Learning to Move Forward: Novella #3.5 (6 page)

My mind must’ve wondered off a bit. Laurel was grabbing hold of my arms and shaking me. “Grace, snap out of it.”

I smiled. “Sorry, just imagining how everything will look.” I glanced at her and motioned for her to turn around. “The dress doesn’t look like it needs any alterations.” I was almost jealous of her looking so good in it. Garrett had hired a trainer to work with her to get her muscle tone back after having the babies by cesarean. She’d complained that her abdomen continually hurt until the trainer had shown her some gentle exercises to help slowly strengthen them. Now she looked like she’d never had a baby, let alone two, her figure looked amazing.

“Jonathan’s jaw is going to drop when he sees you in this dress. You look wonderful.” I noticed tears in her eyes as she reached for a tissue.

I put on the shoes the shop had reserved for me and stepped up onto the platform and twirled this way and that, staring at the mirror in amazement. My mom had insisted on a veil, but I didn’t want to be bothered with one. I saw how cumbersome it had been for Laurel, blowing all over the place in the wind at the beach. We compromised with a birdcage veil, similar to fish netting. It would be pinned into my hair and adorned with satin roses and rhinestones. Unlike Garrett, Jonathan wanted my hair up and dotted with sparkling clips and flowers. Personally, I think he likes my hair done up so he can take it down and run his fingers through it, which of course makes me melt. All I cared about was it being able to easily remove and keeping my hair intact.

Amber pulled the seamstress out from the back room and she glanced over each of us, tugging here and there. She leaned back, shaking her head. “I don’t think we need to do a thing. The dresses fit perfectly, unless either of you have any issues.”

I turned around in mine and then stepped down off the platform and over to the seats, where I tried sitting. Everything fit like a glove. I watched as Laurel followed suit and had no complaints about her dress, either.

This went much smoother than I’d anticipated. I’d expected spending several hours here and having to return a couple of times, but we were done. We actually had some time to kill so I asked if we could take the dresses to her house and pick up a late lunch along the way.

I wouldn’t need to be at the country club for several hours and didn’t want to return home without Jonathan. I hoped that maybe he and Garrett would still be watching the kids. My mind kept wondering about my job and I needed some closure, but when we arrived at Laurel’s place, we discovered her mother-in-law, Olivia, helping the nanny watch the kids.

Chapter 7

I was thankful for Laurel’s insight in getting extra lunch for everyone, just in case a few extras stopped by. It turned out to be a girls’ luncheon with me, her, my future mother-in-law, Olivia, and Laurel’s mom, Sylvia, who dropped by later.

Olivia handed us notes from Jonathan and Garrett, which explained that they’d been called into work regarding a contract. Harris had gone with them to help negotiate with the neurology department at the hospital they were working with. Garrett went on to leave something romantic in Laurel’s note. I could tell because she turned several shades of red, much like me.

Jonathan had been suggestive in his note, telling me what he’d like to do with me later on tonight. It definitely kicked up my heat level a few degrees. He also promised to bring Harris and meet up with his mom and my parents at the country club to review the final menu selections.

The next few hours were wonderful. I loved my Aunt Sylvia and my future mom. We got along wonderfully, but my heart always ached to have this kind of bond with my own mother. But I guess it’s not meant to be.

It was late afternoon when we got to the country club to do a final walk through and approve the menu. I was surprised to see our florist there with some sketches of the gazebo decorated in various styles, all of which appealed to me.

I asked Jonathan his opinion and my mother just fussed. “It’s your day, Grace, and it needs to be perfect. You need to pick out what you want.”

I was grateful when Jonathan spoke up. “I agree about it being Grace’s day, but the only thing that makes it perfect is her being there and marrying me.” He stood behind me, wrapping his arms around my back and pulling me to his chest where only I could hear him whisper, “Let’s walk over to the side and make the floral selection together.”

I turned toward him, rising up on tip-toes and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “This is why I love you. You’ve got my best interest at heart.” I nipped at his lower lip and smiled. “Know that I’ve got your back, too, babe!”

Jonathan nodded to his father, which must’ve been a cue to get my parents to walk away for a bit to discuss where the guests would be seated with the country club manager. The florist, Talia, flipped through five different designs, using different flowers, styles of greenery and fabrics to bring our vision to life. We’d already decided on the color of flowers we’d use, just not the type of flowers.

The simplest design was several stands of flowers surrounding the gazebo, all in fall colors. They could be relocated to the reception area, which would cut down on costs.

The next few were mostly greenery and lights. But with a sunset wedding, we wouldn’t really need the lights unless we were having a night time event. However, the last design left both Jonathan and I speechless. It had the archway to the gazebo draped in gold, burgundy, and copper colors, entwined with greenery, floral filler, and some of the flowers that would be used for my bouquet. The fabric and ivy would wrap around and drape over the lower railing of the gazebo, with small cascading bouquets affixed to each post.

I kept staring at the drawings when Jonathan said. “She’s speechless, so that means we’ll take this one.”

It was beautiful, beyond anything I’d ever imagined for the wedding. If the truth were known, I could’ve easily just run off to the justice of the peace and been done with everything. I didn’t need anything fancy, but because I was an only child, Jonathan felt my parents deserved the right to walk me down the aisle.

His point was valid, but I still tried talking him into just going ahead and getting married when we went to the courthouse for the marriage license. We could’ve already been wed and not had to deal with all the bullshit my mom was dishing out. My dad stood back and let her take control over everything. I’m surprised I actually had a say over the dress and who I’d marry.

The next hour grated on my nerves as we went through all the details for outside and then inside. We’d been promised a graph of the dining area, where we could create a seating chart. I didn’t care who sat where, but my mom said it had to be “perfect,” her words, not mine.

The chef presented us with four plates of food, where we each were given a taste. We decided on beef and chicken of some sort. The creations were far better than I anticipated. Jonathan grabbed his phone to take pictures and write down notes. He wanted to try and figure out the recipes. The chicken was similar to a coq au vin, but in a light wine herb sauce, rather than a burgundy style wine. The first beef selection was upscale, pairing nicely with the chicken.  They stated it was the chef’s take on a classic beef wellington, but with his own spin on the spices. It turned out to be my favorite. There were two other dishes offered up, but they were rather bland in comparison. These stood out as the favorites.

Not everyone was in agreement with our choices, mainly my mother, but Jonathan and I held a united front and got the dishes we wanted, along with the accompaniments. The cake, on the other hand…

My parents wanted us to have a traditional cake and number of attendants, at least three each. Ever since my life changed, I refused to fit the mold and I wouldn’t back down now. I conceded and ordered a small two tier wedding cake, but we’d have some fancy cupcakes on the side, so people could easily take some home with them. Besides, how could I pass up Jonathan’s favorite dessert, besides me?

The attendants were a huge blow up on my parents’ part. I think my dad finally got the hint when I asked, “Were you forced to have people you didn’t like in your wedding, just to fill a quota your parents wanted?”

I was ready to scream by the time we’d finally finished. Jonathan went over and whispered something to his parents, causing them to nod and smile in my direction. They looked sympathetic toward my issues. But what surprised me was them ushering my parents along so we could “have time to ourselves.”

We’d just promised to meet up with everyone at Jonathan’s parents’ house when he turned to me and embraced me in a warm hug. All of the frustrations from today rose to the surface and nearly sent me in a tailspin of tears.

We didn’t speak, only held onto each other for what seemed like an eternity. I’d finally been the one to pull back and ask, “Aren’t we going to your parents’ house?”

He shook his head and kissed my forehead. “No. My parents and I agreed that we needed time to ourselves. Why don’t we get some take-out and just enjoy each other tonight?”

I looked up into his eyes, smiling, for only the second time today. “That sounds amazing. It actually reminds me of early on in our relationship.” We got into his Lincoln Navigator and headed to our favorite Chinese restaurant for take-out.

***

The food containers were nearly empty, spread out over the coffee table, while we leaned back in contentment against the sofa, curled up in each other’s arms. “Why can’t things always be as simple as this?”

Jonathan’s arms pulled me closer to his side as he nuzzled my neck. “They can be, we just have to get through the wedding first.”

I turned my face up to his. “Are you sure we can’t just elope? I’d really like to avoid all of this and just have happiness.”

He smirked and laughed a bit. “Your parents are something else when it comes to planning. I’ve never seen anyone demand such perfection in all my life.”

I had to laugh. “What can I say, when you’re right, you’re right.”

His statement had me wondering if they were even happy that I’d found someone to spend my life with. I didn’t tell them about Jonathan right away. Actually, they didn’t know about him until a couple days before Thanksgiving last year, when Garrett had surprised Laurel with their wedding on the beach and I’d let them know I wouldn’t be home for the holidays.

We had only been dating, and living together, thanks to Laurel’s stalker Chase, for a few months at the time. I knew my parents would’ve objected to us living together already, but it had been for my safety, since Chase knew he could probably get to Laurel by trying to get to me.

My thoughts led to our first date when Laurel was attacked by Chase. The concern for both her and Garrett forced us together. We knew we liked one another, but living under the same roof led to intimacy, trust, and love. I’d promised never to allow someone into my heart where I would be at their mercy and risk rejection again, but Laurel assured me that Jonathan was worth the risk and a good guy.

I remember how shocked she was to find out we were together when she woke up from her attack at Garrett’s beach house. I remember our conversation like it was yesterday with her citing, “Okay, spill the beans, cuz!”

I’d told her. “As you know, Jonathan and I hit it off talking at his bistro that day we had lunch together. That night was like a dream come true. He was every bit the gentleman, romancing me with flowers, candy, a candlelit dinner at his place and talks of seeing a movie.”

He’d been a little upset with me because I didn’t think he actually did any of the cooking at his restaurant, so I called bullshit on his ability to create in the kitchen. But he showed me and I admitted it to her. “Dinner was fabulous; he really is an amazing cook. But, we never made it out to a movie, instead opting to curl up in each other’s arms on his sofa to talk and watch one of his DVDs. I feel like I could talk to him about anything and everything, Laurel,” I gushed. “I don’t even remember what we were watching because our lips locked as soon as the movie came on. Before things went any further, we found out you’d been hurt. Dillon offered to drive me to the hospital, with Jonathan insisting on coming with us, wanting to be there for all of us.”

Laurel had gotten a dreamy look on her face and I raised my hands up to halt her thoughts. “Don’t go getting that starry-eyed look on your face. Jonathan and I are moving way too fast and while it feels right, it scares me. I haven’t told him anything about my past yet, other than what happened to my hand. He knows I’m a bit jumpy and independent as hell, but he’s willing to wait for me to open up. He insists he’s going nowhere and that wherever I am is where he wants to be.”

I don’t know how he’d managed to do it, but he’d already captured my heart. I liked that I could be myself with him and his family; being bold and upfront with things. I thought I might scare him off with my personality, but come to find out, his family was much like my personality and we fit together wonderfully.

I remember picking Laurel’s parents from the airport with Jonathan for her surprise wedding and being surprised to find mine had tagged along. They weren’t pleased to find me with a guy, but I didn’t care. I’d stopped living for them a long time ago and my happiness was the most important thing and with Jonathan, I am happy.

I felt the pressure of warm lips against the side of my neck as a hand skirted underneath the top of my dress to caress one of my breasts. “A penny for your thoughts, babe.”

“I was just thinking about our first date, how we were forced together after that, how our love seemed to bloom out of the adversity around us, and when my parents first met you.” I had to laugh at the last part.

He smirked. “Don’t remind me of the last part. The one and only time we had to be apart in months was thanks to your parents pitching a fit about us being together that Thanksgiving. I was at least thankful that Garrett and Laurel had the room to put us up so we could leave the hotel. I don’t ever want to be apart from you ever again.”

My parents had managed to talk us into giving up our room and forcing me to sleep on the sofa in their room that night while Jonathan had to sleep on the sofa in his parents’ room.

Our romance had been a whirlwind. I’d had the opportunity to move back into our old apartment when Donny and Freddie moved down. They offered to have a couple twin beds moved in to share a room and give me my old one back, but Jonathan insisted I stay with him. Actually, how could I refuse when he tied me playfully to his bed, giving me orgasm after orgasm until I finally relented and told him I’d stay at his place at his sexual mercy.

I could tell his mind was thinking back on our time together. “I know we might have been rushed a bit in our relationship,” his hand caressed the side of my face, lifting my eyes to meet his, “but I wouldn’t change a thing. I love you, Grace, more than I’ve ever loved anyone.”

It would have been ideal if we’d been able to move slowly, but either way I would’ve still fallen for him. We had many months to get to know one another better after Garrett and Laurel had gotten married. It had almost appeared that Chase, and his father Walt Peterson, had dropped off the face of the earth. It made us feel comfortable enough to let our guard down and of course that’s when chaos ensued.

Laurel’s security team and I had been talked into doing some last minute baby shopping for the twins. Garrett and Jonathan had been called to an emergency meeting in Atlanta, which gave the Petersons their opportunity to attack Garrett’s Achilles heel, which was Laurel.

I’d fought hard to prevent her capture, despite flash bangs, but I’d been punched hard in the face, requiring stitches, and once in the ribs. Jonathan swore he’d never let me out of his sight again when he saw the damage that’d been done.