“I’m so happy for you,” Jed agreed, clapping Shane on the shoulder and adding, “But I’m gonna need full details later … with a six pack.”
“You got it,” Shane replied with a happy smile.
Zoey and Chloe, who were not only cousins-in-law, but sister, each came up to give me a hug, which forced Shane to remove his arm.
I tried not to admit that I felt the loss, as I accepted their congratulations.
“You sly fox, you’ve been holding out,” Chloe said, glancing at her husband, who was still sitting and watching it all unfold silently, and giving him a questioning look.
“Holy Toledo, I didn’t even know you guys were dating!” Zoey exclaimed. “But, now that I see you two together, I really dig it.”
“Thanks, it was pretty sudden,” I said, sticking to our cover story. “I’ll admit we got a little swept up, but I’m really happy.”
“Well, I concur with my man,” my cousin, Serena, said as she approached. “I’m calling an official women only chat tonight. I’ll bring the wine. You’ve got some explaining to do, Jazzy.”
Shane
Gabe had shown us to our cabin and he and I had gone back to the car to lug Jasmine’s three suitcases.
That’s right, three.
She was ready for any eventuality.
I’d seen her throw in multiple bathing suits, dresses, jeans, shorts, sweaters, workout clothes, five different pairs of shoes, more makeup than could possibly go on one person’s face, lotions, shampoo, conditioner, coconut oil, books, magazines, her tablet, I mean, I could go on.
I’d watched with fascination and a little trepidation, wondering if we were ever going to be returning.
After Gabe and I had unloaded our things at the cabin, we’d joined the others for lunch and Dillon had arrived.
“Where’s Laurel?” Jazzy asked when she realized he was alone.
“She decided to stay home. She’s so far along and constantly uncomfortable. Didn’t think she’d really enjoy being at camp in her condition. Next year, though,” he directed this last bit at Gabe, who nodded.
“No, I get it, Zoey came up pregnant last time and was miserable.”
“Yes, gosh, it was awful. It was really hot that summer and I was constantly sticky and couldn’t sleep at night,” Zoey agreed. “I’m sorry she won’t be here, though.”
“She is too. She sent her apologies.”
“I need to call her,” Jasmine said.
Her brother looked at her pointedly and replied, “Yeah, you do.”
She flinched and everyone looked back and forth between the two of them.
I felt eyes on me and turned to see Reardon pursing his lips. I lifted my head, indicating I would take care of it.
I didn’t want there to be animosity between Jasmine and her family. And, although it looked like most of them were happy to accept us as a couple, Rear had been correct in assuming Dillon and Serena weren’t going to fall in line quite so easily.
They knew Jazzy the best, and although I’m sure I could convince them of my feelings for her and the reasons I had for marrying her, they knew how she had always felt about me and were rightfully skeptical that her feelings had changed so quickly.
Virtually overnight.
So, the biggest thing we had to do was to prove that Jazzy was head over heels for me.
“All right, time for us to split this party up,” Gabe said as he stood. “Those who want to go out on ATVs and check out the camp, come with me, and those who want to get the cabins ready, you’re with Zoey.”
“Um, not to be sexist, but I’d really like us to split up by sex,” Serena said, her eyes on Jazzy. “The women will do the cabins while you men go out on the ATVs. I know Jazzy usually likes to ride, but we have some talking to do, so … just this once, let’s go boy, girl.”
“That works,” Gabe said, his gaze going from me to Dillon. He let out a sigh and I knew he hated that there was something that needed to be worked out. He was my oldest friend, but Dillon was his family, and I hated putting him in a tough spot. “All agreed?”
Everyone said, “Yes,” and got up to clear the table and split up.
Knowing we needed to start playing our roles a little more effectively, I took the plate out of Jazzy’s hands and put it back on the table.
When she looked at me, her face full of confusion, I pulled her into my arms and kissed her.
Jasmine hesitated only a second before her arms came around me and I felt her hands in my back pockets. I leaned in closer, deepening the kiss, allowing myself to get swept up as she opened to me.
It was over way to soon and when I pulled back and caught her dazed look, I dropped a kiss on her nose.
“Get a room,” Gabe called, his voice full of laughter.
At least he seemed okay with this sudden turn of events.
“See you later,” I told Jazzy.
She nodded, still dazed.
I turned to Gabe with a grin and said, “Let’s ride some ATVs.”
We left the ladies and walked down a hill, past a bunch more cabins, until we came to a big barn/garage-looking building. Gabe unlocked the door and we pushed the big doors open to reveal a fleet of ATVs, some canoes, paddleboards, kayaks, an old pickup truck, and a couple of Gators.
“Holy shit,” I said, taking it all in.
“Pretty impressive, right?” Dillon said, coming up next to me.
“It’s incredible,” I replied, itching to give them all a try.
“So, I know you were having issues with staying in the country,” he said softly, and I had to make myself not stiffen in response.
Keep it casual.
“Yeah, mate, that’s true. Jazzy and I will have to fill out some paperwork, and maybe do a couple interviews, but I don’t see us running in to any hurdles.”
“Mmmmm,” Dillon muttered, then put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Jasmine deserves a man who’s gonna put her first. A strong guy who can handle an equally strong woman. Someone who understands how much the company means to her, how much she loves her family. A man who won’t expect her to sacrifice anything to make him happy.”
I shifted to look him in the eye.
“Sounds good to me,” I said honestly, my voice friendly, but firm. “I’m that man.”
“I hope so, Shane. I really fucking do.”
He walked inside and Jed meandered over.
“After this, let’s grab those beers and head to the lake. I’ve got to hear the story of how you and Jazzy ended up married.”
“Sounds good to me,” I replied.
“Cool,” Jed said with an easy smile. “Let’s ride.”
Jasmine
“Oh my gosh, wine in the afternoon … are you kidding me?” Chloe moaned as she settled back in the rocking chair and took a sip.
“Oh, I know,” her sister Zoey said as she walked up the steps to my cabin, her hands full of flowers. “Pour me one, will ya?”
“What are you doing with those?” I asked her from my spot next to Rena on the porch swing.
“It’s your honeymoon, isn’t it? These are to help the mood,” Zoey said, waggling her eyebrows.
She was the writer in the family, and ever since she started writing romance, she was all about setting the mood.
“You know I love my children,” Chloe said, her eyes closed as she rocked. “But, you guys, I really needed this.”
“Did I miss anything?” Zoey asked as she slid into the rocking chair next to her sister.
“Nope, we waited, here’s your wine,” Rena said, handing her a glass.
“Thanks.”
“All right, you’ve had enough time, now … spill.”
I looked at my cousin.
“Why are you being like this?” I asked her, trying to deflect since my nerves were eating me up.
“I like Shane. He’s the best. He looks like summer, smells like the beach, and has the sexiest accent in Cherry Springs. Plus, he’s been into you for as long as I’v
e known him. I have no doubt that he is one-hundred percent sincere in his feelings for you.”
“He really is awesome,” Zoey agreed.
“I love him,” Chloe sighed.
“I think you love that wine,” Rena chuckled, refilling Chloe’s glass.
“Then, what’s your problem?” I asked Serena, even though I knew what she was going to say.
“You,” she replied, giving me the side-eye while she took a drink. “You’ve always said there was no way you’d go there with Shane. That he was the worst sort of player. That he didn’t take anything seriously, everything’s a game and comes too easily for him.”
Damn, what, had she been taking notes?
“Well, maybe I changed my mind … finally came to my senses. I mean, you get used to seeing a guy every day and have this idea of what he is in your head, it’s kind of hard to get away from that, you know? Then, one day I opened my eyes, like, really noticed him for who he is, and realized how ignorant I’d been this whole time.”
“Really?” Rena asked drolly.
I looked at Chloe and Zoey, but they also looked kind of skeptical, even though the wine haze.
“Yeah, really, is that so hard to believe? That I’d look beyond my blinders and see Shane for what he is … a terrific guy who’s loyal, funny, loving, and generous?”
I pointed a finger at Rena.
“You hated Jed when you two met. You thought he was a jerk and that he was beneath you.”
I turned to Chloe.
“And you put Reardon in the friend zone the second you met him and didn’t see that he was the one for you until he made it clear that was what he wanted.”
“And you.” I turned to Zoey and shook my head. “Never mind, you practically jumped Gabe the day you met him.”
“This is true,” she said with a satisfied grin.
“But … Laurel and Dillon have been frenemies our whole lives, and he certainly didn’t see her for the wonderful woman she is until I threw them together on that Chicago trip,” I reminded them.
I looked at each of my friends, my family, in the eyes and asked, “So, why can’t I also have opened my eyes to see I had a great man in front of me this whole time?”
They all looked down, thoroughly chastised, and I felt bad. Not bad because anything I said was false, because the more I learned about Shane, the more I realized how true it all was. No, I felt guilty for the lie.
Shit, here I was making them feel guilty for thinking Shane and I had gotten married too fast, and it was all a lie. They were right in their assumptions.
I felt like a jerk.
“You know what, you’re right,” Serena said, her voice low. “No one here but Zoey knew right away that the guys we’re with now were the men of our dreams. I think it’s the fact that you two didn’t just spring on us that you were dating, but that you’re married … That made it so hard to swallow.”
“Yeah, it was fast, but for me it was more the way Reardon reacted to it that put my back up. He’s always so easy going about everything, I worried he knew something about Shane that we didn’t,” Chloe said.
Dang, Chloe’s in tune with her husband. I need to talk to Reardon about putting on a better poker face.
“Well, I for one think it’s fan-tab-u-lous,” Zoey said happily, raising her glass. “To Jazzy and Shane. May they have a lifetime of happiness, and have as much wild sex at Camp Gabriel Lewis as Gabe and I did our first summer together.”
We all started laughing, then Chloe and Rena raised their glasses and repeated, “To Jazzy and Shane.”
We all took a sip and I felt my eyes begin to fill.
“Thanks, you guys,” I said softly, and, not for the first time, wished this thing between Shane and me was real, and we deserved the well wishes from our family and friends.
Shane
After our awesome ride around the camp, I found myself down on the edge of the dock with Jed and Gabe, with a cold beer in my hand and the perfect view of the lake and the large blooming trees surrounding it.
“This place is perfect,” I told Gabe, reveling in the tranquility.
“Thanks,” Gabe replied, tilting his head toward me. “I feel like a dick for never bringing you here before. We had that stupid rule in place about family only, but I could have invited you out one of the other weeks of the summer.”
“Don’t worry about it, mate. I never did. I’m just stoked to be here now,” I assured him.
“And, stoked for the reason as well, I’m sure,” Jed added with a grin.
He lifted his beer to tap it against mine.
“To getting the girl you’ve always wanted,” Jed said. “I always knew you were a lucky bastard.”
“Everyone keeps talking about this ongoing thing you had for Jazzy, how come you never mentioned it?” Gabe asked, not sounding upset, just curious.
I shrugged.
“She made it clear pretty early on she thought I was a wanker. I didn’t want to say anything to you, Dillon, or Rear and potentially cause problems if there was a chance of anything happening anyway. I know how protective you all are of your family.”
“Makes sense,” Gabe replied. “Still, we’ve been friends a long time. I could have handled it. What happens between you and Jazzy is a hundred percent your business, as far as I’m concerned.”
“Thanks, mate, I appreciate ya.”
“So,” Jed began, “I just have to know how it all came about. I mean, last time we talked things between Jazzy were business as usual. You were mooning over her and she was ignoring you. What changed?”
“Well, she came by the bar the other night for dinner, as usual,” I stated, keeping things as close to the truth as I could, as Jazzy and I had discussed. “We were empty and Jasmine was upset, so I sat down and we started talking. Really talking … no jokes, no flirting, no animosity. It was nice … so nice that I got up the nerve to ask her out. Not in the way I usually do, which gets me the eye roll. She could sense my sincerity and said yes. We ended up going to the diner, getting coffee, and staying up all night talking.”
“Jazzy’s good at cutting through bullshit,” Gabe said proudly.
“That’s for sure,” I agreed.
“Then what happened?” Jed asked.
“When did you become such a Kardashian?” I asked him, teasing. “I never knew you were so into gossip.”
“Fuck off … and, finish the story,” he said, tossing back his beer and opening another.
“Keep your pants on, Khloe.” When he didn’t take the bait, I continued, “When she suggested I go with her to Vegas, I was floored.”
“Wait, she suggested Vegas?” Gabe asked.
“Yeah. After all the work they’ve been doing with the expansion, she was feeling burnt out, so she’d decided to take one of their clients up on his offer to take an all-inclusive vacation to Vegas. Since we hit it off so well, I think she asked on a whim, and didn’t expect me to accept. Of course, I did, and the rest … is now history.”
“Wait a minute,” Jed protested. “The rest is not history. You’ve skipped over the part where you went from a nice night of talking to getting married.”
I knew he wouldn’t let me get away with being so vague, but I’d had to try.
“Right, well, we got to know each other more on the flight over, and of course while in Vegas. We did a little gambling, a little shopping, and a lot of eating. We found we’re both foodies at heart, are rabidly loyal, and love to travel. One thing led to another, and without being a knob in front of her cousin, we found that we had chemistry in other areas as well.”
Even though this last had not been confirmed, I knew it was true down to my bones. Jasmine and I would be ridiculous together. I could tell from the brief kisses we’d shared.
“Thanks for sparing me,” Gabe said wryly.
“No problem,” I replied.
“And, so….?” Jed asked, still not satisfied.
“Jesus, mate, you’re like a dog with a bone.”
“And, so, we were high on each other, feeling happy and excited about our relationship, when we walked by a couple who’d just gotten married. We watched them, both of us smiling, and the person in charge saw us. He dared us to step right up and be next. Challenged us to make it official in a simple ceremony that could be performed immediately. Now, call me ignorant, but I had no idea how easy it is to get married in Las Vegas. Everywhere else you have to wait to get paperwork and make things official, but not there. You can literally get married right away.”
I shook my head and grinned, remembering the way it had felt pledge myself to her.
“We were definitely swept up in the moment, but later, when we were on our way home, we realized we had no regrets. Sure, it was completely impulsive and crazy, but, we make each other happy, and I’m excited to spend the rest of my life continuing to be happy and grow together.”
“That’s beautiful, man,” Jed said, his eyes on the water.
“Thanks.”
“I think so too, and I actually think you and Jazzy together are kinda brilliant,” Gabe agreed. “I have to say, though, it may take Dillon a little more time. I’m not sure what Reardon’s deal is, maybe lack of sleep and new parent syndrome, but I know he’ll come around. Dillon’s just always been really protective of Jazzy, which is understandable, since they’ve been together since the womb.”
“Yeah, I get it, and completely understand. I have no doubt he’ll come around once he sees how we are together … how we feel about each other.”
At least, I really hoped so. Jazzy would never be able to be happy with me if her brother was opposed to the idea.
Jasmine
“How was your tour of the camp?” I asked Shane as he walked up the steps to our cabin.
The girls had left a few minutes ago to get ready for the guys to come home. We were all doing our own thing tonight, since we’d all traveled to get here, and everyone was tired. We’d have a big family dinner tomorrow night.
Too Dangerous: The Lewis Cousins, Book 5 Page 6