I laugh through the tears and gasp as he gets down on one knee. Oh my God, this is really happening.
“Danielle Kathryn Jacobs, I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?”
Looking around, I see Zach and Haylee beaming at us. I look a little farther and see my mom and Haylee’s parents sitting in the corner booth, and in the booth next to that is Kyler’s sisters, Lauren and Kate, and his mom. How did I not notice them when I came in? I turn my attention back to Kyler, who is waiting for an answer. I wipe my tears and smile at him. First, I respond by nodding, another moment in my life when I can’t even manage a simple yes. Both moments forever changed my life.
“Yes, baby, a million times yes!”
He slides the ring on my finger, and it is absolutely stunning—a white-gold trio princess cut pavé diamond ring. Kyler rises to his feet, and I wrap my hands around his neck, pulling him close to me. He wraps his hands around my waist and leans me back in one of the most passionate kisses of my life.
By the time he brings me back upright, my head is spinning and my heart is full. After another brief kiss, I put my forehead against his and laugh.
“What’s so funny, babe?”
Our family has now left their seats and joined us over at our table, waiting to congratulate us.
“You do realize that that song is about having a baby and we—” I turn to our family, throwing my hands up in innocence. “—are not expecting, just to clear that up.”
Everyone laughs, but just then the last thing I expect happens—Zach and Haylee look at each other before Haylee shouts, “No, but we are!”
Zach yells, “Surprise!” with his hands in the air as if he just did a magic trick.
There is an awkward silence for just a moment before everyone erupts in cheers. “Holy shit, you’re gonna be a dad!” Kyler shouts as he gives Zach one of those man hugs with the half hug, half back slap. Haylee and I jump up and down in excitement. Everyone hugs and the moms all check out my new bling as Mr. Brian, Dad, and Zach pull some tables that were next to us together, forming one giant table.
As Mom takes a seat, she places her hands together with excitement, looking at both Ms. Natalie and Mrs. Lawson (I guess I should get used to calling her Ms. Liz, or Mom, since she is going to be my mother-in-law). “Well, ladies, looks like we have now two weddings and a baby shower to plan.” All the moms look excited, and I can already see the wheels turning in their minds. Lord help us.
I can’t stop smiling, and neither can my now fiancé. I look down at the ring, and it seriously is beautiful. My man did good.
Kyler leans over and kisses my cheek. “Are you happy, future Mrs. Lawson?”
I place a kiss on his lips. “Why yes, Mr. Lawson, I am very happy.” And I am. It’s in that moment I realize that I get my happily ever after, after all.
We’re lying in bed, and I’m stroking Dani’s hair down her back while our breathing evens out after a serious lovemaking session. Our clothes started flying off the moment the front door closed. Dani and I scooted out early from Lucky’s. I couldn’t wait to get my fiancée home and to officially celebrate with her, which we did twice already. Not that I don’t love spending time with our families—I loved that they were all able to be there with us. How I actually pulled off this surprise I am still trying to wrap my head around. This beautiful woman next to me actually said yes. Also, holy shit, my best friend is going to be a dad—the same man I watched eat a five-pound container of cheese balls on a dare, do keg stands at 7:00 a.m., and run naked across the quad after finals senior year. Oh, the stories I will tell that kid one day, I chuckle to myself.
I can tell Danielle is off in her own world, so I push her hair to the side and rub her shoulder to bring her out of her thoughts. “Where’s that pretty little head of yours at, baby girl?”
She looks up at me and smiles. I will never tire of seeing her smile at me.
“Well, for one, I can’t believe I’m going to be an auntie. I’m so excited, but wow, Zach and Haylee are going to be parents,” she laughs, clearly thinking the same thoughts of ridiculous moments with those two.
She lays her head back down on my chest and raises her left hand to admire that gorgeous rock on her finger. “I am also over-the-moon happy. I still can’t believe I’m engaged and that this is real.”
I wrap my arms around her tighter. “You better believe it’s real, babe. You’re stuck with me forever now. Foooorrrrreeeevvvverrrrr!”
I can feel her smile on my chest. “How did you pull all this off?” she asks as she traces my chest with the tips of her fingers.
I kiss the top of her head. “Well, I had some help—Haylee helped me pick out the ring, I asked your dad and brother for permission.” I pause. “I even asked Emmett for his permission.”
Dani jolts, pushing up on my chest. “What?”
“I drove the other week to the cemetery and sat there to chat with Emmett, man to man.” I am watching Dani’s eyes fill up with tears. “The day I told you I was in meetings all day I had really gone and talked to him. I had asked all the men in your life for permission, and he was no different.” I pull myself to an upright position and cup her face, my thumb catching a stray tear.
“I can’t believe you did that, Ky,” she says in between tears, leaning into my palm. “You are unbelievably amazing, you know that?” She then leans in, placing a deep, passionate kiss on my lips. “And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you,” she says, hovering over my lips before taking them again. I can feel the desire pouring out of her, and I pull her on my lap to straddle me. She is ready for me.
Looking into her eyes as I line myself up to her entrance, I say, “I love you, Danielle Jacobs.”
“I love you too, Kyler Lawson,” she breathes as I enter her. The past two times tonight were frantic; this time I’m going to take my time savoring every bit of her, the woman I love.
Fourteen months later…
T he day has finally arrived. I am standing behind my best friend as he is about to marry the woman of his dreams in front of his family, friends, and most importantly, his daughter. Emme Danielle Jacobs, named after her uncle and aunt, was born five months ago. She is the spitting image of her mother, thank God, but I can already tell she has that Jacobs personality that I love that my best friend and fiancée both have. Zach and Haylee had asked me and Dani to be her godparents prior to her birth, and of course we accepted. There was no other option for us.
The first time I held my goddaughter in my arms, I instantly fell in love and knew there would be no greater feeling in the world like this until the moment I would hold my own child for the first time. Dani and I try to watch Emme twice a month at least, but really whenever we can so that Zach and Haylee can have date night, catch up on sleep, or maybe work on making a sibling for Emme. It gives us practice with a baby—now, I know what you’re thinking, and no, Dani is not pregnant…yet. But every time I see her interact with our niece, my heart swells. When she rocks her to sleep in her arms, I imagine our future son or daughter in her arms, and I can’t wait to start our family.
My girl is everything, and I fall in love with her more and more each day. When I saw her walking down the aisle moments ago in her dark purple dress that accentuates every curve on her beautiful body, I almost fell over. Zach elbowed me in the stomach jokingly when he saw my smile mimic hers as she got closer.
“Hey, remember this is my day—you get your day in six months, so knock that eye banging my sister shit out.”
I laugh, leaning over to him. “I’m pretty sure you aren’t supposed to say ‘shit’ in church…or talk about banging.”
Now it’s his turn to laugh. As Dani approaches us and takes her place across from me, she gives us a “what the fuck and cut that shit out” look. Zach and I both straighten up, and I wink at her while mouthing I love you. She mouths it back as the music switches to “Heartbeats” by José González. We all turn our attention back to the entrance where Haylee and her dad s
tand, ready to make the journey to the altar. As they make their way down to us, I watch both Dani and Zach wipe tears from their eyes. My best friend is man enough for me to not make fun of him for shedding tears as his bride approaches because I know if I made fun of him, he is bound to do the same when it’s my turn.
I can’t wait till Zach and I swap places and it’s Dani making her way to me dressed in white. Only six more months—183 days to be exact, not that I’m counting till Danielle Kathryn Jacobs becomes Danielle Kathryn Lawson, my wife. I look around the congregation and see my future in-laws on one side of the church and Zach’s future in-laws on the other side. It’s crazy to think Dani gets to be related to her best friend and I will get to be related to mine. Emme is in Natalie’s arms in a beautiful lilac dress. When Zach said that Hails chose dark purple, lilac, and gray as the wedding colors, I joked saying that everything would look as if doused in grape soda. But now seeing it all come together, it looks amazing.
I know today is tough for all of them with one very special person missing. There is an empty chair next to Brian for Emmett even though if he had been here today, I know he would’ve been standing where I am. Here’s the thing though: we can’t guarantee that had Em not have died, Zach and Haylee would have found each other the way they did. With his passing and Dani’s abrupt departure, they found a love through healing each other. Being the romantic that I am, and after all the chick flicks I have been forced to watch over time with Dani, I’d like to believe that they were always meant to be; it just took a little longer to figure it out.
I bring my attention back to the bride and groom as they begin to recite their vows. They really are two peas in a pod: Zach vowed to only ever compliment her cooking—I am so glad Dani actually cooks and cooks well at that—and Haylee vowed to never go near his gym bag. That causes Zach to scowl and Dani to snort. I’ll be sure to ask her what that’s about later. Our eyes meet once again, and my mind goes back to the first time we met at my front door upon her return home.
We don’t lose eye contact until the minister says, “You may now kiss the bride,” and then our eyes are on our newly married best friends as they share their first kiss as man and wife. As they turn to walk down the aisle, I slap Zach on the back before stepping forward to meet Dani. Zach and Haylee first walk over to where their daughter rests in her grandmother’s arms and each place a kiss on her head. It is a super-sweet moment, and the photographer better have captured it so we can put it on our mantle—yep, we are those type of people.
I extend my elbow to Dani. “Future wifey.”
With a smile, she loops her arm in mine. “Thank you, future hubby.”
I lean over and whisper in her ear, “You are the sexiest woman I have ever seen, especially in that dress. I can’t wait to make you my wife…but until then, I can’t wait to get you out of that dress.”
Judging by the ear-to-ear smile she is wearing as we make our way to meeting her brother and his new bride in the back of the church, I think she is thinking the same thing.
I can’t believe my brother and Haylee are finally married and have the most absolutely amazing little girl ever. I have no shame saying my niece has me wrapped around her finger, and Kyler even more so. Uncle Kyler has been in love with her since he first held her. He will be the most amazing dad ever. There is nothing sexier than watching the love of your life being an amazing father, or uncle/godfather in our case.
The reception has been so much fun thus far, and I am about to present one of my gifts to the bride and groom. I am standing here on the stage by the DJ, microphone in hand ready to perform the song for their first dance. Yep, that’s right—they are getting “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in the style of Hayley Reinhart but performed by the one and only Danielle Jacobs. I look around the room and realize how far we have all come. Some days are still a bit of a struggle, but my wonderful fiancé helps me through it.
In the far corner of the reception hall, there is an In Memory Table with photos of Emmett with both Haylee and Zach. There are some that include me as well. There is a sign that sits on the table reading, “We know you would be here today, if heaven wasn’t so far away.” Planning this wedding knowing Emmett would not be here has been difficult on all of us; Haylee especially has broken down many times in both Zach’s and my presence over time, even worse when her pregnancy and postpartum hormones were out of control. But she is not the only one who feels his absence. Emmett Hanks will always be a part of me, and I will love him forever, but in time and my own healing I know that his memory will never go away. My past is his, and it always will be.
While the DJ announces for Mr. and Mrs. Zachary Jacobs to take the dance floor for their first dance, I find Kyler in the crowd holding Emme in his arms. She is passed out with her head on his chest. Her dress, which matches the color of her daddy’s tie, looks wonderful against his dark purple tie that matches my dress. I see him standing there swaying as I begin to sing. I watch Zach and Haylee twirl around the dance floor, and I am truly happy for them. The journey bringing us all here to this moment in a way took forever to get here even though it has only been a few years.
My attention is brought back to Kyler as Emme begins to fidget in his arms, but he rubs circles on her back and she calms. He leans down and kisses the top of her head. I know he also snuck in a sniff of her sweet baby scent. He says over and over that he wishes he could bottle her sweet baby-fresh smell so that when she has nasty poopy diapers, he can remember she doesn’t always smell like that. I don’t think I can love him any more. He has the key to my heart; he is my present and my future. Kyler brought me back to life when I felt my happy ending would never happen and healed me. I will be forever grateful for our love.
Of course, I will always wish that Emmett hadn’t passed, but I cannot go back in time to change it. Instead I look at the positive that it has brought us—Zach and Haylee, although I feel as though if they were meant to be, they always would have found a way for their love to happen, and it brought me and Kyler together. We have only six more months until our wedding, and I cannot wait to say “I do” and become Mrs. Kyler Lawson. Ky has teased often that we should just hop on a plane to Vegas and elope so we can be married as soon as possible, but I keep telling him no, even though, truthfully, I would have done it the day after he proposed. I learned in When Harry Met Sally and through losing Emmett that when you find someone to spend the rest of your life with, you want the rest of your lives to start right away. I don’t think he or I want to handle the wrath of our moms, though, if we elope after they have spent all this time planning all these beautiful events.
The song comes to an end, and as I watch my brother and new sister-in-law share a kiss as he dips her back and everyone cheers, I am overwhelmed with love. Walking off the platform, I am swept into my brother’s arms. “That was amazing. I can’t believe you did that. Thank you for everything, sis. I love you.”
I wrap my arms around him and squeeze. “Love you too, Zachy. You’re a dad and now a married man. I can’t believe you went and grew up on me.”
“Hey, Mr. Jacobs, get your ass away from my sister-in-law. Go find your own best friend to hug.”
My brother releases me from his arms so that I can wrap my arms around Haylee’s waist. Zach turns around and kisses his wife’s temple. “You’re lucky I love you, Mrs. Jacobs,” he says, emphasizing the Mrs. part.
Haylee places her forehead against mine and crosses her eyes while I make a silly face, sticking my tongue out to the side. “You guys are weird,” my brother says. Turning toward him with our heads still together, I reply, “You know you love us though.”
Haylee interjects, “And you’re now stuck with both of us forever!”
He smiles back at her. “Sounds perfect to me.”
Her smile mimics his, before she turns her attention back to me. “I can’t thank you enough for today and all of this. Thank you for coming home and being okay with this. Thank you for being my best friend today and always.
”
I can feel the tears coming, but I refuse to let them ruin my makeup any more. I had to fix it all enough after the ceremony before photos. “I love you, Haylee Grace,” is all I can get out without releasing those tears from my eyes.
“All right, all right, enough proclamations of love over here. What is this, a wedding or something? How about I trade you a precious little princess for my beautiful queen,” I hear behind me.
Haylee pushes me to the side in a dramatic way and strides over to my fiancé to swoop up baby Emme in her arms. I know both Zach and Haylee are nervous about being away from her for an entire week while they are on their honeymoon in Punta Cana, but I have promised them over and over that Kyler and I will be just fine with her and to enjoy their time together. Kyler wraps his arms around me, pulling me tightly to his chest, and lifts my chin with his forefinger, bringing my mouth to his. A soft kiss at first quickly turns passionate—possibly a little too hot for the middle of my brother’s wedding reception—and it isn’t until we hear my brother clear his throat that we pull apart. I rest my head against Kyler’s chest and listen to his heart beating rather quickly. I smile bigger knowing that I did that.
Ky leans down close to my ear and says softly so that only I can hear, “Have I told you lately how sexy you look tonight?”
I lift my head off his chest. “Nope, not within the last hour, but you can tell me again.”
“Well then, baby, you are sexy in that dress, but do you know what would make this dress look even better?”
“What?” I ask, already feeling my panties dampening with his breath against my skin.
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