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Laney pouted for a moment, but then she brightened, her mind already racing ahead to the next idea. "Fine, but only if we can hire a hunky masseuse named Sven to rub us down with essential oils."
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help but smile. These women, this town, they were a handful sometimes, but they were also the most loving, supportive, amazing people I had ever known. And I was so grateful to have them in my life, in my corner, as Jake and I planned our future together.
Of course, it wasn't all smooth sailing. There were moments of stress and frustration, times when Jake and I butted heads over guest lists and seating charts and whether or not to have a choreographed first dance.
But through it all, we never lost sight of what really mattered. We were in this together, partners in love and in life, and nothing could shake that foundation.
There were still a million details to iron out, a thousand decisions to be made. But I knew that as long as I had Jake, as long as I had the love and support of our friends and family, everything would fall into place.
Because this was our happily ever after, our chance to build the life we had always dreamed of. And I was going to savor every moment, every laugh, every tear, every crazy, wonderful, unforgettable second of it.
Bring on the wedding bells, Sycamore Valley. In a year from now Molly Sinclair would become Mrs. Kingsbury 2.0 since Natasha is the unsupported model.
40
JAKE
As the wedding planning kicked into high gear, I found myself feeling happier and more content than I could ever remember being. Molly was a vision of excitement and joy, her eyes sparkling as she pored over fabric swatches and floral arrangements, and I couldn't help but get caught up in her enthusiasm.
At first she had been a little turned off at the idea of a wedding and I was all for skipping it and going the Justice of the Peace route. I didn’t need flowers and chicken or fish. Just Molly, every day from here until forever.
But she eventually caught wedding fever and had decided to keep the ceremony small and intimate, just our closest friends and family gathered together to celebrate our love. But that didn't stop the entire town from wanting to be involved, or invited and could you blame them? They were for better or worse huge part of our relationship. Not to mention that I owed them for the epic proposal.
I had to admit; it was touching to see how much they all cared, how invested they were in our happiness. Even if it did mean fielding endless opinions.
But as the days ticked by and the big day drew closer, I found myself growing more and more impatient. I didn't care about the details, about the fancy centerpieces or the perfectly coordinated bridesmaids' dresses. All I cared about was making Molly my wife, about starting our forever together.
It was the week before the wedding and I couldn't deny the small flutter of nerves I felt when both sets of our parents arrived and we had our first family dinner.
Molly's mom, Marjorie, was every inch the aging flower child meets Sedona artisan. She swept into The Grill in a swirl of colorful, flowing fabric, turquoise and silver jangling from every appendage. Her new age spirituality husband, Seth, wasn't far behind, his long gray hair pulled back in a ponytail and casual clothes that reeked of patchouli.
In sharp contrast, my parents looked almost comically strait-laced. Dad, a retired career military man, had forgone his usual crisp polo and khakis in an attempt to appear more laid-back on this trip to in a blue Hawaiian shirt and shorts. But even his relaxed shirt couldn't quite conceal the rigid way he held himself. Though these days, with his new-found love of golfing and beach living in Florida, he was starting to develop a slightly more mellow, Jimmy Buffett-like vibe.
My sweet mother, to her credit, had seamlessly adopted a more bohemian look for our outing, proudly wearing a flowing sundress and funky jewelry pieces I'm quite certain Molly loaned her. She offered up warm hugs and cheek kisses all around when we arrived, ever the peacemaker.
As we were shown to our table, I could already see the curious, slightly judgmental looks being exchanged across party lines. Molly gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, letting me know she could sense the tension too.
Seth launched straight into a long-winded story about some vegan camping retreat he and Marjorie had attended, punctuating it with excessive spiritual buzzwords and references to awakening your third eye that I could see Dad struggling not to roll his eyes at. Marjorie kept touching my father's arm as he spoke, an endless stream of "wow, how interessssting" issuing from her lips in that slow, airy way.
The dinner with our parents, while initially awkward, ended up being not quite the disaster I had feared. Though Molly's mom and father were a bit...eccentric for my parents' tastes, they all made an effort to find common ground. Dad regaled them with some tamer stories from his military days, while Seth discussed his passion for sustainable living. Even my strait-laced father had to admit there was some wisdom in the hippie's words about respecting nature.
As the evening wore on and the wine flowed, the tension gradually melted away. We all launched into the kind of boisterous, joyful laughter that only families who truly love each other can share. By the end of the night, Mom was making Marjorie promise to send her a crystal to put under her pillow, while Dad accepted a friendly shoulder squeeze from Seth.
Molly and I watched the unexpected bonding with relieved smiles. Our families may have seemed worlds apart on the surface, but they were more alike than anyone realized—kind, supportive people who just wanted their children to be happy. As we said our goodbyes in the parking lot amidst a flurry of hugs, I knew our unconventional families would be just fine.
The week flew by with final wedding preparations and before we knew it, the big day was just a day away. We had just gotten back from approving the decorations at the venue when there was a knock at the door.
“I’ll get it.” I called to Molly and Hailey in the living room. Both had flopped down on the couch declaring their exhaustion.
When I opened it, I was shocked to find Natasha standing on my doorstep, looking disheveled and emotionally wrecked. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her chestnut hair was a limp, tangled mess.
"Natasha?" I replied warily, instantly on guard. "What are you doing here?"
She lifted her gaze to meet mine, her expression defiant yet pained. "I need to see Hailey. You can't keep me from my own daughter."
My stomach twisted, my protective instincts immediately kicking into high gear as I stepped outside and closed the door firmly behind me.
"What do you want, Natasha?" I asked, my voice cold and unyielding. "I thought we had an unspoken agreement. You stay away from Hailey, and I don't take you to court for extortion."
