“Yes,” Ari, Jessie, and I all said at the same time. Then, we started laughing.
I hooked my arm around Jessie’s as we headed over to Josh. “Give him a chance, Jessie. If I learned anything from what happened between Josh and me, it was that if you want something bad enough, you fight for it. Don’t let some jealous ex-girlfriend get in the way. Just take it slow. ”
She looked at me and grinned as Ellie walked up and took her other arm.
“Ells, I’ve been meaning to ask you. Did you ever talk to Gunner about…well, about what happened with me and him?” Jessie asked.
Ellie smiled. “Yes. The next day, we took Big Roy and Rose out for a ride, and we had a long chat. Everything is fine, and Gunner promised to never hold back the truth about anything ever again. It actually taught me a lesson. It helped me to bury some of those old insecurities a little deeper. Plus, we ended up making love by the river. It was magical!”
I smiled as I thought about the wonderful time Josh and I had spent together on the riverbank where he’d asked me to marry him.
“Wow…what a lucky guy I am. Look at these four drop-dead beautiful girls all walking my way,” Josh said with a smile. He took me in his arms and kissed me like he was saying hello after not seeing me for months.
When he pulled away from my lips, I smiled. “Wow. ”
“I missed you,” he said.
“You better get it in now. Jenny will have her locked away tonight with heavy security watching,” Ari said.
Ellie started laughing.
Jessie giggled. “I actually heard her ask Aaron if they should hire someone to watch Heather’s door because she didn’t trust Josh!”
Josh smiled and shook his head. “Damn. That girl knows me too well. ” He winked and kissed me again.
The rehearsal on the beach had been flawless, and everything had gone smoothly. Everyone was now on the island, and we were making our way to the hotel restaurant for the rehearsal dinner.
After kissing and hugging, laughing and talking, we were finally sitting down to eat. Jeff, Gunner, Ellie, and Ari all gave speeches. I had never cried and laughed so much in my life. The night went on, and I told Josh it was probably one of the best nights of my life.
Then, Jenny came to me and said Josh wanted me to meet him outside.
When I found him, he was looking out at the black ocean. He was wearing a gray pullover with white linen pants, and I had been lusting after him all night.
I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. “Are you nervous?”
He laughed. “Yep! You?” He turned around and looked into my eyes.
I caught my breath as I just lost myself in those eyes. I barely whispered, “Yes. ”
He took my hand, and we strolled along the beach for what seemed like forever. We talked about everything from us both being scared to death…to why we were scared…to the babies and how I’d decided to stay home with them…to Josh’s business and how it had just taken off…and then my parents.
“More than anything, I wish they were here, princess. ”
He held me, and I leaned my head back on his chest and stared out at the ocean.
“I feel them with me. That might sound weird, but I do. ” I let out a small laugh and shook my head. “Sometimes, I swear that my dad talks through you!”
Josh asked, “Why’s that?”
“Just from little things you say to me. You say something to me right at the exact moment I need to hear it. Sometimes when I’m scared, I can hear my dad whisper, reminding me to breathe, and then you say it within in a few seconds. ”
He held me closer. “We better get back. ”
“Are you going to behave tonight?”
Josh threw his head back and laughed. “I almost paid Aaron two hundred bucks to set up a blanket down here, so I could make love to you on the beach, but I wanted to save that for our honeymoon. ”
Oh my god! Where is he taking me? To a beach? He must be taking me to a beach somewhere. Act cool, Heather. He just slipped up. He might give you more! “Sounds like heaven!”