Authors: Cheris Hodges
Betting On Love (29 page)
“All right. Give me one moment to get it,” the woman said, then disappeared behind the counter.
Moments later she returned with a box and handed it to James. He opened the rectangular-shaped box, displaying a platinum necklace with a red jade and diamond pendant that matched Jade's engagement ring.
“Oh my God,” Jade said. “It's beautiful.”
“Not half as beautiful as the woman who will be wearing it,” James said as he removed the necklace from the box and placed it around her neck.
The clerk smiled at the couple. James took a step back and looked at Jade. She was a vision. He handed his credit card to the clerk without taking his eyes off Jade.
“James, you're spoiling me,” Jade said as she hugged him.
“I figured this trip was going to be taxing, and I set this up to put a smile on your face.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her gently. “Did it work?” he asked.
“Yes, yes, it did. But being with you keeps me smiling,” Jade said.
After James was given his credit card back and he signed the receipt, he and Jade rushed back to the train station so that they could make it back to her place and she could properly thank him for the gift.
As they took their seats on the train, James wrapped his arm around her waist. “We need to set a wedding date,” he said.
“I was thinking about that,” she said. “We don't have to make a big production of it.”
“Music to my ears. Big weddings don't go over real big in my family,” he said, with a laugh, referring to Maurice's incident at the altar.
“Then let's go back to where it all started,” she said. “Let's get married in Vegas this weekend.”
James smiled broadly. “I like the way you think,” he said. “We're getting married in Vegas.”
CHAPTER 31
If James and Jade thought they were going to be able to skip off to Las Vegas and get married without anyone knowing, they should've never told Maryann their plans. Before the couple had booked seats on a weekend flight to Vegas, Maurice and Kenya knew about the proposed wedding.
“He's truly lost his mind,” Maurice told his wife after hanging up with his mother.
“Who's lost his mind?”
“James. He and Jade are eloping.”
“Are you still criticizing Jade? They are going to have a baby, Mo. You need to stop... .”
“No, I'm glad they're getting married, but he isn't doing it without me standing there and giving him a shit-eating grin,” Maurice said. “Who would've thought that my brother would be following in my footsteps?”
Kenya hugged Maurice tightly. “My man is growing up. So, what are we going to do?”
He licked his lips and lifted his wife up. “Before or after I get you out of these clothes?”
Kenya slapped her husband on his shoulder. “You are so bad. And after you get me out of these clothes, what are we going to do?”
“We're going to Vegas, baby,” Maurice said as he carried her into their bedroom.
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James looked down at his watch. “If we're going to make our flight, you're going to have to hurry up,” he called to the closed bathroom door.
“I'm coming,” Jade replied. Seconds later she opened the door, dressed in a tracksuit, with her make-up bag on her shoulder. “Are you telling me that I'm not worth waiting for?”
“I think you are, but the TSA might not agree.” James took her bag and headed out to the car.
Jade took one last look at herself in the mirror; she was ready to do this. She was ready to become Mrs. James Goings. She couldn't help but remember what had happened the first time they were in Vegas together.
Who would've thought that I would be walking down the aisle and into the arms of a man like James,
she thought as she headed out the door.
Who would've thought that I would be walking down the aisle and into the arms of a man like James,
she thought as she headed out the door.
“You're ready?” James asked as he opened the car door for her.
“More than you'll ever know,” she replied as she slipped into the car.
James sped to the airport, hoping and praying that they didn't have to get screened. Traffic on Interstate 85 South was uncharacteristically light, and they made it to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport with plenty of time to spare.
“You rushed me for nothing,” Jade said as they breezed through the security checkpoints.
“Nah, I rushed you because I'm ready to get on this plane and make it official.”
They took a seat in the boarding area. “Getting here early isn't going to make that pilot take off any sooner,” Jade said as she snuggled up next to James.
“Do I need to call somebody?” he joked.
Leaning her head against his shoulder, she smiled and shook her head. “We'll be fine.”
About ten minutes later they began boarding the plane.
“Maybe we should've invited Maurice and Kenya,” Jade said after they were secure in their seats.
“It's too late now. What about your girls? Aren't they going to be a little salty because you didn't tell them you're running off to make me the happiest man in the world?”
“Serena will have something to say, Alicia probably won't say much, and Kandace is just going to want all the details.”
James wrapped his arm around Jade's shoulders as the plane was readied for takeoff. “So how are we going to do this? Drive-through chapel or an Elvis impersonator for a minister?”
“Do I look like Britney Spears?” Jade asked, jabbing him in his ribs playfully.
“Not at all, but I'm sure if we shaved your head, you two might look like sisters.”
“Don't quit your day job, because you're not funny,” she said.
James kissed her on her forehead. “Whatever,” he replied.
As the plane lifted into the air, Jade snuggled closer to James and drifted off to sleep. He looked down at her and smiled. Little did she know, he had a beautiful ceremony planned at the chapel of the Las Vegas Hilton. Neiman Marcus was sending over a few gowns for her to try on and a tuxedo for James.
He slid his hand across Jade's still flat belly. He couldn't wait for the day when it swelled with their child. It didn't matter if it was a girl or a boy as long as the baby was healthy. He knew that the child would have a happier childhood than he or Jade had had.
As he drifted off to sleep, he dreamed of the day that their child would be born.
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Jade woke up as the flight attendants walked through the cabin, offering snacks. She grinned at her sleeping fiancé. How did she get so lucky? she wondered. She ran her hand across his lap and thought about spending the rest of her life wrapped in his love. James made her believe that forever was possible, made her believe that happily ever after was in her grasp. Inhaling, she hoped that the plane would land soon, because she could not wait to say “I do” to James Goings.
Hours later the plane began its descent into Las Vegas. James woke up, fastened his seat belt, and smiled at Jade.
“You have one last chance to change your mind,” he quipped.
“I thought about it while you were sleeping, but I couldn't find the parachute,” she shot back. “You're not going to get rid of me that easily.”
“Good,” he said. “Because that's the last thing I want.”
The captain announced that it was sunny and eighty-two degrees in Vegas.
James turned to Jade as the plane taxied to a landing. “You don't have any condoms tucked in your purse this time, do you?”
She pinched his bicep. “Whatever.”
“Hey,” he said, throwing his hands up, “the last time we were here ...”
“I was being influenced by women who thought getting over one man meant finding a new one,” she joked.
“Did it work?”
She winked at him. “What do you think?”
Once they'd landed and retrieved their baggage, James and Jade headed to the rental car desk to secure a car for the weekend. He rented a red Ford Mustang convertible so that he and Jade could cruise the Strip in style.
“I always wanted one of these,” he said when they located the car. “Maurice and Kenya have two.”
“I wonder how a car seat would fit in the back of one of these,” Jade mused as she slid into the passenger seat.
“That's a good question,” he said as he started the engine and listened for the roar of the horses. “Aw yeah.” James pressed the gas and took off from the curb.
Jade gripped her seat belt. “Yeah, you don't need one of these,” she said as they pulled out onto the Strip.
He slowed the car down and smiled at her. “If you wanted me to slow down, all you had to do was say so.”
They pulled up to the Hilton, and Jade got out of the car to check in while James found a spot to park the car. She walked up to the counter and gave the clerk James's name.
“I have special instructions for you,” the clerk said after typing his name in the computer. “You're Jade, right?”
“Yes, I am,” Jade replied.
The clerk handed her a key card. “This is your room. We'll check Mr. Goings into his room when he gets here.”
“There are two rooms?”
“Just following instructions,” the clerk said.
Jade shrugged her shoulders, took the key card, and headed to her room. When she got up to the room, she found Kenya waiting for her. “What are you doing here?” she asked as she crossed the room to hug Kenya.
“Did you and James really think you were going to get away with it?” Kenya asked.
“How did you find out that we were getting married here?” Jade asked, with a smile on her face.
“Maryann called as soon as you guys told her that you were going to elope, or as Mo said, âReturn to the scene of the crime.'”
“Your husband,” Jade snorted.
“I know he hasn't been the easiest person to get along with, but he's come around. When he heard that James was going to get married, he was so excited and he wanted to be here. He knows that you're good for James.”
“And he's good for me,” Jade said. “James is the best thing that's ever happened to me.”
Kenya hugged her soon-to-be sister-in-law. “That's good to know.” She took a step back from Jade, with a warm smile on her face. “Now, let's get you ready to marry that man of yours.”
Jade placed her hand on Kenya's shoulder. “Thanks for being here. I was so nervous.”
“I know what you mean, but when you see him standing up there, waiting for you, nervousness is the last thing that you're going to feel.”
Jade nodded. “I know.”
The women headed for the settee by the mirror, and Kenya started fixing Jade's hair.
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James paced the floor in his hotel room. Where was his tuxedo, and more importantly, was Jade facing the same problems he was?
“This is not how today was supposed to go,” he mumbled.
“And just how was it supposed to go?” Maurice asked as he walked into the room.
“The hell? What are you doing here?” James asked in surprise.
“Saving you from making the biggest mistake of your life,” Maurice said.
James frowned and shook his head. “I don't need this today,” he said. “I love Jade, and I'm sick and tired of youâ”
Maurice held up the garment bag that he had behind his back. “The mistake that you were making was that ugly-ass suit,” he said as he held the garment bag out to his brother.
“What's this?” James asked as he took the garment bag from Maurice's hands.
“Open it,” Maurice said.
James unzipped the garment bag and revealed a black Hugo Boss tuxedo with diamond cuff links in the shape of a G. “Mo,” James said. “This is ...”
“A lot better than that ugly suit you had picked out yourself. Did you really think I was going to allow your wedding to proceed without me being here?”
“How did you find out?”
“Ma. She called me as soon as you and Jade left the bakery.”
James laid the tuxedo on the bed and hugged his brother tightly. “I'm glad you're here.”
“So am I. Because you were going to have some ugly wedding photos without me.”
James punched his brother on the shoulder. “Leave it to you to make my wedding all about you.”
“Uh-huh,” Maurice said. “And Ma will be here in an hour, too.”
“Thanks, man.”
“I've finally realized that Jade is a good woman, and she's the kind of person that you need in your life. She loves you and you love her, too. That's just what you need. Hell, we all need someone to love. I have that with Kenya, and you're going to have that with Jade and the baby.”
James smiled. “Yeah. You're right. Let me get dressed. I got a wedding to attend.”
About an hour later Maurice and James were heading up to the fifteenth floor of the Hilton. James reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a platinum wedding band with three diamonds in the center. Smiling, he handed the ring to Maurice.
“Since you're here, you might as well stand up as my best man,” James said.
“Wow. I feel so honored,” Maurice quipped. “It took you long enough to ask.”
“Hell, I'm still trying to get over the shock of you being here and supporting this.”
“I was pretty hard on her,” Maurice said pensively. “I admit, I was wrong. But what about this whole situation with Stephen? Is that over and done with, or will I be bailing you out of jail?”
“That's done. He dropped his lawsuit and agrees that he has no claim on the restaurant in Charlotte. I'm sure before she moves to Charlotte, Jade's going to have her money back from Stephen,” James declared.
“All right. Do I even want to know how this deal was brokered?”
“A lot of threats and that's about it. And the fact that Stephen knows we can make his life a living hell. It didn't take long for him to decide to do the right thing.”
Maurice chuckled. “I bet it didn't. How long do you think Ma is going to stay in Charlotte?”
“Probably until the grandkids are grown,” James said.
“We have to make sure these babies have an easier time growing up than we did,” Maurice said. “I worry about whether I'm going to be a good enough father.”
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