"Morning," she replied, her voice soft but steady. "I was thinking about what we talked about last night. About taking that next step together." Mark sat up, leaning against the headboard. "The dress?"
Mark squeezed her shoulders gently. "Elena, I fell in love with you. All of you. If the rest of the world sees what I see—a beautiful, strong woman who I'm lucky enough to call my wife—then that's a good thing. And if they see something else, that's their problem. I’m right here with you."
"You're not nervous?" Elena asked, searching his eyes. "About people seeing? About them knowing?"