Fighting For Our Forever (Beaumont: Next Generation 4)

“Nah, just scared she called your daddy and he’s about to burst through that door with his shotgun loaded and aimed at my head.”

“Well at least you’re dressed this time.”

“Funny,” he says, but he’s not laughing.

“I’m an adult and this is what I want.”

“Most eighteen-year-old’s ask for a car.”

“Got that already.”

“Jameson Foster and Ajay Ballard, you’re next.”

I stand up and drag Ajay behind me. Judge Harvey doesn’t look too pleased to see us standing in front of him and I suppose it’s because he knows I’m the one that teepeed his house not too long ago. I have no doubt that it was a bitch to clean up because his stupid sprinklers came on, soaking that tissue right where I left it. Plus, it rained for the next few days which meant he couldn’t really clean it all up.

“I don’t even want to pretend I know what’s going here.”

“Works for us,” I tell him.

“Do you, Jameson Foster, take Ajay Ballard to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do.”

“Ajay Ballard, do you take Jameson Foster to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do,” he says proudly.

Judge Harvey sighs, scribbles his name on our marriage license and looks at the both of us. “I hope to hell you both realize what you’ve just done,” he pauses to shake his head. “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

He doesn’t tell Ajay he can kiss the bride, but Ajay does anyway. “Mrs. Ballard,” he whispers against my lips.

“Best. Birthday. Ever.”

23

Ajay

The day at the beach hadn’t really gone like I had planned. After Whiskey walked off to make her phone call or do whatever she had to on her phone, she was different when she returned. Her normal jubilant, smart ass banter disappeared, and she acted reserved and somewhat standoffish, shooting off one-word answers instead of engaging in conversation. Still, I did what I could to make the rest of the day and evening enjoyable for all of us.

Today, though, it’s a different story. My calls to her have gone unanswered and my texts unreturned. I suspect it has to do with the fact that I kissed her, knowing she belongs to someone else. I don’t even know the guy, but I know they’re not in love with each other. If they were, she wouldn’t have come out to the beach with me for the day or would have invited him to come as well. I know her better than she knows herself. She’s loyal, maybe to a fault. That’s something I’ve always admired about her. What I find odd is that she owes me nothing and earlier in the week didn’t give a shit about following the sentence from Harvey. In fact, she told me she was willing to lie. I, however, am not. I want this marriage and find it comical that we’re “forced” to spend time together, mostly because Harvey knows he has no basis to order us to do so. Saul called me the day after I left Bailey and told me he was filing an appeal and that he was confident the divorce settlement would be imminent. I told him not to bother, that I wanted the three months to try and win her back and if she thought she had to see me, she wouldn’t be able to tell me no.

It’s an underhanded plan, but I’m desperate. I’m in love with this woman and I need all the help I can get. I was stupid to ever let her go, but the thought of living on the street with her, or in a sleaze bag motel, disgusted me. It’s not what I wanted for us and by the time I could actually provide something decent, I had been gone far too long. Proving that I’ve changed and that I never wanted to leave her in the first place is going to be an uphill battle…one she’s currently fighting with me.

I step into Bailey’s hoping to see her. Unfortunately, there’s a man behind the bar, wiping the top down.

“What can I get you?” he asks as I pick a stool. There are very few people in here and I assume that’s because it’s a Sunday. Everyone is probably still at church or at home cooking family dinners.

“Coke?”

He nods. I look around and find a few girls staring so I pull my cap down and keep my attention on the bar. The barkeep places my drink in front of me and sets a menu down, telling me to let him know when I’m ready to order.

“Is Jamie working?”

“Not today, she took the day off.”

“Gotcha.” I’m not going to let it bother me that she’s been off all day and couldn’t return my calls. I need to remind myself that what she does is none of my business, regardless of how much I want it to be. What I could’ve done though, was head off with Quinn and Nola. They’re driving to her parents for the day and invited me, but I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to see Whiskey. Now I feel like a fool. I should’ve taken the hint she was silently sending me.

After I finish my drink, I ask for a beer. I need something stronger, and I need food if I’m going to drink. My other option is to eat my lunch and head back to my room to enjoy my pity party for one.