Finding Memories (Breaking Free Series)

by Becca Taylor

  LIFE IS GOOD. I have Jade temporarily moved into my old house for now. We are about to start the renovations on our new house, and I want it to be a surprise. A second surprise, anyway.

  “How much vacation time can you take?” I ask Jade.

  She's lying on the couch with a bowl full of clementines, her current craving. Fortunately, Jade has not had any severe morning sickness, just a few bouts here and there, but it seems to have passed. The doctor confirmed that the night in the shower was most likely when our little one was conceived. At three months, Jade's not even showing yet, but I see some differences. Like her breasts in that tank top she's wearing; they don't look different, but they feel heavier in my hands. And just the lightest touch of them has her writhing. I plan to have her doing that often when I take her on this trip.

  “Two weeks. Why?” she answers as she pops half the peeled fruit in her mouth.

  “What if I already talked to your boss and I managed to swing three weeks for you?” I also cleared it with our doctor, wanting to make sure the twelve-hour flight would be okay.

  “Then why did you ask me?”

  “I was getting the conversation started.” I sit down next to her, placing her legs over my lap.

  “You could have said, 'Honey, we're taking a three-week vacation.” She tried to mimic my voice but fails miserably. It's fucking adorable, though.

  “Baby, we're taking a vacation.”

  “Where to?” She puts her bowl on the coffee table and sits up straighter.

  “Hawaii.”

  Jade looks like she's about to protest, but I stop her.

  “Before you say anything, the doctor says it's safe, your boss said have a great time, and I say we deserve this break. It's been a long time since I've gone anywhere. Hunter and Lexi recommended where to stay; in fact, they are coming. We tried to rally the troops, but with Kat's crazy morning sickness, the doctors are monitoring her. And Bentley is working more since Caleb's been home with her. What do you say?”

  She looks at me. “Wow. That was a lot of information. All I would say is when are we leaving?”

  “Is two days too soon?”

  Quickly, she stands and heads straight for the hall closet where we put her suitcases. “I have to pack.”

  “It’s already in the bedroom,” I warn her.

  I can hear her in the room, more talking to herself than me. “What should I pack? Good God, nothing fits. I’m going to look like a fat cow in a bathing suit. Shoot, my boobs don’t fit in that.”

  “We can pick up whatever you need there if we have to, Foxy.”

  She peeks her head out the bedroom door. “I love you, Superman.”

  “I know,” I tell her.

  “But I’m calling in reinforcements. AKA Lexi and a shopping trip tomorrow.”

  “I LOVE IT HERE,” Jade says from the chair next to me.

  We've been in Kauai for a week, and it took a good three days to adjust to the time change. After the long flight, the four of us were exhausted. We arrived in the evening, which is two in the morning our time, and just the brief walk around the hotel was enough to make the jetlag set in for everyone.

  During the first few days, I surprised Jade with the news of the house getting remodeled. She couldn’t believe I didn’t want to be there while it was happening, but I told her I left it in capable hands, and if they fucked it up, they wouldn’t be working for me again. She thinks I was joking, but I was completely serious. At the beginning of the vacation, we crammed in all the sightseeing we could. A helicopter tour, kayaking, visiting all the waterfalls, and the botanical gardens. The island is not large, but beautiful doesn't even begin to describe it.

  “I told you that you would love it here,” Lexi says to Jade.

  “You're always right,” Jade says as she leans back in her chair and closes her eyes.

  “Words a woman loves to hear.”

  Hunter and I make the trip to the bar by the pool. Jade's new craving since being here is the Lava Flow, the non-alcoholic version, and I’ll gladly pay the eight dollars to keep her happy. Especially if I want to get her to agree with my plans for tomorrow.

  “I'm happy you two got your shit together,” Hunter says as we wait for our drinks to be blended.

  “Fuck, I am too. I'm going to see if she'll marry me here.”

  Hunter stops dead in his tracks.

  “What? You think it's a bad idea?”

  “Don't say anything. The reason we wanted everyone on this trip was Lexi and I were planning on doing the same.”

  “No shit?”

  “She would back out of it with everyone not being here.”

  “But?”

  “I convinced her last night.” He gets this cocky smile on his face, and I don't need to ask any more.

  I may have to use the same method tonight. If I'm lucky, I won't have to, but it will be more celebratory.

  “Our heros,” Jade says as we return with the drinks.

  “How about we head to the upper deck and grab some lunch too? Being lazy makes me hungry,” Lexi suggests.

  As the waitress brought our food, Hunter and Lexi decided to share their news. Pregnancy hormones kicked in for Jade—I'm not entirely sure they were, but she blamed the tears on them. What Lexi said next is what left me silent.

  “You two should tie the knot with us. Like a two-for-one ceremony special.” She says it so casually while taking a bite of her sandwich.

  It's what Jade says that stuns me. “I always wanted to get married on an exotic island. Just me and my man.”

  “Really?” I ask her.

  “Yes. My parents gave me two options. Big wedding or keep the money for a down payment on a house. With the baby coming, I'd much rather put the money away for a rainy day since we have a house and such a handyman to fix it up.”

  “Are you sure?” I ask her.

  “Let's do it,” she says with a nod.

  Hunter and I spent the rest of the day having our own version of a bachelor party, which consisted of a glass or two of expensive scotch while the hotel had the nightly torch lighting. The girls were at one of the shops looking for a dress Jade could wear tomorrow. They already booked a spa morning to prepare for the sunset ceremony and the luau would be our own form of a reception. We booked a private front row table with sparkling grape juice for Jade. The rest of us will be having whatever they bring our way since the alcohol is included.

  Although we aren’t having a traditional wedding, Hunter and I still make an effort to look good. While I went with lightweight tan pants and a white button up shirt, he went for the same pants in white and a light teal shirt. Neither of us wears a tie, and the girls approved both our outfits. Even though we aren’t allowed to see them today, we sent them pictures.

  Being separated from Jade today has been the longest day of my life. After picking up the rings, I was eager to get the show on the road and a ring on her finger. We have two jobs today. One was the rings, and the second was bringing the tablets so we could video conference our friends and family. It was a little funny seeing them on the chairs surrounding us even though they aren’t actually here.

  “You guys had better have a huge party when you get back. I can’t believe we are missing this,” Kat says sadly when I connect with her. Caleb, Aly, and Bentley are all keeping her company. On the other one are our parents, who also got together to celebrate. Yes, they were disappointed that they wouldn’t be here for the actual ceremony, but after promising we would have a reception with a vow renewal, they calmed down some.

  “It’s so beautiful there,” my mom says.

  The officiant who will be preforming the wedding speaks. “We are about to start. Gentlemen, if you would please stand on each side of me where you will wait for your bride.”

  The sound of a ukulele starts, letting me know I’ll be seeing Jade soon. Lexi comes down the aisle first, looking beautiful in her fitted white dress, but when Jade starts walking, I get the wind knocked out of me. She’s breath
taking.

  The light breeze sends her long white dress blowing as if it’s dancing to the music playing in the background. Her hair is pulled back from her face but down in the back. Throughout it, flowers are placed. I have to keep myself from walking toward her. My almost wife.

  “You are so beautiful,” I mouth to her.

  “You too,” she says back.

  Before we can whisper anything else, the officiant starts.

  “Gentlemen, ladies. Please hold hands. The word aloha in Hawaii means both hello and goodbye. Today is the perfect day to use that word since you will be saying goodbye to your old life and hello to your new life together. First, we will begin with the exchanging of the lei.

  “As you place the lei around your beloved’s neck, I ask you to speak the Hawaiian blessing of hoi hou ke aloha (Let us fall in love all over again).”

  We exchange the flowers and hear weeping on the two screens facing us. Faintly, we can hear people talking.

  “They look so beautiful.”

  “I’m so happy this day is finally here.”

  And Kat’s voice is very clear. “I can’t believe they are doing this without us.”

  The officiant ignores them and continues. “Hunter and Alexia, Jeremy and Jade, you are entering into this marriage because you want to be together. To share your life together. May your love continue to grow with each day especially those days on this island. Now, we will bless the rings. Please face each other and take your partner’s ring. Hold it against your heart, and fill it with your dreams and memories of your life together.”

  After he gathers the rings from us, the officiant recites another Hawaiian blessing “E ho’omau maua ke aloha (May your love last forever.)” I intend it to.

  Once we recite the vow the officiant fed us, I am finally granted permission to kiss my bride, my wife, my life.

  “No keia la, no keia po - a mau loa. (From this day, this night, forever more together).” He speaks the final words, ending the ceremony. A conch shell blows in the background, and I’m a married man.

  Four years later

  IT'S THE PERFECT day for a beach party. Although the party is pretty much over, we survived another children’s birthday party. Today we are celebrating Dani’s twins’ birthday.

  “I can't believe they are one already,” I say to Dani.

  “Me either.”

  The guys have corralled the kids and handed them over to the grandparents who are giving us all the night to decompress. It's been a crazy few years. Kat and I wound up walking into the hospital at the same time. Her son came much faster than our daughter. Cayden came within a few hours, but Lilly didn't seem to want to come out. After hours of labor, she finally decided she was ready and was born with a set of lungs that didn't quit for seven months.

  Soon after, Aly announced she was pregnant with her son, Ethan. Halfway through her pregnancy, Hunter announced he finally “knocked up” Lexi. Rebel is everything her name is, and she's the spitting image of her daddy.

  Dani is a different story; it took her and Logan four years to have their twins, Preston and Peyton. She didn't get much time to recover, though. Five months later, she found out she was expecting again, this time with only one baby on board. They moved back home when they couldn’t stand being away from family anymore, and we were thrilled with the news.

  “That was exhausting,” Dani says.

  “Everything is exhausting these days,” Kat says while putting her feet on the table.

  Jeremy comes over and rubs my belly. “You need anything before we bring the entertainment down?” he asks me.

  We are expecting our second baby any day now, but we wanted the gender to be a surprise. The pool is up to two hundred dollars and is equally divided as far as boy or girl. Call it instinct, but I have a feeling the bedroom will be painted either blue or green when he comes. Jeremy did good with our house, turning it from two apartments into one giant single family house with two master suites, one on the first level and one on the second, along with three other bedrooms. We wanted to have the option of being on the same floor as the kids or not. When guests stay, they get a great room either way. In Lilly’s room sits the chest Jeremy worked on the entire time we were together, and in the garage sits a second one that is almost complete. Our house is filled with framed pictures, our memories of our life together, including the one Jeremy took the morning everything between us changed.

  “No, I'm good.”

  He kisses my forehead before making his way to the house to get his guitar. It's become a tradition that anytime any of us hosts a party, the guys break out their instruments and reminisce.

  “How do they still have the energy to do anything?” Lexi asks.

  “I don't know. Maybe it's because they aren't pregnant,” Kat says.

  It seems Hunter has made it his mission to keep Lexi “knocked up” as much as possible. They are expecting their third child in about six months. Being a mom suits Lexi, though.

  “By the way, I'm pregnant too,” Kat blurts out.

  “Wait, what?” Aly asks.

  “I just took the test this morning. It came back positive.”

  “I was waiting until later to tell my surprise. I'm two months along,” Aly says happily.

  “Well, look at us. How far we've come. We're all officially barefoot and pregnant,” Lexi points out.

  “That's because we're at the beach. We should be barefoot here,” I say back.

  “I wouldn't have it any other way,” Lexi adds

  “Me either,” the rest of us say in unison.

  “You know, what if our kids all start dating one another. We could officially be sisters then,” Aly says.

  “God help you if any of your sons come within a mile of Rebel or Ava. Hunter will skin them. Can you imagine walking in on one of our kids especially if they reenact one of our life moments?” Lexi cringes.

  “I'm keeping them locked up until they are twenty-six,” Kat jokes. Maybe not, though.

  “We were the worst around that age,” Aly says.

  “I wouldn't have it any other way.” Kat smiles as she looks over at Caleb

  “Me either,” the rest of us say.

  As the night gets darker, we sit around the fire pit reminiscing about our years together while Slither gives us our own private acoustic concert. Josh is here too. He's still single, and who knows if he'll ever settle down, but he's the best uncle our kids ever had.

  Soon after Jeremy and I got together, I remember asking everyone how they knew they’d found the guy they wanted to spend forever with. Kat told me that when she and Caleb got together, he felt like the place where she wanted to start and end her day. She refers to him as home.

  When Aly said that Bentley brought the peace back to her life after the craziness she endured.

  For Lexi, she said Hunter gave her a reason to want more out of life. She hit it spot-on.

  When they asked me, I simply said that Jeremy is the one who I saw myself creating memories with.

  We've all had struggles, some worse than others, and every day wasn't perfect, as it shouldn't be. It wouldn’t be life if there weren’t struggles. I know now to take everything one day at a time and learn and grow from any mistakes, but the thing I found out is that when we finally break free from the past and start living again, life is an amazing adventure.

  The end of this adventure.

  Available now …

  Must Fit the List by Allie Able and Becca Taylor

  Part One.

  THE DATING STRUGGLE is real

  Oh. Dear. God. Please tell me you can't be serious with this one.

  As I’m sitting across from my date, I’m starting to wonder why I agreed in the first place.

  I'll tell you why. Last night at the bar, he seemed nice. I was talking to my friends, and he bought me a drink. Score one point. He looked in my eyes when he talked, asked great “get to know you” questions, and the way he asked for my number was sweet. I had him up to a plus ten w
hen he called, not text, to ask me on a date. He actually picked up the phone, dialed my number, and said, “I’d be the luckiest guy in the world if you’d go out with me this weekend. So how about it, Cass?”

  As I watch him now, he’s dropping to a minus five, possibly even lower than that. Seriously, Universe, are you fucking with me? Because I am ready to pound my head on the table at the way he is eating his food. Do you think I'm being unfair? Maybe you even think I sound like a bitch, but I’m really not. I’m a nice person who is at the end of her rope when it comes to men and dating.

  First, he showed up at my apartment and honked his horn. Not just one beep either; he laid on the fucking thing until I came outside. I’m guessing it was because he figured it was easier than walking up all those stairs. He didn’t bother to get out of the car or open the door for me, either. That deducted at least ten points right there between those two. When we get to the restaurant . . . no, not a restaurant; it’s a barbecue pit with peanut shells covering the floor, the smell of stale beer filling the air, and the table is still sticky from the couples who sat here before us. I was not impressed at all.

  When the waitress came to the table, he ordered for himself first—not just drinks but his dinner too. What man does that? Dustin—that’s his name, by the way—ordered the rack of ribs and garlic mashed potatoes. Not exactly first kiss food, but with the way I feel at the moment, he won't even get a handshake good night. I ordered a burger with no onions or ketchup because it's the safest way to ensure my new dress stays clean.

  That's right; I bought a new, slinky, off-the-shoulder dress from a high-end store for this date. It may have been on the clearance rack, but at least I look good. Unlike Dustin, who seems to think ripped jeans and a t-shirt that says “I Like to fuck on the first date” look good. The hoodie he's wearing covered it at first, but he took it off when the food came.

  Now, as I watch Dustin, he looks like he’s bathed his face in rib sauce; it’s coating his beard like he plans to save some for later. I'm guessing this is the reason he took off his jacket; God forbid that might get dirty.