Sweep Me Off My Feet

“Marry me here. Tonight.”

Angela’s mouth was open in surprise as she sat there, wondering what she was supposed to say. Michael could almost see her thought process. He reached for her hand and smiled at her.

“Angie, I know that this might be moving a little too fast for you and I understand why you would be hesitant, but there is something my best friend always told me.” He shrugged. “When you know, you know, and I know exactly what I want. You.” He looked around and shook his head. “The last time I was out here was the last time I had a genuine conversation with my father and he told me that places like these are made for lovers. People who see their entire futures in each other’s eyes. Angie, I have been dreaming of coming back here with that person since that day and I found you, so I brought you back here.”

The cool ocean breeze blew on her cheek and she shivered a little, making her grip his hand unwillingly.

“Marry me, tonight, Angela Carter,” he whispered as he looked into her eyes. “We are in paradise. I will throw you a big ceremony if that is what you want…”

Angela smiled nervously and nodded.

“Yes, I will marry you. Tonight.”

Chapter 9

As a young girl, Angela had always pictured her perfect wedding and as many girls did, she thought of a fairytale wedding where she would have that beautiful ball gown and a tiara, but as she grew up, her idea of her perfect wedding had changed. All she cared for was having her best friend there, who had grown to become more like a sister, stand by her as she said ‘I do’ to the man of her dreams. But now that she and Michael had gone to Hawaii, she did not even have her best friend and that was important to her because she did not even have anything she could have worn to any wedding let alone her own which was why Michael’s big surprise was such a big deal to her. He had her sent to a different room where she got a full body massage as well as her hair and make-up done. As if that was not enough, he’d had a new dress delivered to her room as well. A simple strapless chiffon dress and a pair of silver sandals. There was a note in the package that housed the dress from him.

You had on a strapless dress the first night I saw you. That is why I know you are going to rock this too.

M.

She smiled as she got the dress out of the box and held it against her body. He was right. She was going to rock that dress. The make-up artist looked at her and smiled.

“Now, do you still think that wearing your hear down was such a bad idea?” she asked, and Angela shook her head.

“You were in on it, weren’t you?” she asked, and the woman, Leanne, who looked no older than twenty-five, shrugged.

“I couldn’t give it away. That look you have right now… that is why I do what I do and if I get to partake in the surprise factor, then I am only too happy to indulge.”

Angela took a long, deep breath.

“Leanne, am I making a mistake?” she asked.

“Oh, honey, I have seen countless weddings out here and I love seeing people celebrating love and what you are feeling is perfectly normal,” Leanne assured her. “If you did not feel the way you were feeling right now, I would have probably told you that you were making a mistake. But, honey, that feeling in your gut, that is what tells me that you are not with him for all the wrong reasons.”

Angela smiled.

“Thanks, I really needed to hear that from someone. Normally, it would be my best friend, Candy, but… I guess this is what happens when you elope, right?”

Leanne nodded.

“But, you know what, I wouldn’t advise you to do it the conventional way, if you were not really feeling it.”

Angela frowned.

“Really? Why? I mean, the whole thing is an industry. If anything, I know you would have made much more making up a bunch of bridesmaids.”

Leanne pushed back a stray strand of her hair and nodded.

“True, but I only stand behind it because I believe in it and because that is what I did with my husband four years ago.”

Angela’s eyes lit up.

“Color me interested.”

Leanne laughed.

“My husband and I were planning a small ceremony and we had saved up for that, but when we began doing the ground work, we both realized that neither of us wanted it. We just wanted to be together. So, we took off, went to Vegas, and had an Elvis impersonator marry us. It was perfect.”

Angela shook her head.

“What about your family? What did they say?” she asked.

“We had a reception dinner back at home with everyone. It was great. What I am saying is your family is going to be happy for you regardless of the choices you make because that is what family does, okay?”

Angela bit her lip and nodded.

“Good, now come on and let me help you with your dress. You have to be downstairs in fifteen minutes.”

*****

Michael had never really known what he was looking for in a wife and even though he might have been rushing the new relationship with Angela, he had to admit that seeing her walking towards him at the beach gave him all sorts of chills. He had asked the resort to make preparations for the wedding ceremony at the beach by getting the wet sand lined with rose petals and lights. The tide was low enough to make the place safe enough for ground lighting. The soft lighting coupled with the moonlight and ocean waves made the perfect background for a private romantic wedding ceremony. He even had a live band, hula dancers, and a film crew to document the whole thing. He was not a very sentimental person, but he knew that Angela was going to want to remember every part of that evening.

“You look amazing,” he whispered to Angela when she got to where he was.

“You clean up pretty damn well too,” she said as she looked at his linen pants and shirt.

“Shall we begin?” the minister asked, and they both nodded.

They looked at each other as the minister went through the lines that he had gone through so many times before. All Angela and Michael cared for was the few lines and questions that mattered and it seemed like forever before the minister finally asked them.