Chapter 37

Paul was in the shower. He had been at work and done a half-day sift. Thank fuck for that, he had been a bit hangover when waking up this morning, and early wake-up had been a fucking killer. He should have held up with the booze last night, but they all had ended up drinking too much.

Last night with Jared and Sam had been nicer than he had expected; good bonding time with the friends. He had told them about Victoria and the baby. He was a bit anxious to talk about it with Jared, but he understood why Paul didn't want to be the father of this baby. But it was a touchy subject, and Jared did break down at one point. But it seemed that he and Kim were as strong as before. The night was filled with strong emotions, but they had had fun too. He was fucking grateful to have such good friends as Jared and Sam.

He had texted Bella throughout the night, and the bitches who came to talk to him heard about his amazing bride and how he was getting married on New Year's Eve. They didn't stay long to listen to that, but if they did, he showed them a photo of his beautiful girl, which made them disappear.

Paul turned out the water, and then he heard his phone ringing. His heart leaped into his throat. It could be the laboratory calling him. He quickly grabbed the towel, dried most of the water, and stepped out of the shower. He glanced at the screen; it was from the laboratory. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Hello."

"Is this Paul Jerome Lahote from La Push?"

"Yes, that's me," Paul said. His heart was hammering out of his chest. He felt like he could faint at any moment.

"This is medical receptionist Williams from the Port Angeles medical center laboratory. I'm calling about the results of the paternity test you took a week ago."

"Yes," Paul could hardly breathe.

"The test is negative, which means you are not the father of the child of Victoria Ellen Sutherland."

Paul felt relief washing over his body like a cold electric current and fell to his knees.

"Mr. Lahote?"

"Yes, I'm here. Thank you very much for calling me. This is the best news ever."

"Well, I don't know what the mother thinks, but I'm happy you are content with the result. Have a great New Year."

Paul stared at the phone, and he cried. He was fucking crying like a baby. He was so relieved.

"YES!" he shouted."FUCK YES!"

He needed to tell Bella! He needed to go and see her. She knew the results were coming either today or tomorrow. She was with Angela and Jessica at her house, and her friends probably didn't like him showing up at their bridal party, but he had to see Bella. He just couldn't tell something this big over a phone.

He wiped his tears, but they kept coming. He needed to get a grip on this bullshit; he couldn't go there crying. But fuck, he couldn't help it. He had been so fucking scared of being the father to that baby, even more so than he had realized. Now that the anxiety and the fear were released, he was so fucking elated and happy that he felt like he could burst.

He and Bella could start their own family someday. There would be no other women claiming him. Never!

He got dressed, grabbed his keys, and drove to Forks. The 30 minute-drive felt like forever. Finally, he parked his car in front of Charlie's house, jogged to the front door, and rang the bell. It was a bit weird; nowadays, he usually just walked straight in.

Charlie came to open the door. He was surprised to see Paul.

"Oh Paul, why didn't you come in? Has something happened?" Charlie asked, looking worried. Paul's eyes were still probably a little watery.

"No, everything is better than ok. Could you ask Bella here? I need to talk to her quickly."

"Won't you come in?"

"Nah, I'll wait here. I won't bother her long; I know she has friends over."

"Ok, you are scaring me, though. Are you sure all is well?" Charlie asked, the worried look still lingering.

"Yep, definitely."

Charlie went inside, and soon Bella appeared at the door looking anxious.

He grabbed her into his arms and closed the door. He couldn't help it; tears started to flow again when he hugged her and buried his head into her hair.

"What's the matter, baby? Did you get the results?" Bella asked quietly.

Paul nodded, unable to speak.

"And? Please, you are scaring me."

"I'm not the father," Paul was finally able to say.

"Oh my God, Paul." Bella hugged him tighter. "You got me scared for a moment. Oh, I'm so relieved. You must be so relieved. Oh, baby!"

Paul was sobbing, and he couldn't help it.

"Fuck I'm a wreck," he finally said, "crying like a baby." He sniffed his nose and wiped the tears from his eyes. Bella was crying too.

"I was so fucking scared that I'm the father," he said and sniffed again. "I know you've married me even if I had been, but it just felt so fucking wrong, so fucking dirty. I fucked that woman, not knowing her name, and if I had from that, I would have become a father … Jesus. it just felt like I would be the same as my own poor excuse of a father who fucked like a man whore he was and probably fathered many poor kids." He shuddered at that thought. "But you deserve so much better. How could I have married you if I had a bastard kid with another woman?"

"I was a fucking man whore before I met you. And I felt that it was my punishment for what I've done, that the baby was mine, and you would end up hating me for that."

Paul let it all out. He had been harboring these thoughts and feelings on a constant loop in his head ever since Victoria had shown up behind his door.

"Oh baby, honey, look at me," Bella said and wiped tears from his cheek and kissed his eyes, one by one, and kissed him lightly on the lips. "You are my everything. I don't care about your past. What you are now matters and only that. If that baby had been yours, we would have dealt with it together. I would have been there for you and for that kid too. I could never hate you. You've been so good to me. You are the best man for me. I wouldn't marry you tomorrow if you weren't." She kissed him again.

"But I am pleased that the baby isn't yours. I don't deny that," she continued. "Now we can have one of our own someday without feeling bad for the baby who can't have his daddy with him every day. You will be the best daddy any kid could ever hope for, and that kid will want you and need you every day of his or her life."

Fuck, Bella's words were tearing him up again. He breathed slowly in and out, shaky breaths.

"Baby, I love you so much," he nuzzled her neck and kissed her jaw.

"I love you too, Paul, so much," Bella breathed.

They stood holding each other for a while.

"I think you should go now," Bella said, moving arms-length from him and looking at him. "I know Jared and Sam are waiting for you, and Angela and Jessica will get suspicious why I'm away this long. How do you feel if I tell them about this?"

"I don't mind. The nightmare is over. It's all that matters," Paul sighed and captured her lips for a passionate kiss. He wanted so badly to have her in his arms tonight, but they had promised to spend the last night traditionally with their friends and see each other at "the altar".

"I'll see you, tomorrow, baby," Paul kissed her one more time.

"Yeah, I will be the one in green," Bella winked and went to the door.

After she had closed the door, Paul made a silent victory dance punching his fists up in the air.

"Everything ok, Paul?" Charlie peeked behind the door.

"Yep. See you tomorrow, Chief," Paul said and walked to his car spring on his feet.

Bella was so relieved she couldn't stop crying. But she did feel bad for this Victoria and her baby. How was she feeling now? Not knowing her at all, she didn't have a clue. Had Victoria really thought that Paul was the father, or did she just need someone to take care of her and the baby? She felt so sorry for her. She shook her head and got rid of those thoughts. Now was neither the time nor place for thoughts like that. But she would think about her and the baby later. She knew she would.

Bella, Jessica, and Angela have had a lovely afternoon together. They have been doing some beauty stuff and talked about the men in their lives. Jessica's wedding would be next July, and it was going to be a huge event. Over 200 guests, her dress alone costs almost $7,000.

Bella was inwardly shocked when she listened to all the plans and arrangements already made for the wedding, and she was extra happy she didn't like big weddings. The one she was going to have had already expanded to something bigger than they had planned. But she was happy that the most important people in her life knew and would be there in one form or the other.

She had decided to tell Jessica after they talked with Ailani and Sarah. She and Jessica had been good friends in high school despite her jealousy, and they had kept in contact since they met in August and Jessica had visited her in Seattle in November.

So, Angela and Jessica were kind of her bridesmaids now. Ben and Mark would accompany them, of course. Jared and Sam would act like Paul's best men, so Kim and Emily would be there with them and Kai, who was almost like a father to Paul. Ailani and Sarah, and her mother via video call. And her darling father.

After the initial dismay of their marriage, Charlie had taken the opposite direction being uncharacteristically enthusiastic about their nuptials. He had insisted upon making some kind of contribution, and he had made a reservation at a restaurant where they all could go to have a wedding dinner after the ceremony. They had let him hover as it was so important to him. It was kinda cute. Charlie had said he would pay for their honeymoon after Paul had told him where they were going, but Paul had declined that. It was important for him to provide the honeymoon for his wife.

Bella had called her mother on Boxing Day. Reneé had been in shock after hearing the news. Her plan for Bella to move back to Honolulu hadn't worked out. After asking if she was pregnant, she had wanted to talk with Paul but had acted like a bitch, and Bella had had to cut in. She had asked Paul to watch the game with Charlie and told her mother what a selfish person she was and that if she didn't apologize to Paul, she wouldn't be present at their wedding. She had apologized, and now she would attend with Ailani, who had promised to visit her so they could watch the ceremony together.

She had found herself a dress by sheer luck. It was a vintage dress made of beautiful emerald-green silk. It had an empire waistline, a square neckline, and full-length lantern sleeves, and it reached just above her knees, showing off her long legs. It was so perfect that she had almost burst into tears when trying it on. Paul's necklace would go with it like a dream. She would put the turtle on the hollow of her neck where she usually wore her pearl. On the back was a zipper, and its neckline hid her turtle. She would have wanted it to show, but it wasn't the reason not to buy an otherwise perfect dress.

Both Jessica and Angela thought it was the most stunning dress they'd ever seen on anybody, but they were a bit skeptical of it being a second-hand dress, and they had tried to talk her out of getting it, thinking that a used dress brings bad luck or something as silly.

"What if the previous owner had died a terrible death," they had tried to scare her.

But Bella knew what she wanted, and she would wear that dress again even though she didn't wear dresses or skirts often, but that dress felt so comfortable, and it made her feel beautiful and sexy. She would definitely wear that again. She found the idea of a wedding dress that was used only once an extravagant and total waste of money. She didn't tell Jessica that, though. To each their own.

The shopkeeper was delighted that Bella wanted to buy the dress to be used in her wedding since the dress was initially made as a wedding dress. It was brought to the shop by an elderly man who had been cleaning his home after his wife had died. Jessica had asked how the lady had died, and the shopkeeper told them that of natural causes at the respectable age of 85.

The man had told the shopkeeper that the dress was originally made in Scotland in the early 1930s by his late wife's mother for a wedding dress for herself. The dress came to the USA after World War II when the family moved to Seattle to start a new life there. The late wife had shortened the dress to be more appropriate for the 1960's style, and it was the dress she had worn on their first date in July 1960.

Bella's breath hitched when she heard that; it was the same month she and Paul had their first date. This really was the dress for her, and Angela and Jessica both admitted that it was perfect since no horrible death was involved. It even came with leftover fabric; the one cut off from the hem.

"We can make a pocket square for Paul from that fabric. You said that he had a tie already and that it is the same color as his shirt, so he doesn't need a tie," Jessica said.

"That's what he told me," Bella said, agreeing that the pocket square was a lovely idea.

Bella found beautiful shoes from the shop with reasonable heels. They bought her black lace underwear with stay-up stockings. All that had cost a little over $500. Pretty good if you asked her. Jessica would borrow a trendy long black jacket to go with the dress. Jessica would also make her hair, and Bella permitted her to put on little makeup.

"You will be the most beautiful bride ever," Angela sighed.

Jessica was holding a green silk square in her hand. She was waiting for Paul so she could give it to him. Finally, he came with his two friends and a middle-aged man. Jessica couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Paul. Hot damn.

Suits did make men look good in general, but Paul in his dark grey, almost black two-piece suit with the same color shirt and a tie was pure sin. He had his black earrings on, the ones Bella had told her made her crazy (they definitely would drive her crazy, too), and on his wrist, he had the bracelet Bella had given him on Christmas. His ink black hair was gelled up into sexy messy spikes.

She had to force herself to move her eyes off Paul; drooling after her friend's soon-to-be husband wasn't a proper way to behave. But damn, he was hot. Bella was one lucky woman to have him. She must admit, she was a bit jealous. Her Mark was a good-looking, kind guy, but he didn't have this insane sex appeal Paul did. Although it must be hard for Bella to be constantly on her toes when other women were lusting after him. Jessica would go mad.

"Hey Paul, this is for your pocket," she said and handed him the fabric square.

"Thanks. Is everything ok with Bella?" Paul asked. His voice, with a husky tone, made her shiver.

Get a grip, woman. She cleared her throat.

"Yes, yes, she is fine," Jessica told him. Bella was a bit nervous, but it would be weird if she wasn't. She was getting married, for crying out loud.

"Hello, I'm Jessica," she introduced herself to Paul's friends.

"Um... sorry, these are Sam, Jared, and Kai," Paul said. He seemed a bit nervous, too, fiddling with the green silk fabric between his fingers. He was adorable.

"Bella is ready. She's waiting for her father. The ceremony should start in 15 minutes. See you at the altar," Jessica said and turned to leave.

She saw how Kai went to Paul, took the fabric square from his hand, and folded it into his pocket. He put his hands on Paul's shoulder and said something, and Paul smiled. Gah, he was cute. All those men were just so damn cute.

Jessica went back to Bella and Angela. Bella was talking with Ailani and Sarah. Her mother was on the video call too. They weren't on the best of terms now, but Jessica had told Bella she would regret it later if she didn't forgive her mother. But she must admit that Reneé was the most selfish person she knew.

She looked at Bella. She had changed quite a bit while living in Hawaii, not just how she looked. She was more open, smiled more, and her eyes that were nervous and reserved before were now shining like stars. She had always been naturally beautiful, but now she was radiant. Jessica had put very little makeup on her face; she didn't need much if any. Together with Paul, they made a dazzling couple.

She knew Bella had been jealous of her in high school, but she didn't have to be jealous anymore. And she was very happy for her, she really was.

"Where is my baby girl?" They heard Charlie saying when he came in.

"Oh, my baby, you look so beautiful!" he came to Bella and hugged her. Jessica saw tears forming in his eyes.

"It's time to go," Jessica said. "Angela and I go now, and we'll see you at the other end."

Bella hugged her and Angela quickly and said, "This really is happening. I can't believe it."

"Your handsome man is waiting out there, so for sure it is happening," Jessica said and kissed her on her cheek.

Paul was standing by the altar with Jared and Sam. Fuck he was nervous. Why was he so nervous? Nothing could stop this from happening now; Bella would soon be his forever. After this, no one could take her away from him. She would never leave him. He felt Sam's hand on his shoulder. He squeezed lightly. Paul glanced at him and gave a quick tight-lipped nod.

Then he saw Bella. His breath hitched, and everything else vanished but her. She looked absolutely breathtaking. Their eyes met, and her eyes widened when she saw him. Her cheeks flushed, and she smiled the smile he knew was meant only for him. Fuck he wanted this to be over soon so he could get her to himself and everybody else gone.

He couldn't believe Bella was able to look more beautiful than she usually did, but fuck, he almost lost his ability to breathe when he looked at her. Her hair was tied up, leaving a few shorter strands to frame her face, and she had some little flowers on her hair. Her dress flowed deliciously down her body, showing her long sexy legs. Hot damn, now was not the time to grow a boner. He moved his eyes from her legs back to her face. Paul's throat tightened when he saw his necklace on her neck. Her eyes were huge; some makeup made them look even bigger than usual. He felt his heart hammering in his chest. He couldn't wait to touch her.

Charlie brought Bella to him and clapped him on his shoulder. That clap meant so many things; no words were needed, and based on the look Charlie had on his face, Paul suspected Chief could not utter any. Paul took her hand and kissed her lightly, not daring to linger on her lips too long; it would ignite the lust, the need he felt for her was not for anybody else to see.

"You are breathtaking," he whispered to her.

"So are you," Bella smiled.

The ceremony began, but Paul wasn't listening to what the courthouse officiant was saying. He was mesmerized by the beauty by his side. They kept stealing sideways glances at each other unable to keep their eyes off one another.

Then it was time for the vows. Bella was first. She opened the paper she had held in her other hand and started to read, glancing up at him, her eyes shining.

"Um... Paul," her voice quivered a little, "you came into my life when I was least expecting to find the love of my life. But then, the biggest things in life never happen when you are waiting for them to happen. You swooped me off my feet; literally, I may add, took my heart and made me feel alive and loved the way I never knew was possible. With you, I feel loved. I feel safe. It doesn't matter where I am; I'm happy as long you are there with me. I want to quote one of my favorite authors, Dr Seuss, by saying: "You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." I want to spend my every waking moment with you, and I want to wake up by your side. I promise to love you, cherish you and eat your fabulous food," she giggled a little and continued, "for the rest of my life. My life is yours, now and forever."

Tears were running down Bella's cheeks. He brushed them away with his thumb. He was losing himself in her eyes; he needed to slap himself mentally to get his head back on the game. He cleared his throat, which was thick with emotion. He glanced at the paper in his hand; his hand was shaking a little.

"Bella, my life was a dark place before I met you. It was without direction, hope, and happiness. When you came into my life, you brought light; you showed me the right way, and you gave me hope and joy. But most of all, you gave me love. You showed me what it means to love unconditionally and to be loved as such. I didn't know love this strong existed before I met you. You are the reason I wake up every morning. You make me a better man in every possible way. I want to be a man worthy of you. I promise to love you, cherish you, protect you, and of course, cook for you for the rest of my life. I love you with everything I have; my body, heart, and whole life belong to you."

He couldn't say these words without the thickening of his voice and tears forming in his eyes. Bella was crying too. Her eyes shone with love and devotion he knew she felt for him, mirroring his feelings for her.

The courthouse officiant asked them to exchange the rings.

Paul took Bella's ring from his pocket and slid it into her finger. The ring was a simple brushed white gold band with a small oval piece of the same color sea glass as on her necklace.

"It is from the same glass," Paul whispered. Then he gave her his ring, which was the same style of white gold band, and she kissed it on his finger and kissed it. She smiled that radiant smile that melted his heart.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

People cheered, and Paul cupped Bella's face between his hands. She was his, his wife. The joy he felt in his chest was out of this world.

"I love you, my wife," he whispered and kissed her. She molded her body against his and kissed him back. "Baby, I'm getting hard on if we continue like this," he whispered.

Bella giggled and shifted, so she wasn't pressed against him. "We'll get to that a bit later," she whispered, "my sexy husband." Paul shivered when she called him husband. Jesus, fuck, it was true. Bella was his! She was Mrs. Lahote.

AN:

So, they've married! YAY! I think it was quite beautiful. Do you?