Beautiful Disaster

Part Thirty-nine

"Izzy? Are you alright, sweetheart?"

Izzy heard Hugh's voice from the other side of the door, and she bawled even louder.

Nothing was going right. Nothing was going according to plan. That was why Izzy had sought out the private room at the back of the town chapel, with only her mother for company.

She was so ashamed of herself that she felt like she couldn't face Hugh for the moment. It didn't help that Hugh would think she was being silly again. "Go away! I don't want to see you right now!"

"What's the matter?" he prodded.

"Just go away!" she insisted. She knew she was distressing her mother, who was trying to hush her. "Mom, make him go away. Please."

"Sweetie, Hugh just wants to know what's wrong," her mother answered. "Don't you think we should tell him? Ask his opinion? After all, he is part of—"

Before Elsa Nacino could finish trying to make her daughter see reason, Hugh's angry voice cut through the door. "Izzy, if you don't open this door in three seconds, I'm gonna swear so loud the righteous people in the congregation are all going to have to pray for my soul. One, two—"

Izzy broke off from her mother's arms and rushed to the door. Darn Hugh for wanting to humiliate both of them! She unlatched the door as quickly as she could and pried it open, almost slamming it.

"I look horrible!"

"You look beautiful." Hugh wasn't lying. Izzy looked like a goddess in her wedding dress.

The heart-shaped bodice accentuated her bosom, and the skirt of flowing silk was magnificent. A complicated web of lace and ribbons held the gown over her shoulders. Hugh couldn't wait to find out how to take them off.

"Hugh, be serious!" Izzy snapped at him. "Look at me! I have the wrong shade of nail polish on, and my veil isn't as long as it's supposed to be. And I don't even want to talk about these pinchy shoes. They felt fine when I tried them on two days ago. You can't marry someone who looks—Hugh!"

"Come on. Let's go." Hugh hauled her into his arms without warning. He carried her through the corridor that led to the main chamber of the chapel.

"Mom! Help!"

However, all she got from her mother was the latter's chuckle.

"This is embarrassing," Izzy pouted as they walked through the connecting door and into the view of their wedding guests.

"You put me up to it," Hugh whispered in her ear as he made his way down the aisle with Izzy in his arms.

Never mind the veil. It would be easier to kiss Izzy without it. And he didn't care if she was wearing the wrong shade of nail polish.

In fact, she could wear a beauty mask and two cucumber slices over her eyes, and still, he'd want to marry her. "Besides, you told me your shoes were uncomfortable, so I have no choice but to carry you to the altar. Pretty comfy ride, right?"

"Hugh..." Izzy blushed as she was set in front of the priest. She knew everyone was staring at them, wondering just what the heck was going on. Even the choir had stopped their singing to goggle while Hugh carried her in.

"Now, where were we?" Hugh laughed and reached for her trembling hands. He crowded closer to Izzy so that all she could see was him.

At this point, she needed an anchor, and he needed to make her stop worrying. "Izzy, don't be so nervous. I'm right here. I'll always be right here for you."

"Always?" she asked softly.

"We talked about this, didn't we? I'm your bodyguard for life, and nothing's gonna get in the way of that. You're never gonna get rid of me. Now... do we go on with the show?"

A tear fell from the corner of her eye. Hugh reached up to brush it away, and that's when Izzy sighed. She'd never felt this happy before.

Hugh was right. She was being silly. This was their day, the most perfect day of their life, and it would be perfect no matter how she looked.

She smiled up at him. "Yes."

"Finally!" Hugh cheered, pulling her in for a hug. He turned so that they were facing the people on the pews. "She said yes!"

The whole congregation started to cheer with him. Even Father Browne had to laugh, for it was the funniest thing he'd witnessed ever happening in the chapel before.

And that's what happened on Crazy Izzy and Hunky Hugh's wedding day.

END

Author's Note

Thank you so much for reading Beautiful Disaster! I'm so glad you stuck with Hugh and Izzy to the end. If you'd like to check out another contemporary piece, feel free to delve into Good Guy, my YA Romance novel on Wattpad. There's a link to the story below. I hope you have a great day!