“We were just talking about Jeff and Ari’s honeymoon,” Josh said.
Lynda jumped up and down, clapping her hands. “Where are y’all going? Does she know?”
Gunner let out a sigh. “I’m going to get another beer. ”
“Paris, and yes, she knows,” I said.
“Oh, how romantic. I hope you’re taking notes, Josh,” Lynda said as she gave him a wink.
I saw Jenny walking up to us. Ari was right behind her along with Ellie and Heather. As soon as Heather saw Lynda, she moved to the other side of the table, standing as far away from Lynda as possible.
“Jeff, it’s time for the first dance. Jack already gave the DJ the song you requested for the first dance,” Ari said.
I had asked Ari if I could pick out our song, and she had said yes. Thank God she hadn’t been a control freak while planning this whole wedding.
“Would you please do me the honor of dancing with me, Mrs. Johnson?” I said as I stood up and reached for her hand.
“I would be more than happy to, Mr. Johnson. ”
Jenny walked up to the DJ and nodded her head at him.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are now going to have their first dance as man and wife. ”
Ari looked up at me, smiling, and then put her hand on her stomach. I pulled her to me and put my lips right up to her ear.
“What? Are you nervous about dancing with your old man?”
She leaned back a little and gave me that damn beautiful smile of hers, and I swore I felt my knees wobble.
“No, I just felt the baby move, I think. ” she said.
I smiled as I pulled her closer to me.
“Everything that I’ve wanted to say to you is in this song, baby. I love you so much, Ari, and I wouldn’t be able to last a day without you in my life. I’ll always love you. ”
Kenny Chesney’s “You Save Me” started to play. I took her in my arms and started to two-step with her. She looked up at me with tears rolling down her face.
I will never, ever hurt this girl again.
“I promise you, baby, that I’ll always make you happy. Never in my life will I ever hurt you or cause you pain again. I promise you. Thank you so much, Ari, for saving me. ”
Ari tried to talk but couldn’t. She put her head down on my chest, and grabbed my vest, and squeezed it tight. She finally looked up at me and smiled.
“You have that wrong, Jeff. You saved me. ”
We finished the rest of the dance in silence. When the song ended, we kissed, and I’d never felt so much love pour through my body like I did during that kiss.
“I can’t wait until I can feel him moving,” I said in her ear.
I started to kiss down her neck and she giggled.
“I have to warn you, Jeff. I’m horny as fuck, so you might want to stop doing that, or I’ll take you right here on the dance floor. ”
Oh god, I love this girl. I reached down, picked her up and started to walk off the dance floor.
Gunner was standing there, smiling.
“We need to leave,” I said.