The wedding coordinator reappeared in the doorway. “It's time.”
Rachel's heart kicked against her ribs. This was it. After all the years of waiting, of growing up, of finding her way back to Jack, this was the moment everything changed.
Joseph offered his arm, and Rachel slipped her hand through, feeling the steady strength of him beside her. They walked through the vestibule to the back of the sanctuary. Through the partially open doors, Rachel could hear the soft murmur of guests, the rustle of fabric, and the gentle notes of music beginning.
Her bridesmaids had already walked down the aisle. Rebecca and Jack’s sister, Beth, stood with the other women, all beautiful in their matching dresses.
The wedding coordinator gave her a nod, and the music shifted, filling the sanctuary with the traditional wedding march.
The doors opened fully.
Rachel's eyes went immediately to the front of the church, to the man standing beside the minister.
Jack.
He wore his dress Navy uniform that made his shoulders look impossibly broad, his dark hair neatly trimmed, his face clean-shaven. But it was his expression that made Rachel's breath catch. He was looking at her as if she were the only person in the world. Like she'd hung the moon and stars just for him.
The same way he'd looked at her that first day of high school when she'd been lost and terrified. The same way he'd looked at her when he'd pulled her from the water and promised she was safe. The same way he'd looked at her when he'd stood between her and Isaiah, protecting her with his own body.
The same way he'd looked at her when he'd asked her to marry him.
Joseph squeezed her hand gently, and Rachel realized she'd stopped moving. She smiled up at him, then back at Jack, and they began walking down the aisle.
The sanctuary was filled with everyone she loved. Carrie was already dabbing at her eyes while sitting next to Shiloh, radiant with joy. The bridesmaids waited at the front, all of them smiling.
But Rachel only had eyes for Jack.
With each step closer, she felt the years fall away. All of it faded until there was only this. Here was the man she'd loved since she was a young teenager, waiting for her at the altar. They'd been through so much to get here. Years of separation, of growing up, of finding their own paths.
And through it all, Jack had been there. Her first love. Her only love. Her hero.
36
Jack stood at the front of the chapel, his Naval officer uniform pressed and crisp, the white fabric bright against the dark wood of the altar. He'd worn this uniform countless times…on ships, at ceremonies, during inspections, but it had never felt quite like this. The collar seemed tighter than usual, and he could feel sweat beginning to roll down his back despite the cool air circulating through the sanctuary.
He'd graduated from the Naval Academy, served on multiple ships, earned his rank through hard work and dedication, and now still served with the Naval Reserves. He had loved the Navy, but loved being back on the Shore, working alongside some of the best men and women he knew, and standing here now, waiting for Rachel, Jack knew with absolute certainty that he was where he was supposed to be.
The Chesapeake Bay had always called to him when he was away. Home had always pulled at him, a constant ache in his chest that no amount of ocean could satisfy. And home wasn't just a place—it was a person. Rachel. It had always been Rachel.
Jack glanced to his side and caught the eyes of his groomsmen. Some fellow officers he'd served with, and others were men he’d known for years who still called Baytown home. Carson stood among them. Carson was no longer just his kid brother but a young man Jack was proud to have by his side.
Alex, Rachel's younger brother, stood next to Carson, grinning with barely contained excitement. But it was his best man who held Jack's attention now.
His dad stood tall and steady beside him, filled with the quiet strength that had been a constant in Jack's life since the day Colt had walked through their door and never left.
Earlier, in the small room where the groomsmen had gathered, Jack had pulled his dad aside. The others had given them space, sensing the moment needed privacy.
“There's no one else I'd rather have standing beside me today,” Jack had said, his voice rough with emotion. “You're the best man I know, Dad. In every sense of the word.”
His dad's eyes had filled with tears, a rare occurrence. The big man had gripped Jack's shoulder, his voice thick when he spoke. “I could not love you more if you'd been my own flesh and blood,” Colt said. “You're my son, Jack. You always have been.”
Jack had blinked back his own tears and nodded because he couldn't trust his voice, then let Colt pull him into a brief, fierce hug.
Before that, his mom had nearly undone him completely. She had fussed over his uniform and then burst into tears, telling him how handsome he was and how proud she was. Jack had stood there, letting her cry against his shoulder, thinking about all the years she'd raised him alone before Colt came into their lives. How hard she'd worked, how much she'd sacrificed, how she'd never once made him feel like his biological father's absence was anything but that man's loss.
“I love you, Mom,” he'd whispered into her hair.
“I love you too, sweetheart,” she'd managed through her tears. “Now go marry that girl so I can have another daughter to love!”