“Oh, god,” she said pulling her hand back. “Please don’t break up with me here. You’ll ruin the whole state for me.”
“No,” I said shaking my head. “I’m not breaking up with you; I love you.”
“What?” The look on her face was pure shock.
“I love you, Jana,” I repeated. “I’ve known it for a while now, but I wanted it to be perfect. Ever since the first time I met you I wanted to be with you. You make me want to be a better man. More than that, you changed me from the inside. It’s not a sacrifice to be the man you need me to be; it’s a necessity. I have to be the man you need.”
“Wow,” she said her mouth hanging open.
“I understand if you aren’t there yet,” I rambled not wanting to pressure her. “I just had to lay the cards on the tab…”
She reached forward and put her hands on my cheeks, pulling me in hard and planting one right on my lips. I could feel her mouth curving up into a smile as we stood there embraced. She pulled her face back and stared into my eyes.
“Jason I love you too,” she whispered. “I think I have for a very long time but was so afraid to admit it. But I can’t hold back any longer either; I love you.”
I pulled her in and hugged her for as long as I could. Knowing that we were in the same place, feeling the same thing, shot me straight to cloud nine. This girl was the girl for me; I knew it deep inside. My father always told me lightning would strike when I met the one and let me tell you I am burnt to a crisp from this girl.
“Let’s call out from work tomorrow,” I whispered. “Let’s stay just one more day.”
“I was thinking the same exact thing,” she laughed. “I want to see this all over again, but this time with the love of my life holding my hand.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I replied.
And that is exactly what we did. I changed the flight schedule, called Ryan, and gave Jana some privacy to call her boss and come up with a convincing lie. When we were done, and all the plans were set we walked out into the early afternoon air and sat down in the reclining patio chair. She snuggled in next to me laying her head against my chest. We watched as the clouds shifted through the sky and the leaves floated from the trees, painting the ground with the vibrant colors of fall. It was the most perfect day I had ever had, and I knew I kept saying that, but it just kept getting better and better.
“Look,” Jana gasped sitting up straight. “I freaking bushy tailed bunny!”
She looked at me, and I looked at her, and we both burst out into laughter. Of all the things to happen at that moment, that was absolutely priceless. When we stopped laughing and gained control, she stood up and reached her hand out to me. I pulled myself from the chair and wrapped my arms around her, looking deep into her eyes. She absolutely took my breath away, and I knew I was a changed man. She reached up and ran her hands through my messy hair, smiling at me.
“Come on,” she said, pulling me toward the house. “Let’s get dressed and go for a drive. I’m ready to start that next step now.”
“A drive sounds nice but, I thought a hot shower might be even nicer,” I said tickling around the waist and running after her into the house. The next step could have been anything.
Epilogue
Jana
“And do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold from this day forth?”
“I do,” Megan said, sliding the ring onto Ryan’s finger.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the pastor said smiling.
Immediately I started clapping as Ryan bent Megan over backward and planted one right on her lips. Everyone in the audience stood from their chairs and clapped as the spring air warmed their skin. The scene was perfect. The peach and mauve accents draped over every chair with flowers bursting from every seam. On top of it all, the flowers in Ryan’s mother’s garden were in full bloom allowing a sweet fragrance to float through the air. I looked over at Jason who was staring at me with wide eyes, and I smiled, feeling love float through my chest. The reaction I wanted from my dress was exactly what I got and right before the music started Jason made the audience laugh, scooting across the platform and stealing a kiss from me.
Megan and Ryan held hands ecstatic that their day had finally arrived. They held their arms high, their hands intertwined as they danced back down the aisle and on to the reception. A reception, might I add, that would have made the Kardashian’s jealous. I looped my arm into Jason’s as he escorted me down the aisle and toward the garden where we would spend the next hour posing for pictures. I swore by the end of the wedding I would never take another picture again. After that, we joined everyone for dinner and feasted on lobster and steak as the sun began to set behind the horizon. The colors matched the wedding perfectly, and I thought to myself that even mother nature was down with this marriage.
I sat listening as Jason stood, making his toast to Ryan. I knew everyone was nervous as to what he would say, but he kept it classy, sassy, and humorous just like his personality. In the end, after toasting to the beautiful bride and life of love and happiness, there wasn’t a dry tear in the place, which was my cue to break out the heavy duty tissues. I had the planners dim the lights as I played a small video of Megan and I having some of the best times ever together. The music was sad, and at the end of it, I smiled knowing the best part was coming up. I had paid a video editor to create an entire scene around Ryan stealing Megan away as if he were an evil character in a fairytale. All in all, let’s just say it ended in crazy laughter and the vision of Ryan with a superimposed dress and evil staff burned into everyone’s minds.
We sat drinking champagne and talking as the bride and groom cut the cake and shared their first dance. I leaned my chin on my hands and sighed as the beautiful couple moved seamlessly across the dance floor, staring deeply into each other’s eyes as if they were in their own little world. When the song was done, and everyone was invited out, Jason grabbed my hand and escorted me to the dance floor. For at least three hours we dipped, dove, jiggled, and electrically slid our way across that floor, laughing hysterically at each other’s really bad dance moves. It was an absolutely amazing time, and for once it wasn’t alcohol induced. In fact, I was having such a good time that I couldn’t help but boo when the last song was announced.
“One last song for the night,” Jason whispered into my ear as he pulled me close. “Really glad it’s a slow song. Wouldn’t want to kill my chances later by having your last vision of me be some really bad country dance.”
“Don’t worry,” I whispered back. “Those images are there for eternity.”
We barely moved across the floor as he held me close, our bodies pressed against each other. I leaned up and kissed his lips and smiled as the warm spring breeze danced around us in tune with the music. As the song ended, he took my hand and twirled me around, bending me backward and kissing my lips softly.
And with that, the wedding was over…almost.
We all chased after the bride and groom blowing an absurd amount of bubbles in their direction as they ran out to the open yard. I shook my head as a helicopter landed in the grass and the two newlyweds climbed aboard. But just as they flew out of sight and we thought it was over, Ryan’s family really ended it with a bang. Fireworks shot high into the sky erupting overhead and fizzing down toward the ground. I leaned in and grabbed on to Jason, watching as the sparkling explosions filled my heart. It was absolutely the perfect wedding for the perfect couple. I could only imagine what it was like watching them from the helicopter, though I would imagine they were probably not worried about the fireworks at this point.
When everything was done, and we hugged Ryan’s parents, thanking them for hosting such an amazing event, we hopped into Ryan’s car and headed out. I watched as the countryside disappeared and the suburbs blew past me. Tiny little houses all lined up in a row, one not much different than the next. I used to think that was my dream, but after being in Martha’s Vineyard, I coul
dn’t get Massachusetts out of my mind. The weather, the people, the quiet, it all was so perfect with how I saw my future. The crazy thing was, Jason had started to talk about it too. I knew we would be near New York for a long time since this is where he planned to build his empire, but I was hoping to get to spend as much time in the Vineyard as possible.
As we passed by the exit for downtown, I looked over at Jason in confusion. Maybe he was taking a long way home, but that usually meant the other direction around the harbor. I looked over at him and patted his shoulder.
“Sweety, you missed the exit,” I whispered.
“I know,” he said smiling.
I looked at him strangely as that was all he said. I shrugged my shoulders and assumed he had something else in mind. I really hoped it wasn’t a bar or something because I was exhausted and really wanted to get out of this dress. I looked up as he started to slow, taking the exit to the suburban area on the other side of the city. He looked at me and smiled as he weaved in and out of traffic lights, eventually turning into a small neighborhood. Slowly we drove through the streets as I gawked out the window at the beautiful northern style homes with perfect lawns and soft, inviting lights. It was a gorgeous place, but I still couldn’t figure out why we were here.
“Honey, what are we doing?”
He still didn’t say anything, he only smiled. Finally, after pulling down a cul-de-sac, he drove into the driveway of a large white home with blue shutters. He got out of the car and opened my door, holding his hand out to me. I stepped out and looked up at the giant house, realizing it looked almost identical to the one he owned in Martha’s Vineyard.
“That’s beautiful,” I gawked. “Do you know the people that live here?”
“No,” he said motioning to the For Sale sign stuck in the yard.
“Okay,” I replied. “Are we going to do some shady shit because I didn’t wear the right heels to run from the cops.”
“No,” he laughed bringing me in close and pulling a small sign from his jacket and holding it up. “Welcome home.”
I blinked a couple of times trying to wrap my mind around what was going on. The sign he held read, SOLD, in bright red letters. I looked at the sign and back at him, hoping it meant what I thought it did. I reached out and took the sign from his hands.
“I think it’s time we took this to the next level,” he said grinning coyly. “So I figured this might make a really nice first home for us.”
“Are you serious?” I laughed nervously as I walked up to the front door and pushed it open. “This is beautiful.”
“You are beautiful,” he replied staring up at me. “And I love you so very much. Will you move in with me and make beautiful memories in our new home?”
“Of course,” I said jumping off the steps and into his arms. “Of course I will.”
As we stood on the step of our new home, holding the sold sign close to my chest. I knew I had found a home, and home was in Jason’s loving arms.
Forever.
Author Note: Whew! You might need a break to cool your ereader down. You might want to turn the fan on HIGH before you read Future Investment!
FUTURE INVESTMENT
Forbidden Fruit Series
by
Ali Parker
Chapter 1
Elizabeth
"Yes! Yes!" I spun around from the kitchen table where the mail lay strewn about. My fingers shook as they gripped the letter I had been waiting to get for as long as I could remember. "Mom! I got it!"
"Really?" My mom jogged into the kitchen and stopped in front of me. "Oh my God! Let me read it."
I handed her the letter and wrapped my arms around myself as I picked at my lip. I had just graduated a month before after ten long years at NYU. There were only two more steps remaining before I would be a full-fledged doctor. A surgeon.
Chills ran through me as my mother looked up with tears in her eyes.
"Baby, I'm so proud of you. All the sacrifices that you've made and the friendships you've lost. It’s all worth it. Look what you’ve done." She moved toward me and wrapped me in a tight hug as we shared a brief sob session.
I had given up a lot. Far too much.
Being twenty-eight with a deadbeat boyfriend and no prospects of marriage or children were just part of the cost of the path I'd chosen. It was lonely, but made up for in moments of success much like the one I was experiencing. It was far overdue.
"We should celebrate." I moved back and let out a soft chuckle. "I need to call Steph and let her know that I got my residency letter. I'll be working right up the road for the next three years."
"Aren’t you calling Jackson? Did you guys break up again?" She put her hand on her hip, and I swore that she thought I was a child.
"No. We're still together. I'll tell him later. I'm going to invite Steph to come with us to dinner. That okay?" I moved toward the guest bedroom in my mom's small house as my heart fluttered. I was one step closer to my dream.
"Yep. Can't do anything without your bestie. I swear you guys will always be inseparable."
We'd never had much money, but we didn't need it. We were laid back and not at all materialistic. Besides, a poor childhood prepared me well for being broke for most of my twenties. Things weren’t going to change much either. My student loan costs were astronomical. They should have named a wing of the medical school after me. The residency wasn't going to pay much, but it would be enough to cover my rent at the apartment with Stephanie. If I needed additional income, I'd get a sugar daddy or another job.
"You wish," I mumbled to myself as I plopped down onto the edge of the bed. Steph's number was at the top of my recent calls, as it should be. I didn't have too many friends in life, but she was all I could handle most days anyway. The girl had more energy than one might consider healthy.
"Hey! Where are you? It's boring as hell here when you're gone." She sounded like she was bouncing around. I just prayed there wasn't a guy beneath her. The woman had no couth.
"I'm at my mom's house. Just picking up my mail."
"Anything good?"
"What are you doing? Do I even want to know?" I pressed my fingers to my forehead and prepared to grimace.
"Trying out a new dance DVD. Get over here and let's boogie-oogie-oogie."
"Right. Not happening." I laughed, unable to help myself. "Get dressed and meet us at the burger place just beside the med building. Mom's taking me to dinner. I figure you might want some food too."
"Yeah, alright. I was getting these moves down far too fast anyway. It's boring when you were made to move."
I rolled my eyes and stood up. "So… I got the letter from St. Mark's Hospital. They've agreed to the matching for my residency."
"What? Oh my God, Liz. That's great news!" Her laugh was full of joy, and it forced a smile onto my face.
"You need to check for yours. It should be in." I walked back toward the kitchen and got a glass of water.
"I'll call my mom when I get in the car. Nothing came here, but nothing ever does. I still don't understand why we had to get an apartment in the worst part of town. We're going to get mugged or kidnapped. That's why we have no mail. The mailman is scared shitless of this neighborhood."
"Alright. Enough out of you, drama major. See you soon.” I dropped the call as she continued to complain about the apartment. We'd been friends since grade school and had no need to be anything other than ourselves around each other.
Stephanie had a million options as to what to study in college, but she'd chosen medicine alongside me. It had always been my dream to save lives in the ER, but some part of me couldn't help but wonder if she simply wanted to be wherever I was, no matter what that meant for her. It was comforting. I was an only child, and Steph was as close as I got to having a sibling.
"You ready?" My mom poked her head into the kitchen.
"Yes. More than ready. I'm thinking that burger place beside the college that I love so much." I walked into the living room and gave her a
crooked smile as she groaned.
"I hate that place. Let's go somewhere nice. You deserve a really good dinner. This is big news, so we need a big celebration." She smiled and opened the door, patting my back as I walked through in front of her.
"Mom. Money is tight. We don't need to blow the phone bill on a steak. Seriously." I walked down the dilapidated stairs that needed to be replaced yesterday and turned, making sure to watch her in case the whole damn platform fell.
"Money will always be tight, but one day, my baby girl is going to pay everything off and live the life I've always wanted for her. Right? Give me hope." She winked at me and stopped by her side of the car as her expression tightened. "I'm so proud of you. Your daddy would be too. You know that, right?"
I nodded, not sure I trusted myself to talk around the hot lump of sadness that rose up sharply and lodged itself in my throat. My father should have been there, but his heart wasn’t willing to outlast his fast-paced life. He was the reason I wanted to become a doctor. No girl should have to bury her father from a misdiagnosis. I would make sure that didn’t happen on my shift, or die trying.
After getting in the car, I buckled up and turned on the radio. I might have only been a few years from thirty, but when I was with my mother it felt like I was fifteen again. I loved it. She did too.
My One and Only: A Bad Boy Secret Baby Second Chance Romance Page 112