Dear Daddy,
I officially graduated from Grand Valley State University on May 10, 2013 with a degree in Elementary Education and an emphasis in special education. It was a beautiful spring day and everyone was able to be there. Even you, I think. Grannie and Mom cried, of course! And then they made me pose for a gazillion pictures. Afterward we all went out to eat at the local Main Street Pub. Jared and I secretly had a beer for you. What a relief to finally have my education behind me and to start working in the real world. I’m so grateful to you and Mom for making sure my education was paid for upon graduation. So many of my friends are saddled with loans and feeling pressure to begin work immediately. My job search is on-going, but I feel optimistic; having the emphasis in special education should give me a leg up. I promise I can, and will, take care of myself. I hope Grannie is right when she says you’d be proud. I count on her to know best how her son would feel.
With all my love,
Sweet Pea
We folded our letters and put them in the special pouch at the back of the scrapbook, each of us respecting the privacy of the other. I then flipped to the front page and pulled out my red marker while scanning the list of milestones, pausing here and there on my favorites…first boyfriend (and kiss)…last Halloween costume…first high school dance. I grinned at Grannie before placing a wide red check mark in the final milestone box on the coversheet next to “Graduate from college”.
Grannie sighed. “It’s done. I hope you will enjoy pulling this scrapbook out for years to come Jordan.”
A genuine smile spread across my face. “I’ll treasure it forever.”
“Oh my,” Grannie said, staring at her watch. “Look at the time. You need to go freshen up. Off you go! Off you go!” Grannie waved me away with a wink. “JT will be here any minute to take you to the reception hall. I told you he would go with you and there was no need to worry. He’s such a nice boy. And very handsome. He’ll be a wonderful fiancé.”
I arched my brow at Grannie and then glanced at my watch. I had thirty minutes to get changed. “Yes, I’m sure he’ll make some lucky woman a fine husband someday.”
Grannie got up from the table to refill her glass of water and tossed me a glance over her shoulder. “Lucky woman, indeed.”
As I walked back to my bedroom, I couldn’t shake the feeling Grannie was up to something. She was acting strange. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve guessed Grannie was secretly trying to play match maker and set me up with JT. But that was impossible. Wasn’t it? JT was my brother’s best friend since—forever. And Grannie was paying a lot of money for the dating service. Why would she do that if she wanted me to be with JT? No. I was letting my imagination get away from me.
Scorching heat suddenly rose up past my neck and into my cheeks as I recalled my reaction to JT’s teasing on the porch the previous night. Had my imagination gotten the best of me then as well? He’d been so close I could smell the faint scent of beer on his breath when he spoke and I had felt the heat of his body radiating off him, making me feel all warm and tingly inside. Certainly it had been the chill in the air that sent a tingle down my spine and not his husky voice or the way his eyes had lingered on my lips. And it definitely wasn’t the feel of his toned chest muscles as I gently pushed him away. No. JT was like a brother to me and would probably be upset if he knew where my thoughts had wandered.
Shaking it off, I made quick work of getting myself ready. I slipped into my black dress with a flare skirt and threw on a pair of black sling back heels. After running a brush through my hair and touching up my mascara and lip-gloss I was ready to go. I wanted to make a good impression—on the reception hall manager.
Chapter Three
To Kiss a Frog
J.T.
Jordan hopped into the passenger side of my black Ford Focus and flashed her pearly whites at me. “Thanks for doing this with me. I’m sure you have a thousand other things you’d rather be doing on a Saturday evening.”
Her deliciously fresh scent filled the car as she pulled the door shut. It was so much better than the smell of sweaty gym sneakers and armpits her brother had left behind after our workout session. I was almost embarrassed to drive her in my car; in addition to the lingering smells from the gym, Derek had left a trail of crumbs and fast food waste littered about. Although why it should bother me now was a mystery. I’d never had any qualms in the past about carting my best friend’s kid sister around in my trashed car.
“Hey, no problem,” I said, backing out of the driveway. “I’m happy to play my part in fulfilling Grannie’s wishes—even if I do think she’s gone a little off the deep end. It’s one hell of a lot of money to spend on a wedding reception that’s unlikely to ever happen. Canterbury Castle is a bit pricey isn’t it?”
I was still skeptical about the whole situation but could understand where Grannie was coming from. After living with the Billette family for almost fifteen years, Grannie had practically raised Jordan and Jared while their mother worked full-time. Of course she wanted to watch Jordan walk down the aisle.
Jordan listened as she scanned through the radio stations. “The place is awesome—a real fairy tale wedding location. Besides, it won’t be a complete waste of money. Even if I don’t get married, we can still have a huge party to celebrate Grannie’s life. I think she’d enjoy that. She doesn’t want people to be sad about her passing.”
I arched my brow and glanced at Jordan for a second. “How’s it going to work anyway? Don’t you have to send out invitations far in advance? And what are you going to tell the hall manager if another fiancé shows up in a couple months by your side?”
Jordan giggled and shrugged her shoulders. “Who cares at that point? They just want their money. But you’re right. We can’t wait much longer to send out the invitations. I left Grannie on the hook to figure that dilemma out. She’s a clever old fox. I’m sure she’ll think of something.”
“So what exactly is on the agenda for this evening? Do I just sit next to you and look handsome? Or am I expected to do something?”
I could feel Jordan’s eyes on me as I drove. “Well, I think it would be a little strange if you didn’t say anything the entire evening, JT. We’re supposed to be planning our wedding day so feel free to throw out your opinion as much as you want. The manager is going to walk us through the different options for the wedding ceremony and then show us the dining and alcohol packages. Afterward we get to sit down at one of the tables in the back of the hall and eat dinner, you know, to make sure the food tastes good and narrow down our menu selections.”
Free dinner replete with alcohol this evening—what a fine prospect. She didn’t need to twist my arm. “Can’t wait to see the alcohol packages. Grannie needs to go out of this world with a bang. It’s not going to be a cash bar is it?”
My voice must have conveyed my dread at the thought of a cash bar because Jordan laughed. “No, they don’t offer a cash option. There’s a standard, deluxe and premium package. Grannie suggested we go all out. I think planning for the party gives her a sense of purpose and excitement. Did I tell you we found my wedding dress last weekend? Grannie was on cloud nine when we bought it. It’s stunning.”
If the dreamlike quality in her voice was any indication, then Grannie wasn’t the only one on cloud nine after finding the dress. I didn’t understand what the big deal was anyway since I imagined any dress would look gorgeous on Jordan. Still I was happy for her.
“Not to mention,” Jordan added, “Grannie also gets a real kick out of the stories from my dates; living vicariously and all. It makes me happy to make her happy.”
My heart swelled with a bittersweet but not entirely uncomfortable feeling. Having lost my parents at a young age to a senseless tragedy, I could imagine the pain Jordan was feeling. At least my parents had died quickly and painlessly. I didn’t know if I could have borne knowing they were terminally ill and being helpless to do anything about it. A four percent survival rate wasn’t much of a chance
for Grannie. I reached out to grab Jordan’s hand and gave it a brief squeeze before pulling into Canterbury Village.
“I can see Grannie is happy. You’re doing the right thing, Jordan.”
“Thanks.”
“Your dates are pretty entertaining, but I don’t know how you can stand an entire hour with some of those guys.”I parked the car and cut the engine. A particularly uncomfortable date came to mind. “Remember the photographer who asked if you’d pose nude for him?”
Jordan’s cheeks flamed red at the memory. “That one took me by surprise. He said it right as I was taking a sip of my beer. I nearly sprayed it out all over him.”
“Well you should have. The jerk deserved it.” I furrowed my brows and reflected. “I wonder how many frogs you’re going to be forced to kiss before you finally find your Prince Charming?”
Her eyes sparkled and she shrugged her shoulders. “I haven’t kissed any of them yet, so it looks like I have a lot of first dates ahead of me.”
“Good thing you haven’t kissed them,” I said with a chuckle. “Didn’t your mom tell you frogs will give you warts?” I came around the car to open her door.
She let out a deep sigh as she stood. “Well. Are you ready for this?”
“Are you kidding?” I said, smiling in anticipation. “How often do I get a free meal with a hot date? And I promise not to act like a frog.”
I sincerely wanted the evening to go well for Jordan. She’d been through a lot in the past few months and deserved a fun evening out where she could relax and be herself.
“You look lovely tonight, Jordan.” Color instantly rose in her cheeks. It was very becoming. She was already a natural beauty and didn’t cover her face behind a ton of make-up like other women I knew, but rather used it to accentuate her beauty. It was refreshing.
“It’s nice to see you clean up well too.” Jordan teased as we walked to the hall. “I don’t think I’ve seen you this well groomed since your senior prom.”
I scratched behind my ear while I gave it some thought. Had it been that long since she had seen me in a decent pair of pants and shirt? Yeah, it could be true. I didn’t even bother getting this dressed up for the holidays anymore. If I hadn’t been forced to buy a few business casual clothes for my internship last winter, I probably wouldn’t have had anything to wear. Jordan hadn’t been around to witness me dressed up every day for the internship.
“You’re probably right,” I said with a misty smile and gazed up at the heavens. “Sorry Mom.”
Jordan shoulder bumped me. “You’re a good looking guy no matter how you dress. Your mom would be proud of what you’ve accomplished.”
I opened the door of the Castle and followed Jordan into the entrance. My jaw dropped at the majestic vision before me; plush carpeting, dark wood banisters and a ceiling with elaborate chandeliers. Jordan hadn’t been far off in her description of ‘fairy tale’ wedding venue. A tall red-headed woman approached us within minutes and held out her hand to Jordan. Her pudgy fingers engulfed Jordan’s and pumped swiftly.
“Jordan, it’s so good to see you again,” she said and then turned to me expectantly.
“This is my fiancé, JT,” Jordan said, beaming at me. “JT, I’d like to introduce you to the wedding banquet manager, Mrs. Walberg.”
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” Mrs. Walberg’s eyes nearly disappeared into her face when she gave a full blown smile. “Jordan has told me so much about you already.”
I arched a brow at Jordan but she averted her eyes and pretended great interest in a painting on the wall behind Mrs. Walberg. So she had been referring to me all along as her fiancé? It figured. But I couldn’t say I blamed her. It would be awkward to always refer to ‘my fiancé’ without ever uttering a name or description. My ego wasn’t complaining in the least.
“I’m so glad you made it here a few minutes early. I have a wonderful surprise for you. And you both look dashing. Excellent! Excellent! Follow me, please.” Mrs. Walberg began walking at a clipped pace to a door on the far side of the main floor.
A questioning glance at Jordan revealed she had no clue what was going on. Her answering shrug said it all. Placing my hand on her lower back, I guided her in the direction of the manager. The soft material of her dress felt good against my fingertips. Certainly it was a normal gesture for a fiancé. I needed to make sure I played the part credibly. Didn’t I? As we reached the opposite end of the hallway, my curiosity was peaked. What could Mrs. Walberg have as a surprise for us that had her acting all giddy?
We entered what appeared to be one of the banquet halls. Staff was bustling about decorating the tables with fresh linens and place settings. In the corner of the room stood a round table featuring an enormous wedding cake with multiple layers and an insanely cool fountain system; and we were headed straight for it. A photographer was capturing the decadent cake from every possible angle with his camera clicking away at breakneck speed. Mrs. Walberg gently cleared her throat and then waited politely for him to complete his task. After a few more clicks the photographer resumed a normal stance and turned to us with a broad smile.
“Mr. Rogers,” she said. “I’d like to introduce you to one of our young couples celebrating their wedding in a couple months with us. This is Jordan and JT.”
He let his camera hang precariously from the straps around his neck and reached out a large hand to Jordan in welcome. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Jordan.” And then he offered the same to me. “Have you been fortunate enough to contract your photographer yet?”
I repressed my urge to snort. Nothing like getting right down to business. It figured the big surprise was a sales pitch. What had I expected?
“Oh…” Jordan said with widening eyes. “Well…no…I hadn’t gotten that far yet. Um…well you see, we just recently got engaged and it’s all being planned rather quickly.”
“One of those weddings,” I said, flashing a smile at Mr. Rogers. The sharp elbow I took to the ribs from Jordan was worth it. The momentary confusion on Mr. Rogers face followed by wide-eyed recognition was priceless. Mrs. Walberg fanned her face with a banquet hall pamphlet. Maybe I had just answered some burning questions in her mind about our hasty wedding plans.
“He’s joking,” Jordan said drolly while rolling her eyes at me.
“I’m joking,” I confirmed and pulled Jordan into my side for what I hoped looked like a loving gesture to make amends. I had promised not to act like a frog. That may have been a bit frog-ish. But such an opportunity couldn’t be ignored. Especially when she had set it up so nicely.
Mr. Rogers reached into his pocket. “Well, here’s my card. I’d be happy to take a few snapshots of you both now to demonstrate my work. I promise you’ll not be disappointed.”
Jordan fidgeted with the strap of her purse and flashed her eyes to me. “Oh. That’s a very generous offer but you must be busy right now preparing for the wedding this evening.”
“No problem,” the photographer said. “I have fifteen minutes before the real action starts around here. Let’s head out to the stairs in the entrance. It’s a lovely background.”
I shrugged my shoulders and grasped Jordan’s hand to drag her along behind the photographer. What was the big deal? It was just a few pictures. We would have a good laugh about it with Grannie later after they were developed. When we reached the stairs I gazed at Jordan and grinned. “Smile pretty for the yellow birdie.”
“Perfect.” Mr. Rogers said as he approached us and placed Jordan onto the first step with her back leaning against the balustrade. I was positioned on the main floor, because of my incredible height, facing her so we were nearly eye to eye with my right hand gently holding her left hand. “Now gaze deeply into her eyes like you did a moment ago. Give me serious, passionate faces.”
Jordan giggled and struggled to keep a straight face.
“He said serious, babe.” I stuck out my tongue at her, making her break out into peals of laughter. All the while the camera was c
licking away with the photographer exclaiming about our perfection.
“Great. You two are fabulous. Just fabulous. Now I want you to lean in JT and give your gorgeous woman a kiss. You remember the thrill of that first kiss? Let’s relive it.”
A soft gasp escaped from Jordan lips before she pursed them closed and stared wide-eyed at me. Well she had asked me to be her fiancé hadn’t she? It seemed only right I should fulfill my side of the bargain and do what the good man asked. A little nagging voice in the back of my head tried to tell me I shouldn’t be taking so much pleasure in the prospect.
“Just don’t tell your brother,” I whispered before I captured Jordan’s lips in a long, searing kiss that robbed me of all previous thoughts and set my heart drumming at a ferocious pace. I finally pulled back and inhaled deeply while giving my head a bit of a shake. Her lips were slightly parted when her eyes slowly opened. Grabbing her chin, I gazed into her eyes.
“I guess you got to kiss your first frog,” I said with a hoarse voice.
“Hmmm…” she said with a little sigh as the corner of her mouth turned up. “I didn’t know frogs were such good kissers. So many opportunities wasted in the past few weeks.”
A chuckle rumbled deep in my chest. So cheeky. Perhaps I should give it another go; for purely scientific reasons, of course. She would need a good basis of comparison on her future dates and it had felt pretty damn good.
I winked at the photographer. “Do you need another kiss or did you catch that one?”
***
Jordan
I waited in breathless anticipation for the photographer’s response. A hummingbird seemed to take flight in my stomach, its wings fluttering at a hundred miles an hour. Kissing a frog? More like Prince Charming. But if that was a frog’s kiss then bring on the warts.
“Ah, young love.” Mr. Rogers smiled and assured JT he had captured the kiss. “Can you write down your email address on the back of my card? I’ll notify you lovebirds when the samples are ready.”
Date Night (Wish Come True Book 1) Page 3