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The teens just aren’t completely aware of that.
“I sorta wish this summer didn’t have to end,” Alessia says softly, resting her cheek against the back of her chair. “I mean, I never want summer to end, but this one has just been extra special. You know?”
“Yeah, me too,” Mazzy agrees. “It’s been a lot better than I expected it to be. No offense.”
I snort, my lips turning up at the corners. “I’ll make sure that gets back to the mayor, Maz.”
She rolls her eyes, but she’s grinning. “You do that.”
“It would be so cool if this was an annual thing,” Jess says, tilting her head. She’s on Marshall’s lap, and I give props to the man for sitting under a blanket for her when it’s eighty-five degrees outside. The things we will do for love sometimes astound me. “You know, name it Senna’s Summer Specialty School of… I don’t know. Something. But you get my point.”
“Too manyS’s.And no,” I say, shaking my head. “Definitely not.”
“Ooh,” Mazzy croons, resemblant of a Cheshire cat. “Senna. I like it. Sounds soromantic.”
I don’t know about Jenna (I purposely avoid glancing at her) but my cheeks get hot. I don’t consider myself to be a blusher. It sounds too feminine and Hallmark-y. But every time someone has brought up our relationship tonight—and considering I put a ring on her finger, it’s been alot—my face gets hot. I prefer to call it a flush, though, because my mom used to call it that when I was a little boy. I might’ve been young when she died, but I remember her. I know Jess looks startingly similar to our mother, that Mom always smelled like a blend of lemons and vanilla, and that Mom was somehow soft-spoken and outspoken all at the same time.
I miss her.
“When are y’all gonna get hitched?” Colin asks, his smirk illuminated by the orange glow of the fire.
I clear my throat. “Considering we only got engaged a few hours ago, that’s undecided.”
“You could elope,” Marshall suggests. Because apparently, he likes being a glutton for punishment. Likely because it gives him a reason to “make up” with his wife later…
Jess’s mouth drops open and she whacks her husband in the chest. “No, they can’t elope. He’s my only brother! I haven’t waited this long for him to be with someone just to have him elope. Seth, you can’t do that.”
“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Jenna teases, reaching over to lace her fingers through mine. Whether intentional or not, her thumb brushes over my ring finger, and it makes it so much more real. I’m doing it. I’m going to get married. If I have my say in it, sooner than later. “Honestly, I’ve had the big white wedding already. If I have the man I love and my babies there, I really don’t care how it happens.”
I groan. “Don’t say things like that. It goes to my head and then I can’t get it out.”
“Well, you’d better get it out somehow, ’cause there’s no way on earth I’ll let it happen,” Jess says, though her words are betrayed by the way her lips quirk. I really don’t know if she would be upset if we eloped or not, simply because she’s been on me tojust get marriedfor too many years to count at this point. “You should have a fall wedding. I love fall.”
Alessia nods. “Me too. Not as much as summer, but I really love cozy sweaters and crisp air.”
Mazzy plugs her ears. “La-la-la. Don’t freaking talk aboutfall.It’s still summer. We were literally just saying how we don’t want summer to end. Now you’re talking about a fall wedding? I agree with Marshall. Y’all should just elope. Then you wouldn’t…”
As she launches into a monologue about the benefits of eloping—including but not limited to expenses, hassle, headache, and easiness; all of which I’m not sure why she knows so much about at eighteen—I simply lean back in my chair and listen. Jenna’s hand is still resting in mine, and my thumb rubs gentle circles over her smooth skin. She looks almost youthful in her white shorts and yellow bikini top, her billowy white button up shirt open over it. Her skin is a little pink from the sun we got this afternoon, which only highlights her youthfulness and makes the aqua in her eyes pop whenever she smiles at me.
Which has been a lot.
And you won’t find me complaining, because one of my goals in life has become making Jenna (and the kids) smile. I honestly would strongly consider eloping. Or, because I also strongly want select people present, having a very intimate ceremony. Obviously, we haven’t discussed any of this yet, but I could care less about a big to-do of a wedding. What I care about is vowing to love Jenna for the rest of my life, and then waking up beside her gorgeous smile every morning and making Saturday morning pancakes as a family and distracting Jenna with kisses any chance I get.
Thatis what I want.
Jenna glances away from me, fingers still intertwined, to rejoin the conversation about how Bryant Style S’mores came to be. I already know the story—John made a s’more bar for Jackie on their first date, and it’s grown into a tradition ever since—so my mind wanders to Jess’s words.
It would be so cool if this was an annual thing.
Firstly, I think she should’ve said “were an annual thing”. I blame the grammar police side of me on Ember because I listened to her spiel about oxford commas this afternoon on the boat, and now I can’t seem to help but correct people silently.
Secondly, I don’t think the idea is completely unmerited. There will always be projects in town that need done—even if they’re on a smaller scale than Marie’s house—and there are always teens that need something (good) to do in the summer. I can’t say whether Jenna or myself would have enough time to dedicate to it moving forward, but my mind refuses to let the idea go.
Then again, we’d also need funding. The mayor and the city are all for new ideas and fresh innovations, but it’s not realistic to ask them to fund projects like this annually. Or at least not solely. I don’t care to apply for grants because I definitely don’t have the time for that, nor do I want to go into debt by taking out a loan or loans. We could do fundraisers, which would require the teens to work together, but I—
The trust fund money.
My thoughts stutter to a complete stop. I’ve refused to use the money, other than the miniscule amount I’ve invested into this project, because I don’t like the idea of spending money from my family. There are no actual strings attached, but it feels like there is. I try not to be indebted to people, so having a hundred thousand dollars from an aunt I barely speak with in my bank account (a separate one) doesn’t sit well with me.
