Read Online Save Me by Eliza Freed - Free Book Online

other and loving each other with your love as the ultimate example. They stand before you, their family and friends, and today affirm the love that has brought them to this place. Amen.”
    “Amen,” we all repeat as the rain continues its assault on the house. Noble squeezes my hands, and the edge of my veil brushes across my skin. Sean was supposed to lift it before he handed me over. I roll my eyes at it and turn to Noble for help. He lets go of my hands and raises my veil over my head and back over my shoulders. His closeness moves me, and when he lowers his arms, I lean up and kiss him on the lips. Our “congregation” finds our inability to follow the traditional order endearing and laughs at us as Noble kisses me again.
    Pastor Johnson clears his throat and we both turn our attention back to the ceremony at hand.
    “Noble and Charlotte have chosen to memorize the traditional vows. I’ll turn it over to them and hope we get through this without any awkward moments.” Pastor Johnson laughs at us, too.
    Sean hands me Noble’s ring and I place it on his finger. I take a deep breath and Noble’s eyes hold me.
    I belong right here, right now, with Noble.
    “I, Charlotte O’Brien, take you, Noble, to be my lawfully wedded husband, my treasured friend, my faithful partner, and my love from this day forward.” I smile at Noble and sigh, overwhelmed by him. “I vow to be faithful in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and for richer or poorer. I promise to honor you and respect you…and laugh with you.” It is Noble’s finest gift. “And to love you as long as we both shall live.”
    I exhale and warm under the loving stare of Noble Sinclair. He is, and has been for two years now, my everything. Noble takes my ring from Sam and places it on my finger. I stare at it on my hand, held by his own.
    “I, Noble Sinclair, take you, Charlotte, to be my lawfully wedded wife, my stubborn friend, my faithful partner, and my love from this day forward.” Noble squeezes my hand and the look in his eyes, the ever-present evidence of how much he cherishes me, makes me tear up.
    “No crying,” he whispers. “I vow to be faithful in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and for richer or poorer. I promise to love you, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you—and at you—and to cherish you as long as we both shall live and forever thereafter.”
    He is the safest place I’ve ever known. He is my father and my mother and my life, and he loves me, forsaking all others. I wrap my arms around Noble’s neck and lean into him. I kiss him with every ounce of love in my body pouring from my lips. He lifts me off the ground and doesn’t return me until Pastor Johnson clears his throat again.
    “Well, now, by the power vested in me, and in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
    I am beaming. Noble pulls me to him again. He is a promise, and an answer. And I love him. Sam and Rob are howling, and Jenn is doing a Jersey yell as the rest of our guests clap and cheer. The thunder roars outside as Noble takes my hand and leads me to the back of the house and into the library tucked away from the chaos. BJ nudges the door open as Noble takes a candle off the table in the hallway and sets it down on the desk, filling the room with the slightest light. I tap the chair and BJ jumps up as I wrap my arms around my new husband’s waist and bury my head in his chest.
    Noble takes my face in his hands and tenderly kisses me. I close my eyes and cherish the moment when my best friend became my husband.
    “Hey,” he says, and I open my eyes. “I’m sorry about the storm. You deserve a sunny wedding day.”
    I shake my head but never take my eyes from his. “It’s exactly what I deserve and I love it. It reminds me of the first night we were together. The night of the snowstorm.” Noble kisses me again and I savor the touch of his lips.
    “I know my