by A. Aubry
Ray walked over to him and extended a hand to him, “Yes she did. Congratulations, man. I can tell that you really care about her.”
They shook hands before going in for a half hug, like all men do, “I care for her more than anything. I’ll make sure to take good care of her now that I have one of the best physical therapists in town to make sure I’m at the top of my game.”
I giggled and walked over to Jameson, putting my arms around his waist, “Let’s say we get home? Your fiancée is rather tired after chasing after two energetic toddlers.”
“Well, I shouldn’t keep the lady out any longer then,” Jameson chuckled.
After a quick goodbye, we walked back out to where my brand-new Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV was waiting. A long discussion was had about if Jameson would buy me a new car, and after much persuasion, I finally caved. When we were driving by a Mercedes dealership one day, I saw this car in the lot and pointed to it, saying I wanted something like that. The next day, Jameson was pulling up outside of my work in what would be my car. Jameson held the passenger door open for me, knowing that I was hesitant to drive when I was as tired as I was.
Taking my seat, Jameson closed my door behind me and quickly jogged around the car to get in behind the wheel. In no time, we were driving down the always busy streets of Chicago and pulling into Jameson’s parking garage. Walking hand in hand to the elevator, the exhaustion of the day finally started to hit just a little more. If Jameson and I were going to have kids, I needed to work on conserving my energy. The elevator pinged to let us know that we had finally made it to the top floor. A small package sat at the front door and Jameson swooped down to pick it up.
Once inside, Jameson excused himself to go to the bathroom but told me that I could open the package for him. That was the type of relationship that we had, no secrets. Gavin would’ve never let me open his packages that came for him. Just another reason why I loved Jameson as much as I did. I put the package up on the kitchen table, quickly going to get a knife to cut the tape that held it closed. With a few swift slices, the tape was open and I unfolded the tops of the box. What was inside had me screaming for Jameson that was in no way pleasurable.
What looked like a mix between a Raggedy Ann and a voodoo doll stared up at me, a picture of my face glued to where the face of the doll should have been. A sharp object, somewhere between a swiss army knife and a regular pocket knife was stabbed into the heart of the doll and what I hoped was fake blood saturated the white dress that it was wearing. Jameson ran into the room faster than I had ever seen him move as my hands covered my mouth. He took one look into the box and pulled me into his arms. With one arm holding me securely to his chest, he grabbed his phone from his pocket with his free hand. I almost didn’t see him punch any numbers into the phone before he started yelling at someone.
“Who the fuck brought this package up here?” He all but screamed into the phone.
“I want the police up here right away. No more packages are allowed to my apartment unless it has been opened and thoroughly checked.”
He hung up the phone and dropped it onto the table, burying his face into my hair, “I’m sorry, Bri. I’m so fucking sorry.”
“This—this isn’t your fault, Jay. Why are you saying that you’re sorry?” I gazed up at him as soon as he lifted his head off mine.
“Because what if this is Melody? What if she thinks that I led her on in some way? I swear to god that I didn’t mean to, Bri. I love you. Only ever you, I promise.”
I took his face into my hands and forced him to look at me, “Jameson, I know that you didn’t lead her on. I told you that you are very charismatic.”
Jameson laughed quietly and his eyebrows unknit themselves, “How are you so calm right now?”
“One of us has to be,” I quipped, “But seriously, I know that you wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. We just got engaged tonight and I have seen your interactions with Melody. This was all her doing, not yours.”
For ten minutes, Jameson and I just stood there in his kitchen in each other’s arms. That was until a loud pounding came from the front door, and Jameson had to let in the police to figure out our next course of action. We both were questioned, as well as the security downstairs who had said that what seemed like a regular delivery driver had delivered the package shortly after we left to go babysit. The police said they would take the package and try to track down where it had come from. Jameson had brought up the fact that Melody might be a person of interest and they had said that they would look into it. Their last recommendation was that we should probably spend the night somewhere else, just to be safe. Jameson jumped on it and booked us a hotel. Apparently, my very small apartment wasn’t good enough.
As soon as the police left with the box, Jameson and I went into his bedroom and packed our overnight bags. Rushing around, everything was packed quickly and we were back in my car driving towards our hotel for the night. Jameson pulled up in front of The W Chicago and helped me out of the car before giving the keys to the valet. Everything was a blur to me as we checked in, letting Jameson take the reins until we stepped into our hotel room. Well, actually, Jameson had got us a suite for the night. A suite, with a perfect view of Lake Michigan. I walked over to the large picturesque windows and looked at how the lights of the city danced on the water.
“I thought that we could celebrate our engagement a little bit,” Jameson whispered into my ear as he came up behind me.
“So, you got the nicest hotel room right on the lake?” I smiled. Sometimes he was so over the top.
“Only the best for my future wife.”
Just hearing him say that gave me goosebumps.
“Remember when you told me about yours and Vanessa’s engagement? How she wanted to take a year of just being engaged before you two even started planning the wedding?”
Jameson’s arms wrapped around my waist and he kissed my neck softly, “Yeah. Is that what you would like to do as well?”
As if. “No. I don’t want a long engagement. I’ve known that I have wanted to be married to you since that tour you gave me back in California.”
“We could go to the courthouse on Monday and get married,” he offered.
I giggled and shook my head before turning around in his arms, “You are crazy. We are not going to the courthouse to get married. We can go there on Monday and get our marriage license. I just don’t know if we are going to find somewhere to get married or someone to marry us so soon. We could do next weekend, one week from today.”
“I love that idea. I could call Zander and get him and Peter to fly in. Zander is an ordained minister, got it for his sister’s wedding so he could marry her and her husband. You could invite your friends, we could invite Kelly and Keira. A small wedding together.”
“I will have to tell my mother, know you,” I rolled my eyes. She wasn’t exactly Jameson’s strongest supporter.
“You can tell her tomorrow. Right now, I’m going to celebrate my engagement with my gorgeous fiancée,” Jameson smirked as he lifted my shirt over my head and scooped me up into his arms.
Our lips met and I couldn’t hold myself back as my tongue pushed past his lips and deepened our kiss. Even after all the crap that happened tonight, I was ready to celebrate with him. Hell, I was ready to be married to him already. Next Saturday couldn’t come fast enough.
Chapter Seventeen
“Do I really have to tell people not to blindfold me when it comes to being in the car?” I whined as I sat back in my seat and crossed my arms like a child.
“These were Jameson’s instructions, so blame your husband to be,” Ashley replied from somewhere beside me.
The last thing that I remembered seeing before I got into this situation was a limousine parked and waiting for us outside of Jameson’s apartment building. Well, I guess I should have really started calling it my apartment building because every day after work, Jameson and I had been moving my stuff over to his place and donating the other unnecessa
ry furniture. We turned in my keys after Jameson happily paid the early termination fee and as of yesterday, I was officially moved in with my fiancé. After today, he would be my husband. The only thing that I had been able to plan about today was my wedding dress, Jameson did everything else which both amazed and frustrated me because I had no idea what I was walking into.
The only thing that I knew for sure was that my family would not be coming to my wedding. When I had told my mother about the wedding the day after Jameson proposed, I got a lecture. Sure, how I met Jameson was probably unconventional because technically I was still engaged when this all started. But I loved Jameson more than I had ever loved Gavin and that was saying a lot. I had told her that if she and my father, or any of my other family did not feel like they needed to come, then so be it. As far as I could tell, she hadn’t told any of my other family members. If that was how she wanted to be, then I couldn’t have cared less. I was happier than I had ever been before and that was all thanks to Jameson.
I felt the limo come to a stop before I heard the door open a few seconds later. Ashley told me to hold on as she got out of her side of the limo and came around to my side. She helped me out from the front as Jasmine and Melanie helped me out from the back. My dress wasn’t what I had always planned on having since I was a little girl. You know the ones with the giant puffy skirt that looked like a princess? I tried the one that I had purchased on at the suggestion of the woman who was helping us out at the boutique and the second that I saw myself in it, I was in love.
It was an A-line shaped gown made of soft tulle and had a sweetheart neckline. The bodice was completely covered in embroidery and beading made up of rhinestones, pearls, Swarovski crystals, and sequins. There was no train like I had always pictured, but then again, a train on a dress reminded me of a very traditional wedding and Jameson and I were far from traditional. I groaned about having to wear the blindfold all the way until Jasmine assured me that we were in the building. Deciding to wear white flats today was probably one of the best ideas that I had ever had, otherwise I would have ended up flat on my face somewhere along the way.
“Okay, we just have to walk through one more door, but Jameson said that I could take the blindfold off when we got to this point,” Ashley said happily before tugging on the knot at the back of my head.
“If you ruined my hair, you’re going to pay,” I stuck my tongue out at no one in particular.
It took the four of us girls a half an hour to tame my hair and curl it exactly how we wanted it. She carefully undid the blindfold and told me that my hair still looked perfect.
“You ready to go see your future husband?” Jasmine asked as she came out from behind Melanie and Ashley to hand me my bouquet.
I nearly started tearing up right away at just the sight of it. Jameson had remembered about my favorite flowers being daisies. My bouquet was a mixture of different colored daisies and it couldn’t have been more perfect. With one last adjustment of the skirt of my dress, Jasmine and Melanie disappeared through the door.
“I think you missed something,” Ashley pointed at the stems of the flowers in my bouquet.
My eyebrows furrowed as I looked at what she was pointing at. A silver chain was wrapped around the satin sash. Carefully taking it off, I handed my bouquet over to Ashley as I brought the chain up. A charm dangled from the chain, it was cut out into the shape of Spain with España engraved in the front. A quick flip and the back had Only You engraved in it with today’s date underneath. He was really pulling out all the stops when he didn’t even have to. He already had my heart, I was going to choose him.
I slipped it on, clasping it behind my neck and made sure that it laid against my chest. Ashley handed me back my bouquet and I gave her a quick hug.
“Thank you, Ashley.”
“For what?”
“For not questioning anything about mine and Jameson’s relationship, even when I was still with Gavin the day that he took me out. For being there for me when I didn’t know where the hell Jameson was. For being so supportive of us.”
She chuckled softly and gave me a tight squeeze before releasing me, “Don’t mention it.”
Ashley went over to the doors and propped them open. She came back to where I stood and held out her arm for me. I looped mine through hers and we walked into the room together. The second that I saw Jameson standing in front of the floor to ceiling glass with a barrage of different fish, including sharks, swimming around behind him, my mouth fell open as Ashley led me towards him. The man had somehow gotten us some private time in Shedd Aquarium. I think I was going to be spending the rest of my life being surprised by him.
When I finally closed my mouth, I grinned at Jameson who was smiling back at me. He wore a full black tuxedo with a white button up shirt underneath. Up until today, I had never seen him wear a bowtie. To see him wearing one completed his tuxedo look and made me feel like I was walking towards a version of James Bond rather than Jameson Barnes. I heard a small squeal come from beside where I was walking and realized that Ray and Mackenzie had brought Joy and Hannah, both of which were sporting some rather new flower girl-type dresses. Must have been a present from Jameson, an apology to Joy for choosing me to marry.
By the time that I got to stand in front of Jameson, my heart was pounding. We were really going to do this. After failed engagements to other people, we were going to be married to one another. Ashley took my bouquet as Jameson brought my hands into his, one of his hands raising mine to his lips.
“I see you got your gift,” he looked at where the charm rested against my chest.
“Yes, it’s beautiful,” I smiled, gazing up at him.
“How you look puts the beauty of that necklace to shame,” he whispered.
My cheeks flushed as Zander cleared his throat beside us, “Would you like me to come back later?”
I giggled and shook my head, “I don’t want to wait another minute.”
“Great, then we will start now if you two are done flirting,” Zander quipped.
Jameson rolled his eyes, but his smile at me never faltered. We let Zander go on his little creative rant. A few laughs were had here and there until we came to the vows. Jameson reached into the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out a piece of paper. When I tried to let go of his other hand so that he could unfold it and read it, he just held onto mine tighter.
“Briella, I am so thrilled that we have made it here. I think that I knew this part was going to come for us the second that I saw you in my club. The way that you let me in so easily made it all the easier for me to let you in. You are the realest person that I have ever met and you see beyond what I own and how much I make. You look past the pain that I caused you after my attack and never argued once during my recovery. Somehow, I always knew that it was you. It was only ever you, it is only ever you, and it will only ever be only you. I will love you and cherish you, support you both emotionally, physically, and financially, for the rest of my life.”
My cheeks hurt because of how wide I was smiling. No matter what, I always knew how Jameson felt about me. But to hear him put it into wedding vows made it all the more special. Ashley came up to my side and handed me the small piece of paper that I had written my vows on. Jameson kissed my knuckles before I began to read them.
“Jameson, you and I have had an unconventional start. That is probably why we are doing this in a very untraditional way. Just because of the way that we met, when we met, and how we are getting married, doesn’t mean that I love you any less. You showed me what it was like for someone to just break through my walls without really trying, how I could trust someone with my secrets and my heart. You showed me that not all men are the same and that there actually was someone in this world created just for me. I promise to spend the rest of my days taking care of you, being there in any way that you need me to be, loving you, cherishing you, and being the best version of myself that you make me be.”
Jameson grinned as he tried to pull me i
n for a kiss. I giggled and shook my head, our guests getting a little bit of laughter in our antics. We exchanged our rings, swearing ourselves to one another. Just before Zander pronounced us husband and wife, he leaned in closer to me and he pretended he was whispering to me.
“This is your last chance to get out while you can!”
I playfully hit his shoulder and he held up his hands, “I’m just trying to help a sister out.”
He cleared his throat and closed his small binder that he had been reading out of for our ceremony, “Well then, if she is still willing to marry you. I now pronounce you husband and wife. Jameson, you may kiss your bride. But please, keep it PG, we have children here.”
We both chuckled as I finally let Jameson pull me into his arms. His lips found mine and I was lost. If Jameson didn’t exert some self-control like he had, I would’ve kept that kiss going for a long while. When we parted, we turned to our guests and Zander introduced us as Mr. and Mrs. Jameson Barnes. We were swarmed by our guests who either shook Jameson’s hand or hugged him before squeezing the living daylights out of me. As soon as the last couple, Kelly and Keira, got their hugs in, Jameson whistled to catch the group’s attention.
“The reception is going to be at our penthouse, so I expect to see everyone there in the next hour. Security is a little tight lately, so they will probably ask for a form of ID with the exception of the little ones. Peter and Zander, don’t give them any shit about it. We will see you all there.” Jameson held up a hand and everyone made their way out of the exhibit that we were married in.
As I went to follow them, Jameson tugged me back into his arms, “What are you doing, Jay? We should go get ready for the party.”
He smirked and shook his head, “I’ve got people working on getting the place ready and caterers coming in with the food. You and I have to take some wedding photos.”
Jameson looked at someone over my shoulder and I turned to see who he was looking at. Mackenzie was back with Ray, Joy, and Hannah along with her large camera bag. I guess it didn’t really hurt to know a photographer when your wedding was such short notice.