Kinley watched him pull out his phone again. The look on his face was both one of confusion and delight. She watched him read the handful of words, a smile emerging as he reached the end. He looked down, talking to JT it seemed, before his fingers went to work on his phone. Excitement washed over her when her phone buzzed in her hand.
You have no idea how badly I wanted to hear those words. I can’t wait for your call, baby. Funny you mention gelato. The boy and I are in line for one now. We’ll have an extra scoop, your favorite flavor, just for you. What I wouldn’t do to see your face right now…
There was nothing left to say, they had said it all, albeit through text messaging. It was time to let him off the hook and tell him she was back and never leaving again.
You want to see my face? It’ll cost you a scoop, Doc. Look up…
Nerves took over as she waited for him to read her message, ridiculous as it was. Those obnoxious butterflies were back, fluttering around in her belly from the excitement in knowing how much her life was about to change.
He read it. Looking left to right, he read it again — a million-dollar smile stretched across his face. She saw his body quake in laughter as realization set in and he scanned the crowd once more, finally locking eyes on her. His body sagged for a moment, a gasp, maybe a sigh, escaping him. Either way, he looked relieved to see her.
Jace disappeared from sight, ever so briefly, coming back into view holding JT. JT’s little hands were clapping before they covered his mouth as he laughed in excitement. Kinley’s heart was ready to burst. Cue the sappy, Hallmark movie music.
What’s more was Sadie appeared at his side with Cooper and Connor, motioning for him to do something she couldn’t quite decipher. As Sadie took Jace’s place in line, he placed JT on his shoulders and bolted her way.
She quickly stepped off the side of the ice cream truck when Jace and JT reached her, standing toe to toe. With so much she wanted to say just moments before, she found herself standing there speechless — something that happened to her often when Jace was around.
“You’re here,” he said, breaking the silence.
“I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t go back,” Kinley admitted.
“But I thought you wanted to go home, chase your dream. I don’t want to stand between you and what makes you happy, Kinley.”
“I am home, here in Pine Valley. I was just too scared to admit it before. And this is my dream. You and JT — you make me happy, Jace.”
“Well, you make us happy, twinkle toes,” Jace said, pulling her close. “I promise I’ll never let you go again. I’ll always fight for us, I’ll tell you every day I love you, and show you just how much. And I’m going to marry you, twinkle toes, so be ready for forever, because that’s what I’m talking about.”
With a quick glance at her watch, she teased, “I totally have time for forever…”
Jace leaned in and kissed her, the crowd around them clapping, offering their heart felt awwws.
“So, is this fling of ours over?” Jace teased, resting his forehead against hers.
“Yeeeah…not really my thing anymore. I’m looking for something a little more…permanent.”
JT interrupted their silly banter. “Does dis mean we get ’a keep her, Dad?”
Kinley reached for the tot, pulling him from his father’s shoulders and hugging him close. “Yeah, dude…forever.”
Six months later…
“I can’t believe it’s tomorrow…” Kinley said, straightening Jace’s tie.
Jace held her head in his hands and pulled her in for a sweet kiss before saying, “Longest six months of my life. Tomorrow, you’re ours forever.”
“Forever,” Kinley said before kissing him back.
“No cold feet, twinkle toes?” Jace asked. “You’re really going to meet me at the altar tomorrow?”
“I cleared my schedule. I should be there,” Kinley teased, placing her hand on her belly. “Besides, you’re my baby daddy…”
“That I am,” Jace said in a deep timbre as he grabbed her ass. “Knocked you up to seal the deal.”
“Oh, how barbaric of you. Tell me more while you beat your chest,” she said with a dramatic eyeroll.
When Kinley decided to forgo New York, realizing her heart was in Pine Valley, they just knew. Jace had already told her he was going to marry her, and she didn’t protest, so an official proposal came only two weeks later. It was a no brainer. A few hours apart and threat of New York in the picture was all the couple required to realize how much they truly loved each other — and needed each other.
After six months of planning and a surprise pregnancy in the mix, the day had finally arrived. They were preparing for their rehearsal dinner at the Pine Valley Grand Hotel, where they would be wed the following day. Neither had cold feet. If anything, it was quite the opposite and they wished they didn’t have to wait as long as they had.
“Daddy, dis thing falled off,” JT said as he entered the room, holding his neck tie in front of him.
“Oh, come here, dude,” Kinley said, squatting down to his level. “I’ll fix it. Look, I know you don’t like it, so if you promise to leave it on for the rehearsal dinner, Daddy will get up early and take you for donuts tomorrow before the wedding.”
“Oh, I will, huh?” Jace laughed.
“Yeah. You will. I have a wedding to get pretty for,” she said, flipping up JT’s collar to put his tie back on.
“You’re already pretty,” JT said, batting his thick eyelashes. “But Dad should go because you said so and you’re da boss.”
Kinley looked up at Jace with an ornery grin. “See? I’m da boss.”
Jace tossed his head back and laughed. The past six months had been a whirlwind and nothing short of fantastic. Something caught the corner of his eye through the big picture window to his left. Evelyn Shirley, jaw dropped, camera on him, from the sidewalk.
“Oh crap, what now?” Jace said in an angsty tone. “Evelyn Shirley. Sidewalk.”
“What?” Kinley asked with a bewildered look as she popped her head up to see over the couch blocking her view.
Evelyn notably jumped in shock at the sight of Kinley and started hitting her screen with her thumb in rapid fire. With her face in a twisted expression of what looked like disgust, she marched on with her nose in the air and a slight shake of her head. You could almost hear the tsk, tsk rolling off her lips from where they stood inside the house.
“Wonder what that was about?” Kinley asked with a shrug.
“I’m sure we’ll know soon enough via Facebook,” Jace said, helping Kinley to her feet. “Let’s get going. Can’t be late to our own party.”
When Jace and Kinley entered the Pine Valley Grand Ballroom, rather than cheers, the group waiting for them erupted in laughter. Jace and Kinley looked at each other, then the group, only to notice they all had their phones out.
“Oh no,” Kinley said, causing a scene as she rigorously felt around Jace’s pockets. “Phone. Where’s your phone?”
“Who are you going to call?” Jace asked, pulling his phone from his shirt pocket. “It looks like everyone is here…”
“Call? Pfft.” Kinley shook her head, and grabbed the phone from Jace, having left her own at home. “Facebook, Doc. Keep up.”
“Evelyn,” he sneered.
“Ding, ding, ding!” she said as her nails clicked against the phone screen. “Facebook — they’re all on their phones and laughing…at us.”
“Oh crap, Facebook.” Jace ran his hands through his hair as he glanced over Kinley’s shoulder, anxious to see what Evelyn had to say now.
It was a series of pictures taken from the sidewalk in front of their home, just an hour before. One was of Jace, head back in an odd pose and awkward smile on his face. The second picture was Jace staring right at the camera, and Kinley on her knees, right in front of him, face groin-high wearing a wide-eyed look of shock to match Jace’s. JT wasn’t tall enough to appear in the picture it seemed. What Evelyn though
t she caught and what Evelyn really caught were two very different things…
A long pause stood between the jaw-dropped couple as they looked at what appeared to be pictures of…a blow job in progress. They read the latest caption from evil Evelyn Shirley on #RumorHasIt — then joined the laughter.
Looks like the honeymoon started early for these two…and everyone is invited for a street-side view! Get a room or close the curtains — there are children around. P.S. this is where babies come from — get a new hobby…or a TV in your room.
The End
ABOUT STEPHANIE ST. KLAIRE
Stephanie St. Klaire is a Pacific Northwest native currently living in Portland, Oregon with her husband, five children, and two ferocious lap dogs that are used to the finer things in life like sleeping all day. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found with a plate full of taco’s, a side of bean dip, and probably some gummy bears while being a little bit hippy and a lot bit busy mom’ing and wife’ing.
When she’s not tossing around gritty crime show inspired serial killers and diabolical bad guys, she likes to make people pee their pants a little with a good romcom. Sometimes, her worlds collide, and she writes really funny stuff right before she kills people off on the pages! She loves murder and mayhem as much as a good laugh and HEA! That’s why she’s a die-hard Hallmark junky but loves her gritty crime shows – balance!
Stephanie has always been a story teller, with the gift of “gab”, and a life-long goal to be a writer. Unfortunate circumstances with her health, finally afforded her the time to do so. Irony at its best, she began writing her first novel at an adverse time, to escape her circumstance and explore the stories in her imagination for relief. She is happy to share those stories with her readers, and bring a little fun, entertainment, and of course smexy characters to the pages.
Follow Stephanie St. Klaire on Social media to learn more about her, how often she really eats taco’s, and to keep up with her work.
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Bed Buddies Page 11