Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 66099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
I know my sister, and if there was any artifice there, I would’ve seen it long ago. Of course I have no doubt Jace would put an end to any such thing.
“Mom, what’re you doing here? Why aren’t you with Sian helping her get ready?”
“She sent me to talk to Belle for you. Why did you guys choose the last minute to decide this is what you want to do?”
Is it weird that none of our parents were complaining that we were getting married at our age? Jace’s parents had invited Tammy’s and Belle’s to the wedding and that was before we knew anything about Jace’s plans.
I’d had to meet her dad one more time to ask permission, and when I asked him for an explanation as to why he wasn’t losing his mind over this whole thing, he had the simplest answer.
“Son,” he said, “the world is constantly changing. There was a time when women got married at thirteen and fourteen. Then somebody decided that that was wrong and the ages changed. Now here in the last few decades, teenage pregnancy has been on the rise.”
“If my daughter has been so blessed as to find someone who truly loves her and wants to spend the rest of his life with her, why would I object to that?”
His answer sounded good enough, but what if I screwed up? I don’t think anyone ever starts out thinking they’re going to fail at something, but I would hate to do anything in the future to hurt her. Just the thought of it makes my heart ache now.
And that right there is the reason I was able to open the door and walk in after mom left, with total confidence. I guess Jace does know what he’s talking about after all. The heart knows what it knows.
She was standing in front of the floor length mirror looking at herself, running her hands up and down her dress. The look on her face was one of awe.
She touched one of the flowers in her hair delicately and the smile on her face…It was in that moment that I finally understood this attraction thing.
How and why she stood out among all others for me. It’s because she was meant for me and me her. My one true heart. I know that nothing in this world, could ever make me stop wanting to be the best me for her. And it didn’t matter that I was too young in the eyes of some to feel these things. I feel!
“I want to see that look on your face more often. You look amazing baby.” She turned to me with just a hint of tears in her big beautiful eyes and her pink lips trembling.
“Jared.” I walked over to her and she threw herself into my arms.
“Why are you crying baby?” I wiped the tears from her eyes and pulled her head into my chest, making sure not to mess up the flowers in her hair.
“Your mom was just here, she told me… do you really want to marry me now? Really?”
“Yeah. I already asked your mom and dad and they said it was okay as long as you finish school. So you have to work really hard so you can graduate a year early because I don’t want to leave you…”
In a very un-Belle-like move, she grabbed my face and kissed me. And just that easily, all the jagged edges smoothed themselves out and I wondered what I’d been so worried about.
* * *
SHANE
* * *
He’s asking me if it’s okay. How the hell would I know? Jace and his shit. I should never have let him talk me into this. I pulled at my collar for the fifteenth time and felt sweat in places I didn’t know had sweat glands.
Tammy’s in another room getting dressed. I’m supposed to go in there and tell her that she’s getting married today when the damn girl hasn’t even seen her ring yet, or said yes for that matter.
Shit, I’d asked her dad but hadn’t said shit to her. Or had I? How can you forget something like that Shane? Fuck if I know, I can’t even remember what day it is.
I took a deep breath and shook off my nerves. I was fine until about roughly an hour ago. Up until then everything sounded great. Jace always knew the answers, he’d never steered us wrong, but this shit…. I felt my pocket for the ring I’d stashed there.
I knew what was really bothering me. It wasn’t Tammy, I knew where her heart was and knew that for her, it wouldn’t matter if her ring came out of one of those plastic things, she’d be happy.
And I know she’d marry me in a heartbeat, just as I would her. But there was something missing and it was eating me up inside that I couldn’t give it to her, because it was the one thing I had no control over in this situation.