They always say, at weddings, don't look at the bride as she comes down the aisle – she'll be gorgeous and glowing, of course – but look at the groom. He'll be the one whose face lights up the moment her foot steps through the door, the one who sees his heart walking toward him while everyone else simply sees a beautiful woman.
That day in August was no different.
The weather was just shifting to fall in New York City, the trees around the boathouse changing from green to a sunset of golds, oranges, and reds. A few of the branches were sneaking in on the ceremony space, the leaves fluttering in the soft breeze.
His hands were in the pockets of his pants, his fingers twirling around the slim ring resting there. He wasn't nervous. Kate was the only woman he had ever been completely certain of when it came to marriage. With Meredith, it was him being a gentleman to the young actress he had accidently gotten pregnant after a night of alcohol-fuzzed fun. Gina was a rebound, something to draw him away from the pain of Meredith's betrayal and a person to get him to focus on the two things that mattered – Alexis and his books.
Kate wasn't an obligation. She wasn't a rebound. She was truly the only woman who he had ever loved.
They had decided not to have music during the ceremony, so his eyes were trained on the doorway that lead from the interior of the boathouse to the deck where everyone was seated, just waiting.
The instant he saw her, those people disappeared. He hated the cliché; as a writer, he hoped to be more inventive, but he had long ago learned that when a phrase works, use it. Their eyes met, her lips turning up into a smile. He was certain he looked like a fool, certain his own smile took up half his face like some sort of cartoon character. And he was certain he didn't care.
He pulled his hands out of his pockets in time to take one of hers, making sure he didn't crush the bouquet as he did.
"Hey," she whispered, tugging her arm from her father and reaching up to wipe away a tear he didn't know he had shed.
His fingers tightened around hers. "Kate… You look so-"
She cut him off with a finger to his lips, still smiling under her finger. "Shush so we can get married."
Kate turned just enough to let her father kiss her forehead before going to sit next to the empty bench spot for his wife, a single branch of forget-me-nots on the program. Across the aisle was another empty seat, a collection of oak leaves tied with ribbon resting on the bench.
He inched closer to her, their arms meeting in the middle, and he snagged her pinky, giving it a squeeze just as the judge started speaking, using the simple motion to tell her exactly how he felt.