by Devney Perry
Gambling turned into more drinking and then more strolling along the strip. We came to a stop in front of Treasure Island, where Nick and I watched renegade pirates battle each other amidst pyrotechnic explosions.
Standing in the middle of the crowd, Nick wrapped both his arms around me, pulling me securely into his chest. My hands held onto his muscled forearms. Even though we’d shared a kiss, this felt more intimate. It wasn’t as electric as when our lips had touched, but with our bodies resting against each other, I felt a connection to Nick I never wanted to cut.
We fit together perfectly. His big body cradled my small frame, like his arms were made to be wrapped around me and only me.
My cheeks ached from smiling. Nick had made me laugh more in one night than I could remember doing in years. Maybe ever.
And we still had the rest of the night together.
The thought gave me butterflies. For once, I didn’t have to act a certain way or behave according to my family’s set standards. I could just have a good time with the handsome man standing behind me. No rules. No stress. No expectations.
Being with Nick made me feel free. His confidence and easy grace were contagious. I could just be myself. Do whatever I wanted. Say whatever I wanted. This Emmeline was relaxed. Happy.
“Let’s get married,” Nick whispered into my ear.
“What?” I gasped, turning to look up at him with wide eyes. Where had that come from?
“Let’s get married. You said you wanted crazy. Nothing is crazier than two people who just met getting hitched in Las Vegas.”
“We can’t get married!”
His vibrant eyes gleamed as his mouth formed a smug, crooked grin. “I dare you.”
“You don’t need to buy me that ring. It’s too much money,” I said.
I turned my eyes to the jewelry. Sitting on a velvet cloth was a two-carat diamond. A ring of smaller diamonds haloed it, and an array of smaller, rectangular diamonds shot out from the sides like sunbeams. The edging formed a Gatsby hexagon set in rose gold.
It was exquisite.
It was expensive. Too expensive.
I didn’t know about Nick’s financial situation and would never put him in a position to overspend.
“Too much money?” he parroted. “Says the girl staying in the Bellagio penthouse suite who rides around in a private limo and just dropped five grand on a hunk of metal for me.”
“I don’t need anything fancy, Nick.”
Framing my jaw with his large hands, he leaned down and kissed the tip of my nose. “Buying you the ring that makes your face light up like the sun is something I want to do. I’d do just about anything to see that look on your face every day. I’m not broke, Emmy. I can buy that ring. But even if I was poor, I’d find a way to get it.”
Wow, that felt good.
My face split into a beaming smile. It didn’t last long because Nick leaned down and captured my mouth. Right in the middle of the jewelry store, our tongues tangled together in a deep kiss. My hands explored the defined ridges of his chest while his arms banded around my lower back and pulled my hips tightly into his.
When he finally broke away, I was breathless and my heart was thundering out of my chest. His hardness had rubbed up against my hip and I was on fire. Swaying sideways on wobbling knees, I clung to Nick’s shirt to keep from falling.
I wanted a kiss like that every day for the rest of my life.
A throat clearing broke our happy bubble. Nick turned to the clerk but kept an arm around my waist to steady me on my feet. He took the ring from the clerk’s hand and slowly slid it onto my finger. Tingles spread from my hand through my arm when it was positioned perfectly against my knuckle.
I admired the jewels and how perfectly they looked on my finger. How perfectly my hand looked in Nick’s.
Gazing up into his vibrant eyes, I knew Nick was the only man for me. I had found the one. Fate, something I hadn’t believed in until tonight, had brought us together. We’d only been with each other for hours but I was undeniably in love.
“When are you two getting married?” the clerk asked.
“Tonight,” Nick said, not taking his eyes from mine.
“Oh, congratulations! Which chapel did you choose?” she asked.
“We haven’t picked one yet.”
“Well, if I may offer a recommendation . . .”
One hour later, Nick helped me climb out of a town car in front of The Clover Chapel.
“Wow.” My eyes raked over the charming, square building.
The white stucco walls were dotted with intricate, stained glass windows made of blues and greens. A small steeple at the peak of the roof held a brass bell. Vines with small, white flowers climbed over the walls, covering the stucco.
The clerk had not been wrong. It was incredible.
I felt Nick’s heat at my side and my fingers naturally found his. I rushed to pull him inside, barely containing my excitement to see the chapel’s interior.
The air evaporated from my lungs the instant we crossed through the pale wooden doors with a tiny four-leafed clover tacked to the top of its frame. The beauty of this chapel was beyond any of my wildest dreams.
Through an arched opening directly in front of us was a short aisle lined with small, wooden pews. At its end was a pergola threaded with greenery, glittering twigs, fairy lights and white magnolia flowers. Hanging white wisteria blooms filled the open ceiling.
We had just walked into a garden wonderland. Someone had reached into my mind and created the setting for my dream wedding.
Magic.
“Hello! Welcome to The Clover Chapel,” the receptionist said. “How can I help you?”
“We’d like to get married tonight,” Nick said.
“Congratulations! Clover will be so excited.” She flipped open a three-ring binder to show us their wedding packages. When we made our choice, she left to find the officiant, Clover herself.
“Are you going to regret this?” Nick asked, pulling me into his arms. His question was sincere. He wouldn’t hold this against me if I chose to call a quit to this dare.
But this wasn’t a crazy adventure for me anymore. It was real.
We were real.
It didn’t matter that I wasn’t wearing a designer couture gown and my hair wasn’t in an elaborate updo. I had no desire to spend a fortune on my wedding. I hated the pretentious and over-the-top fiascos my engaged friends were all planning. All I wanted was to marry a man who was the only one for me.
Nick was that man.
I didn’t know all of the mundane details of his life or his past. I’d learn those in time. For now, I knew what was important. Nick was kind, generous and affectionate. He looked at me like I was the only woman in the world.
“No, I won’t regret getting married. Will you?” I hoped with everything I had that his answer was no.
“Abso-fucking-lutely not.”
My breath hitched and I fought to swallow past the lump in my throat. Never in my life had that ridiculous saying sounded so wonderful.
“We’re ready for you,” the receptionist said, popping her head out into the entryway.
Nick held out an elbow and I looped my arm through his before he escorted me down the aisle. Step by step, we strolled together to Clover standing under the arch.
Ten minutes later, we were husband and wife. We had repeated traditional vows, promising to love and cherish one another until death parted us.
With permission to kiss his bride, a smile spread across Nick’s face as he hoisted me up into his arms.
“Hi, Wife.”
“Hi, Husband.”
The light in his eyes was dancing. I imagined that mine looked much the same.
I dropped my lips to his for a kiss that I would never forget. The moment our lips touched, the world around us melted away.
There was only us.
Leaving the chapel, we barely spoke as the receptionist handed us our marriage certificate and wedding photos. T
he smiles on our faces were so wide they couldn’t be broken for words. Never in my life had I been so deliriously happy.
“Do you believe in fate?” I asked Nick as we rode back to the Bellagio.
“Yeah.”
“Are we going to make this work?” I whispered.
“Fuck yes we are.”
Any lingering anxiety in my stomach vanished. “How?”
“We just are. We belong to each other. Tomorrow, we’ll figure it all out. Tonight, let’s just be us.”
“Okay. Let’s just be us,” I said, thanking all the angels in the heavens that I was lucky enough to have him as mine.
“Nick?” I called through the sitting room of the hotel suite.
I’d just woken up alone, and after searching the bedroom and bathroom, I’d walked out to the common area, hoping to find him with coffee. The shots from last night had given me a mild headache and I needed caffeine.
He wasn’t on either sofa or in the kitchenette. I turned back toward the bedroom for some clothes but stopped when a shiny object on the foyer table caught my eye.
The closer I got to the table, the heavier my steps fell on the polished marble floor. I knew that shiny object. It was the platinum band I had placed on Nick’s finger at The Clover Chapel last night.
I reached out and let my fingertips brush the cool metal. Sliding it to the side, I read the one-word note underneath.
Sorry
Nine years later . . .
“Emmeline?”
“Hi! Come on in, Rich,” I said, smiling at the school’s principal and my boss. Rich Garcia, a short Hispanic man in his forties, walked across the linoleum floor into my classroom.
“I just wanted to check in and see how your first day of parent meetings was going.”
“It’s been great! I only have three more families left to meet. Everyone has been so welcoming and kind. I’m really looking forward to starting with the kids next week.”
“Oh, good.” His frame relaxed. “Sometimes these parent-teacher introductions can be difficult. I didn’t want anyone to scare you off. We’re so glad you’ve moved to Prescott and joined our staff.”
I smiled wide. “There’s no scaring me away. This is my dream job. It’s been a long journey for me to finally get here and I’m not giving it up.”
“Good. Let me know if you need anything. Anything at all,” he said before walking out of the room, sidestepping the couple coming in.
“Sheriff Cleary. Gigi. Good to see you both,” Rich said. “Rowen starting school this year?”
The sheriff shook Rich’s hand. “Yeah. She’s excited. Georgia’s not. Cries every night thinking about it.”
“No judgment, Jess,” Gigi said. “I’m allowed to be sad that my baby girl is growing up and starting kindergarten. And I haven’t cried every night because of this. I’m hormonal. I cry about everything. Last night I was crying because you ate all the cookies.”
“I’m not judging, Freckles,” Jess said. “Just stating the facts. And I saw you with your face in the fridge last night, scarfing down that last chocolate chip when you thought I wasn’t looking. You cried because you ate them all.”
She narrowed her eyes at her husband, who stood a good seven inches taller than her.
I bit my lip to keep from laughing as they bantered. Most of the marriages I had witnessed growing up had been awkward and fake. The couples wouldn’t dare tease one another in public. But this is what I secretly wished I had for myself. Something natural and light. Something real.
When she finished scowling, Gigi turned to me and extended her hand. “Hi. I’m Gigi Cleary. The sheriff there is my husband, Jess. We’re Rowen Cleary’s parents.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Emmeline Austin. I’ll be your daughter’s teacher. I’ve got a few things to go over with you if you’d like to have a seat?” I said, swinging my hand to the chairs in front of my desk.
Gigi was probably five or six months pregnant. Her bulging belly was slightly hidden behind a draping tunic but it was starting to take up a good portion of her midsection. And she was stunning. Her long, wavy brown hair was shiny and rich. Freckles dusted her nose and her eyes were a beautiful shade of deep blue.
Her husband, Jess, was not only a large man but also a very good-looking one. He had a strong jaw and broad shoulders. He wore a tan shirt with a shining badge on one hip. His gun was tucked in a holster under his arm.
As he pulled out his wife’s chair, his bright, light blue eyes sparkled down at her. Here was a man completely in love with his wife.
“I’m looking forward to meeting Rowen next week,” I told them. “Before school starts, I wanted to take the opportunity to meet with you both and find out if you have anything special you’d like me to work on with her this school year.”
I’d practiced my introduction speech so many times in the mirror that I’d almost rushed the words. Even though I’d given it to ten other couples so far today, I was still nervous. I desperately wanted to make a good impression on my soon-to-be students’ parents.
I took a breath before finishing. “Also, if you have any concerns, we can discuss those too.”
Jess and Gigi shared a look. That couldn’t be good.
“We had some drama earlier in the year,” Jess said. “Georgia got kidnapped and it shook up Roe. I think she’s over it but every now and again she gets a nightmare. I doubt anything will come up at school, but we thought you should know.”
“Oh my god,” I gasped. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“I’m fine,” Gigi said while rubbing her baby bump. “Rowen’s fine too. Jess here is just a little overprotective and Roe knows how to manipulate her dad. He stays home with her the mornings after these quote, unquote nightmares.”
“She’s not faking them, Georgia.”
“She totally is, Jess.”
“I can watch for signs of distress or anxiety with Rowen. Just in case,” I said.
“Thanks,” Gigi said. “She’s so excited for school, I’m sure she’ll be fine. So what about you? You just moved here, right? How are you liking Prescott?” Her smile and easy nature settled my nerves.
“Yes, I did and I like it here very much. I had never been to Montana before and only heard stories about how beautiful it is. I haven’t been disappointed. I’ve only been here for a couple of weeks but am completely lovestruck.”
“Rowen and I moved here just a year and a half ago and we fell in love with it too. Where did you move from?” Gigi asked.
I smiled. “New York City.”
Her eyes got big. It was the same reaction I’d gotten from all of the parents today.
“I finished getting my teaching degree at NYU last spring and decided I needed a change of pace. After I started looking for jobs, I stumbled across Prescott’s ad for a kindergarten teacher and I just went for it. I mean, what’s a bigger change of pace than moving from Manhattan to small-town Montana?”
“I thought my move from Spokane was a big one,” she said. “Well, I guess, welcome! If you need anything, feel free to call us. The local sheriff is great at moving boxes.” She winked and patted Jess’s arm.
“Thanks.” I added a mental tick to the tally in my head. In one day, seventeen different people had welcomed me to Prescott and offered their help with whatever I needed.
And with every offer, my doubts about the decision to leave my former life behind were disappearing. At thirty-one years old, I had started over. It was a huge risk but one I was glad to have taken.
I didn’t know if I’d stay in Prescott for more than this year, but for right now, it was the perfect place for me.
“Hi, darling,” I said into my phone as I drove home in my cherry-red Jeep.
“Hi,” Logan said. “How was your first day?”
“So good. I can’t stop smiling. The kids were all great. My lesson plan worked perfectly and they all stayed engaged for that math exercise I was worried about. It couldn’t have gone better.”
“I
’m glad, sweetheart,” he said, “though I was secretly hoping it would be horrible and you’d come home to me.”
I took a long, deep breath. “You know why I had to do this, Logan. It isn’t forever.”
“I know,” he said, “but that doesn’t mean I like the fact that my girlfriend lives across the country.”
“We talked about this,” I reminded him. “You said you understood why I needed to make this change.”
Logan had promised that he supported my decision to take a year away from New York. He knew that the city I’d once loved had started to suffocate me, that I’d felt exposed and constantly under a microscope of public scrutiny. Escaping the city had seemed like my only option.
“I just miss you,” Logan said. “I hate that you’re out there on your own and I’m here. Just promise me after this school year you’ll consider coming home?”
“I promise.”
“What are you doing tonight?” he asked.
“Reviewing my lesson plan for tomorrow. I want to be prepared in case things don’t go as well as they did today. Then I’m going to keep unpacking. What about you?”
“I’m still at the office. I need to put in a few more hours on the civil suit we’re filing next week against that pharmaceutical company.”
Logan had just gotten a promotion at his law firm, and this lawsuit would be his first as a managing partner. His career was at a pivotal point and I understood why he couldn’t step away to head out West to try a simpler lifestyle.
And even though Logan had been supportive of his live-in girlfriend leaving for Montana, I suspected he thought my relocation was just a whim and I’d change my mind soon and come back. But he didn’t realize how miserable I had been. How lonely and sad. He worked so much between his job at the law firm and his family’s foundation. We rarely had time to spend with one another outside of social functions, sex and sleep.
I was hoping our long-distance relationship would actually bring us closer. That even if it was over the phone, we’d find the time to connect that we hadn’t in the city. I wanted to get back to the place we had been at the beginning, desperate to soak up as much time together as we could squeeze in. To spend long nights talking about anything and everything.