by J. Bengtsson
After the kidnapping, Mitch tried to bridge the gap between himself and Jake but it was too late. Since he’d never been a constant in his little brother’s life, Mitch was not a person that Jake wanted to lean on as he healed from his ordeal. Their relationship was more like that of distant cousins…they didn’t dislike each other, they just lived their own lives and knew very little about one another. By the time the wedding rolled around, Mitch and Jake hadn’t seen each other in a couple of years. Kate told me that Mitch was surprised that Jake was even coming to the wedding at all.
Chapter 2
Casey
The day of the wedding rehearsal, I was a nervous wreck. It had started out bad after having to clean up my roommate’s puke off the bathroom floor, don’t ask, and things just continued downhill…well okay there really wasn’t much worse than cleaning up puke…but still, every little thing that could go wrong did. So it wasn’t so farfetched for me to believe that my first meeting with Jake was going to be a disastrous affair. And the closer it got to the rehearsal the worse the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach became. As I drove to the hotel, I reviewed the little lists in my head of topics that I could talk about with Jake if conversation lulled. Usually I didn’t have a problem chatting with men, but then, Jake McKallister was no ordinary man. I’d never been so anxious in all my life.
After I checked into the hotel, I began the arduous task of picking out what I would wear to the rehearsal and then later at dinner. I tried to predict what Jake would like: Sophisticated? Cute and flirty? Sexy? In the end, I decided to dress in what I would feel most comfortable in since, let’s be honest, he probably wasn’t even going to talk to me beyond the required niceties so there would be no reason to try and impress him. I chose casual chic, or at least as chic as my limited income could afford. Tan slacks that accentuated my butt and a white pheasant top. After the outfit was picked, I soothed my dark hair with a flat iron and applied limited makeup…just enough, really, to give my skin a natural glow and to accentuate my big, brown eyes, which I felt, aside from my dimpled smile, was my best feature.
I arrived at the rehearsal a few minutes late and anxiously scanned the room for the groomsman I was paired with. Jake was nowhere in sight. I sighed with relief and, if I wanted to be completely honest, just the slightest bit of disappointment. The rehearsal started without him. Everyone was paired with someone except for me. I consoled myself by observing Jake’s family instead. And there were plenty of them to observe. The whole McKallister clan, minus Jake, had come from California the night before. Brothers and sisters, ranging in age from teens to mid twenties, parents and a set of paternal grandparents named Jim and Sue. The only reason I knew that was because their grandchildren called them JimSuey. I thought it was pretty inventive.
Both of Jake’s parents, Scott and Michelle, looked to be in their early fifties. Scott was tall and handsome…for an older guy. You could tell in his earlier years he was probably quite the stud muffin. The way he was dressed, as well as the way he carried himself, told me a lot about him. This was a blue-collar man working hard for his money. He had an easy rapport with his kids and it was clear to me that they adored him.
One thing I found surprisingly familiar to my own family was the way the McKallister’s all teased each other. Just in the short time I was observing them I’d heard Scott razed by his sons for the shirt he was wearing, a patch of thinning hair on his head, and his inappropriate use of the phrase ‘on fleek’. Obviously Scott was used to this type treatment and had prepared plenty of insults of his own to sling back at his boys. Just by his interaction with his kids, I could tell that Scott was the fun parent…not the disciplinarian. That job, I was certain, went to Jake’s mom, Michelle. She seemed more serious than her husband and kept reprimanding her kids when they teased Scott or got rowdy. But she also found her brood humorous, which was evidenced by the smile she was always attempting to suppress. Michelle had medium length auburn hair and gorgeous light blue eyes. She dressed nice and was well kept but she didn’t drip in wealth. She just seemed like a normal, middle class mom.
I couldn’t catch the names of all Jake’s siblings. There were just too many of them. I did figure out that Jake had two sisters and four brothers, including Mitch. I wasn’t sure who was older or younger except for the two teenagers. Looks-wise they were all good-looking people. I could see a slight similarity between them and their famous brother but it wasn’t obvious. They all had their own look, except for the youngest boy, who was clearly trying to channel his big brother in both looks and mannerisms.
The rehearsal lasted about an hour and after it was over I walked up to Kate.
“Sorry Casey.”
“Is Jake not coming?”
“I’m not sure. He was supposed to be here. No one seems to be able to get in touch with him.”
“Geez I hope everything is okay.”
“Yeah, hopefully he just missed a flight.”
“He’ll be here, don’t worry, and if not, I’ll be a vision of loveliness walking down the aisle by myself?”
“That you’ll be, Case.”
That evening at the rehearsal dinner, Jake was still a no-show. But word had arrived that his flight had been delayed by three hours leaving Frankfurt causing him to miss his connecting flight to Phoenix. Mitch and Kate’s wedding actually fell right in the middle of his 8-month world tour. Jake had just taken the weekend off to attend the nuptials and would be on a plane back to Europe Sunday night. Although he was not expected to make it in time for the rehearsal dinner, he would definitely be at the wedding tomorrow. My nervousness dissipated knowing that I would not have to talk to him that night.
About halfway through the dinner, a commotion rose outside the banquet room. A shrill scream could be heard coming from the main dining area. I whipped my head in that direction, startled, and instantly worried that perhaps there was an active shooter in the restaurant. I was seconds away from diving under the table for protection when the door to the private room we were in swung open and Jake McKallister coolly walked through it.
He was clutching a duffle bag in one hand and a backpack in the other. Slung casually over his back was a guitar case…the only indication that he was, in fact, a universally renowned rockstar; because, certainly, his attire did not scream it. He was simply dressed in a light grey, body-hugging, button up shirt, severely scuffed up leather boots and faded black denim jeans that fit with such perfection that they molded effortlessly onto his note-worthy ass like a glove. This clearly was not the universally accepted rockstar uniform of black leather, chains, body piercings and guy liner. No, the way he was dressed almost seemed to confirm that Jake McKallister was the real deal, a talent far beyond his years. He didn’t need any trickery or costumes to prove he was someone special.
And, judging him just by looks alone, Jake was indeed something special. Hypnotizing was more like it. The minute he walked in the room, it was as if he drained all the oxygen from it. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath in admiration of the young man who had sauntered in so non-chalantly. Wow, slow clap for the smoking hot rockstar!
Not known for my subtlety, my mouth dropped open at just the sight of him. I’d seen him plenty of times in magazines and on television but, in person, Jake McKallister was truly striking. I scanned his famous face as if it were the first time I’d ever seen him…his beautifully rugged bone structure, his tanned, unblemished skin, his full, delectable lips, and those show-stopping eyes…lord. I couldn’t even really tell what color they were…like an extremely light, translucent, greenish-gray shade with an aqua blue color outlining the iris making the lighter color in his eyes pop. And, as if that wasn’t impressive enough, those babies were framed in long, dark lashes. I gulped. I couldn’t remember ever seeing eyes as pretty as his. But maybe it was more about the history behind them that made them so striking. There was something so hauntingly expressive about them…like the story of his life, no doubt an excruciating one, was hiding just behind th
e surface.
Jake’s brown hair was shoulder length and fell in careless waves over his handsome, clean-shaven face. Some strands hung over his eyes. He didn’t make much of an effort to remove them. As opposed to some of those vain men who incessantly flipped and ran their hands through their long locks, something told me Jake’s hair was not so much a fashion accessory as it was a protective shield. It gave him a dangerous ‘leave-me-alone’ type vibe.
As beautiful and talented as he was, even at first glance, it was easy to see why the media would describe him as reserved. There was an unapproachable quality to him...almost like he was daring people to bother him. Jake made me nervous just looking at him. If I weren’t already paired with him, I wouldn’t dare go up and talk to him. In fact I was actively regretting my decision to be his partner for the wedding. He was so far out of my comfort zone.
Still I couldn’t help but admire his physical attributes. My eyes travelled the length of his body. He was an impressive guy. He had to be around 6’0 feet tall with long legs and a long, lean muscled torso. He took care of himself and was strong and powerful, that much was obvious. His shirt was opened a few buttons exposing a strapping chest as the fabric clung to his sculpted muscles. My body tingled in response. Keep on dreamin’ girl! You’re not even in the same league as this guy.
Jake’s brother, whom I’d seen at the rehearsal, had gone over to greet him as he propped his guitar against the wall then dropped his bags. After a quick exchange, Jake turned toward all of us in the rehearsal party just as a commotion from the entrance caught his attention. A girl from the restaurant burst through the door and lunged for him. Jake didn’t even flinch, not even when she was inches from grabbing onto his arm. His brother and the restaurant manager simultaneously pulled her back, pushing her from the room. The manager then shut the door on a gaggle of teenagers ready to take the girl’s place.
I saw a flash of annoyance cross over his face but he immediately masked it. He replaced that second of irritation with a strained smile, like he knew he was being watched and had to put on a show for us. As Jake moved across the room he radiated strength and prominence. He was an imposing figure. I wondered how old he was. From what I remembered about him, we were close in age, but the way he carried himself made him seem so much older. There was a maturity to him that went far beyond his years…and one which could only be borne through living and learning. And there was no doubt in my mind that Jake had lived through more than his fair share. By all accounts, he’d grown up quickly and had learned some pretty tough life lessons at a very young age.
Jake walked directly over to Mitch and Kate. He hugged his brother and apologized for being late. He then took a step back and shook Kate’s hand, introducing himself. Jake was neutral in his expression but he seemed genuine upon meeting his future sister-in-law. As for poor Kate…well, I had to smile. She was blushing and smiling like a fangirl meeting her idol for the first time. Even though Jake was about to become her brother-in-law, she was still hopelessly star-struck.
We all were. Jake exuded a dynamic presence. It wasn’t just the fact that he was a beautiful specimen of a man or that he was universally famous; there was something else about him…something that made you feel that you were in the company of someone special. My attraction to him was instantaneous. Of course, a quick glance around the room at all the swooning women told me that I was not the only one having that reaction.
And something also told me that Jake was well aware of the response he was eliciting from his female admirers. Really he was a bit of a walking contradiction. He may have been a reserved person but he was no shrinking violet. He had the commanding, quiet confidence of a person who knew exactly who he was. All that worrying I’d done about him being introverted or broken was all for naught. If anything, Jake McKallister appeared to be the complete opposite of what I’d imagined. This was a guy who could get any girl in the room and he knew it.
As Jake turned toward the crowd, he scanned the wedding party. I felt my heart race as his pretty eyes rolled over me. He didn’t linger. In fact, I doubt he saw me at all. He was clearly seeking out his family and when he found them, he cut across the room. Hushed whispering filled the air. Jake paid no attention to it…although there was no way he couldn’t have heard it. As he passed, every head turned. Jake didn’t reciprocate. He did not have to. He was the star, and, as such, was used to displays of adoration. I wondered what it must feel like to command that kind of attention everywhere you went. Surprisingly it didn’t seem to bother Jake. In fact, he appeared to be totally unaffected by the way he was affecting everyone else. I wasn’t sure if he was just an expert at guarding his emotions or if he really was just that indifferent to the opinion of others. Strangely enough, his apathetic attitude didn’t come across as cocky. Maybe it was just the knowledge of who he was and what he had survived that made him somewhat immune to the typical stereotypes. I’d always been attracted to the smiley, outgoing types but even I had to admit, I found everything about Jake McKallister to be incredibly appealing. Suddenly I wanted to know more…much more…about him.
With all eyes on him, Jake greeted JimSuey, then his mother, father and two sisters before settling down between his three brothers. Then, as if someone flipped a switch, Jake’s demeanor changed completely. It was like the wall came down around him. Here, amongst his family, he was entirely comfortable and it showed. I watched him interact with his siblings in an easy, relaxed way. The strained smile from earlier was replaced with a genuinely charming lop-sided grin. I was surprised to see him throw his head back when he laughed. To me, that had always been a sign of a person with a good sense of humor. The wariness in his eyes had also vanished. This Jake did not even remotely resemble the same guarded guy who walked in five minutes earlier. Was this the Jake McKallister that was shielded from public view? Was this the real man behind the mask? I found myself becoming more stalker-ish as the minutes passed. I had to will myself to stop staring.
When the waitress came around, Jake ordered chicken tacos and water, not that I was spying on him or anything. The waitress stumbled on her words a bit and seemed flustered. Being a server myself, I probably wouldn’t have been able to keep my cool around Jake either. It seemed all eyes, including mine, were still trained on him. A few times he looked up from his conversation to scan the room with those beautiful eyes of his. People would quickly look away, pretending like they hadn’t been staring at him the entire time. But he knew. He had to know. None of us were being real subtle with our gawking. He was like some exotic zoo animal that we were all peering at through the cage trying to get a better look at.
Toward the end of dinner, Jake’s father, Scott, slightly drunk and boisterously entertaining, told a colorful rendition of his path to fatherhood, much to the embarrassment of his wife and kids. The story went something like this. After becoming a father to Mitch at twenty-three years old, Scott met Michelle and they had their first son, Keith. Then, two years later, they had a daughter, Emma. They decided that was enough kids for them. But then three years later, they had an “oops”…Jake. And just 11-months after Jake, they had a “make an appointment now”…Kyle. A vasectomy followed. And as Scott told it, it was the best decision he ever ‘didn’t make’ because, after having to live through the “the twin toddler terrors” as he called Jake and Kyle, more kids was the last thing he wanted. But then, as Scott remembers it, five years later his wife was begging him to have just one more baby after the boys started school. So “poor, suffering” Scott went and had the vasectomy reversed and a year later, their youngest son, Quinn, was born. But Michelle was unhappy again because she worried that Quinn would be lonely without a sibling close in age so two years later their youngest child, daughter Grace, was born. During the entire story the McKallister kids were covering their faces in mock humiliation and Michelle was shaking her head and rolling her eyes.
When Scott was done embarrassing his family, Jake’s older brother, Keith, grinned and said, “Geez Dad, ser
iously? Was that really necessary?”
Scott raised his glass and jokingly nodded his head as if he’d just done a valuable public service to the community.
“Well all I can say after that story is…Jake, I bet you’ve never been so happy to be an ‘oops’.” Everyone burst out laughing as Keith patted his brother Kyle on the shoulder sympathetically. Kyle raised his hands in defeat then pretended to cry. Jake slapped Kyle on the back supportively. It was such a cute, light-hearted moment for a family who had undoubtedly lived through some very dark times.
After dinner was finished, Sarah, who had been trying to get Jake’s attention all evening, made a beeline for him. During the rehearsal she’d been flirting with Jake’s brother, Kyle, who she was partnered with for the wedding. But now that his brother was in the picture, Kyle didn’t stand a chance. I watched him saunter off with an annoyed look on his face as Sarah introduced herself to his brother. Jake scanned her appreciatively with his eyes. With her shiny blond hair, high cheekbones and tall, model-worthy body, Sarah was stunning. Every guy thought so.
Girls, on the other hand, weren’t as impressed. Sarah may have been beautiful on the outside but her insides needed a little work. The first time we met, I, at least, tried to give her the benefit of the doubt but damn, Sarah was a difficult one to like. Just after being introduced, and getting an unimpressed once-over from her, I attempted to break the ice with a joke. Instead of laughing Sarah just stared at me like I was some annoying little gnat then turned her attention to someone else. She made me feel like a total idiot and, from that point on, I didn’t like her. But sadly, our paths still crossed occasionally because Kate and Sarah had been friends since birth. Their families lived next door to each other growing up. So occasionally when I went out with Kate, Sarah was there too. And when she was with us, the guys fought over her. It was as if Kate and I didn’t even exist. Occasionally one of Sarah’s rejects would hit on me, but any guy who was interested in Sarah, was not a guy I wanted to get to know. That’s why I hated the idea of her hitting on Jake. Once she had her claws in him, the rest of us were toast. As if, Casey.