Forever Mason, page 25
“Coat room? Do I even want to know?”
Nick laughs and shakes his head. “So why the melodramatic look?”
“Liam’s gone,” I tell him. “Bailed weeks into our freshman year and hasn’t been back. He’s some rock star Aerosmith wanna be now.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Nick shakes his head. He leans forward and looks at Noah, who’s throwing his football around, and then back at me. “Liam’s gone?”
“Yep.”
“And he just left his kid?”
I shrug and wonder if I should tell Nick or not about my trip to Los Angeles. I haven’t told the girls because I don’t want them to know I let them down. “He doesn’t know he has a kid. Showed up one night, broke up with Josie, and then we hear him on the radio.” I pick Noah up and let him stand on my legs. He’s bouncing up and down, drooling and saying, “Dada.”
“Unc,” I say each time he says dada. “Unc.” But Noah doesn’t listen and keeps saying dada. One day a week, he goes to daycare, and that’s where we think he picked it up, but he also calls Katelyn mama, so maybe it’s just a baby thing. I turn him to face Nick. “Noah, this is my friend Nick. Can you say hi?” I hold him with one hand and wave with my other.
Noah lifts his chubby hand, turns it toward himself, and waves. We’re working on it, but it’s cute and makes me smile. Then, Noah does the unthinkable and calls Nick, “Dada.”
“Sorry about that. We think he thinks all men are his dada.”
“No problem,” Nick says as he reaches out to touch Noah’s nose. “He’s cute.”
“He is, but he’s also a handful. However, I wouldn’t trade my situation for anything right now. I love this little guy so much.” I give him a little wiggle, and he laughs. “Hey, Noah. High five.” Noah raises his hand and touches my open palm. We’re still working on this too, but he’s almost got it mastered. “That’s my boy!” Noah giggles and tells me that he wants down. He doesn’t wait for me to acknowledge his request and launches himself toward the couch. I hold him until he lands on the cushion, and then he slides off. He waves to me and says, “Bye-bye.”
“Bye, see ya,” I tell him.
“Where’s he going?” Nick asks.
“Beats me. There are gates up everywhere, so he can’t get far. We’ve done as much baby proofing as possible, but he still manages to get into things. I definitely can’t take my eyes off him.” We’re quiet for a minute, and then I ask Nick, “So, what brings you to town?”
“I’ve got a week off, and I thought I’d come back and see what everyone’s doing.”
“Just living life.”
“So, you and Katelyn are getting married?”
“Yeah, I asked her last summer, and she said yes. I thought we’d wait until graduation, but she doesn’t want to. Her parents aren’t exactly on board, so I think this is her way of showing them that she’s old enough to make her own decisions.”
“Will Josie be there?”
I nod.
“With a date?”
I shake my head slowly. “Nope, she hasn’t dated anyone since Liam left.”
“Huh,” he says as he brings his bottle of beer to his lips.
My dad helps me tie my bowtie, and once he’s done, my mom makes sure it’s straight. We’re in the room off to the side of the altar. My dad calls it the antechamber, but my mom argues with him that the antechamber is the room outside of the church's double doors before you get outside. I stand there, not caring because in a few minutes, I’m going to walk out of this room with my dad by my side and wait for my bride to come down the aisle. My parents want everything to be perfect, and from the way things seem to be, I think they are. They don’t understand that Katelyn could roller skate down the aisle, and I’d be happy, just as long as she is there to marry me.
“After the ceremony, the car will take you to the Town Hall. There will be food and dancing, and then the presents will be put into our car, and then tomorrow the kids will come over and open them.”
I stand there staring at my mom. “Mom?”
“What?” She looks at me oddly, and then her eyes glance at my dad.
“You’re talking to yourself,” my dad says, he touches her arm softly, and she smiles. Except, I don’t buy it. The other day when I showed up at the house, she didn’t hear me come in, and before I could alert her to my presence, I caught her talking. She went through the entire process of how to wash and dry a plate and never realized I was there. When she turned and saw me, I expected her to jump because she was scared, but she stood there, turned back to her sink, and continued talking. It took me a good minute of calling her name to get her attention. I told my dad, and he said he’d make an appointment for her.
The door opens, and I tear my eyes away from my parents and nod toward the minister. “It’s time, Mason.”
I clap my hands together, kiss my mom’s cheek, and then head to the door. There are a few people in the pews, maybe fifty or so, but I’m most surprised to see Katelyn’s parents sitting in the front row. We don’t make eye contact. They don’t want to be here any more than I want them here. But at least they decided to show up for their only daughter.
My dad seats my mom in the front row, next to Josie’s parents, and then stands next to me. “Do you have the rings?”
He pats his pockets more times than I think necessary and then smiles. “Right here, son. Don’t worry. I won’t let you down.”
No, he won’t. I know I’ve always said Liam Westbury was my best friend, but in truth, it was my dad. He’s always had my back and never made me feel like I wasn’t important or that I didn’t matter.
When the music starts, I stand a bit straighter until I see Noah coming down the aisle. He’s carrying, or supposed to be carrying, a satin pillow. Thankfully, Josie had the keen sense of mind to give my dad the rings otherwise who knows where Noah would put them. I crouch down and say, “Little Man.”
Noah’s eyes meet mine, and he comes running to me. He falls, tripping over the carpet, and Nick is there to help him up. Once he’s on his feet again, he’s coming full force toward me. After we high five, Mrs. Preston calls him toward her, which is even more exciting for Noah. He loves his grandparents. Having a toddler at your wedding isn’t ideal, but neither is getting married in college, yet here we are. When the invites went out, we got so many calls asking if Katelyn was pregnant. Shame that this was the first thing people thought when they received their invitation.
Josie comes down the aisle in a light pink dress that matches the color of the flowers. She winks at me when she passes by and stands off to the side. Noah calls out her name and then proudly announces that his papa is here. Everyone in the church laughs.
The music changes, and everyone stands. I wait for the doors to open, to reveal my bride, and when they do, I’m left speechless. Katelyn walks toward me in her lacy white gown, holding a bouquet of roses and other flowers. I have no idea what they’re called, but they make her happy, and that makes me happy. Her hair is down—my favorite. She takes each step toward me with a smile that seems to grow wider the closer she gets to the altar.
I glance at her father, who’s sitting by her mother. I don’t know the entire story but do know he said he would walk her down the aisle, and she chose to walk by herself. I have a feeling there was an ultimatum attached to his offer and she wanted nothing to do with it.
“Wow,” I say when she stands in front of me. “You’re so beautiful.” I dab the wetness from my eyes.
“You’re pretty handsome, yourself.”
“Oh yeah, think you want to marry me?”
“Yeah, I think I do.”
“Good thing since we’re standing in front of our friends and family.”
“Good thing,” she says.
The minister approaches, and everyone sits. He goes into his spiel, reminding everyone why we’re gathered this Saturday. He talks about the love Katelyn and I share for each other, how we met when we were freshmen, but I took my sweet time figuring out she was flirting with me. This makes everyone laugh. Even me. He tells of our journey, from dating to college to helping our best friend traverse through being a single-parent, and how we’ve grown closer with each passing day. I wink at Katelyn, and her face lights up. The minister tells us to join hands, and Katelyn hands her bouquet to Josie, who designed it for her best friend.
We join hands and listen to the minister talk to us about love, commitment, and always being open and honest with each other. He tells me I need to remember to pick up my shoes and socks, to always tell Katelyn she’s right, even when she’s wrong, and to always kiss her goodnight. To Katelyn, he says that to be fair, she should let me be right sometimes. Again, we laugh.
We repeat our vows. We decided on the traditional route because the things we’d say to each other are said in our bedroom. There are some things I want to leave in the privacy of our home. When all is said and done, I put her wedding band on her finger, and she’s slips one onto mine, and we’re instructed to kiss.
“It gives me great honor to introduce for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Mason Powell.” Our hands go up, I kiss her again, and then we walk down the aisle to our friends and family clapping. When we get to the double doors, I pick her up and twirl her around.
“I love you, Mrs. Powell.”
“More than words, Mr. Powell.”
Thirty-Seven
The balloons, streamers, and banners announcing, “Just Married” and “Mr. & Mrs. Powell” cover every free inch of the basement in Town Hall. There are poster boards filled with pictures of Katelyn and me, through the years, and even some of us as babies. I’m not sure who procured those but seeing Katelyn as a baby gives me a lot of hope that our future children will be beautiful.
The photographer tries to be as stealthy as possible, but after posing for photos for the past hour, I’m tired, hungry, and I want him to go away so I can enjoy a moment with my bride. The duties of being a groom are exhausting. Pose, shake hands, hug, thank everyone for coming and kiss your bride each time someone hits their fork against their glass. I’m not complaining about having to kiss Katelyn, because believe me, I’m going to kiss her for the rest of my life, but this guy wants to sit down and relax and put some food in his mouth before he keels over.
Still, I wouldn’t trade today for anything in the world. I don’t think I’ve smiled more any other time in my life, and I’m smiling because of my beautiful bride, knowing she chose me to spend the rest of her life with.
Josie, Noah, and Nick are sitting with Katelyn and me. Noah sits on Josie’s lap while she feeds him or at least tries to. He’s not being overly cooperative and is probably as tired as I am. When he cries out, Mrs. Preston rushes over and tells us they’re going home and that’ll keep Noah for the night. Josie thanks her mom and then sits back in her seat with an audible sigh. I’m not surprised to see Nick sitting next to Josie. I swear his face lit up like a Christmas tree when he found out she was single. I know he’s been waiting a long time to ask her out, but I have my reservations. He’s sort of a dog and likes to hook up, at least from what he’s said in the past. If he’s going to put the moves on Josie, we’re going to have a serious talk. She can’t afford to have her heart broken again. Honestly, I’m not sure she’s ready to move on. Liam’s absence these past two years has really done a number on her. I’m not sure her heart will ever heal from the damage he’s caused, and I’m not confident Nick is the one to try and fix her. Something tells me her savior needs to be someone who doesn’t know her as Liam’s girlfriend from Beaumont. The less they know about her past, I think the better off they’ll be.
“Let’s dance.” Katelyn places her hand on my forearm, pulling me from my thoughts. “I want to dance with my husband.”
Husband. Wow, it’s amazing how a word can change everything.
Taking her hand in mine, I kiss it and then stand, pulling her up with me. I lead us onto the floor where only a few people are dancing. As soon as she’s in my arms, I hold her close and let the music wash over us. We sway back and forth as we stare into each other’s eyes.
“I love you.”
“You make me so happy, Mason.” Her fingers caress the nape of my neck. Katelyn has no idea of the sheer amount of joy she brings to my life. Who knew that at fifteen, we’d find each other and never look back?
“You’re my life, Katelyn. It’ll be yours forever.”
Others join us on the floor. I glance around, enjoying our friends and family as they celebrate the love Katelyn and I share for each other. Josie and Nick dance with each other. As much as I hate to say it, they look cute together, and she’s smiling. I haven’t seen her genuinely smile in a long time. Maybe he is the answer to her heartache, the one who can heal her and help her move on. I think if he can change his ways, he could be good for her, as long as he’s good for Noah. They’re a packaged deal—which I suspect he knows—and there is no way in hell I’m going to let anyone hurt either of them.
The night winds down, and it’s time for Katelyn and me to leave. We’re not going anywhere for our honeymoon. However, we have a hotel room for the night—the bridal suite at Beaumont’s version of the Plaza. The hotel is by far the nicest thing we have in town, and it beats the no tell motel that sits off the highway.
Everyone gathers outside and creates an aisle for us. They throw birdseed and cheer as we walk past them. When we get to the end, Katelyn tosses her bouquet to Josie and then yells, “You’re next,” much to Josie’s horror-stricken face.
“I think you just gave her a heart attack and Nick some hope. You’re evil,” I say quietly to my wife as I lead her to the car. She laughs and gets in the front seat of the small Honda we were able to buy thanks to its low payments. I don’t know who decorated the car, but they did a stand-up job. There are beer cans on the ground, streamers coming from the trunk, and “Just Married” in white writing written on every window possible. Exactly what I wanted.
Katelyn rolls the window down and leans out. “I love all of you.” I pull away, but that’s not enough for her to get in and sit down. She stays where she is and yells, “I am married!” until everyone is out of sight.
I pick her hand up and kiss it. “Are you happy?”
“So happy,” she says as she rolls her window up. “What a perfect day. No drama. I wasn’t a bridezilla, and everyone we wanted to be there came along.”
I nod in agreement.
“And you know what?”
“What’s that, my love?”
“I think Josie and Nick are going to make a great couple.” I give her a sideways glance but don’t say anything. “She likes him, and he’s going to be a doctor so he can take care of her and Noah and give her a good life.”
“We’ll see.”
Katelyn shakes her head. “Nothing to see, they’re going out tomorrow before Nick goes back to school, and he’s already told her when he’ll be back next. I think he’s going to seize the opportunity.”
As much as I like Nick, I’m not so sure about this. The thing is, why shouldn’t I be supportive? My best friend ditched out on a life with Josie, I should want her to be happy, and if it’s Nick that can do that, it shouldn’t matter what I think.
But I wonder . . . what could’ve been.
When we get to the hotel and out of the car, I pull Katelyn into my arms right there. I don’t care who’s watching or who might see us. I can’t stand not to be kissing her right now.
“Ready to check-in, Mrs. Powell?”
Katelyn gives me a wide grin right before my lips claim hers. “I love the sound of that. Say it again.”
“Mrs. Powell,” I say it as many times as she wants as long as she continues to smile at me like the way she is now. There’s a glint in her eye. She has a plan, which makes me wonder what she has tucked away in her overnight bag. Is she going to wear something I have to untie?
Once we check-in, we head to the top floor, where the view is supposed to take our breath away. I open the door, keeping my hand on it, so she has time to walk in. She gasps and says, “Oh, Mason.”
The large window is open, and sure enough, the lights of Beaumont give the room the perfect glow. There are roses on the side table, along with a bottle of champagne, two flutes, and a tray of fruit, crackers, and cheeses. I set our bags down by the dresser, wrap my arms around my wife, and rest my head on her shoulder. We stand there, staring at the town we grew up in, the place where we’ll live and raise our family.
“So, wanna turn the game on?” I ask, breaking the silence. To be honest, I don’t even know what kind of game is on.
Katelyn turns in my arms. I expect her to chastise me, but she doesn’t. She trails her fingertips down the side of my face and then rises on her tippy toes to kiss me. I let her lead, giving her all the control. She deepens the kiss, and I think, this is it, this is the moment that will bind us together forever. When she pulls away, my lips follow her, and she laughs.
“I want to wear something special for tonight,” she tells me.
“But if I’m just going to take it off, why put it on?” The logic makes sense to me.
“Because I want you to see how sexy you make me feel.”
I nod and let go of her, even though the only thing I want to do is lead her to the bed and make love to her. Katelyn steps away and takes her overnight bag into the bathroom. With the door closed and not knowing how long she’ll be in there, I start to undress. I put my jacket on the back of the chair and undo my cufflinks and the first few buttons of my shirt. I also unhook my pants because they’re a little tight, and I have a feeling that whatever Katelyn wears for me tonight is going to cause a growth in my slacks.
Katelyn comes out of the bathroom in a long white nightgown. It looks like satin or silk. Not that I would know the difference. There’s a slit that goes all the way to her hip bone. She stalks toward me, methodically putting one foot in front of the other. The slow, languish pace gives me ample time to undress her with my eyes. She’s mouthwatering and the most gorgeous woman I have ever laid my eyes on.
Nick laughs and shakes his head. “So why the melodramatic look?”
“Liam’s gone,” I tell him. “Bailed weeks into our freshman year and hasn’t been back. He’s some rock star Aerosmith wanna be now.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Nick shakes his head. He leans forward and looks at Noah, who’s throwing his football around, and then back at me. “Liam’s gone?”
“Yep.”
“And he just left his kid?”
I shrug and wonder if I should tell Nick or not about my trip to Los Angeles. I haven’t told the girls because I don’t want them to know I let them down. “He doesn’t know he has a kid. Showed up one night, broke up with Josie, and then we hear him on the radio.” I pick Noah up and let him stand on my legs. He’s bouncing up and down, drooling and saying, “Dada.”
“Unc,” I say each time he says dada. “Unc.” But Noah doesn’t listen and keeps saying dada. One day a week, he goes to daycare, and that’s where we think he picked it up, but he also calls Katelyn mama, so maybe it’s just a baby thing. I turn him to face Nick. “Noah, this is my friend Nick. Can you say hi?” I hold him with one hand and wave with my other.
Noah lifts his chubby hand, turns it toward himself, and waves. We’re working on it, but it’s cute and makes me smile. Then, Noah does the unthinkable and calls Nick, “Dada.”
“Sorry about that. We think he thinks all men are his dada.”
“No problem,” Nick says as he reaches out to touch Noah’s nose. “He’s cute.”
“He is, but he’s also a handful. However, I wouldn’t trade my situation for anything right now. I love this little guy so much.” I give him a little wiggle, and he laughs. “Hey, Noah. High five.” Noah raises his hand and touches my open palm. We’re still working on this too, but he’s almost got it mastered. “That’s my boy!” Noah giggles and tells me that he wants down. He doesn’t wait for me to acknowledge his request and launches himself toward the couch. I hold him until he lands on the cushion, and then he slides off. He waves to me and says, “Bye-bye.”
“Bye, see ya,” I tell him.
“Where’s he going?” Nick asks.
“Beats me. There are gates up everywhere, so he can’t get far. We’ve done as much baby proofing as possible, but he still manages to get into things. I definitely can’t take my eyes off him.” We’re quiet for a minute, and then I ask Nick, “So, what brings you to town?”
“I’ve got a week off, and I thought I’d come back and see what everyone’s doing.”
“Just living life.”
“So, you and Katelyn are getting married?”
“Yeah, I asked her last summer, and she said yes. I thought we’d wait until graduation, but she doesn’t want to. Her parents aren’t exactly on board, so I think this is her way of showing them that she’s old enough to make her own decisions.”
“Will Josie be there?”
I nod.
“With a date?”
I shake my head slowly. “Nope, she hasn’t dated anyone since Liam left.”
“Huh,” he says as he brings his bottle of beer to his lips.
My dad helps me tie my bowtie, and once he’s done, my mom makes sure it’s straight. We’re in the room off to the side of the altar. My dad calls it the antechamber, but my mom argues with him that the antechamber is the room outside of the church's double doors before you get outside. I stand there, not caring because in a few minutes, I’m going to walk out of this room with my dad by my side and wait for my bride to come down the aisle. My parents want everything to be perfect, and from the way things seem to be, I think they are. They don’t understand that Katelyn could roller skate down the aisle, and I’d be happy, just as long as she is there to marry me.
“After the ceremony, the car will take you to the Town Hall. There will be food and dancing, and then the presents will be put into our car, and then tomorrow the kids will come over and open them.”
I stand there staring at my mom. “Mom?”
“What?” She looks at me oddly, and then her eyes glance at my dad.
“You’re talking to yourself,” my dad says, he touches her arm softly, and she smiles. Except, I don’t buy it. The other day when I showed up at the house, she didn’t hear me come in, and before I could alert her to my presence, I caught her talking. She went through the entire process of how to wash and dry a plate and never realized I was there. When she turned and saw me, I expected her to jump because she was scared, but she stood there, turned back to her sink, and continued talking. It took me a good minute of calling her name to get her attention. I told my dad, and he said he’d make an appointment for her.
The door opens, and I tear my eyes away from my parents and nod toward the minister. “It’s time, Mason.”
I clap my hands together, kiss my mom’s cheek, and then head to the door. There are a few people in the pews, maybe fifty or so, but I’m most surprised to see Katelyn’s parents sitting in the front row. We don’t make eye contact. They don’t want to be here any more than I want them here. But at least they decided to show up for their only daughter.
My dad seats my mom in the front row, next to Josie’s parents, and then stands next to me. “Do you have the rings?”
He pats his pockets more times than I think necessary and then smiles. “Right here, son. Don’t worry. I won’t let you down.”
No, he won’t. I know I’ve always said Liam Westbury was my best friend, but in truth, it was my dad. He’s always had my back and never made me feel like I wasn’t important or that I didn’t matter.
When the music starts, I stand a bit straighter until I see Noah coming down the aisle. He’s carrying, or supposed to be carrying, a satin pillow. Thankfully, Josie had the keen sense of mind to give my dad the rings otherwise who knows where Noah would put them. I crouch down and say, “Little Man.”
Noah’s eyes meet mine, and he comes running to me. He falls, tripping over the carpet, and Nick is there to help him up. Once he’s on his feet again, he’s coming full force toward me. After we high five, Mrs. Preston calls him toward her, which is even more exciting for Noah. He loves his grandparents. Having a toddler at your wedding isn’t ideal, but neither is getting married in college, yet here we are. When the invites went out, we got so many calls asking if Katelyn was pregnant. Shame that this was the first thing people thought when they received their invitation.
Josie comes down the aisle in a light pink dress that matches the color of the flowers. She winks at me when she passes by and stands off to the side. Noah calls out her name and then proudly announces that his papa is here. Everyone in the church laughs.
The music changes, and everyone stands. I wait for the doors to open, to reveal my bride, and when they do, I’m left speechless. Katelyn walks toward me in her lacy white gown, holding a bouquet of roses and other flowers. I have no idea what they’re called, but they make her happy, and that makes me happy. Her hair is down—my favorite. She takes each step toward me with a smile that seems to grow wider the closer she gets to the altar.
I glance at her father, who’s sitting by her mother. I don’t know the entire story but do know he said he would walk her down the aisle, and she chose to walk by herself. I have a feeling there was an ultimatum attached to his offer and she wanted nothing to do with it.
“Wow,” I say when she stands in front of me. “You’re so beautiful.” I dab the wetness from my eyes.
“You’re pretty handsome, yourself.”
“Oh yeah, think you want to marry me?”
“Yeah, I think I do.”
“Good thing since we’re standing in front of our friends and family.”
“Good thing,” she says.
The minister approaches, and everyone sits. He goes into his spiel, reminding everyone why we’re gathered this Saturday. He talks about the love Katelyn and I share for each other, how we met when we were freshmen, but I took my sweet time figuring out she was flirting with me. This makes everyone laugh. Even me. He tells of our journey, from dating to college to helping our best friend traverse through being a single-parent, and how we’ve grown closer with each passing day. I wink at Katelyn, and her face lights up. The minister tells us to join hands, and Katelyn hands her bouquet to Josie, who designed it for her best friend.
We join hands and listen to the minister talk to us about love, commitment, and always being open and honest with each other. He tells me I need to remember to pick up my shoes and socks, to always tell Katelyn she’s right, even when she’s wrong, and to always kiss her goodnight. To Katelyn, he says that to be fair, she should let me be right sometimes. Again, we laugh.
We repeat our vows. We decided on the traditional route because the things we’d say to each other are said in our bedroom. There are some things I want to leave in the privacy of our home. When all is said and done, I put her wedding band on her finger, and she’s slips one onto mine, and we’re instructed to kiss.
“It gives me great honor to introduce for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Mason Powell.” Our hands go up, I kiss her again, and then we walk down the aisle to our friends and family clapping. When we get to the double doors, I pick her up and twirl her around.
“I love you, Mrs. Powell.”
“More than words, Mr. Powell.”
Thirty-Seven
The balloons, streamers, and banners announcing, “Just Married” and “Mr. & Mrs. Powell” cover every free inch of the basement in Town Hall. There are poster boards filled with pictures of Katelyn and me, through the years, and even some of us as babies. I’m not sure who procured those but seeing Katelyn as a baby gives me a lot of hope that our future children will be beautiful.
The photographer tries to be as stealthy as possible, but after posing for photos for the past hour, I’m tired, hungry, and I want him to go away so I can enjoy a moment with my bride. The duties of being a groom are exhausting. Pose, shake hands, hug, thank everyone for coming and kiss your bride each time someone hits their fork against their glass. I’m not complaining about having to kiss Katelyn, because believe me, I’m going to kiss her for the rest of my life, but this guy wants to sit down and relax and put some food in his mouth before he keels over.
Still, I wouldn’t trade today for anything in the world. I don’t think I’ve smiled more any other time in my life, and I’m smiling because of my beautiful bride, knowing she chose me to spend the rest of her life with.
Josie, Noah, and Nick are sitting with Katelyn and me. Noah sits on Josie’s lap while she feeds him or at least tries to. He’s not being overly cooperative and is probably as tired as I am. When he cries out, Mrs. Preston rushes over and tells us they’re going home and that’ll keep Noah for the night. Josie thanks her mom and then sits back in her seat with an audible sigh. I’m not surprised to see Nick sitting next to Josie. I swear his face lit up like a Christmas tree when he found out she was single. I know he’s been waiting a long time to ask her out, but I have my reservations. He’s sort of a dog and likes to hook up, at least from what he’s said in the past. If he’s going to put the moves on Josie, we’re going to have a serious talk. She can’t afford to have her heart broken again. Honestly, I’m not sure she’s ready to move on. Liam’s absence these past two years has really done a number on her. I’m not sure her heart will ever heal from the damage he’s caused, and I’m not confident Nick is the one to try and fix her. Something tells me her savior needs to be someone who doesn’t know her as Liam’s girlfriend from Beaumont. The less they know about her past, I think the better off they’ll be.
“Let’s dance.” Katelyn places her hand on my forearm, pulling me from my thoughts. “I want to dance with my husband.”
Husband. Wow, it’s amazing how a word can change everything.
Taking her hand in mine, I kiss it and then stand, pulling her up with me. I lead us onto the floor where only a few people are dancing. As soon as she’s in my arms, I hold her close and let the music wash over us. We sway back and forth as we stare into each other’s eyes.
“I love you.”
“You make me so happy, Mason.” Her fingers caress the nape of my neck. Katelyn has no idea of the sheer amount of joy she brings to my life. Who knew that at fifteen, we’d find each other and never look back?
“You’re my life, Katelyn. It’ll be yours forever.”
Others join us on the floor. I glance around, enjoying our friends and family as they celebrate the love Katelyn and I share for each other. Josie and Nick dance with each other. As much as I hate to say it, they look cute together, and she’s smiling. I haven’t seen her genuinely smile in a long time. Maybe he is the answer to her heartache, the one who can heal her and help her move on. I think if he can change his ways, he could be good for her, as long as he’s good for Noah. They’re a packaged deal—which I suspect he knows—and there is no way in hell I’m going to let anyone hurt either of them.
The night winds down, and it’s time for Katelyn and me to leave. We’re not going anywhere for our honeymoon. However, we have a hotel room for the night—the bridal suite at Beaumont’s version of the Plaza. The hotel is by far the nicest thing we have in town, and it beats the no tell motel that sits off the highway.
Everyone gathers outside and creates an aisle for us. They throw birdseed and cheer as we walk past them. When we get to the end, Katelyn tosses her bouquet to Josie and then yells, “You’re next,” much to Josie’s horror-stricken face.
“I think you just gave her a heart attack and Nick some hope. You’re evil,” I say quietly to my wife as I lead her to the car. She laughs and gets in the front seat of the small Honda we were able to buy thanks to its low payments. I don’t know who decorated the car, but they did a stand-up job. There are beer cans on the ground, streamers coming from the trunk, and “Just Married” in white writing written on every window possible. Exactly what I wanted.
Katelyn rolls the window down and leans out. “I love all of you.” I pull away, but that’s not enough for her to get in and sit down. She stays where she is and yells, “I am married!” until everyone is out of sight.
I pick her hand up and kiss it. “Are you happy?”
“So happy,” she says as she rolls her window up. “What a perfect day. No drama. I wasn’t a bridezilla, and everyone we wanted to be there came along.”
I nod in agreement.
“And you know what?”
“What’s that, my love?”
“I think Josie and Nick are going to make a great couple.” I give her a sideways glance but don’t say anything. “She likes him, and he’s going to be a doctor so he can take care of her and Noah and give her a good life.”
“We’ll see.”
Katelyn shakes her head. “Nothing to see, they’re going out tomorrow before Nick goes back to school, and he’s already told her when he’ll be back next. I think he’s going to seize the opportunity.”
As much as I like Nick, I’m not so sure about this. The thing is, why shouldn’t I be supportive? My best friend ditched out on a life with Josie, I should want her to be happy, and if it’s Nick that can do that, it shouldn’t matter what I think.
But I wonder . . . what could’ve been.
When we get to the hotel and out of the car, I pull Katelyn into my arms right there. I don’t care who’s watching or who might see us. I can’t stand not to be kissing her right now.
“Ready to check-in, Mrs. Powell?”
Katelyn gives me a wide grin right before my lips claim hers. “I love the sound of that. Say it again.”
“Mrs. Powell,” I say it as many times as she wants as long as she continues to smile at me like the way she is now. There’s a glint in her eye. She has a plan, which makes me wonder what she has tucked away in her overnight bag. Is she going to wear something I have to untie?
Once we check-in, we head to the top floor, where the view is supposed to take our breath away. I open the door, keeping my hand on it, so she has time to walk in. She gasps and says, “Oh, Mason.”
The large window is open, and sure enough, the lights of Beaumont give the room the perfect glow. There are roses on the side table, along with a bottle of champagne, two flutes, and a tray of fruit, crackers, and cheeses. I set our bags down by the dresser, wrap my arms around my wife, and rest my head on her shoulder. We stand there, staring at the town we grew up in, the place where we’ll live and raise our family.
“So, wanna turn the game on?” I ask, breaking the silence. To be honest, I don’t even know what kind of game is on.
Katelyn turns in my arms. I expect her to chastise me, but she doesn’t. She trails her fingertips down the side of my face and then rises on her tippy toes to kiss me. I let her lead, giving her all the control. She deepens the kiss, and I think, this is it, this is the moment that will bind us together forever. When she pulls away, my lips follow her, and she laughs.
“I want to wear something special for tonight,” she tells me.
“But if I’m just going to take it off, why put it on?” The logic makes sense to me.
“Because I want you to see how sexy you make me feel.”
I nod and let go of her, even though the only thing I want to do is lead her to the bed and make love to her. Katelyn steps away and takes her overnight bag into the bathroom. With the door closed and not knowing how long she’ll be in there, I start to undress. I put my jacket on the back of the chair and undo my cufflinks and the first few buttons of my shirt. I also unhook my pants because they’re a little tight, and I have a feeling that whatever Katelyn wears for me tonight is going to cause a growth in my slacks.
Katelyn comes out of the bathroom in a long white nightgown. It looks like satin or silk. Not that I would know the difference. There’s a slit that goes all the way to her hip bone. She stalks toward me, methodically putting one foot in front of the other. The slow, languish pace gives me ample time to undress her with my eyes. She’s mouthwatering and the most gorgeous woman I have ever laid my eyes on.
