by Jenna Gunn
“Let’s see,” Perry says. He stands up and grabs my hand; laughing, I let him pull me out onto the floor.
As Raina’s maid of honor, I have several duties throughout the night. I kick out a few too-drunk people, make sure Alex’s pregnant twin sister gets plenty of rest and stays hydrated, tell Raina if she gets food stuck in her teeth. It’s not too bad. I have plenty of time to have fun.
They run through the traditional stuff they planned for the reception - cake-cutting, best man speech. I get up and give a speech about Raina. The father-daughter dance is noticeably absent.
I catch the bouquet. Of course.
Perry dances with me any chance he can, and any time his mother doesn’t grab him to dance. Any time I look bored, or am sitting down, or have a drink in hand, he grabs me and yanks me onto the dance floor. As the night goes on, fewer and fewer people head out to dance as people go home for the night.
It’s dark. We’re out on the dance floor, slow-dancing to a nice ballad the DJ put on when he saw we were the only people dancing. Perry smiles down at me; my hand is clasped in his, and we turn in slow circles.
“It’s almost over,” he says.
“Yep. I’m so tired.”
“Did you have fun, though?”
I laugh. “Yeah. Couldn’t have more than one of Raina’s cocktails, though.”
“My mother certainly had a few.”
I laugh. “I’m glad your dad didn’t have any.” I lay my head on his chest. “I’ll just be happy to get home, put on my pajamas, and hang out with you and Apple.”
He kisses the top of my head. I wish he wouldn’t; my hair had to be sprayed into oblivion this morning to get it to stay in the style Raina picked for us. It’s basically a helmet.
“Hey,” Perry says, rubbing my back. “After this is over, wanna check out the gazebo? You haven’t had a chance to see it. It’s really nice.”
“Uh - we could go now.”
“There are people in there right now.”
I shrug. “Yeah, okay. But I’m really wanting to get out of this getup.”
I feel him nod; we dance until the song fades into silence. When we break apart, we realize there’s no one else around. The DJ waves jovially from his booth.
“Oh. I guess we are done. Gotta find Raina.”
“Actually, she’s probably at the gazebo,” Perry says.
“You and that gazebo,” I laugh, but I head off the way he says. Sure enough, Raina and Alex sit together on a bench inside it. It is romantic - white, round, with a grey roof, it looks good with Raina’s gauzy green decorations and lavender flowers.
Raina looks up with a grin as I approach. “Hey!” she says, standing. She comes up to me and wraps me in a hug.
“Hey, you,” I reply. “Looks like the party’s winding down.”
“Way down,” she agrees. “We’re headed off soon. The cleanup crew will get the rest of this.”
“Okay. You look beautiful,” I tell her, for probably the millionth time today.
She smiles. She looks even more tired than I feel, but she also seems genuinely happy.
I nod and shuffle out of her way; she leads Alex down the gazebo steps and passes Perry, who beams at her. Alex gives Perry a light punch on the arm.
He comes up the steps as Raina and Alex disappear. “Hey,” he says, grabbing my hand. “Let’s sit. It’s pretty in here, right?”
“Okay, sitting sounds like a great idea. My feet are tired.” I sit on the bench with him. It’s quiet and dark. A nice ending to a busy, noisy day. I turn to look at Perry, and I’m startled to see he looks...stressed. “Are you okay?” I ask him.
He smiles, but it’s a nervous one. “Yeah,” he replies. He rubs the back of his neck. “So...we’ve been through a lot, huh?”
“Sure.”
“It’s been a year now,” he says.
“How time flies when you’re having fun,” I laugh.
“Have you been having fun? With me?”
“Of course.” I frown at him; he’s fidgeting with his suit jacket. Now I’m feeling nervous. “What’s up? Is something wrong?”
“No,” he replies quickly. “I...Trisha, I...never thought a woman could ever accept me.”
I fall silent. I don’t know what to say. My heart squeezes for him.
“Not after this,” he says, gesturing at his leg. He stands up and turns to face me. I put my hands in my lap and look up at him; he looks so earnest. “I felt like half a man. You were the one who made me realize I’m not. And after all the self-loathing, all the struggling, the therapy...the thing that’s kept me going is this. Us. Our relationship. I want to be a better man for you.”
I blink up at him. Tears prick the corners of my eyes. I try to brush off how emotional I’m feeling, laughing a little. “Come on,” I say, smiling.
“I’m serious.”
I let my smile drop.
“Trisha, I love you. And I just want to know…” He very carefully lowers himself down to his good knee.
The world around me swims as my tears stop being pinpricks and become more of a flood. “Perry,” I whisper.
He reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulls out a small box. “Trisha Nash,” he says softly, opening the box. He sniffs - he’s crying, too. “You accepted me as I am, and you made me happy for the first time in years. The first time we slept together as a couple, I didn’t even have nightmares.”
I clap a hand to my mouth as the tears spill over. I didn’t know that.
“So, will you make me the happiest man alive, and marry me?”
I try to gently dab the tears away without smearing my makeup. “Oh my God, Perry, you are such a beautiful mess,” I laugh, standing up. I offer him my left hand. “Of course I will.”
He makes a sound between a laugh and a sob; I blink until I can see the beautiful diamond ring he slips onto my finger.
“I’m so happy,” he says, wiping furiously at his eyes.
“Well, shame on you for thinking your leg meant anything at all to me,” I say, still choking back sobs.
He laughs; I help him up, and he steps close to me, pulling me in for a kiss.
“I love you, Trisha,” he whispers once we break apart.
“I love you, Perry” I tell him, resting a hand on his face. “You make me so happy. I didn’t know it could be this way.”
He nods and I see all his love there in his beautiful, sincere eyes.
He’s so much more than he knows. Which is why I say, “Perry, if this is gonna work, you can’t ever call yourself half a man again.”
He laughs and kisses my lips firmly again. “Deal.”
The End
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About the Author
Jenna Gunn is a contemporary romance author who loves a dash of humor with her hot men. She appreciates the decadent but also loves the simple things in life, like staring at the blue sky through a palm tree. Jenna adores pets, and promises only Happily Ever After stories. She lives in the Southeast and bases much of her work where the palms sway in summer breezes and climbing into the hammock with a good book is a great way to spend an afternoon.
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Everything For Love Series
Fun and Steamy Series for Pet Lovers set in and near Charleston, South Carolina
Billionaire’s Bun in the Oven
Book 1
The Fireman I Loved to Hate
Book 2
The Neighbor Wars
Book 3
The Baby Donor
Book 4
Visit Jenna’s Amazon Page HERE.
Also by Jenna Gunn
Billionaire’s Bun in the Oven - Book 1
The Fireman I Loved to Hate- Book 2
The Neighbor Wars- Book 3
The Baby Donor- Book 4
Book 5 - Release Date To Be Announced
Visit Jenna’s Amazon Page HERE.
The Everything For Love Series is a new series by Jenna Gunn. Look for 5 books total in this fun, steamy, romance collection by Fall of 2020. All of the books have a pet as part of their central theme. All books are stand alone stories. You’ll love these furry friends and their fun owners.