Page 49 of Dark Voyage Matters of the Mind

Dalhu

As the door to the bedroom opened, Dalhu looked up at his gorgeous mate. "Evie fell asleep."

"I can see that." Amanda smiled at the sight of their daughter curled on her side next to him on the bed. "Did she get bored with her shows?"

"Not really, but she got tired and couldn't keep her eyes open. It was funny to watch her trying to fight it."

Amanda sat on the bed next to Evie and caressed her small back. "We shouldn't let her watch that much television. It's not good for her."

"I know, but I ran out of ideas for keeping her entertained." He tilted his head and glanced at the door that she had left ajar. "What happened to your bachelorette party? I can't hear anyone in the living room."

"It's over." Amanda cast him a sad smile. "They all went shopping."

He gaped at her. "Without you? How dare they?"

"I know, right?" She sighed. "Something came up, and we have to move the wedding reception back by two hours."

"What happened?"

When she was done telling him, Dalhu shook his head. "Maybe this is an omen that we shouldn't get married. We're perfectly fine as we are. We don't need a ceremony to prove our commitment to each other."

She chuckled softly. "I love it that you are superstitious like some old grandma, but this is not a bad omen. The way I see it, it's a sign that what we are doing is right."

His mate was an expert on manipulating things to her advantage, but she rarely used that talent on him.

"I can't wait to hear how this is a sign of something good."

Amanda kicked off her shoes and lay on her side next to Evie. "We get to help others on our wedding day, which implies that our future together will be filled with good deeds, compassion, and love."

Dalhu looked into her warm eyes. "You actually believe that?"

"I'm convinced of it."

Her ability to find the upside in nearly every situation was just one of the many things he loved about her. "Then you must be right."

She arched a brow. "What? Not arguing with me and trying to convince me that our nuptials will bring the end of the world?"

"I've never said that." He reached for her cheek over their daughter's sleeping form. "I'm only uncomfortable about the ceremony and having to pledge myself to you in front of all these people who still judge me. If I survive that part, I know that everything else will be wonderful because you will make it so."

"That's so sweet." She leaned over their daughter and kissed his cheek. "Speaking of vows, are you done with them?"

He'd been struggling for weeks to come up with the right words, and he still wasn't sure that what he had ended up with would convey the enormity of what he felt for her.

"I am, but don't expect much. I'm not as eloquent as Orion."

"You don't have to be." She propped her elbow on the mattress and her chin on her fist. "All you need to say is that you will love me forever and stand by my side no matter what. I don't need any fancy words."

"Says the professor who has probably written the most beautiful and elaborate pledge ever made."

Her sheepish smile confirmed his suspicions. "I can tone it down if you want."

"No way. I want to hear every word of it and have it etched on my soul forever."

Amanda beamed at him, her eyes sparkling with emotion. She got off the bed, came to his side, and kissed his lips.

Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her down on top of him. "I love you, and I will always stand by your side and have your back no matter what." He smiled. "I just wanted to say that in case something else comes up and our wedding gets postponed again."

"I love you too, but it's not going to work." Touching her nose to his, she rubbed it Eskimo style, or rather what she had told him was Eskimo style.