Roman ...

As I stood before Hannah, each of us wearing our wedding rings and gazing into each other’s eyes, I realized that I didn’t regret anything about our marriage.

Being at the auction house had been an

unfortunate accident, but as soon as I had seen Hannah Macalester on that stage, my mind was made up for me. And now, here we were getting married.

I could no longer blame the contract for forcing us into marriage. In all honesty, we could have had a simple courthouse ceremony, but I wanted to do something for Hannah, to make up for what she had been through. I wanted to be her prince charming, her knight in shining armor riding in on a white horse to whisk her away from her two-faced father.

Somewhere along the line Hannah became more than just a pretty face to me. She would be a formidable woman to have in my corner: tough, intelligent, and quickwitted. I had no doubt that she could humble me when I needed it, and she wanted to see the good in others - her own brothers, for example. She wanted them to choose the right side, but they hadn’t.

Now Hannah was mine to protect, and I never wanted her to leave my side. I wanted Hannah to be my wife, my true wife, for as long as we both shall live. I had to convince her to make this marriage permanent. I needed her to fall in love with me as I had fallen in love with her.

"You may kiss the bride," the officiant announced. Hannah smiled up at me as I released her hands to grab her waist instead, pulling her close to me. She reached her hands up and behind my neck to pull my face down toward hers. We pressed our lips together and the wedding guests burst into applause, cheering and shouting.

Hannah parted her lips and we deepened the kiss, beginning a slow rhythm as I heard Wade, Gabe, and Nick behind me, urging me on. I moved one hand up Hannah’s back and tilted her body to the side, holding her upper body suspended. She gasped mid-kiss and shrieked with laughter. I smiled at her mirth, planting another kiss on her lips before lifting her upright.

"May I present to you," the officiate began, "the newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Roman Thaddeus."

Hannah accepted her bouquet from her sister, and we turned to face the audience. There was applause and whistles from all corners of the crowd. My father clapped proudly, and my mother dabbed at her eyes with the corner of a tissue.

The photographer hurried forward and began snapping photos of me and Hannah as the guests began to leave their seats and move into the reception area. We took pictures with my parents, the bridesmaids, and my groomsmen. Hannah was all smiles and giggles as my mother, her sister, and Lauren adjusted various things on her gown and in her hair.

Hannah and I and the remainder of the official wedding party made our way outside to the front steps of the museum. The evening sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky, and a gentle breeze caressed our skin as we posed in various places on the steps and around the columns of the museum. I held Hannah close in our pictures together, and I smiled at her radiance as she was photographed alone, then with her sister, and again with both her bridesmaids.

"Are you going to have any more trouble out of her father?" Nick asked me as we stood off to the side waiting for Hannah’s photo op to finish.

I shrugged. "I suspect I will," I said. "His relationship with Hannah has gone down the drain since she and I met."

"That’s unfortunate," Nick said, giving me a brotherly slap on the shoulder. "But you got yourself a hell of a woman."

I watched Hannah laughing and posing with her sister and Lauren and I nodded.

"That I do," I said.

When Hannah was done taking pictures, she rejoined me, taking my hand and we all went back inside to make our way to the reception area. Hannah and I smiled at one another as we walked back through the empty foyer and through the corridors of the museum.

We glanced at the magnificent artifacts and works of art on display as we approached the museum’s restaurant. The restaurant was located at the far east wing of the building.

There was seating inside and also a large outdoor patio that had been cleared for dancing.

Guests had been mingling, and staff were serving hors doeuvres and champagne around the room while we were outside taking pictures. Those who had been invited to attend the reception gave us a round of applause as we entered the restaurant. Afterward, Hannah and I sat at the head table with my parents, and

everyone took their seats.

Nick was our master of ceremonies. I chose him because he didn’t get ruffled easily and he could be respectful yet laid-back with his humor. He introduced me and Hannah as the bride and groom, and before he introduced the others at our table he warmed the guests up with a joke.

"I was honored when Roman asked me to be the MC at his reception," Nick said, one hand in his pocket while the other held a cordless microphone.

"I was not so honored that Hannah turned down my marriage proposal immediately before she accepted his." The crowd laughed. "I’m not upset though," Nick continued, "she did make the better choice." Everyone laughed harder.

"She turned us down too," Wade and Gabe shouted in unison, keeping the laughter going. Once the merriment died down, Nick introduced my parents, Hannah’s sister Lori, Lauren, and her parents, my aunt and uncle. Nick handed me the mic and I stood to say my part.

"I just wanted to thank everyone for coming," I said to the guests.

"Thank you all for sharing this time with me and my wife." I glanced down at Hannah who was staring up at me with her beautiful green eyes and a smile that made my heart swell with happiness. Before taking my seat, I handed the mic to my father, who I knew was ready to sing my praises.

"I’m glad to see you all here," my father began as I wrapped an arm around Hannah’s shoulders.

"I was honestly surprised to get the announcement that my son was engaged to the beautiful and sweet Hannah Macalester, now Hannah Thaddeus."

The crowd cheered and I leaned over to kiss my bride before my father continued. "I don’t know what he did to get a yes out of her, but they both look perfect together and they seem very happy." The guests clapped as my father turned to me.

"May you and your wife have many happy years together," my father said, holding up his glass of wine. "To Mr. and Mrs. Roman Thaddeus!" We all held up our glasses and took a drink.

Next, my mother took the mic and gave her congratulations before announcing the arrival of the meal. Staff poured into the dining area with trays of rolls with butter and salad as appetizers before bringing everyone their choice of steak with lobster, crab, or shrimp.

There were steamed vegetables, macaroni, potatoes, and other sides to choose from. We all ate, chatted, and laughed as my family, Hannah, and Lori got to know one another.

We chose upbeat oldies for the band to play while we dined. By the time we finished eating and drinking, I was feeling content and ready to let loose. I leaned over and asked Hannah, "are you ready to dance?"

She smiled at me and shook her head. "No, but I’m going to dance with you anyway." I laughed and took her hand. As we stood, the band took the cue to change the rhythm of the music to a soft, slow tune.

We didn’t really have a song that we wanted to dance to, just something slow to hold each other and sway since neither of us were great dancers.

"Hannah," I said gently as we danced. She gazed up at me expectantly. "Are you happy?"

She smiled at me. "Yes, I’m happy, Roman, thanks to you." We kissed and the crowd clapped for us. A few moments later, Hannah and I parted, and the music changed back to an upbeat tune as I approached my mother, taking her hand and bringing her out onto the dance floor with me.

Hannah had my father by the arm, who was reluctant to dance, but he was smiling and complying like a man who would do whatever his daughter-in-law asked of him. She already had my father wrapped around her finger. After a few moments of dancing, Nick grabbed the mic again.

"Everybody, grab a partner and shake a leg," he said. "Nobody touches my partner," Nick added.

"Hannah Thaddeus, may I have this dance?" Nick asked Hannah over the microphone. The crowd cheered as Hannah laughed and Nick joined her on the dance floor. I took Lori as my dance partner while both Wade and Gabe tried to dance with Lauren.

The dance floor was packed with people, but I stole glances at Hannah as often as I could, catching her gazing back at me with a smile, making me yearn to have her back in my arms.