is difficult, for you must learn to give your love without total submission of yourself, so in giving your joy, sadness, you interest, understanding and knowledge remember to preserve yourself, your integrity, your individuality. This is the challenge of love within marriage.
"Although you will be sharing one life, never forget that you are two separate people. Cherish and affirm your differences, love each other, keep your commitment primary. You will laugh and cry, be sick and well, be happy and angry, share and grow. Grow sometimes together, sometimes separately, never remain stagnant. Love and life are always changing, always new.
"So it is our hope for you Riley and Lucas that in all areas of your life together you will weave a durable fabric of mutual consolation and support and of help in time of trouble. May each of you achieve the ability to give yourselves freely so that you will each live better lives and become greater persons." She looked to the family and friends gathered, "And now a reading from the best friend of the bride and groom, Farkle Minkus."
Farkle rose from his seat in the second row, clinging to a piece of paper, "I found this a while ago when I knew that Lucas was going to propose to Riley and I haven't shared it with them, but I think it fits them both. A lovely Love Story by Edward Monkton
The fierce Dinosaur was trapped inside his cage of ice. Although it was cold he was happy in there. It was, after all, his cage.
Then along came the Lovely Other Dinosaur.
The Lovely Other Dinosaur melted the Dinosaur's cage with kind words and loving thoughts.
I like this Dinosaur thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur.
Although he is fierce he is also tender and he is funny.
He is also quite clever though I will not tell him this for now.
I like this Lovely Other Dinosaur, thought the Dinosaur. She is beautiful and she is different and she smells so nice.
She is also a free spirit which is a quality I much admire in a dinosaur.
But he can be so distant and so peculiar at times, thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur.
He is also overly fond of things.
Are all Dinosaurs so overly fond of things?
But her mind skips from here to there so quickly thought the Dinosaur. She is also uncommonly keen on shopping.
Are all Lovely Other Dinosaurs so uncommonly keen on shopping?
I will forgive his peculiarity and his concern for things, thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur. For they are part of what makes him a richly charactered individual.
I will forgive her skipping mind and her fondness for shopping, thought the Dinosaur. For she fills our life with beautiful thoughts and wonderful surprises. Besides, I am not unkeen on shopping either.
Now the Dinosaur and the Lovely Other Dinosaur are old.
Look at them.
Together they stand on the hill telling each other stories and feeling the warmth of the sun on their backs.
And that, my friends, is how it is with love.
Let us all be Dinosaurs and Lovely Other Dinosaurs together.
For the sun is warm.
And the world is a beautiful place."
Riley dabbed at her eyes, feeling the tears already starting as she listened to Farkle's reading. She could feel Lucas squeeze her hand comfortingly before she looked to him, seeing his own eyes glistening with the start of tears.
The officiant smiled as she looked out, "Riley and Lucas, of all the people you know, you have chosen one another as life partners. Are you ready to be married? If so, say, 'we are.'"
"We are" Their voices in unison as smiles crossed their faces.
"Who gives this man and woman to be married to each other?"
"We do." Cory, Topanga, Clark and Leigh all rose from their seats.
"And now a reading from the bride's brother."
Auggie got up, his hands shaking as he looked down at the paper before him, "From the song Something in the Air Tonight,
A little luck
An act of fate
Brought them here
Now love can't wait
There's something in the air tonight
Something electric
The point where love ignites."
"Thank you Auggie." The officiant looked to Riley and Lucas, "Today is your wedding day, one brief day in time, the vows you'll speak only take a few minutes, but they are promises that will last a lifetime.
Riley handed her bouquet of roses to Maya before taking Lucas' hands as she looked into his green eyes, "Lucas, you are my companion in life and my one true love. I will treasure our friendship and love, today, tomorrow, and forever. I will trust and honor you, I will laugh and cry with you, I will love you and stand by you through the best and the worst, the difficult and the easy. As I have given you my hand to hold, so I give you my life to keep."
Lucas took a deep breath as he looked at Riley, seeing the joy in her eyes, "Riley, I always knew you were the one, I might not have been the best at expressing that, but I think I've gotten better. You are my compass, you are my true north, and I promise you we will be companions in life no matter what God throws our way. Today, tomorrow, forever I will treasure our friendship, I will trust you and honor you. We'll laugh and cry together, I'll be by your side in the best and worst, the difficult and easy as we hold on to each other's hands, so I give you my life to keep."
Smiling the officiant looked to Zay and Maya who handed her the rings, "I hold in my hand two beautiful rings, a symbol of a binding contract, given and received as bonds of a never ending love, devoted friendship, circles of life and circles of love. May these rings be blessed as the symbol of this loving union."
Lucas picked up Riley's ring as his smile seemed to grow brighter, "With this ring, I thee wed." he slipped it on her finger.
Riley took a deep breath, her fingers shaking as she picked up his ring, "With this ring, I thee wed." she slipped it onto his finger, staring at it for a moment before looking up into his eyes.
"May these rings be the chaste and changeless symbol of your pure and unending love." She moved out of the way as Riley and Lucas moved to the small table set up with two pieces of cord, a blue one and purple one.
"Riley and Lucas have chosen today to tie the knot to symbolize their union, these two cords represent your past, each of you as individuals, what it was that made each of you, you. As you fasten the two pieces together, these actions represent the present, this moment when you join your lives together. The completed knot represents your future, secure in the knowledge that your relationship will continue to be strong despite the changes that life brings. The knot you are tying, while one of the simplest to tie, is also one of the sturdiest. As stress is applied, the knot becomes even stronger."
Riley and Lucas held the knot of blue and purple cord for everyone to see before the moved back in front of the table, continuing to hold hands.
"May your two hearts and souls be united forever" The officiant looked from the couple to the crowd, "Inasmuch as Riley and Lucas have consented together in marriage before this company, have made their promises to each other, and declared their unity by giving and receiving rings, are now joined in mutual esteem and devotion; I pronounce that they are wife and husband together."
She looked to the couple one last time, "You have kissed a thousand times, maybe more, but today the feeling is new. You can now seal the agreement you've made before everyone with a kiss. Today your kiss is a promise."
Lucas smiled as he cupped Riley's face in his hands before he kissed her, softly, slowly, with a promise of more when they were alone. He felt her arms wrap around him, pulling him close, deepening the kiss just a little before pulling apart.
"Family and Friends, Mr. and Mrs. Friar!"
"There ceremony was beautiful sweetheart." Topanga pulled Riley away for a moment alone, "I'm so happy for you and Lucas."
"Thanks Mom." Riley hugged her mother, "I can't believe this is real."
"Oh it's real, now go and enjoy it."
Lucas grabbed her hand, "Hello Mrs. Friar."
"Why hello Mr. Friar." Riley felt him pull her close, "You know it's almost time for our first dance."
"I like the idea of that." He kissed her softly, "We really did it Riles."
"That we did."
"Okay everyone" Zay was tapping on his champagne glass as he tried to get everyone's attention, "Now Riley and Lucas are planning to have their first dance about right now, but we their friends have something we wanted to do before that."
"Oh dear God should we be nervous?" Riley whispered to her husband.
"I have no idea, but probably."
"Okay" Maya raised her champagne glass, "Riley has been my best friend since I crawled into her bay window when I was seven years old. She is my sister; she is a part of me. When we were in the seventh grade, I threw her onto Lucas' lap on the subway, not knowing that he was her perfect match. Thank God you caught her Lucas, and you never let her go, even when she got scared, you held on one way or another. I'm so happy that the two of you have finally locked each other down, congratulations!"
Zay looked to the crowd, "I've known Lucas basically my entire life, and I've known Riley a good part of it as well. I've never told this story before, but I remember Lucas calling me after that first day of school in New York, he went on and on about this pretty brunette who ended up in his lap on the subway. It was almost like he was imprinted from that meeting, and every other time he came back to Texas to visit or we talked on the phone he would go on and on about her, and her friends. His eyes lit up when he spoke of Riley, even when we were so young.
"When I moved to New York and met Riley for myself, I got it. She brought out the good in Lucas that he wasn't always so sure he believed in. People change people, that's the secret of life and Riley and Lucas are living proof of that. Congratulations!"
"That was so sweet." Riley hugged Zay and then Maya.
"Well, what can we say we kind of love you two idiots" Maya looked around as she saw the DJ queueing up the music. "I think it's time for your first dance."
"And now Mr. and Mrs. Friar will share their first dance." The DJ announced as the music began, Kelly Clarkson's A Moment like This began to play as Lucas led Riley out to the dance floor.
"I love you." She told him as he held her close.
"And I love you."
She breathed in his scent, "So what do we do now?"
"Oh we've got a short little honeymoon we're taking before we go back to New York." He explained, "My Uncle has a beach house, we'll get to spend a few days there before we come back here and then go back to New York."
"That sounds wonderful." She rested her head on his chest as they continued dancing, "This is a dream come true and we have so much still ahead of us."
"We'll have all kinds of dreams come true." He told her as he felt the first drop of rain land on his head.
Riley felt a drop land on her shoulder and they looked up to the sky as the storm clouds came rolling in.
Everyone was rushing around them, for cover but they kept dancing.
"You know" Riley started "They say rain on your wedding day is good luck."
"Well then we're very lucky." He kissed her before lifting her into his arms as the rain began to pour down, swinging her around before they rushed into the barn with the rest of their family and friends.
"We are really are lucky." She looked around at all the friends and family that had gathered to celebrate with them.
"As long as we stick together we will be."
Zay crossed the barn finding his girlfriend chatting with his grandmother, "Two of my favorite ladies, are we getting along?"
"Oh Zay, I adore Mama Babs." Sarah rose, "I'll be right back."
Zay watched her leave, "So what do you think of Sarah?"
"She's wonderful I really enjoyed getting to know her last night."
"Last night, you hung out with the girls?" Zay couldn't imagine they invited her, sure they loved her, but what did the girls even do?
"Well they came to my favorite club to see the show." Mama Babs told him as though she were talking of a perfectly innocent nightclub.
"What kind of club?" Zay wondered out loud.
Sarah came up behind him, her hand on his shoulder before slipping back into her seat, "Oh Mama Babs was at the strip club Maya took us to."
Zay's mouth dropped, strip club no, not his grandmother, not his sweet Mama Babs, "Ha-ha Sarah that's so funny."
"She's not joking, I go every Friday night." Mama Babs announced proudly, "These girls got a real good show for Riley."
Zay couldn't believe it the girls had gone to see strippers his grandmother had been there, while he and the guys played mini-golf with their dad's.
"Okay single ladies, time to line up!" Riley called out as she prepared to throw her bouquet she watched where Maya was in the crowd and did her best to aim as she stood backwards throwing the flowers over her head.
Maya reached out and snatched the flowers before anyone else had a chance to react. She waved the flowers to Farkle and smiled knowingly.
"Well, I think April will be here before we know it." Farkle took her hand as he led her to the makeshift dance floor.
"It will; I can't believe they threw this wedding together so quickly." Maya wrapped her arms around her fiancé.
"They were determined you know we could always run off to Vegas."
"We could, but our parents would kill us. Besides I'm kind of excited to really start planning our wedding."
"Zay's going to plan my bachelor party, if he suggests a trip to Vegas, just be warned he wants to recreate The Hangover."
Maya giggled, "I'll keep that in mind."
"What did you ladies do last night for Riley's party?"
Maya blushed, "Okay, don't get upset. Mama Babs told me about this club with male entertainers, so we took Riley."
"You didn't, we played mini-golf with our dad's."
Maya closed her eyes, "I've witnessed, all of our mother's and Mama Babs throwing money at mostly naked men."
"All of our mothers, wait does that include mine?" Farkle could feel the bile rising in his throat.
"Oh yeah" Maya kissed his cheek, "And it wasn't that I invited them. We ran into them."
Farkle grew pale, "I think I'm going to need a drink."
"That's why Riley was hung over this morning." Maya took his hand as they left the dance floor.
Riley and Lucas had changed into more casual clothing when they snuck away from the reception to quickly pack for a few days away. "How far away is this beach house?"
"Only a few hours, we'll get their around ten I think."
"Okay good." She moved towards her husband, "So you know I packed that one nightie that Maya packed for me weeks ago."
He smiled with a twinkle in his green eyes, "Is that so?" His lips found her neck, teasing her. "What about the Ride a Cowboy shirt?"
She pulled away and looked at him with mocked shock, "Packed it to."
"Okay, do we have everything?"
"I think so." She took his hand, "We have each other."
"Then let's go say our goodbyes."
They grabbed their bags, and moved through the house before stopping on the front porch. The sky had cleared hours ago, the night stars twinkling above them, as their friends and family wait for them around the walkway. "I guess we couldn't sneak out huh?" Lucas joked.
"Never" Farkle told them, "Be safe, have fun."
"We're going to try."
Before Riley and Lucas knew it they were greeted with a sea of paper airplanes flying over them. He picked her up in his arms as they raced to the truck. He kissed her when he placed her down, knowing this was real.
Lucas pulled into the driveway of the beach house. A gentle rain was falling as he parked the truck and jumped out to get Riley before she let herself out. "Mrs. Friar, let me with that."
"I love the way that sounds." She confessed when she felt his arms around her, "Lucas, put me down, I can walk."
"Yes you can but I just need to carry you right now." He told her as he moved up the two steps of the porch before carrying her into the house.
"Lucas, I need to change before we do anything." She explained as he finally put her down on her feet.
He kissed her neck, "Really? I was planning on getting you naked as soon as possible."
"Yes really, please go get the bags." She felt her breath catch in her throat when he nibbled her earlobe.
"But I've seen you in the nightie, and the t-shirt, all I want is you."
Riley giggled, "That might be so, but I have something you haven't seen yet, and I want you to take it off of me slowly."
"You're killing me."
She smirked, "Hurry, the longer you protest the longer this will take."
Lucas sighed before giving her a long, slow kiss as he left to get their bags. When he returned he'd found the lights turned down low, a couple of candles lit. "Riley, where are you?"
"Bathroom, could you hand me my bag please?"
"Of course" He opened the door just enough to hand off her overnight bag.
"You should get comfortable." She told him before closing the door.
Suddenly Lucas felt nervous, almost as nervous as he'd been when they were seventeen and made love for the first time. They'd made love countless times over the last six years, but tonight it would be different, their first time as husband and wife, the first time with a new official commitment between them.
He started to undress, leaving himself in his boxer briefs just as the door of the bathroom opened. His mouth dropped open when he saw her, she'd let her hair down and her brown waves cascaded over her shoulders, she wore pale blue lace bra and panties. She was barefoot but stood on her toes as she posed for him.
"Well Mr. Friar, what do you think?"
"I think you're the most beautiful, gorgeous, unbelievable woman in the entire world Mrs. Friar." His smile curved up as she crossed to him, her arms draping over his shoulders and around his neck.
His hands slid up her body, "This is new huh?"
"Yeah, my something blue actually." She rested her forehead against his, "So husband of mine, do you think you could take this off of me?"
He looked into her espresso eyes, "I think I could do that, and then make love to you until morning."
"You're going to make love to me that long huh?" She smirked as she felt his fingers trace the outline of her bra.
"It's just the start Riley." He kissed her neck as his fingers slipped under the elastic of her bra before he unclasped it, and slowly pulling it off her body.
Her breath hitched at the feel of finger tips on her body moving down to her panties, his fingers slipping under the lacy material as he pushed them down to her knees. She felt one hand slip between her legs, his fingers exploring her folds that he knew so well but could never seem to get enough of before one finger slipped inside her.
Her fingers clung to his bare shoulders his eyes watching as she bit her lip as his fingers teased her before she stepped out of her panties, standing before him naked.
Lucas placed one hand on his hip as be brought the other to his lips, tasting her nectar before guiding her onto his lap, her legs on either side of him before he kissed her.
She felt her body arch towards his, his hands splaying on her back as she lost herself in his kiss. He laid back on the bed, rolling so she was beneath him as he began a hot trail of kisses and touches down her jawline, neck, collarbone before finding himself in the valley of her breasts.
Her fingers tangled in his hair, her body arching up towards him as his hands explored her back and his mouth explored her breasts.
Her nipples hard as his tongue teased over them, circling around each one before slowly suckling them until she moaned his name.
A wicked grin on his face as he moved further down, his hands under her bottom as he spread her legs with his face as he nuzzled his way to her hot, wet, core.
"Lucas" She cried out when she felt the first long trail of his tongue exploring her folds, her fingers clutching the bedspread as she felt the electric jolts of pleasure sweet through her body.
One hand was on her hip holding her down while the other kept her at his preferred angle.
Her body shifting and dancing with pleasure just encouraged him, made his own hunger for her grow as he brought her to the peak of pleasure.
He let her catch her breath as he pulled back, removing his boxer briefs before joining her back on the bed.
She kissed him, hungry for all of him as she felt him position their bodies together before she felt him enter her slowly, taking a moment to enjoy the feel of his bride around him before thrusting slowly at first as they built their way up together, a spark igniting between them moments before the mutual explosion of desire rocked them.
Lucas clung to Riley, holding her close as they came back to reality.
"Wow, being married really set off a spark in you." Riley told him after a silence, "That was amazing."
Lucas smiled before kissing her, "Well you drive me wild, this is all because of what you do to me, how you make me feel. Just think we have a lifetime of this ahead of us."
"And it's going to be a long lifetime." She kissed his softly as they shifted position before she rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat as they fell asleep for the first time as husband and wife.