by Natasha Boyd
A volunteer followed behind the two turtles, the other volunteers split off to follow some of the other tracks and make sure everyone had made it to the water.
Jack and I were left in the darkness. My heart was full as I turned into Jack’s embrace. “That was amazing. The most perfect gift on such a perfect night.”
Jack’s lips found mine, and I surrendered to the feel of smooth sensual kisses and his gently abrasive skin. Goose bumps raced across my skin.
His fingers slid into my hair, tilting my head, and his tongue teased.
I clung to him as our mouths slipped and slid together, loving, teasing, tasting.
Jack’s embrace tightened, and a soft rumble came from his chest.
Heat swirled through me.
I could kiss this man forever. I would kiss this man forever. Tomorrow he’d be mine forever. My chest tightened and my eyes stung. Pulling away gently, I dragged in a deep breath. “I can’t believe I get to kiss you for the rest of my life.”
Jack’s closed eyes fluttered open, dark, languid, full of the certainty of the future. He leaned forward and nipped my lips again as he watched me. “You have all of me for the rest of your life. I am completely, and utterly, yours.”
He stepped back and crouched down, kissing my flat stomach. “And yours,” he said softly, and my heart already so full felt like it wanted to melt in my chest. “So I showed you turtles,” he said to me as he straightened. “What have you got for me?”
Twenty-Four
Jack and I raced back to the party along the dark beach, bare feet kicking up the cold beach sand.
I slowed down to a walk, trying to catch my breath. “That was amazing,” I exclaimed, giddy with happiness over the turtles we’d just seen.
“Where have you two been?” Jazz accosted us as soon as we set foot back in the circle of tiki torches. “Never mind,” she said quickly. “I don’t need to know.”
“Oh my God, Jazz.” I giggled. “We weren’t doing anything. Jack knew of a turtle nest hatching. We went to help. It was amazing. And now it’s time for Jack’s surprise.”
She clapped her hands together. “Which means, speeches. Perfect timing.”
“Wait,” Jack said in my ear. “I don’t get my surprise now.”
“Patience.”
Jazz headed to the band, and after they wound down, commandeered their microphone and thanked everyone for coming. Then she handed the microphone to Joey.
My brother caught my eye and winked.
“I’m Joey. For those of you on Jack’s side, I’m the bride’s brother. And for everyone on Keri Ann’s side, you know who I am coz I’ve made it my life’s mission to stay all up in my baby sister’s business.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” heckled Colt to everyone’s amusement.
Joey pointed at Colt to acknowledge him then looked back at the gathering, specifically at Jack. “At least I thought I was being effective at doing that until this pretty boy came along.” He rolled his eyes with a smile and everyone laughed. “I’m only half joking. Anyone who knows us will tell you I pretty much threatened the life of anyone who even looked twice at my sister. I never wanted some chump breaking her heart. You see, she’s the best person I know.” Joey cleared his throat. “We lost our parents very young.” He paused, seeming to compose himself, which served to make me choke up with emotion.
Jack held me, his body drawing mine even closer to his. I could sense others were equally trying to keep themselves together. Jazz’s eyes were shining with unshed tears as she looked at me from next to Joey.
“And there are days, probably for everyone, when it’s easy to forget where we come from, and the values that are important to us.” Joey blew out a breath and looked at me. “But I only have to be with my sister to see all the very best things from my parents and from the Butler family. I see my mother’s smile. And I see my father’s eyes.” He smiled, tight lipped. “I see my mother’s beauty and gentleness, her thoughtfulness and her creative fire. My father, God rest his soul, after many failed business attempts, was often accused of being a bad judge of character. But I thought, maybe it wasn’t that he was a bad judge of character. Maybe it was that he also only ever saw the very best in people. And perhaps they are two sides of the same coin. And if that’s the case then my sister personifies the best side of that coin. She even sees the best in me,” he added in a self-deprecating tone, rolling his eyes. “And I know that when I heard she was seeing Jack Eversea, I jumped to conclusions about the type of guy Jack was. I saw the Jack Eversea the world thinks they know, I saw only the projected image. I didn’t see the person my sister saw. She could see through all of the bullshit. No offense, Jack.”
Jack raised his beer to my brother. “None taken.”
“She could see down to the very soul of the kind of man Jack is. They had a rocky beginning, sure, but deep down she saw Jack was caring, loyal, protective, and loving and that her heart would be safe with him. And I’m happy to say she was right. It turns out, Jack is one of the very best men I know.
“If my father were alive today, he’d be the one giving my sister away into Jack’s care. But I’m so very grateful I get to have that honor tomorrow. And I know I speak for our parents, and also our dearest Nana who would have loved to see this day, that I do it without an ounce of reservation in my heart.” He raised his beer. “To my sister and my soon-to-be brother. To Keri Ann and Jack.”
“To Keri Ann and Jack,” everyone chorused and raised their drinks. Jazz had tears rolling down her cheeks. In fact, there was hardly a dry eye on the beach.
“Okaaaay,” said Jazz, taking the microphone from Joey and giving him a kiss. “This is the first wedding I’ve helped plan, and I hope next time I think about tissues.”
Nick was next up. Tall and lanky, with short black hair he kept spiked and arms covered in sleeves of tattoos, he looked a little frightening. Except that anyone who knew him, knew he was a big sensitive baby, drank green juice, and relentlessly raised money to save endangered animals.
“I’m Nick,” he began. “And I’ll keep this short. Since ain’t no one gonna top that.”
Nick looked at us.
Jack squeezed me tight to his side and kissed my forehead.
“There are three days since I’ve known Jack that stand out to me the most clearly. The first was the day I met him—this skinny little dark-haired kid who’d moved in with his mom across the hall from us in a five-story walk up in Queens. Back when Queens was actually affordable. He asked if I’d mind being his friend because he didn’t have one and they’d come from very far away.” Nick paused. “We’re still friends to this day.”
I gnawed nervously on my lip, trying to distract myself from tears threatening from imagining a small, scared Jack. Everyone was still as they waited for Nick to continue.
Jack’s parents pressed tighter together.
“The second day I remember clearly was the first time I saw Jack after he met Keri Ann,” Nick continued. “The Jack that left California to come to this little island town was not the man who returned. I knew he’d lost his heart before he even said anything. He was like a man who had suddenly seen every beautiful thing possible in life, and then been told he couldn’t have it. He looked awed. He looked haunted. And I knew he’d never be the same.”
I looked up at Jack.
He gave me a small smile, acknowledging the truth of Nick’s words.
“And the third memory is the day he took Keri Ann to California the first time, and they invited me over to dinner.” Nick looked at me. “Keri Ann was the one who opened the door. ‘You must be Nick,’ she said. And then she hugged me tight and said, ‘Thank you for being Jack’s friend.’ It was then I knew my best friend, Jack’s heart would be safe forever, no matter how long it took them to get around to this moment.” There was a collective sigh from everyone listening. Jack’s mom wiped her eyes.
“And here we are, at this moment. The wedding is tomorrow of course. But tomorrow we won�
�t be standing on a beach under the stars, so I’d like to ask a favor. I’d like us to have a blessing right now, with our toes in the sand and with the fire of love in our hearts.”
He raised his beer and motioned us to come stand in front of him.
I looked questioningly up at Jack and saw he was amused and nonplussed. He returned my look and shrugged. “Shall we?”
“Come on, now,” said Nick. “Don’t be shy.”
Jack shook his head with a smile, and we handed our drinks to people standing next to us and stepped forward.
We stopped in front of Nick, then turned to face each other, our hands hanging joined together between us.
“Okay, let’s form a circle around them,” Nick said and everyone shuffled around into a circle with bemused expressions on their faces.
He separated our joined hands and reconnected both our right hands. Then reached into his pocket and drew out a piece of sea glass on a string attached to another and another and another until he’d pulled out a long three-foot string of sea glass beads. My beads. I’d made that. Last I knew it was in my studio on Daufuskie.
“And I thought you were just pleased to see me,” quipped Jack.
“Apologies,” Nick said to me. “I had Jack’s mom steal it for me. You’ll get it back undamaged.”
“Okay,” I said and caught Jack’s eye.
Jack shrugged with a grin that seemed to say, “Nick’s weird, just go with it.”
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” said Nick. “My ancestors come from Gaelic country, and back a long, long time ago, if a couple wished to be married they would be affianced in a ceremony called handfasting. This would serve as an engagement period of sorts, a binding agreement for a year and a day to see if they still wished to be joined in permanent union.”
He looked at Jack and me. “Now, I have no doubt you both are ready to be joined in marriage, but since you both did things so quickly we haven’t had a chance to revel in your engagement. We are going to officially engage you this evening and bestow all of our best blessings upon you.”
I stared at Jack and he gazed back at me, a small smile tilting his lips. “You ready for me?” he mouthed.
My lower belly clenched. “Always,” I whispered, meaning the word with every fiber of my being.
Jack’s eyes darkened further, his nostrils falling slightly as he watched the words form on my lips.
Nick picked up our joined hands and gently raised them up until Jack and I were holding hands aloft, our skin touching from fingers to elbow. “I’m going to wrap this symbolic rope, made more special for the fact it was crafted by Keri Ann, around your joined hands. As I do, I’d like each of us in attendance to bestow, out loud, a small blessing upon this couple. I’ll begin.” He looked to Jazz who was standing to his left. “Jazz will go next, and we’ll go round until we get back to me.” He finished winding the rope of glass. “I wish this couple the love they have for each other now for all of their lives.”
Jack and I locked eyes. The green of his eyes was a deep forest in the night, taken over by his dark pupils.
Jazz cleared her throat. “Um, I feel like I saw this in a movie. Are you sure you’re not officially marrying them right now?”
A light laugh sounded throughout the gathering. The question should have jolted me, but it didn’t. It felt as if this was a union. And that was just perfect.
“Just bless them, Jazz,” said Joey.
She exhaled loudly. “I bless this couple with really good sex forever. Sorry, Jack’s mom.” Both Jack and I snorted with laughter, tension slightly released, but kept our gazes locked.
“I bless this couple,” Joey’s voice sounded, “with the wisdom to always make the right decisions.” So typical of my brother to make the dry, staid blessing. He’d used up his sentimentality on his speech so I wasn’t bothered. But it was still amazing how different Jazz and Joey were, but yet they loved each other so. My grin widened.
“I wish this couple prosperity,” said someone who sounded like Paulie.
“I wish this couple all the generosity they have shown to others, be shown to them.” Nicole.
“I bless this couple with fertility,” said Charlotte.
Jack’s smile widened as he looked at me. I sensed he fought not to look down at Bean and give us away.
We continued to watch each other as the blessings moved around us. I memorized Jack’s features even as I knew them already. Every curve and angle, every passing emotion through his eyes.
Prosperity. Patience. Luck. Health. Strength to endure obstacles. Love. More love. Wisdom. Parenthood. Orgasms. This last from Mrs. Weaton, shocking everyone, and almost making Jack and I break our gaze as I snorted a giggle that, in turn, made him chuckle.
Privacy, from both Katie, Jack’s assistant, and from Shannon, our friend and journalist who was usually the first person to be allowed to write any sanctioned stories about us.
My arm grew tired, and I felt Jack take the strain and hold me. As he did, in everything.
I wanted nothing more than to fall asleep in his arms tonight, but of course the night before the wedding we couldn’t be together. Jazz’s orders.
Finally, the beautiful blessings came full circle.
“I’ll end with an Elemental Blessing, which is a traditional blessing, sealing the hand fasting ceremony.” He bowed his head. “Father, Mother, Divine Spirit whose presence is felt in all things and at all times we ask your continued blessings upon this couple, upon their union, and upon their family and friends who have gathered here to celebrate this joyous event with them. May they become one in truth and forever revel in the magic that is love.”
We lowered our hands, and Jack’s free hand slipped around my neck as he pulled me in for a deep kiss, sealing the moment.
A cheer went up and clapping erupted.
I pulled back from our kiss, my smile too big to keep going.
“Digi cake,” I managed, using Jack’s terminology for it instead of chocolate biscuit cake.
“What?” Jack asked.
“Digi cake.”
Jack’s eyes widened. “Did I hear you correctly?”
I couldn’t contain my proud, self-satisfied smile. “You did. Your mother and I got the recipe and had the right ingredients overnighted, and yep, your favorite cake is just waiting for you.”
“You made digi cake? As in my favorite cake?” He frowned. “Have I even mentioned digi cake to you?”
I nodded. “The day we first kissed. And a couple of other times since then.” I shrugged. “I remembered. You never eat dessert, but I figured this was different.”
Jack stilled, a myriad emotions passing across his features. “It is,” he said eventually.
Someone handed our drinks back to us, and Nick had to undo our binding.
“Thanks, man. That was ... awesome,” said Jack.
“You’re welcome.” Nick shrugged with a smile.
“When’d you get all ... spiritual and sentimental,” Jack asked him.
“I’m ordained. It doesn’t get more spiritual and sentimental than that.”
“Fair point,” Jack conceded.
“Cake,” Jazz yelled. “Or, well, dessert!”
Jack and I laughed. It was true, digi cake was not really cake. More of a thick, soft, massive chocolate cookie. Embedded with cookie. Served in Brownie-shaped square slices.
Nick headed over to the dessert table.
I was vaguely aware of the photographer taking pictures of us.
“You realize it’s called fridge cake, right?” I asked Jack. “You’re the only person who calls it digi cake.”
“Not the only person. Everyone at my boarding school would know it. If Max was here, he’d call it digi cake.”
“Any news from him?” I asked.
Jack shook his head.
“Hmm. I’m sorry.”
Jack leaned in to me, his breath tickling my ear and setting my nerve endings on fire. “I’m marrying you tomorrow,” he said, and I c
ould feel the smile on his lips. “And then I’m going to be ... bedding ... my wife.”
I shivered at the tone he injected into his words.
“My wife who remembers things like digi cake.” He breathed in heavily, inhaling against my skin. “And when I say bedding my wife, I mean I’m going to be seriously, and thoroughly, bedding my wife.”
“I can’t wait until tomorrow then.” I held Jack’s head and whispered into his ear. “I’m holding you to that promise.”
Twenty-Five
“Wakey, wakey,” Jazz’s voice called from somewhere in the awake world. I blinked my eyes open from a heavy sleep. My old room, redecorated, and now with a door to an ensuite bathroom that hadn’t existed before, took shape around me.
A knock sounded again. Actually more like a bang of wood against the door. “This tray is heavy, you know.”
“Sorry, coming.”
I sat up and stretched, flipping back the warm cozy down duvet, and then groggily stumbled over to open the door.
“Happy wedding day to you,” Jazz sang happily, her hair half-damp and wild with springy blonde curls. “Happy wedding day to you.”
I stepped back, allowing her entry, my stomach flip-flopping over itself at her words. Nerves fizzed. My wedding day. Or maybe it wasn’t her words, maybe I was just sick. I grabbed a roll out of the breadbasket as she passed, tearing a bite off and stuffing it in my mouth.
Her eyes widened. “Um, okay.”
“Shoorr-whee,” I said around a hunk of fresh baked bread. “Mmm.” I groaned and flopped back into my bed. “I’m still sleeping. Heavy, pregnant, dead to the world sleep.”
“It’s coz you’ve got no alcohol and no caffeine in your system. I should try it sometime. But not today.” Jazz set the tray down. “Move over,” she said and kicked her shoes off, slipping under the covers with me.
We lay there a few moments in silence, the early morning winter sun filtering through the blinds. I could hear the distant sounds of someone in the kitchen downstairs and maybe Joey moving around upstairs. But it was peaceful.