My Despicable Ex - Book 2 (17 page)

His gaze met mine, and his eyes sparkled. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”

“
Thank you. You look pretty fantastic yourself.”

He looped his hands in mine, then smiled. “Are you ready?”

“
Yes,” I said, feeling as if I was walking on clouds. Everything was magical and serene, and I smiled as he led me out the door.

The ballroom was breathtaking, with its towering cathedral ceiling and dark mahogany cross beams. Iron-wrought chandeliers and dark stone walls gave the room an eerie, gothic feeling that I loved. Ancient as it seemed, the room was equipped with electricity, and there was dim lighting so the friendly and hardworking caterers wouldn’t trip while passing out the fancy appetizers. I popped a stuffed mushroom in my mouth when a woman walked by with a full platter of them. Glancing around, I was stunned to see the huge room so full; there had to be at least 600 costumed guests, drinking wine and dancing. The place was decorated in purple, gold, and green, all the brilliant colors of a peacock.

We intently stared at each other as the music drifted all around us. It was my Cinderella moment. I was nervous but comfortable and safe, scared but happy. I’d never felt such a whirlwind of emotions before, and I couldn’t seem to stop smiling or laughing. Falling for Jake was such an amazing experience. I knew I’d cherish that moment forever, and what I felt was indescribable. At one time, I’d thought my life was crashing down all around me, but then Jake walked back into it and made everything seem perfect again. There was a thrilling, rushing, euphoric rhythm between us, and for that one timeless moment, everything in my life was perfect.

Jake bowed. “Would you honor me with a dance, milady?” he asked.

Grinning, I curtsied. “It would be my pleasure, Highness.”

He pulled me out onto the dance floor as costumed dancers swirled and twirled all around us hiding behind elaborately decorated masks. Jake shot me his leading-man smile and wrapped his arms around my waist, and I placed my arms on his shoulder. I wondered if he could see straight into my soul.

We swayed back and forth to the music, slow and close, and I rested my head in the nook of his neck. Everything seemed so perfect. I never would have imagined myself dancing with him again, with someone so beautiful and wonderful. Jake made me feel special, like I was the only important person in the whole, wide world. I felt l was walking on air. I’d always laughed at that cliché before, but now I knew what it meant. I didn’t ever want to let Jake go, even though I’d tried hard not to fall for him again. A happiness like none I’d felt in several years flooded through me. I wanted to be a strong, confident girl, but he’d turned me into an emotional puddle. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I tried to blink them away so Jake wouldn’t see, but it was too late.

He wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb, then kissed my forehead. “Ashly, what’s wrong?” he softly asked.

I smiled through the tears. “Nothing. Everything’s perfect. I’m just so happy, Jake. I’ve never been so happy. Dancing with you like this, all dressed up, in this fancy ballroom…it’s all a little overwhelming.”

He smiled at me, weakening my knees again.

“
I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

He stared at me intently. “This is
our
fairytale,” he said. “You have no idea how happy I am that I’m dancing with the most beautiful princess at the ball. Your eyes are so mesmerizing that I can’t stop staring into them. I’ve been searching for you for so long, and now that you’re in my arms again, I’m never gonna let you go.”

Again, his words melted my heart, and more tears sprung to the surface. For once in my life, I truly felt beautiful. Love had never seemed to be much of a friend of mine. Things had never clicked for me before, and I’d always ended up getting hurt. But now I knew Jake really cared for me. I could see it in his eyes, in his beaming face, and in his twinkling blue eyes. “I love happily-ever-after,” I said, pushing some of his messy locks of hair out of his handsome face.

“
As long as I have you, I don’t care where I am. I could be freezing with you in the arctic or dying of thirst in the desert. It doesn’t matter as long as I’m with you.” He gazed deeply into my eyes and cupped my face. “Somehow, someway, fate has led me back to you.”

“
Oh, Jake,” I said, hugging him tightly as thoughts rushed through my mind. I didn’t know if we’d make it, but I intended to hold on to Jake as long as I could. At that moment, as I held him, I knew one thing: I wasn’t ready for that chapter of our fairytale to end.

After dining and dancing, we went outside to watch the parade. We joined the celebration of crazy costumes, wild makeup, and endless street activities. We fit right into the Bourbon Street crowd with our elegant outfits. I didn’t feel out of place at all. People were everywhere, even cheering from Bourbon Street balconies. Colorful and creative floats passed by us with people in crazy, eye-catching costumes in purple, gold, and red, throwing beads and trinkets to the sea of people. It was a celebration, a time to let loose and be wild and crazy. Smiling, I threw beads around my neck, and Jake grinned, threw his arm around me, and held me close. As I glanced around, I noticed everybody was wearing the long strands of brightly colored beads. The music blared all around us, while laughs and shouts echoed. I pulled out my camera, only to discover that everyone around us was more than willing to pose. I captured some of the craziest characters with the wildest of outfits on film. Jake and I had never had so much fun, even if it was so crowded we could barely move.

“
I’ve got an idea,” he said.

“
What?” I asked.

“
Think lighter and lanterns.”

My curiosity was piqued.

Gripping my hand, he led me down the street to a spot he deemed worthy. He pulled out a lighter and some packages from his bad.

“
Fireworks?” I said.

“
What better way to make peace with our past and start over fresh?”

“
I love it!”

“
I thought we’d light sky lanterns and let them soar away, like our troubles.”

“
Sky lanterns?”

“
I bought them from that guy selling all those hats, blowers, and jewelry.”

“
I saw you looking at something back there, but I was so caught up taking pictures.”

“
With each sky lantern we light, we’ll hand it our grudge and let it float away. It’ll be…symbolic.”

“
It’s a fantastic idea!” I opened the packages and pulled out a black one. I met his gaze. “This one is all the pain and tears I cried for you, all the blackness I felt in my life.”

I held the lantern upright and filled it with air by gently swinging the lantern around, holding the black bamboo ring and lighting it with the lighter. We made sure it stayed upright until it completely filled up with air. Then I released it, and it slowly floated away. My jaw dropped in awe as the floating lantern ascended. I watched the orange flames stretch high into the starry night sky, letting our grudges rise high into the darkness, carried away.

When Jake turned to meet my gaze, a tear slipped down my face. “I forgive you, Jake.

He pulled me into a close embrace and just held me as I let out a few sobs of emotion.

“
I let it all go,” I whispered. “I let it all go.”

He cupped my face in a gentle touch and stared deeply into my eyes. “I’m so sorry for all the pain I caused you.”

I touched his hands that were resting on my face. “It’s okay. Let’s not dwell on it any longer. Let’s move on with our lives and live for the present. We’ll never have a chance if we keep rehashing the past. It’s dead, done with. I refuse to dwell on what happened on our wedding day all those years ago.”

He wiped a tear that was flowing down my cheek. “I’m just so glad we’ve been given this second chance.”

“
Me too.” I reached down and grabbed a red sky lantern. Jake lit it while I held it steady as it filled up with air. “This one represents forgiveness. My heart is pure and no longer full of hate and anger.”

The lantern inflated, then gently lifted into the sky. He gripped my hand, and we watched it disappear into the night.

Jake lit a white lantern that slowly ascended toward the stars. “And this one is for hope and love and a bright future.” Then he picked up the last white one with angels on it. “I dedicate this one to your mom.”

Another tear slipped down my face, and I smiled. “This one’s for you, Mom. I love you.”

As we watched them disappear into the sky, I came to the conclusion that one of the most devastating things I could do was to carry around anger and hate. My unforgiveness had pushed me into a black place, where depression ruled the lonely world I lived in. Sometimes I felt more dead than alive. Letting my feelings go up with the sky lanterns gave me a sense of peace and harmony. That was what I needed to do to cope effectively and move forward past those deep-seated, painful feelings. I’d been swallowed up by my own bitterness and sense of injustice, but Jake had me let go of the hostility, the resentment, and all those grudges that had threatened to consume me. The act of forgiveness brought true freedom. I felt it all lift from my shoulders, and that was liberating.

He took my face in his hands again and kissed me on the lips ever so softly. I sweetly ran a hand thorough his dark tangle of hair and deepened the kiss. He slid his hands around the back of my neck, and I lost all track of time; I didn’t even realize how long we were making out. I was so caught up in the moment that I could barely remember my own name.

After that intense kiss, he gently broke my embrace and we slowly strolled back to the hotel. When I stumbled and lost my shoe, I chuckled.

Jake reached down to pick up the glass slipper. “Tell me, miss, are you the princess I’ve been looking for my entire life, my Cinderella?” he said.

I laughed. “I hope so.”

“
Then we shall see if the shoe fits.”

“
C’mon, Jake. You know it’s mine.”

He shot me a beaming smile. “Is it?”

I held out my foot. “Only one way to find out.”

He gently slid the slipper onto my foot. “Perfect fit.”

“
Imagine that!”

We both burst into laughter as he swung me around in a circle, then set me down ever so gently.

I touched his face. “I love being with you, Jake. I’m having a blast.”

“
This whole thing feels like a dream, and if it is, please don’t ever wake me up.”

I kissed his lips.

Chapter 13

We stayed for almost a week in New Orleans before it was time to continue our journey. We had a five-hour delay before our flight left. I was reading a book, and Jake had been gone for a while. I figured he was walking around, trying to keep himself busy.

My cell phone rang. I assumed it was Nadia, but I was surprised to see Jake’s number on the caller ID. “Hello?” I said.

“
Hey.”

“
What’s up?”

“
Be outside the airport gates by Southwest in ten minutes.”

“
Why?”

“
I’ve got a surprise for you,” he said in an excited tone.

“
Tell me,” I coaxed.

“
And ruin the surprise?”

“
C’mon! Just one tiny, little hint?”

“
Okay…expect amazing.”

My curiosity was piqued again. “That’s not much of a clue.”

“
Well, that’s all I’m saying for now.”

“
Okay. See you soon.”

I hung up the phone, made my way to the designated spot, and waited. A motorcyclist in a dark helmet slowed down and came to a halt not far from where I was standing.

“
Wanna go for a ride?” Jake said, taking off his helmet and shooting me a lazy smile.

I eyed him up and down, from the top of his tousled hair to his black boots. He was even hotter and more irresistible than usual in all that black leather and denim, and it was nearly impossible to rip my gaze away from him while he straddled that big black and chrome Harley, exuding an element of bad-boy danger. “You are full of surprises,” I said, stunned.