Cardinal (29 page)

I stifle a
laugh. “Ed?  Really?”

Latson
smiles against my skin. “I came up with that one.”

I stare
into the tank as he holds me. “Why am I red?” I whisper.

“For cardinal,”
he says. “I remembered your rule.”

This makes
me so happy. I turn around in his arms and wrap mine around his neck. He leans
forward and sets his forehead against mine. “God, I love you, Jen. I’m sorry
for everything. I don’t ever want to lose you.”

“I don’t
want to be lost,” I whisper. “I love you so much.”

He ducks his head and finds my mouth. My entire
body reacts as my blood rushes through my veins. Out of all the kisses I’ve
ever received, I never knew I was waiting for this one. It’s full of passion,
but it’s not seductive. It’s an apology and a declaration; it’s longing and
relief. It’s everything I’ve always wanted.

One of his
hands leaves my back and travels up my arm to circle my wrist. He leans back
and moves my hand, pressing my palm over his pounding heart. “Do you feel
that?”

I nod.

“It’s for
you,” he says. “Only for you.”

I look up
and get lost in his eyes.

“C’mon,” he
murmurs as he steps back. He leads me past Oliver and into my bedroom, which
I’m not surprised to see has a new bedroom set. He turns on a lamp for some
light, and I run my hands over a thick sage comforter. “Why did you do all this?”
I’m still whispering. “It’s too much.”

“You don’t
like it?” He looks worried. “Everything can be exchanged. I thought –”

I hold a
finger to his lips. “I love it all.”

He relaxes.

“But …”  I
glance around. “What does this say?”

“What do
you mean?”

“Do you
want me to stay in Michigan?”

Latson
reaches for me and wraps his arms around my waist again. “No. I mean, yes. I
mean, I want whatever you want.”

My brow
furrows.

“Dean made
it sound like you were set on staying here. I didn’t know if that meant you
never wanted to see me again or if you might be open to a long distance
relationship. All I knew was I wanted things to be as easy as possible. I wanted
your mind free to think about us and not material things.”

I give him
a tiny smile. “I only said I was staying here because I thought you didn’t want
me. I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

His eyes
grow hungry. “You’d come back to Chicago?”

“What’s keeping
me here?”

He kisses
me again, and it’s more intense than before. His tongue parts my lips as it
searches out mine, and I mold my body to his. When I catch my breath, I say, “It’s
a good thing Pete will let me stay with him.”

Latson
meets my eyes and shakes his head. “No. No more brothers, or crazy groupies, or
asshole record label execs.”

I bite my
lower lip. “About that …”

He frowns.

“Ariel
asked me to write for her. I said yes. I don’t know how the industry works, but
I may run into Caleb again.”

Latson
rests his forehead against mine.

“You have
to know he has nothing to offer me. Not a career and certainly not himself.”

Latson runs
his hands to my shoulders and then buries his fingers in my hair. “I know. Everything
that happened the day of the funeral … seeing that picture on top of missing
you … it was too much. Please believe I trust you; I do. I know your heart, and
it would never hurt me.”

My mouth
crashes down on his. I can’t stop myself; his words are perfection. They’re
exactly what I needed to hear.

Latson turns
our bodies and backs me against the bed. As his mouth zeroes in on my neck and
my stomach flutters, I ask, “Does this mean you want me to move in with you?”

His words
are muffled against my skin. “Hell, yes.”

With those
words, my hands start to roam his body. As I debate going for his shirt or his
shorts, my instincts take over and decide for me; I find the bottom of his shirt
and push it up. I don’t get far however, because he steps back and finishes the
job. I try to reach for him again, but as soon as my hands slide across his bare
skin, he backs farther away.

“One sec.” He
gives me my favorite smile and jogs over to the door. He shuts it quietly. “I
don’t think we need an audience.”

My eyes
grow wide. How could I forget about Oliver?  “We don’t have to do this right now.”

Before I
can blink Latson’s standing in front of me again. “We are doing this, and we
are doing it now.” One of his hands grips my hip, while the other cradles the
nape of my neck. “I’ve waited too damn long for you.”

I smile. “A
month’s your limit?”

“No.” He
pulls me closer. “Life kept me waiting too long for you. I’m never letting you
go.”

His words
make my heart race, and I trace his bottom lip with my thumb. “Promise?”

His lips
meet mine in a scorching kiss. “I promise.”

“Jules. Would
you stop fixing my hair?  I love it.”

I watch in
the mirror as she plays with more strands of my “messy” twist. It’s a very
precise hairstyle to be labeled messy.

“It has to
be perfect,” she says, determined. “Everything about this day has to be
perfect.”

I sigh. “It
looks great. You need to get ready. Nothing can happen today without you.”

She stops
picking at me and looks down at her satin slip. “I guess you’re right. Pete
wouldn’t like it if I walked down the aisle half-naked.”

“Or maybe
he would.” I wink at her and she playfully shoves me.

Jules
leaves my side, and I look in the mirror again. I touch a few of the pearl pins
she put in my hair. They’re simple, elegant, and perfectly placed. Over my
shoulder, I catch Gwen’s reflection wiggling into her plum-colored bridesmaid dress.

“What time
do we have to leave again?” she asks.

Jules beats
me to answering her question. “Twelve-thirty. We don’t have much time.”

I shake my
head and smile. My sister-in-law is the best, but she’s taking this day so
seriously I’m afraid she’s going to stroke out before it’s over. She’s
coordinated everything right down to the minute.

A knock on
the door distracts me from Jules’ potential need for an ambulance. She tries to
race me to open it, but I leap off the vanity bench and beat her to it. Her
eyes grow wide. “You don’t know who it is!”

I stick out
my tongue and open the door anyway. I’m not as superstitious as she is. When I
turn to greet our visitor, a smile breaks across my face. “Hey!  You made it.”

“We did.” Ariel
wrestles with a diaper bag in one hand and a baby carrier in the other. “Can you
take her for a sec?  She’s getting heavy.”

“Sure.” I
reach for baby Piper and carry her into my childhood bedroom. She’s so chunky
and adorable; I just want to squeeze her. At five months old I already know
she’s going to be a heartbreaker. I am a little biased though; she is my
goddaughter after all.

Setting the
carrier on my old twin bed, I peer inside and use my baby voice, which I’m sure
is annoying. “How’s my girl?” Piper just stares at me and chews on her fist.

“Your girl
is entirely too awake at the moment.” Ariel drops the diaper bag. “I really
hoped she’d be napping by now.”

I undo the
straps to her carrier and lift her out. “Let me talk to her,” I say.

“I don’t
think that’s a good idea.” Jules rushes to my side. “What if she throws up on
you?”

I make a
face. “She won’t throw up on me.” I settle Piper against my stomach, her back
to my front, so she can see what’s going on. “Besides, she’s one of us. We have
to get a look at her dress.” She’s dolled up in purple, from her tiny headband,
to her outfit, to her little tights.

“Speaking
of dresses …”  Ariel gestures for me to turn around and I do. “You look
stunning. Gunnar may pass out.”

I smile. “Thanks.”

“I thought
the baby was here!”  My mom rushes into the room and makes grabby hands. “Let
me have her.”

I roll my
eyes and hand her over. It’s useless to fight with my mom over Piper, or any
baby for that matter.

“When are
you going to convince these two to give me grandchildren?” My mom talks to
Piper as she sets her on her hip. She looks between me and Jules. “I’m not
getting any younger, you know.”

Jules turns
around and pretends to be interested in finding her heels while I put my hand
on my hip. “One thing at a time, okay?  And what’s Oliver?  Chopped liver?”

“You know I
love Ollie to death,” my mom says as she canoodles the baby.

Oy. Ollie. He
loves the nickname. Me not so much.

“Limo’s
here!” my dad shouts up the stairs.

“That’s our cue to leave,” my mom says to the
baby. She walks over and starts to put her in her carrier, and Ariel helps.

I do a quick check to make sure I have
everything. Small clutch. Yes. Shoes. They’re on my feet. Bouquet. Yes. I
inhale the ivory hydrangea and purple calla lily mix. When I lift the flowers,
however, I realize my wrist is empty. Shoot.

“Are you ready?” Jules asks from behind me.

“I just need a second.”

She gives me an impatient glare.

“Go on.” I shoo her away. “I’ll be there in a
minute.”

She reluctantly follows everyone else
downstairs.

I walk to the overnight bag I brought and
search for the tiny blue box. When I find it, I pop the lid and pull out the
silver bracelet Oliver gave me. Four charms dangle from the links: a music
note, a heart, a guitar, and, of course, a shark. I slide it over my hand. Perfect.

Picking up my flowers again, I take one last
look at myself in the mirror before heading out the door. My dress is vintage
lace, but simple. It’s ivory and sleeveless with a V-neck, plunging back, and a
few rhinestones at the waist. I think it makes me look respectfully curvy and
very 1920’s.

“Jen!  Come on!”  Jules hollers.

Good lord, the woman is going to have a heart
attack. It’s not even her wedding day.

It’s mine.

~~~~

The limo delivers us to Heavenly Scent Herb
Farm, located in my hometown, at precisely one o’clock. I know we took a chance
with an outdoor ceremony, but Latson and I wanted something natural and
intimate. Nothing big city, since that’s where we live and work. We opted for
the Herb Farm because the grounds are gorgeous. Everywhere you look there’s a
garden or hanging baskets overflowing with blooms or hidden statuaries. There’s
even a waterfall next to the arbor where everyone will watch us say our vows.

“Okay, everyone.” Jules directs traffic. “Girls
inside to the bridal room and parents outside to great guests.”

She totally missed her calling as a coordinator.
That’s why I asked for her help. Things would be a mess without her.

As we stay hidden from the guys and the guests,
we take a few pictures and do some last minute touch-ups. I haven’t felt
nervous all day, but now, moments away from seeing Latson, I’m starting to get
butterflies. I’m not anxious about the commitment; it’s just some of the day’s
details have been kept secret from me. Ever since he furnished – then
unfurnished – my apartment, Latson likes to surprise me. So far, all the
surprises have been good, like a spontaneous trip to Seattle, tickets to see
Mama Mia! (gotta love ABBA), and my proposal on the yacht he rented to cruise
Lake Michigan. I did manage to surprise him with one thing: our rings. When he
proposed, I shocked him by telling him to take back what he had bought me. I’d
been thinking about it off and on, and when things were official, I got my
first tattoo – around my left ring finger. He did the same, and we match.

Forever.

“It’s time,” Jules says, pulling me out of my
memories.

“Good.” I follow her toward the door and my
father. “I’m ready to get this show on the road.”

When I reach my dad, he takes my arm and then
kisses my cheek. “You look beautiful.”

I blush. What is it about dads and
compliments?  “Thank you.”

As we follow the girls, he leans into my ear. “If
he ever does you wrong, you tell me. I’ll take care of it.”

I hold out my hand, and he fist bumps me. Yep. My
dad, the teacher, is a badass.

When we make it outside, I can hear the buzz of
guests whispering and the sound of an acoustic guitar. It takes me a moment to
recognize the song as “You and Me” by Lifehouse, and I stand on my toes so I
can peek over heads to see who’s playing. I can barely make out Dean’s head by
the officiant, and I realize it’s him. My expression immediately softens and … crap.
I’m going to need tissues.

Gwen is the first to walk down the aisle,
followed by Ariel, and then my maid of honor, Jules. She specifically
instructed me to start walking after the music changed, so I chew on my lip and
wait until I hear a pause. Dean begins to play “Marry Me” by Train, and I start
to get a little shaky.

“Here we go,” my dad encourages me and pats my
arm.

When we step into view, everyone stands. There’s
less than a hundred people here, but it feels like an arena to me. My eyes
bounce around the guests, and I pick out family members, Roxanne, Paul, and
Drew. I find Kevin and Ashley next to Kyle and Addison and seeing them makes me
smile. I haven’t talked to them in ages. If I’m not mistaken, Addison’s face
looks a little puffy. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s pregnant. I swear, it’s
contagious.

My dad starts to lead me forward and my eyes land
on Latson’s father standing in the row across from my mom. He smiles when he
sees me, and I’m so happy he reconciled things with his son enough to be here. I
know the relationship is important to Oliver and, as much as Latson won’t admit
it, he would be hurt if his dad missed today.

With all the thoughts jumping around my brain, I
think I’m holding up pretty well. I’m walking in a straight line and everything,
until my eyes fall on the two most important men in my life.

Standing at the end of the aisle, both Latson
and Oliver wait for me. As we get closer to one another, my eyes stay glued on
Latson. This man is trying to kill me. Who put him in that suit?  It’s lethal. It’s
cut perfectly to the plains of his waist and his chest, his shirt and necktie
offset by the ivory handkerchief in his lapel pocket. His eyes swim in mine,
and the only thing I can think about is running my hands through his hair and kissing
him. My mind barely registers Pete, Carter, and Felix standing to his left.

When I reach the end of the aisle, the
officiant asks who gives this woman to be wed. My dad looks at Oliver because
this is their big line. O wanted a part in the ceremony and since he “found” me
at the aquarium, we thought it would be appropriate for him to give me away,
too.

My dad starts, “Her mother and I …”

“… and I do, too,” Oliver finishes.

The guests think it’s cute and they laugh. Latson
looks like he could devour me as he takes my hand and leads me forward a few
steps. He leans into my ear and his scent invades my senses. “I don’t have
words to describe how gorgeous you look,” he whispers. “I’m not letting you out
of the room during our honeymoon.”

The officiant clears her throat and smirks like
she heard what he said. I squeeze his hand in admonishment and stand up
straight. I can feel him laugh.

“Ladies and gentlemen. We are gathered here
today to witness the joining of …”

The officiant’s voice fades away. I’m anxious
to get to the “I do” part. We wrote our own vows, and I’ve been practicing mine
for weeks. When it’s finally time, I give my flowers to Jules, face Latson, and
smile up at him. “Hi.”

He grins. “Hi.”

I take a breath and then his hands, squeezing
his fingers. “So, here’s the thing,” I say. “When you came into my life, I
wasn’t expecting you.” His eyes light up. “All I wanted was space to sort
things out, and you kept getting in the way.”

Laughter filters through the guests.

“Thank you for never giving up on me,” I say. “Thank
you for believing in us. Thank you for encouraging my dreams, even though it’s sometimes
hard for you. Thank you for allowing me into your life, for sharing your past,
and letting me love Oliver.” I look at our joined hands and run my thumbs over
the back of his. “Thank you for showing me it’s possible for one man to love one
woman and be faithful to her without secrets and lies.”

My eyes meet his again and they look glassy. I
swallow the lump in my throat; I’ve never seen him tear up before. “If someone had
told me I would have to lose everything I had to find everything I need, I wouldn’t
have believed them.” I pause. “You make me a believer. You’re my truth. You’re
everything I need, and I love you. I promise to love you every day of my life.”

Latson clutches my fingers and then lets them go.
He traces the side of my face with one hand before blinking to clear his eyes. “How
am I supposed to compete with that?”

Both Jules and Gwen say “aww” from behind me.

I expect him to take my hands again to say his
vows, but instead he steps away from me. “My turn,” he says as Dean stands and
hands him his guitar.

My knees go weak. He’s going to sing?

Latson sits down and sets the acoustic across
his lap. “When I tried to write my vows my mind kept turning them into a song.”
He gives me his dimple smile. “I guess that’s the only thing I know how to put
on paper.” He sets his fingers against the strings. “I hope you like it.”