They soaked in the party for as long as they could, overwhelmed with words of congratulations, before they needed to go back to their hotel room and hold each other. Joey didn't let go of Lauren's hand the entire way back, periodically raising it to his lips to kiss it.
They walked through the lobby, into the elevator, and along the corridor, but just before they reached their room, he stopped her, a glint in his eye.
"Don't you dare," she whispered, conscious of the people sleeping in the rooms around them.
He just grinned. "You know I'm gonna do it."
Without any further argument, he swept her effortlessly into his arms. She turned her face into his chest, muffling her giggles, and he made sure he was holding her tightly before opening the door and carrying her over the threshold. For all her protestations, he knew she was soft for his gestures like that, and it was all the encouragement he needed to keep doing them.
After shutting the door behind them, he carried her all the way over to the bed before setting her down beside it. He turned to switch the lamp on, and heard a quiet "JoJo."
He turned back around to see her suddenly looking dead on her feet. It had been a long night, and they'd both gotten little sleep the night previous, filled with excitement and anticipation and spending more time than necessary just staring at each other.
"I'm tired," she said, her expression containing what Joey almost recognised as nerves, and guilt.
"Oh, honey, let's get you to bed," he said gently, immediately reaching into her hair for the pins that had held a few strands back. When he glanced down at her face, the expression still hadn't left it.
"Is something wrong, Lolo?"
"We were supposed to..." She trailed off, but Joey immediately understood what she was saying.
"Shhh," he said, stroking her arms before he turned her around to unzip her dress. "That doesn't matter." He couldn't believe she would even worry about that on a day she had made him happier than he ever thought he could be.
"I'm ruining this."
"Of course you're not ruining it, baby. Nothing could ruin tonight. It's been the absolute best day of my life so far, and now there's nothing I want more than to just hold you."
"It's our wedding night," she said, her voice somehow sounding even smaller now he couldn't see the contrite look on her face.
He pulled the dress off her shoulders and down over her hips, helping her balance as she stepped out of it before turning her back around to him to speak.
"And we've got late checkout in the morning," he said, making his voice as gentle as possible. "And if you still don't feel like it then, we've got our honeymoon. And if you still don't feel like it then, we've got the whole rest of our lives."
Tears filled her eyes and she threw her arms around him, hugging his middle tightly. He cradled her head against him, slightly surprised by the strength of her reaction.
"You know, we could never have sex again. It still wouldn't change how I feel about you," he told her with complete sincerity.
"We're definitely having sex again," she sniffled, and he laughed, stroking her back. She looked up at him, eyes still shining. "You're just perfect."
"I'm very flawed," he said, kissing her before pulling her away so he could take his suit jacket off. "You, on the other hand."
"Shut up," she mumbled, a smile on her face as she started on the buttons of his shirt.
They both still stripped completely for bed, needing to feel the other's skin against them, the intimate closeness that brought them reassurance that the events of the day were real and the other person wasn't going anywhere. She lay with her legs tangled with his, head on his bare chest, right over his heart, and her hand lower down on his stomach. He could feel her rings, cool against his skin, and it sent tiny shivers through him, but he didn't mind it. It was just a reminder that they had made vows to love each other for the rest of their life, and now she was his wife. Something that once was a dream, a fantasy he was determined to make come true but didn't know if he could. But he had.
"You married me," he whispered, unable to fully believe it even with her rings pressed against him, and the new sensation of his own around his finger.
"I know," she murmured sleepily. "I was there."
He smiled in amusement, her wit infallible even now but all the more adorable for the fact that she was half asleep. But then it became a smile of disbelief once again. "Lauren Lopez married me."
"Because you're the best man."
"I always try to be. For you."
"You don't need to try," she said, her hand now gently stroking his stomach. "You have been even since when I was mean to you."
"You weren't mean," he said, kissing the top of her head.
"I should have been nicer,"
"You didn't know I was your future husband then."
"I should have done," she said, her sleepy stubbornness melting his heart.
"I love you, baby."
"I love you too."
As soon as she said it, she yawned, and after giving her one last kiss goodnight he fell silent, wanting to help her fall asleep. Sleep was still out of reach for him, giddy with the fact that he was married to the most incredible woman he ever could have asked for, but her breaths came slow and soft against his chest. She still did speak again, though, a few minutes later.
"This is the best night of my life so far," she mumbled, the words almost slurred, but he was very familiar with her sleepy voice.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Mmm." She pulled his hand to her lips, kissing his ring. "I get to fall asleep with my husband."
And that was the last thing she said before she was asleep within moments, her grip loosening slightly but still holding his hand against her parted lips.
His emotions had been kept remarkably at bay while he'd been focusing on getting her in bed and asleep, but now he wept like there would never be an end to his tears. The sheer force of love he felt from this girl - who he'd been in love with since he watched her walk into that audition room in Michigan - even in her sleep was more love than he ever imagined he could experience. And she wasn't only his best friend and life partner anymore, but also his wife. Every night for the rest of his life would be spent like this one, her asleep on his chest, like there was nowhere else in the world she belonged.
He longed to look at his own ring, but there wasn't a chance in hell he was moving it away from her lips, so he carefully took hold of her hand instead, gazing at the engagement ring symbolising their tiny family, and the new band matching his. And on the inside of each, inscribed:
'I do love nothing so well as you'
A/N my favourite chapter 🥺 Thank you for coming on this journey with me!
