Edge of the Heat 4 Read Online Free Page A

roused her passion. She felt her whole body surge towards him, and she pressed closer into his side, her whole world narrowed down to his face and the feel of her hand in his.
    The minister spoke, and Emma pulled her focus to him, with effort.
    He spoke simply and eloquently: of love and marriage, of hard work and effort, of twin sisters and best friends, of God and earth. Emma let her mind go, making no effort to pay attention. Instead, she absorbed the words, drank in the experience, lived the entire ceremony from inside her soul, where every word spoken, every sigh breathed, every tear shed, and every sunbeam shined upon them would forever be written in stone. She planned to revisit it often.
    The minister announced they had decided to write their own vows, and invited Hawk to start. 
    Hawk smiled a lop-sided, nervous smile at the minister, then took both of Vivian’s hands in his own. The smile that shone out at her was full, genuine, and sweet as any Emma had ever seen. He began, his voice thick with emotion.
    “Vivian, I’ve had some things happen in my life that made me ask Why God? Why would you let that happen? How could that happen? and I never thought I would get an answer. But then I met you. And I realized...” Hawk’s voice hitched, and his mouth twisted a bit. Emma couldn’t see all of Vivian’s face, but what she could see began to contract, and a single tear winked on Vivian’s cheek in the sunshine. “I realized that the questions didn’t matter anymore. No matter what I’ve been through, if that’s what I needed to walk through to get to this moment, then I accept it all. The more I know you, the more I love you, and the more I pledge to be your answers too, if I can. When you are scared or sad or confused or lonely, you can always come to me. When you are happy and glad and excited and thrilled, I will be right by your side. I love you now and I will love you forever.”
    Craig squeezed Emma’s hand and she glanced at him. He winked at her, but looked thoughtful, solemn. She scanned the audience and saw Vivian’s mother sobbing openly in her husband’s arms, and Hawk’s mother also crying and dabbing her face with a white cloth. Emma wiped her own eyes, thinking her makeup must already be ruined.
    Hawk’s best man gave him the ring, and he placed it on Vivian’s finger. She clutched her hands to her breast and smiled at him through the tears on her cheeks.
    The minister nodded at Vivian, giving her the go-ahead to recite her vows.
    Vivian took a few minutes to compose herself, taking deep breaths, and then she looked to her maid of honor, who handed her an index card. She glanced at it, and smiled up at Hawk, her face brilliant in the sunshine.
    “Hawk. My dear, sweet Hawk. You already are the answer to all the questions I’ve been asking my whole life too. Every morning that I wake up, I give thanks that I found you and that you are who you are. If I had gone to Heaven and molded a man who would be perfect for me in every way, I could not have done a better job than God did when He made you. I never believed in soulmates before I met you, but I do now. Although I believe that you and I are meant to be together, I will never let that be an excuse not to work hard to deserve your love. I pledge from this day on to be the best wife and friend and partner I can be for you.”
    Vivian finished speaking and gazed into Hawk’s eyes. Hawk leaned forward, as if he forgot where he was and was going to kiss her. The minister held up a finger and said “not yet.” Hawk startled and leaned back on his heels, laughing. The audience and wedding party laughed too, and Emma felt the moment lighten.
    The ring was placed into Vivian’s hands. She placed it on Hawk’s finger and smiled at the crowd of people witnessing their promises. A few people cat-called and whistled and everybody clapped.
    When the noise died down, the minister turned to look at Emma and Craig. Emma felt her anxiety level shoot