Текст книги "Faithful"

Автор книги: Kelly Elliott

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Текущая страница: 19 (всего у книги 25 страниц)

I stood there and looked at my beautiful wedding dress hanging up on the door. I closed my eyes and thought about the day I’d found it.

“I don’t want to try on another dress. I’ll just wear jeans!” I said to Ari and Ellie.

Amanda held out another dress. “Oh hell…this is the one, Heather!” she said with a gasp. “Ouch! Motherfucker!”

We all turned and looked at her.

“Big kick!”

I sighed and shook my head. “That was what Ellie said about the last one, and Ari said the same thing about the one before that.”

Amanda handed the dress to Rachael, the sweet, patient girl who had helped me try on at least twenty-five gowns so far.

Okay, so maybe it was only ten, but it was enough to make me hate the color white now.

“Oh! This is a beautiful one.” Rachael hooked my arm and dragged me back into the dressing room.

As she helped me get dressed, I begged her to make it all stop. “Please…Rachael…don’t let them make me try on another dress! I’m starving, and I have twins to feed. I just want to go eat!”

She smiled as she did up the back of the dress. “Do you want another banana, honey?” she asked as her eyes filled with sympathy.

“No. Thank you though.”

When she stepped back, she put her hands to her mouth.

Huh…she hasn’t done that yet.

“Heather, slowly turn around and look.”

I rolled my eyes at her exaggeration about the dress. She was good at it, but this one topped all the others.

When I looked in the mirror, I sucked in a breath of air. “Oh. My. God. I look like a—”

“A princess,” she said.

I felt tears building up in my eyes. I knew why I was being such a brat. I wanted my mother here. I had Ari, Ellie, and Amanda, but it wasn’t the same.

“This one is called the Gemma, and it’s made by—”

I spun around to face her. “What?”

“What?” she said.

“What’s the name of this dress?”

She gave me a confused look. “The Gemma?”

I started to walk past her, heading straight to the girls. As soon as I came out, all three of them gasped.

“Oh my god! Oh my god! That is beautiful. I knew it would look beautiful on you!” Amanda said as she rubbed her stomach.

Ellie clapped, jumping up and down. “Holy hell! That’s perfect, Heather.”

Ari was smiling from ear to ear.

“Ari…” I couldn’t talk.

“Oh, baby girl…that is the dress. See, you’re even crying! They say when you put it on and cry, that’s the dress. Did she cry when she first saw it, Rachael?”

Rachael laughed. “Yes, but she really freaked out when I told her the name of the dress.”

Ellie laughed. “What’s the name?”

“The Gemma.”

I started crying harder. Before I knew it, I was sandwiched between my three best friends.

Amanda looked me in the eyes.

“Did you know?” I asked her.

She shook her head and smiled. “No.”

“Okay, y’all…I’m so confused here,” Rachael said.

Everyone pulled back and turned to face her.

“My parents died in a car accident a few years ago. My mother’s name was Gemma.”

Rachael got tears in her eyes and shook her head. “Motherfucker.”

Ari laughed. “Hell, I knew I liked you for a reason.”

After Rachael got her composure, she began telling us about the dress. “This is a strapless A-line taffeta gown with an exquisite hand-draped sweetheart bodice. The band is garnished with Swarovski crystals with matching floral embroidery and beading throughout the full skirt, corset back bodice, and chapel-length train. It is designed by Sophie Tolli, an Australian designer.”

Ari looked at her and frowned. “Why can’t y’all just say it’s a beautiful dress with crystals wrapping under her breasts—which, by the way, your big-ass tits fill out very well—and it has a gorgeous train? That I get. All that other talk is like wah, wah, wah.”

Poor Rachael. Girl never stood a chance.

“You’re lost in thought, baby girl.” Elizabeth placed her hand on my shoulder.

I smiled. “I was thinking about the day I found this dress.”

“You mean when I found it!” Amanda called out.

Jenny walked up with a huge grin on her face. “It’s time to put it on now, Heather.”

I turned to Elizabeth. “Would you help me?”

She smiled with tears in her eyes. “It would be an honor.”

I took off my robe and looked at myself in the mirror. I placed my hands on my stomach, and I could just barely see a little bump. I glanced at the pale blue strapless bra with the matching panties that Ari had bought and then the matching garter belt that Ellie had given me. The beautiful blue antique hairpin that Amanda had let me borrow looked beautiful in my hair. She said she had worn it on her wedding day, and before her, her mother, grandmother, and great grandmother had worn it on theirs. It held up half of my hair while the other half fell down in soft curls falling around my shoulders.

I reached up to touch it.

“Don’t touch your hair!” Jenny yelled out.

“Do you think Josh will like all of this?” I asked without even thinking that I was asking his mother. “Oh my god! I didn’t mean to ask you that, Elizabeth.” I felt my face flush from embarrassment.

She laughed, looking at my reflection in the mirror. “Sweetheart…I think he’s going to pass out when he takes off your wedding dress.”

I peeked up at her and smiled.

After the dress was on and everyone had smoothed it out, I slipped on a pair of white flip-flops adorned with crystals. They were Ari’s idea since there would be no way I could walk on the beach in heels. Next came my mother’s wedding veil. She had given it to me when I turned eighteen. I smiled as Ari placed it on my head.

“Oh, Heather! It looks beautiful on you,” Ari said.

I tried so hard not to cry.

I glanced over at my three best friends and smiled. They were each dressed in a beautiful light steel blue strapless bodice with a taffeta knee-length skirt.

Jenny walked up and handed each of them a bouquet of bright blue hydrangeas. I smiled because hydrangeas were my mother’s favorite flowers. The stems were wrapped in a beautiful bright blue satin fabric with white lace and silver accents. Then, she turned and handed me my bouquet.

I sucked in a breath of air. “Oh, Jenny! It’s beautiful.” I fought to hold back the tears.

The bouquet was filled with light blue hydrangeas and white roses. The stems were wrapped in a white silk fabric and pinned with mother-of-pearl pins.

“Jenny, did you make these?” I asked.

She nodded.

“Thank you so much. All I had to do was leave the flowers up to you, and I knew you wouldn’t let me down. How did you know about the hydrangeas?”

“I asked Ellie.” Jenny smiled over toward Ellie.

I walked over to Ellie and hugged her. “Thank you, sweets,” I whispered.

“I love you, Heather,” Ellie whispered back.

I pulled back and stared at the three of them for a few seconds. “Y’all ready to do this?”

Ari laughed. “The question is…are you?”

“Never been more ready in my entire life.”

Jenny turned to me. “You have your vows written down?”

“Um…I decided to just wing it.”

“What?” all four of them said at the same time.

Elizabeth started laughing.

“Oh. My. God. Heather! It was your idea to say your own vows. Poor Josh probably spent days on his, and you’re going to just wing it?” Amanda said.

I laughed as I shook my head and started toward the door. I stopped and turned to them. “I’ll bet each of y’all that he doesn’t have his vows written down. He’s going to do the same thing as me.”

“Shit, I’ll take you up on that. A hundred bucks says that boy pulls out a piece of paper or stumbles on his words ’cause he forgot them,” Ari said with a laugh.

“I’m in,” Ellie said.

“Oh hell yes! I’m in, and I’ll double that shit!” Amanda said.

Jenny laughed. “Come on, ladies. Let’s get a move on, shall we?”

Amanda walked out first, then Ari followed, and Ellie was last.

Ellie turned and kissed me on the cheek. “They’re with you, sweets,” she whispered in my ear.

I smiled and nodded. “I know. I feel them with me.”

I watched as Ellie started to walk around the corner. I took a deep breath, looked up, and saw Josh’s dad standing there.

“Greg, what are you doing here?”

He smiled as he came up to me. “Heather, you’re breathtaking. Josh is going to…well, to be blunt and honest, he’s going to shit his pants when he sees you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I hope he has a reaction but not quite like that.”

“Josh didn’t want you walking down the aisle alone, so he asked me if I would do the honors.”

I felt tears building in my eyes. Thank God I have on waterproof makeup. “I would love that,” I barely got out in a whisper.

“You ready, baby girl?”

I nodded as I took his arm. We rounded the corner, and I didn’t look up until we were out on the light blue runner. The moment I lifted my head, the only person I saw was Josh. I sucked in a breath of air as I looked at him.

“Oh. My. God. He looks amazing,” I whispered.

Greg laughed. “He does look pretty sharp, doesn’t he?”

I turned to Greg and smiled. “Just like his father.”

“Now, you’re just suckin’ up to find out where he’s taking you!”

I laughed as I put my eyes back on the love of my life. My heart started beating faster, and the butterflies were going crazy in my stomach. He looks so handsome…and hot as hell!

He was dressed in a white button-down shirt with a light blue tie and white linen pants. When I looked down at his feet, I busted out laughing.

“He has on flips-flops, Greg!”

“He said if you got to wear comfortable shoes, so did he.”

The chairs were all covered in a light blue fabric with white bows. At the end of the aisle, there was a small makeshift tent made from white lace fabric with a table under it. The table had four beautiful vases with light blue candles in them.

When we walked up, Greg placed my hand in Josh’s hand, and Josh just stared at me. I saw the tears in his eyes, and I did everything I could to hold mine back.

Gunner leaned forward and bumped Josh. “Josh…”

Everyone started laughing.

Josh looked me up and down and then stared into my eyes as he shook his head. “You’re so beautiful. You leave me speechless, princess.”

Greg said, “Damn, I taught that boy good.”

I turned to Greg as Elizabeth smacked him on the arm.

I smiled and looked back at Josh. I never stopped gazing into his eyes. I barely even heard the preacher talking.

“Josh, Heather, are you ready to say your vows?”

Gunner had to snap us out of our endless staring contest.

“Josh, say your vows,” Gunner said.

“Heather, first, I just need to say…wow…baby, you look beautiful.”

I smiled. “So do you!”

Then, he squeezed my hands and gave me that smile that drove me mad. “I didn’t write down any vows because I wanted to speak straight from my heart.”

Yes! I just won four hundred bucks!

“The first time I ever saw you, something happened inside of me. The only thing that was important to me was to get to know you more. I wanted to see you smile that beautiful smile of yours, hear that amazing laugh, and see those beautiful blue eyes light up. The first time you touched me, I wasn’t really sure what happened. I’d never felt the things I felt when I was around you. I just knew I wanted to feel that way for the rest of my life.”

I felt a tear rolling down my cheek as I watched one roll down his face. He’s really going to be mine—forever.

“I want to wake up every morning and see your beautiful face looking back at mine. I want to go to sleep every night to the taste of your sweet lips on mine. I want to watch you with our kids and see what an amazing mom you’ll be. I want to sit on our front porch every night and tell you how much I love you.”

I started to cry harder. I’m never going to be able to say my vows now.

“Princess, you’re the air I breathe. I’d be completely lost without you. I love you so much.” His voice cracked, and he smiled. “I’ll love you until the day I take my last breath, and I’ll be forever faithful to you.”

When he finished, I glanced up at Gunner. He looked like a proud father who had just given birth.

I looked into Josh’s eyes. I was about to start talking when…I went blank.

Nothing. Oh my god. I wonder if I can just say ditto? I can’t breathe. Oh shit! This was my idea.

Josh gave me the sweetest, most beautiful smile ever.

Breathe, princess.

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Josh, as I stand before you, my heart is filled with so much love that it scares me sometimes. I love you so much, and I need you so much more. The first time I saw you, I instantly felt something deep down inside. I fought it for so long until I realized that without you in my life…I had no life. When I close my eyes each night, I thank God for you. You rescued me and showed me that it was okay to live again, to want to be happy again. I’ve never been so happy in my entire life. I can’t wait to spend every minute of my life with you. I can’t wait to put up that fence and get you your dog.”

Josh started laughing as he shook his head.

“I can’t wait to watch your business grow as I stand by your side and support you one hundred percent. I want to hear the first sounds of our children with you. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for loving me and for giving me hope again. I love you so much, Josh. I’ll always love you…for infinity.”

I watched as a tear rolled down his face. I reached up and wiped it away as he grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it.

Never in my life would I ever again feel as happy as I do right now.

Josh and I decided to have all our pictures taken on the beach. We did pictures with our family, friends, and the wedding party. Then, the photographer told us to have fun. That was all Josh had to hear. He picked me and carried me into the surf.

“Oh my god, Josh! My dress!” I screamed.

He laughed. I looked back at Ari, Ellie, and Amanda as they were all just laughing, too.

He started to kiss me as he slowly lowered me into the water. I completely forgot about everything but the love of my life, who was kissing me so passionately that I almost started crying. When he started to drop to his knees, I did also. I could feel the surf crashing up on us.

He cupped his hands on my face and slightly pulled away as he rested his forehead on mine. “My god, I love you.”

I smiled as a wave crashed into me, pushing me against him. We both started laughing.

“Josh, you’re soaking wet!” I said with a giggle.

He pushed pieces of hair away from my eyes and laughed. “So are you, princess.”

I wasn’t sure how long we were sitting in the surf, just kissing and talking.

The photographer cleared her throat. “Josh and Heather, I think I got some wonderful shots. Shall we move to the reception now?”

I looked up at her and then over to our friends. Ellie was crying, and Ari and Amanda were smiling from ear to ear.

I glanced back at Josh and smiled. “What am I going to wear to the reception?”

He gave me that drop-dead gorgeous smile of his. “I bought you a dress for the reception. I also had Ari buy you double of what you’re wearing under your dress.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

I shook my head and giggled as I looked over at Ari. She was dancing with Jeff. I could hear the music from the reception, and I could see some of the tables outside on the patio and the beach.

“Did you plan this?”

“Yep. I thought they would make some badass wedding pictures.”

I slammed my body into his and hugged him. “Oh my god. I love you, Joshua Michael Hayes.”

As Josh and I walked into the reception room, I let out a gasp. We had both agreed we wanted to see it for the first time together.

“Oh, wow. It’s beautiful!” I said.

“Wow!” Josh let out a laugh.

The tables were covered with white lace and a beautiful light blue fabric runner. Each table had clear vases filled with sand, shells, and white candles in the center along with the most gorgeous arrangements of flowers I’d ever seen. White lights were everywhere. There was a table off in the corner covered with tiny white chair picture frames. Some had a picture of Josh and me, and the others had our wedding date.

I looked over at the wedding cakes. There was a white three-tier cake with white and light blue seashells cover it. I smiled at how Jenny had included every single thing I’d requested. I noticed the cupcake display, and I grinned as I saw the light blue cupcakes with the letters J and H surrounded by a heart on top of each one. Josh hadn’t wanted a groom’s cake, so we went with the cupcakes. I loved them. They were perfect.

When I turned to look at Josh, he had the biggest smile on his face.

“Damn, that girl is worth every dime we paid her!” he said with a laugh.

“Yes. Yes, she is. Do you like everything?”

He looked at me and laughed. “Princess, I would have been happy with anything. As long as I was the one putting this ring on your finger, I would have worn a box if you told me to.”

I smiled as I reached up and kissed him. “Thank you for this beautiful dress.”

He wiggled his eyebrows up and down and winked at me. “The best part will be taking you out of it.”

“Alright, y’all. Get your horny asses in there, and greet your guests,” Gunner said. He walked up and kissed me on the cheek.

Josh grabbed my hand, and we made our way into the room.

I took a deep breath and let it out. Everything was going too smoothly. I had a feeling in my gut that something was going to happen. I just didn’t know what or who it would be.

I watched as Heather moved from person to person. She was smiling, laughing, and just being Heather. I’d never met anyone who could be so damn polite with such Southern charm.

Fuck, I love her more than life itself…and she’s all mine.

“Dude, you better stop eyeing your wife like you want to devour her. These old folks might start talking,” Jeff said as he handed me a beer.

I looked around. The wedding reception was perfect. The room led to an outdoor covered patio right on the beach. I watched as Matt played with Luke and a few of Heather’s cousins’ kids. My mother was talking to Sue and Grace while Emma was talking to Sharon.

“Dude, thanks for inviting my mom at the last minute,” Jeff said.

I smiled at him. “Christ, Jeff, you know I’d do anything for you and Ellie. I’m just glad to see she’s clean and back in your world.” I glanced over, and Sharon was holding a sleeping Alex while she was laughing at something Emma had said.

I looked back over toward Heather. “I can’t believe she’s mine.” She was breathtaking in her dress. I just want to see what’s under it.

“There goes that look again. Dude…how fucking horny are you? I thought I was bad,” Jeff said.

I threw my head back and laughed. “Ah shit, Jeff. I’ve never been so happy in my life. I thank God every day that I got a second chance with her. I feel closer to her now than I did before the accident, and I didn’t think that was even possible.”

“Man, I totally get what you mean. After Ari lost the baby, we grew so far apart, but once we got things worked out, it was like we were closer than ever. Even now, I feel like I fall in love with her more every day.”

I glanced over at Brad and Amanda dancing. She looked so happy and relaxed.

“Did Brad talk to you and Gunner?” I asked.

“About staying?”

“Yeah.”

Jeff smiled and nodded. “I was so fucking happy that I almost kissed his ass.”

I let out a laugh.

Gunner walked up and sat on the other side of me. “Heather just offered me four hundred dollars to tell her where you’re taking her on your honeymoon.”

I snapped my head over to Gunner. “What? Are you kidding me?” I laughed. “That girl loves surprises, but she can’t ever be patient enough for them.” I shook my head as I watched Heather, Ellie, and Ari all make their way over to us.

“Jesus H. Christ. How in the hell did we get so lucky with them?” Gunner asked.

Jeff and I just shook our heads.

“Hell if I know, but I’m sure glad we did.” I said. I smiled as Heather came and sat down on my lap.

“I love you,” she whispered against my ear. “It’s almost time for our dance.”

I looked into her eyes. “You want to know what song I picked, don’t you?”

She sighed and nodded. “Yes!”

“Oh, stop being such a brat, Heather. You told Josh he could pick the song. He won’t let you down. If he does, I’ll junk punch him,” Ari said.

I turned toward her. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Ari.”

She shrugged and winked at me. “Anytime, sweets!”

I saw my father walking to the middle of the dance floor with a microphone.

“Can I have everyone’s attention, please?” He looked over toward Heather and me and smiled just a bit. “I’ve been told that the first dance as husband and wife is coming up, but another dance needs to be done first.”

I felt Heather stiffen in my arms.

My dad made his way to us and looked down at Heather. “Heather, from the moment you stepped foot inside our world, I have loved you like a daughter. So much so that I’ve wanted to kick my own son in the ass when I thought he had hurt you in some way or another.”

Everyone let out a laugh, and I hugged Heather tighter.

He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I could never, ever replace your father, and I would never want to. I feel it so deep inside of me that he would want you to have your father-daughter dance at your wedding.”

When Heather’s body jerked just a little, I knew she was trying to hold back from crying.

My dad reached out his hand for Heather’s. “It would be my honor…”

She slowly stood up and reached for his hand as he handed me the microphone. When they started heading out toward the dance floor, she looked back at me. I felt like someone had just kicked me in the stomach. The look of pain on her face about killed me.

My dad said something to Heather, and she snapped her head up to him. Then, Faith Hill’s “There You’ll Be” started to play. I watched as Heather buried her head into my father’s chest and grabbed on to his shirt. I heard as Ellie and Ari started crying.

“This song was played at Heather’s parents funeral,” Amanda said to Brad.

Jesus…all I want to do is take away her pain. My sweet, beautiful girl.

I promise you…I’ll never let anyone or anything hurt her—ever. I’ll always love and protect your daughter. I promise.

I watched as my dad talked to Heather. She nodded once but kept her head buried in his chest. My heart started beating faster, and I felt my chest moving up and down. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I just let the tears fall.

Gunner put his hand on my shoulder.

“I’d do anything to bring her parents back for her. I wish I could take away her pain. I’d take it in a heartbeat and not think twice about it.”

“I know you would, Josh, and she knows that, too. All she needs is for you to just love her.”

I looked at Gunner and then back out to the dance floor. Just then, our eyes met. The tears falling down her face made me sick to my stomach.

“Fuck.”

Gunner squeezed my shoulder. “Smile at her, Josh.”

I did exactly what Gunner had said. She slowly smiled back as the song ended.

“Go to her, dude.”

I stood up and started to walk out onto the dance floor. As soon as I got to her, she turned and slammed into my body. My dad put his hand on my back, and then he turned and walked away.

“I love you, princess. I love you so damn much, and I wish I could take away every ounce of pain.”

When her eyes met mine, I wiped away her tears.

“Would it make you feel better if I told you where we’re going for our honeymoon?”

She smiled the biggest smile ever. “Yes! Plus, it’ll save me four hundred dollars,” she said with a giggle.

The DJ announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, I think it’s time for Mr. and Mrs. Hayes’ first dance as a married couple. Heather, Josh wanted to say a few words to you before the song.”

I saw her eyes building with tears again.

“No more sad tears, baby. It’s only happy tears from now on, okay?”

She nodded and smiled.

“I didn’t think I would ever find love, but you proved me wrong, Heather. You said I rescued you, but you rescued me when you walked into my life.”

I placed my hands on her face, leaned down, and kissed her so softly on the lips. I slowly pulled away as Lila McCann’s “When You Walked into My Life” started to play. I put my forehead against hers and sang along with the lyrics as we started to dance.

When my princess started crying, I captured her lips with mine. She wrapped her arms around me and held on to me so tightly. My chest felt like it was going to explode at any moment with all the love I felt for this girl.

I’ll always love her. I’ll always protect her. I promise you.

She pulled away from my lips and smiled as she let out a little giggle. “I kinda think you got Gunner beat in the whole romance department.”

“Fuck yeah, I do!”

We both laughed as I glanced over at Gunner. I looked back at her and put my hand on the side of her face. “I love you. I’ll always love and protect you, princess.”

“Forever?”

I pulled her closer to me. “Forever plus infinity.”