All of Me (The Trust Me Series Book 3)

by K E Osborn

  Once the sun is down, we head inside and make dinner as soft instrumental music plays in the background. I take a seat on the sofa, and Aiden sits next to me.

  “Are you happy?” he asks.

  “The only time I’ve been happier is when you asked me to marry you,” I admit as he wraps his arm around me. He stands, lifting me in his arms, and takes me to the table where we eat our first meal at our lake house.

  I look out the bedroom window at the ducks swimming in the lake. There’s something so serene about fog over a lake. It’s stunning, calming, and I couldn’t be more relaxed if I tried.

  “I wasn’t sure you were awake. I’ve been laying here just watching you. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”

  “I still can’t believe this place is ours.” I smile.

  “All ours, baby,” he chimes. “Feel like a morning dip?” he asks, pulling the covers off his legs, then dangling them over the side of the bed.

  I look at him, frowning. “Won’t it be freezing?”

  “You’ll be surprised. C’mon.” He stands to make his way out to the deck.

  “I don’t have a swimsuit,” I say coyly.

  “It’s our own personal lake, you don’t need a swimsuit.”

  “Oh… right,” I reply.

  We walk down the stairs to the edge of the lake, and I dip my toe in to see how cold the water is. It’s surprisingly refreshing. I look at Aiden, who grins at me mischievously.

  I point at him. “Aiden, don’t you dare.”

  He bends down, picks me up over his shoulder, and runs with me while I squeal all the way.

  “Aiden,” I call out as we fall into the cool, invigorating crystal-blue water. The coolness stings my skin, but I quickly acclimatize to the temperature as I dunk my head under to wet my hair. As I come back up, Aiden kisses my wet lips. I move in, so our bodies are touching. He kisses me passionately while gentle waves caress our bodies.

  Aiden’s hand shifts to my hair, he grabs hold, and pulls me closer as we entangle in a toe-curling kiss. Aiden slowly pulls away from the kiss and leans back. I look at him confused as he quickly moves away from me. An evil grin crosses his face as he swims back and splashes me with water. I wipe the water from my eyes, and I give him the pretending-to-be-angry look, which only makes him grin wider. He splashes me again and laughs.

  I pull back glaring at him. “You. Are. Trouble, Mr. O’Connell.” I pull up my legs to wrap around his waist as I float with him in the water.

  Aiden holds onto me tightly and twirls me around. “You’re my world. My everything.”

  “And you are mine.”

  He kisses me again, then swirls me around in the water, making me laugh hard. Seeing him this carefree is great. Having fun and joking after what we’ve been through, well, it’s great that he’s in the right headspace now to be able to simply relax and be himself again.

  Eventually, we get wrinkled enough and go back inside to take a shower and spend some time on the couch.

  “Hungry, baby?” he asks, and I nod.

  We grill up some steaks and then watch the sun go down while sitting on the deck, looking over the lake at the ducklings swimming behind their mother.

  This would be a great place to bring our children.

  It’s like we’re a new couple and can’t get enough of each other.

  This was exactly what we needed.

  The days blend into weeks, the weeks into months, and before I know it, it’s September and only a few days before our wedding.

  Aiden walks into the bedroom with a glass of water and some painkillers. I’m still resting in bed from last night’s bachelorette party, and to say my head is pounding would be an understatement.

  Aiden chuckles as he sits on the bed next to me. “Morning, beautiful. Well, technically, it’s afternoon,” he clarifies.

  “Morning,” I mumble.

  “How’s your head?” He hands me the water and pills.

  “Not great. I need these, badly.”

  “I hear Sarah and Mel were quite the party animals last night? And Sarah wasn’t even drinking.” He chuckles.

  Squishing my eyebrows, I try to think back to last night. “Oh? I can’t remember.” I take the tablets and wash them down with the icy cool water.

  He looks at me with an amused grin, apparently finding my state of disarray funny. If my head wasn’t pounding, I might find it funny as well, but since I don’t, I slump back on the bed. Taking pity, Aiden lays beside me, pulling me against him.

  “I honestly can’t remember parts of last night.”

  Aiden chuckles. “Luckily, Sarah caught it all on video, then.”

  “Really?” I look up at him.

  “Yes. The part where you and Brielle sing The Goo Goo Dolls “Iris” together and then cry at the end is quite amusing.”

  “We did not!”

  Aiden laughs and pulls out his phone showing me the clip of us singing—very badly.

  “Why did she have to die at the end of that movie,” Brielle calls out into the microphone as the entire audience laughs at us.

  I laugh but then grimace at the horror scene playing out in front of my eyes. “Oh my God, it doesn’t get worse than this, does it?”

  He smirks. “Oh, baby… it gets way worse.”

  I laugh even though my head hurts. “It’s official. I’m never drinking again,” I grumble while he shows me a video of me talking to a damn streetlamp.

  “I remember Bree dancing on a table… I think,” I tell Aiden. He looks at me and chuckles. “I don’t remember Sarah recording me at all.”

  “That’s because you were too busy chatting up the streetlamp,” he jokes.

  “Shut up! The lamp and me go waaay back. We’re great friends, thank you very much,” I tease.

  He laughs and places his phone on the bed. “Glad you had a good time with the girls. It kept me entertained, anyway,” he jests with a smirk.

  “It’s your turn tonight. Do you know what Chris has in store for you?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.

  “Yeah, we’re heading to Vinchenzo’s for dinner and then out to a bar or something to play pool and darts and other manly stuff.”

  “Make sure Chris takes videos of you so I can be equally entertained,” I tease. “I expect a very intoxicated fiancé to stumble through those doors tonight.”

  A couple hours before the bachelor party, the guys meet at our place for pre-drinks. Sarah and Brielle are going to spend the night with me while Aiden is out.

  “Chris, you have to take videos of Aiden, so we can laugh at him,” Sarah calls out.

  “No worries, babe,” Chris yells back.

  Aiden walks over and squats in front of me. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like crap.” I smile. “Which is how you’ll be feeling tomorrow,” I jest, and he smiles.

  “Okay, guys, we’re heading into the theater room now, have a good time. Don’t get arrested,” I say while walking off.

  Aiden runs up behind me, and I turn to face him. “Have fun tonight, and I promise to behave myself.”

  “I know you’ll behave yourself because if you don’t, you’ll be sleeping in the guesthouse with your mother and Mike for the rest of your life,” I joke.

  “Oh really?” He raises his eyebrows and laughs.

  “Mmm… really,” I reply. He leans in and kisses me softly. “Have fun, babe,” I tell him.

  He spins and walks off to the man cave with the boys. Brielle orders the pizza, and we set up the projector to play Love Actually, one of our favorite movies.

  During the evening, I receive a few videos of Aiden, and we all have a good laugh.

  Eventually, after numerous movies, we end up moving into the living room to sit and chat. We start to wonder where the boys are because my phone has been quiet for the past three hours.

  “Hey, girls, do you think I should call the guys and see how they’re doing, or is that checking up on them?” I ask.

  Bree shakes her hea
d. “I’m sure they’re fine. They’re probably in a bar winding down. They were going to call Mike to pick them up, weren’t they?”

  As if on cue, we hear a car pull up out front. The front door swings open wide, and Chris stumbles in, followed by Aiden and the others. They’re laughing as they walk into the kitchen. “Speak of the devils,” Sarah calls out.

  The guys pretty much ignore us, continuing on with their laughing and banter as Aiden stumbles over to his poker gear and sprawls it out on the dining room table. So, the girls and I head upstairs, leaving them to the rest of their night. I show Sarah and Brielle to their separate guestrooms, and as soon as I rest my head on the pillow, I’m out like a light.

  It’s the day before our wedding. Just thinking about it fills me with such elated joy that I’m sure I will have a perma-grin all day.

  “Morning, beautiful,” Aiden murmurs as he slowly wakes, then he strokes my cheek.

  “Just think, this time tomorrow, I’ll be getting ready to marry you,” I reply.

  His face alights with a bright smile. “I can’t wait.”

  We lay in bed for a while, enjoying the first day of vacation. My phone rings, and it’s Sarah telling me she’s ten minutes away

  Jumping out of bed, I get dressed for the girlie day we have planned in preparation for tomorrow. Aiden, of course, has paid for us to spend the day at a beauty spa, and the girls are excited. Afterward, the girls are sleeping over so we can get ready together in the morning.

  Walking in the door, Aiden is waiting for us in the kitchen. He’s placed flowers everywhere. Their fragrant perfume wafts through the air, and I can’t help but stand in awe of the all the pink roses and their beauty.

  “Oh, babe... I love them.” I rush to him, hugging and kissing him. That tingle, that spark I always feel when I kiss him, flushes over my entire body. I can’t help but fall in love with him just that little bit more as he holds me tight.

  Sarah strides over to Aiden, and she starts to push him out of the room forcefully. “What are you doing?” Aiden laughs.

  “You can’t see Jeni the night before your wedding. It’s bad luck.”

  “You slept in the same bed as Chris the night before your wedding,” Aiden counters, making Sarah crease her eyebrows.

  “Yes, but that was different. I was knocked up so the whole tradition thing didn’t count for us.”

  “It’s a stupid tradition, Sarah.”

  “Shut up and get out of here. You’re not going to argue with a pregnant lady as big as me, are you?”

  “Okay, okay. Can I give her a kiss goodbye?”

  “Make it quick.” She snaps her fingers at him like he’s wasting her time.

  Aiden smirks at her gesture while walking over to me. He takes me in his arms and dips me into a Hollywood-style kiss.

  We finally part, and he leans in and whispers, “I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll be waiting for you. It’s the day when you’ll make me the happiest man alive.”

  “And I’ll be the one walking down the aisle toward the man who I love more than anything in this world,” I whisper back.

  Aiden kisses me quickly once more, then he pulls me up and walks out.

  Saturday, September 14th

  Our Wedding Day

  “Jeni, you’re getting married. Get up,” Sarah booms, bouncing on the bed energetically. “Oh crap, now I gotta pee. Stupid bladder.”

  I laugh and sit up. “I’m getting married,” I chime.

  Sarah stops bouncing and takes my hands in hers. “Yes, you are. Now come downstairs. Your mom’s cooking us breakfast. But first, bathroom for me.”

  When Sarah is finished, we walk arm in arm down the stairs to the kitchen where the smell of bacon and eggs fills the house. Bree is helping Mom with cooking and coffee.

  “Good morning, honey. How did you sleep?” Mom asks.

  “Great.” I’m completely relaxed, not nervous at all, and one hundred percent ready to marry the man of my dreams.

  I start to wonder how Aiden’s feeling.

  Is he nervous or excited like me?

  My phone beeps.

  Aiden: Morning, beautiful. I missed having you in my arms last night. I can’t wait until you are my wife. xoxo.

  I smile at the message. It’s like he knows exactly when I’m thinking about him and need to hear from him. I hit Reply.

  Jenifer: Good morning, my soon-to-be husband. Our bed was so empty without you in it last night. I’m excited and happy, and honestly cannot wait to be your wife. You have no idea how much I love you. How are you feeling?

  Aiden: I’m elated and completely calm, and maybe a little eager to get through the day to our honeymoon… I can’t wait to see you in your beautiful dress. I know you’re going to look amazing. I also can’t wait to see that dress on the floor. xoxo.

  Mom walks over. “Is that him?”

  I nod as I smile at his text. “Mm-hmm.”

  “How is he?”

  “He’s calm and looking forward to it.”

  “Finish up, and I’ll get started on your hair, honey.”

  I nod and hit Reply.

  Jenifer: I can’t wait for the honeymoon, either. I’m glad you’re feeling calm, and I can’t wait to see you all dressed up in your tux. I know you’ll look as handsome as ever. Mom is about to pretty me up. I’ll see you at the gardens. I’ll be the one in white ;-) xoxo.

  I hit Send.

  Aiden: Baby, before you go, I have a surprise for you. Ask Sarah, and she’ll get it for you. xoxo.

  I read the message and look at Sarah, who grins back at me knowingly. “Sarah, apparently you have something for me?”

  She waddles off into the other room to collect whatever it is.

  “I think you’re going to love it,” Mom says.

  I raise my eyebrow. “Oh, so you know as well?”

  She laughs and nods while arranging her hair equipment. Sarah steps back in carrying a blue square box with a white ribbon tied perfectly on top. I already know it’s from Tiffany’s. She hands it to me, and I remove the ribbon and open the box to find a sparkling diamond necklace. I almost choke on thin air. I can only imagine the price tag.

  “Oh my God,” I blurt out. I take the necklace out of the box, watching it glistening in the light, sending sparkles all around the room.

  “What do you think?” Sarah asks.

  “It’s… it’s beautiful. I’m speechless.”

  Mom rests her hand on my shoulder while Mel looks at the necklace.

  “Can you guys imagine what this must have cost?” I murmur.

  “My brother has plenty of money, and he wants to spend it on you,” Brielle announces happily.

  I smile. “My gift of cufflinks completely pales in comparison to this.”

  Mom laughs. “Honey, you know he’ll love them.”

  I pick up my phone, walk to the deck, and dial his number. He answers chirpily, “Hey, baby…” I can hear Chris and the others chatting in the background.

  “Thank you so much. Your gift is amazing. I don’t know what else to say.”

  “You don’t need to say anything. As long as you like it, I’m happy.”

  “Like it? I love it.”

  “I love the cufflinks. Where did you find them?”

  “I had them made to match my ‘xo’ bracelet and necklace.”

  “They’re perfect, just like you.”

  “They aren’t as extravagant as your gift.”

  “Jeni, baby, I love them. It’s sentimental, and I love that about you.”

  “Jeni, hurry up. We have to get you all beautified,” Sarah calls out, gaining my attention.

  “Guess you have to go?” Aiden asks.

  I nod even though he can’t see me. “Yeah, but I’ll see you soon.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  We end the call, and I sigh, walking back inside to get, as Sarah calls it, beautified.

  Time goes by quickly, and it’s not long before Mom is holding me by the shoulders and saying, “
You ready?”

  I smile. “I’ve been waiting to marry Aiden all my life. I’m more than ready.”

  Bill, the chauffeur, opens the door, and everyone helps me into the car. Mom slides in next to me, and the girls hop into the other car to start our journey to the Botanical Gardens. I hold onto Mom’s hand, feeling at ease the entire way.

  Pulling up at the garden gates, I sit up in my seat a little straighter. I glance at my phone to see we are fourteen minutes late. Not too bad in the grand scheme of things.

  Bill helps me out of the car, and Mom fusses with my dress, making sure it’s perfect for my walk to Aiden. Shelly, the photographer, takes pictures, and I start to get nervous. I’ve been calm and excited up until now. I guess I’m concerned about walking down that path and falling because I’m that clumsy.

  “You’ll be fine, sweetheart.” Mom pats my hand. “I’ll be right by your side.”

  Mel walks first, then Brielle, and then Sarah. Finally, it’s my turn to walk around the bend toward Aiden. I wrap my arm around my mom’s, my heart beating fast in my chest and my tummy fluttering.

  This is it.

  This is really happening.

  “Last chance to back out,” Mom jokes, making me laugh.

  “Not a chance.”

  There’s a string quartet playing softly in the background. I watch the guests’ faces as they see me approaching, all staring in awe. For the first time in my life, I actually feel beautiful.

  My eyes shift to the end of the path—Aiden.

  My breath stops.

  It’s like I’m seeing him for the first time.

  Time stands still as I stare at my soon-to-be husband who’s smiling at me so lovingly. He looks so handsome, so completely gorgeous that all worries of the cobblestone path evaporate into thin air. Actually, I feel like I’m floating down the path toward him.

  As I edge closer and closer to Aiden, the world falls away. Everything disappears, and all I see is him. He is my world. He is all that matters. And right now, my heart is so full, I could burst.