Reception Time

After what felt like a thousand photos, we finally got the green light to hop back into the limo and head to the castle for our reception. Mom had thoughtfully arranged a cocktail hour for our guests while we were tied up.

As we rolled up to the castle, I stole another kiss from Shay, relishing the absence of camera flashes.

“Ready to eat, sweetheart? Your stomach’s been growling for the past half hour,” I said, resting my hand on her baby bump.

She let out a soft laugh. “I thought you were going to lose it with your mom when she wouldn’t let up with the photos. You got pretty heated there at the end.”

I had to admit, I did lose my cool with Mom. If I hadn’t, we’d probably still be out there, posing for God knows how many more photos. My baby was hungry, and Mom just wouldn’t listen until I raised my voice.

The gates swung open, allowing us to step out of the car and into the crowd that had gathered outside, cheering us on. We couldn’t invite everyone from the surrounding towns, but the wedding had been televised for them to watch.

They all wanted a glimpse of us, the soon-to-be king and queen once my parents stepped down. We gave them a wave before heading inside to kick off the celebration.

Everyone made their way to the dining hall while Shay and I were guided to the closed doors, waiting to be announced.

I turned to Shay. “Ready to start this new chapter in our lives?” I asked, gently rubbing her knuckles.

“I am. Just knowing that we’ll be together for the rest of our lives is enough for me, no matter what the future holds,” she said, pecking my cheek.

As the doors swung open, we were announced and everyone rose to their feet. We walked up to the stage, where a long table had been set up for the entire wedding party.

I helped Shay into her seat before taking my own. Our food was served, and Shay’s stomach let out an even louder growl.

“Didn’t you have lunch, babe?” I asked, puzzled by her hunger.

“I did, but your son has quite the appetite. It feels like I need to eat something every two or three hours just to keep him quiet,” Shay said, cutting into her shrimp.

My steak was cooked to perfection. We all chatted, ate, and enjoyed the brief respite.

Once the plates were cleared, we were led to the towering cake that had been ordered. It was shaped like a purple castle with two figures standing on the steps.

Shay was beaming as she looked at the cake. “It’s perfect, just like the photo we saw when we were picking out cakes,” she said as we picked up the knife to cut it.

We each placed a piece on the other’s tongue, savoring the first bites of the moist cake. We washed it down with sparkling cider in wine glasses.

We returned to our seats, where larger slices of cake were served before the rest of the guests got theirs. Then we were led to the ballroom for our first dance.

I took Shay’s hand, ready for our first dance as husband and wife.

“I hope I can move okay,” she said. “This bump you gave me gets in the way all the time. I can’t wait to be rid of it.”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “I gave it to you, huh?”

She playfully bumped me with her belly. “Yes, you’re the reason I’m this big, so it’s your fault it’s always in the way. Soon, you’ll have to put my shoes on for me because I won’t be able to bend down.”

The thought of doing that made me smile.

“I’d be happy to do that and more, sweetheart. If you need help getting dressed, I’ll be there. And you know the doctor said you might need to be on bed rest soon, right?”

She let out a small grunt. “I know. The guys already treat me like I’m on bed rest. I can’t even walk down the stairs without them on either side of me.”

I laughed as the music started and we began to sway.

“They’re just looking out for you, sweetheart. They know what the doctor said, and they see you as their sister. They’ll probably be even more protective once the baby arrives.”

She rested her head on my shoulder, her kisses sending shivers down my spine. We danced for five more songs before her feet started to ache.

I led her to a chair at the edge of the dance floor, then danced with my mom, who had been pestering me for the last two songs to share a dance with her.

As the night wore on, Shay danced with her dad, Conner, and Noah. But I could tell she was tiring quickly. Around midnight, the party finally started to wind down, and I took her up to our room for the night.

We were leaving at eight in the morning to fly to a city I knew she’d love. We’d spend the next two weeks exploring it and other places on our honeymoon.

I helped her out of her wedding dress, and she slipped into her nightgown and snuggled into my arms. She was asleep within minutes. I kissed her forehead and soon drifted off to sleep myself.