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RORY
ONE YEAR LATER…
“Wow,” Lyndsey announces, the door slamming shut behind her. “Your view is so much better than mine.”
“Jameson,” I respond as best I can without moving my mouth. The make-up artist is lining my lips, and I don’t want to mess her up. She finishes and I take my opportunity to speak. “It’s his gift to us. We get to stay in this room the whole week.”
“And Jackson just accepted, huh?” Lyndsey plops down in the empty chair and grabs a flute of champagne.
“That boy didn’t have a choice,” Leann chimes in. “You don’t turn your nose up at a gift. Besides, those two have done enough bickering to last them two lifetimes.” She reaches out and squeezes my hand. “Times are changing.” She winks at me.
“They are,” I reiterate.
It was Christmas time when Jackson surprised me with an engagement ring. We were camped out in the back of his truck, star gazing at the cliff that overlooks the quarry. “Our spot,” as we now refer to it. We were all bundled up and cuddled under multiple blankets when suddenly a shiny diamond solitaire appeared before my eyes.
There was no fancy speech, or him getting down on one knee. I held out my hand. He slid the ring on my finger and then offered me his pinky.
“Forever?”
With my pinky tightly wrapped around his, I whispered, “Forever.”
We consummated our engagement that night and told our parents the exciting news the next day.
Jackson has always been my partner in life, and today we’re making it official. We will say our vows on the white sandy beaches of Aruba, with only our parents, Jameson, Martina, our new nephew and Lyndsey. It’ll be short, sweet, and absolutely perfect. Then we’ll have the rest of our lives.
Looking in the mirror, I can’t help but think of the last time I stood in a wedding dress waiting for my father. There is no formal gown or long flowy train this time. No, this time I’m in a simple satin, ivory colored, charmeuse midi-dress that I had hemmed to fall just below the knee. Instead of expensive high heels, I have on my dollar flip flops, which I plan on kicking off as soon as my feet touch the sand.
“Aurora?” I turn to find my dad slipping the key card for the suite back into his shorts pocket. “Are you ready?”
Closing the gap between us, I pull my father in for a hug. He wraps his arms tightly around me and rests his chin on the top of my head.
“Are we going to need a getaway car for this one, too?” he jokes.
“No.” I smile. “Besides, I think we’d need a boat this time.”
Gripping my shoulders, my dad pulls away. His eyes scan my face before they finally meet my own.
“You look so much like your mother.” He smiles sadly. “There are so many milestones that she’s missed. But I know she’s with us, and she would be so damned proud of the woman you’ve grown up to be.”
My eyes sting with tears and I’m forced to roll my lips to stop them from trembling.
“I wish she was here. She would have danced all night.” I laugh a little as a vision of my mom pops into my head.
“Yeah, that she would have. Dragging me out there with her. Ven, ven, corazón. Bailar conmigo.” He laughs. “Man, when she got excited, she’d talk at me all fast in nothing but Spanish. And, of course, I had no clue what the hell she was saying. But I followed her anyway.” He takes my chin between his thumb and index finger, taking another long, hard look at me. “You and Jackson have a similar love. That man would walk through fire for you, and I know you’d do the same.”
“I know, and I would.”
“Always be there for each other. Never take a single moment for granted. You never know.”
I wrap my arms around my dad, giving him another hug. “I love you.”
“I love you too, kid.” He kisses the top of my head and gives me a firm squeeze. “Now, let’s get you married.”
Jackson
Standing under the arch, I stare out at the ocean. The sun is setting, and when I close my eyes, all I hear are the waves crashing against the shore and the fabric draped around the arch, rustling with each breeze. Peace and warmth, that’s what this is. The environment mirrors everything I’m feeling.
This is the moment I’ve been waiting for since I was sixteen years old. I said I was going to marry Rory on the first day I met her, and here we are. Did I go about things the hard way? Of course. But that’s just how my life goes. I’ve had my fair share of obstacles and pity parties, but look where I am now. Standing on this beautiful, white sandy beach. Crystal clear water as far as the eye can see and the most important people in our lives are here to watch as we say I do.
