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“You may kiss your bride,” Alton says, jarring me from my thoughts. For some reason I don’t want our first kiss to be in front of her sisters and my best friend, so I lean in and kiss her cheek instead of taking her into my arms like I want to. The fucking caveman part of my brain is demanding that I do so. That and so much more.
As we walk to the van, I hold my wife’s hand.
“I didn’t think about rings. Thank you for thinking of me.”
“Of course. They were my grandparents. I hope you don’t mind heirlooms.”
“Of course not. They are beautiful. Thank you again. I have never worn anything so nice,” she says, and I immediately want to remedy that situation. Sadie Sutton is my wife, and she deserves the best of everything.
I place her into the passenger seat, the same as before and buckle her seatbelt for her. As we drive through double iron gates with a large S on it, there are various gasps and noises coming from the back, but my girl is silent. I look over at her and her eyes are wide.
“I thought to invite a few people over for a small reception. It’s nothing fancy and we can have another after you’ve settled in, but I wanted to commemorate the day, that is if you aren’t too tired.”
“Oh, no. I’m sure it will be lovely,” Sadie says quietly.
We get in the house and while I’d like to take them on a tour of the house and show the other’s their rooms, our guests are already on the way. I do take the time to tell them about the house. This one was built in the early eighties, but a Sutton house has been in this spot since the late 1700s. The ranch house is eight bedrooms and nine and a half baths.
“Can we do anything to help?” Sadie asks.
“I’ve got everything covered. Why don’t you just relax.”
She nods, but I can tell these girls have never relaxed a day in their lives.
* * *
I introduce the girls to my best friends; the mayor Lloyd takes a keen interest in all of them. Paul, the sheriff, is a new friend but I feel like I’ve known him all my life. Jude runs the bank in town, I’ve known him since kindergarten. Hell, I’ve known everyone but Paul since kindergarten. My best friend Alton always looks like something has soured right in front of him. Geeb looks like he doesn’t know what to do with a room full of women. We’re a motley crew but we get along well.
As the day wears on, the more I realize this whole reception was a mistake. My ranch hands won’t stop staring at my wife and her sisters. Staring is too mild of a word. They are leering and I fucking hate it. I lose my shit when Milo, the ranch foreman, moves right next to Sadie. When she takes a step back, he crowds her, I see red. I’ve had enough so I walk over to them and put my hand on the small of Sadie’s back. I feel a shudder run through her and I know she’s not indifferent to me.
“Hey boss, I was just getting to know your wife,” Milo says, smiling that smile that never fails to get him laid. I want to kill him. Thankfully, Sadie doesn’t notice it all.
“Yes. Well, it was nice to meet you Milo. Jasper, could you help me with something over there?” Sadie asks, expertly extracting herself from him.
“Of course,” I say, leading her away with my hand still on her back.
I’ll have to watch him like a hawk. He shouldn’t want what he can’t have.
As soon as all the guests leave, I start to give a tour to the girls, leaving our bedroom for last.
ChapterSix
Sadie
I am a wife. I kept repeating that during the after-ceremony cake that I didn’t know Jasper ordered. I also repeated it when the Pastor took pictures of all of us to commemorate the day. I felt a little awkward given I wasn’t in a dress suitable for this type of occasion according to English standards. Now it is repeating as we drive through the rest of the town towards his-our home. Our home.
“I was thinking I would take the morning off and take you ladies to the store the next town over and get you anything you need.” He looks right at me when he says it.
“That won’t be necessary. I am sure we will make money soon enough to take care of it.” I tell him looking away right when I say it.
“I know this unorthodox, and we have a lot to learn and get used to, but the one thing I am going to have to insist you accommodate to sooner rather than later is that here, in our way of life, it is unequivocally a man’s job to take care of his wife. He provides for her needs and wants,” he says the last part in the same tone, but I hear it heavier and with another meaning. Something is definitely wrong with me. “He provides for their children and her family if need be. If she wants to work, that is a decision discussed as a team, a partnership, and then they determine how to go forward. I am going to have to insist you let me be the man I was raised to be,” he says it with such finality that my hands begin to shake. I can’t help feeling I have already offended him.
“I apologize. I didn’t mean to offend you, Jasper. I have a lot to learn as you can see.” I make sure to turn my head away from him so I can discreetly wipe the tear falling from my eye. Lavinia doesn’t miss it. She places her hand on my shoulder from the seat behind me.
“No, I’m sorry,” he says, touching my hand briefly before removing his. For a moment I long for it back. Something about his touch is soothing and reassuring. “I didn’t mean to sound so stern. I just, I just want to be a good husband and take care of you and our family.” His mention of the word family makes my stomach flutter in anticipation of being a mother, but it also makes my heart stop at the act of making those precious babies.
I look at his face that is already looking at me and see the truth in his words. I can see the silent plea for me to really try and it is not that I don’t want to. I chose this. It's just now that it is all happening, I am losing my nerve I think. It hit me when that ring was on my finger, all I don’t know about a lot of things that go into being married and I feel inadequate. What if I don’t please him? Will he withdraw the contract and then what would become of me and my sisters?
“I believe you.” He nods before turning onto a dirt road. Rapt with fascination at the land in front of me, I am more than impressed with what I am seeing. “Wow,” I say turning to him. “This is amazing.” He smiles at my assessment, obviously proud and he should be.
