Promise of Forever (10 page)

CHAPTER FO
URTEEN

Jackson

It was a lengthy trip from Philadelphia to the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, which was located within the arctic circle of northern Finland. After a flight into Helsinki, the capital of Finland, we had to take another flight into the closest city and then a thirty-minute shuttle through the mountainous region of northern Finland to get to the resort.

But when we finally arrived at this resort that was situated in the middle of the snow-covered wilderness, I knew instantly why this place had been on Chloe’s bucket list since she read about it when we were growing up.

“This place feels like a fairy tale,” Chloe gasped as we stepped out of the shuttle, expressing exactly how I was feeling as I looked around in awe at how enchanting everything looked around us.

Chloe let out a squeal of excitement as we collected our luggage.

“You’re so cute sometimes.” I kissed her nose. As gust of snow flurries blew past us, I examined her snow parka to make sure it was tightly wrapped around her.

“Jax, this is the best surprise I can ever imagine.” She beamed up at me, her eyes twinkled with excitement. “You’re the best.” She put her arms around my neck and pulled me down for a kiss.

“I know,” I agreed as she pulled away. “I really am.”

She giggled, but didn’t bother to hit my chest playfully like she normally would when I made an obnoxious comment—she was too excited to be here to even bother.

“What are you most excited about?” I asked her as we headed into the resort with our luggage. “Besides the aurora borealis, or course, which they say we’ll be able to see all week here.”

She looked up at me and beamed—this delirious happiness that seemed to exude from every facet of her being. “Promise you won’t laugh.”

I chuckled at her request. “Well if you put it like that, I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to keep that promise.”

She made a face at me. “You’re the worst at promises.”

“I am, aren’t I?”

I knew she was teasing, but she was right—almost every promise I’ve made her, I’ve broken. As much as that saddened me, I knew it only pushed me harder to make it up to her.

“So I’m really excited to see Santa’s Home.”

I tried to hold back my laughter. “You know Santa’s not real, right?” I teased her.

She made a face at me. “I knew you’d laugh.”

“You know me so well.” I snickered. “So why are you most excited about seeing Santa’s Home here?”

“Well I’ve never been to the arctic circle, and probably won’t ever be back. I know he’s not real, but when I grew up, I really believed in him. My mom told me he gave me the Belle Barbie doll I got one year. I used to think if Santa gave me the Belle for Christmas, that meant he saw that I was a good girl, and maybe one year, if I was really good, he’d help my mom get better. That was always the top present I’d always wished for each year.”

I pulled her into my arms and held her. “You are the most incredible person I know, Clo,” I whispered. “I’m so lucky to have you in my life.” My heart went out to her. I knew she’d had a hard life growing up, her innocence stripped from her before she even knew what it was. Her life had always been about sacrifice and compassion for those around her, for those she loved—and she would give her all to those she cared for, willingly and without hesitation.

“Come on, let’s go visit Santa’s Home. Then we can go on the reindeer ride.”

She giggled. “That’s actually the second thing I was looking forward to the most.”

I swung my arms around her. “Don’t I know you well?”

“Jax. Thanks for bringing me here and making this dream come true.” She looked up at me with an innocent gleam of delight in her eyes. It was a look I’d rarely seen in her, and it touched me knowing that I helped put it there. So to see this sheer joy in her eyes, the glimpse of unadulterated innocence took my breath away.

***

We turned the lights off in the room, and the magical green glow of the aurora borealis moved across the sky like fast-moving colorful clouds as they cast the only light in our small glass igloo.

“God, Jax, isn’t this just amazing?” She looked up at the sky in awe, taking in one of the oldest places that’d been on her bucket list of places to see in her lifetime.

“It’s incredible,” I agreed, half looking up at the northern lights and half looking at her. She was a vision of beauty and I knew this was the moment—the perfect one. Palms sweaty, I pulled out the smooth velvet container that’d weighed down in my pant pockets since we left New York.

“There are just no words,” she continued, her voice full of bliss as she took in the wide expanse of the sky overhead. “The moving colors, the thousands of bright stars, and that brilliant glow across the black night. The picture on the clipping in the
Discover
magazine I’ve kept of this place doesn’t do this justice. It’s—”

“Enchanting,” I finished for her as I bent down on one knee, my eyes locked onto her—the most enchanting thing before me.

“Yeah, enchanting,” she repeated dreamily.

“Clo,” I said as I looked up at her, waiting for her to look back at me. I heard a nervousness in my voice that I hope she hadn’t noticed.

“Yeah?” she asked absentmindedly as she glanced back at me quickly.

A grin spread across my face as I watched how cute she looked during that split-second of confusion when she didn’t see me standing in front of her like I had moments before. I couldn’t express in words how amazing it felt to watch that confusion turn to understanding on her beautiful face as she lowered her head to look down toward me.

Then I pressed the small remote in my other hand, which turned on a portable stereo, and a second later, “Truly Madly Deeply” by Savage Garden started playing softly in the background.

“I know how much you loved this song when we were in high school,” I whispered.

She nodded, her eyes wide and wet with emotion as she met my gaze. Her mouth opened and then closed, but no sound came out.

I beamed up at her, trying to savor this moment in my mind, trying to memorize it so I could always return to it. I held up the velvet box in front of her and slowly opened it, revealing the vintage ring inside.

She gasped. I could see the nerves, wonderment, and excitement across her face—the same feelings I was feeling inside as I looked up at her—at my best friend, my love, and—hopefully—my soon-to-be wife.

“Jax,” she let out in a hushed voice, “That looks like the ring from Doyle & Doyle in New York when we went nine months ago.”

“It
is
the ring from Doyle & Doyle.” I beamed up at her, remembering how much she had loved this ring that day.

She looked like she was in shock as she looked down at the engagement ring in disbelief. “But how were you able to get it? Didn’t they say that it was a really rare vintage diamond ring and expected it to be sold by the end of that week?”

“It
was
sold by the end of that week—actually end of that day.” My grin grew wider as I saw the understanding flash through her eyes.

“You didn’t,” she gasped.

I nodded. “I went back later that day and bought it. I knew then that this day would come and I wanted to give you the perfect ring. It looked beautiful on you, and I knew from the way your face lit up when you put it on that it made you happy.”

“You’ve had it this entire time?” She was still in disbelief. “But we’ve been living together. I’ve never seen it before around the house or in the safety deposit box you have in the bedroom.”

I chuckled. “Do you really think I’d risk spoiling the surprise and miss out on this priceless look on your face? It’s been sitting in my safety deposit box at the bank.”

“Oh.” She became silent when she finally accepted that this ring was really in front of her. “It’s beautiful, Jax,” she whispered. “It’s
too
beautiful.” There were tears in her eyes as she stared between the ring and then to me.

“It was made for you, Clo. To me, you’re like this ring—you’re a rare, one-of-a-kind diamond that could never be replicated.”

“Oh, Jax. I…” Tears streamed down her face. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Just say yes.” I reached for her hand. “I love you, Clo. When we were thirteen, we made a pact under the makeshift northern lights I created on your bedroom ceiling. I promised you that night that I’d marry you and be there for you. Now that I have you in my life, now that I know how happy I can be with you by my side, I realize that that promise isn’t enough for me anymore. With this ring, and under the real aurora borealis, I promise you a forever. I promise you my now, my forever, and everything in between. Will you let me fulfill this promise to you and marry me?”

“Yes.” She threw her arms around me and pressed her lips on mine. “Yes. Yes. Yes,” she repeated when she pulled away, her voice softer each time she repeated it. I slipped the ring onto her finger and it still fit perfectly, like it was made just for her.

CHAPTER
FIFTEEN

Chloe

“You’re kidding, right?” Jackson looked up from his Calculus textbook.

I giggled and shook my head. “No, I’m serious. I love this place.” I leaned back against the palm of my hands and inhaled the subtle, sweet smell of freshly cut grass. “Wouldn’t you want to have yours here?”

“I’ve actually never thought about where I’d want to get married.” He looked around at the lake. “I do love this place, but it never crossed my mind.”

I smiled as I looked over at the bridge at the narrow end of the lake and saw a small glare reflecting off of something on the bridge. I knew it was our love lock. When the afternoon sun hit its shiny, metal surface at just the right angle, it would always give off a glare, reminding me that it was there.

“I think this place is perfect. It’s one of my favorite places and I’ve had a lot of great memories here.”

“So you don’t want a fancy wedding?”

I shook my head. “Nothing is important except how happy I’d be at my wedding. I know I’d be happy here. None of that other stuff matters.”

***

“Are you nervous?” Uncle Tom gave me a reassuring smile as he offered his arm.  

I looked up into his gaze and smiled confidently “No. I’ve never been more ready about anything in my life.”

Uncle Tom patted my hand and smiled back knowingly, “Your Aunt and I have always known you two were destined to be together, even when you were just a couple of kids splashing around in this very lake.”

We both turned and stared out at the lake, now decorated for my wedding. It was the perfect place to hold a summer wedding, with the tall, leafy trees providing a natural canopy of shade and the clear blue water shimmering in the sunlight. The sound of birds singing provided the ideal background music. And all the summer flowers were in bloom, filling the air with fragrant smells.

It wasn’t the breathtaking beauty of the lake that made me want to hold my wedding there though; it was the special place it would always hold in my heart. This was the place where Jackson and I had spent so much time together growing up. This was the place where we sealed our promise to marry each other with our love lock. This was the place where we first felt something deeper for each other than mere friendship.

I smiled as we heard the swelling of music from the string quartet as they started to play Pachelbel’s
Canon in D
. Taking a deep breath for courage, Uncle Tom and I pushed through the privacy curtain and walked slowly down the path.

The clearing by the lake had been completely transformed into an enchanted garden. A lattice arch had been set up at the far end of the path completely covered in tulips, pink peonies and apricot pink English roses—all my favorites. Jackson had asked if he could be in charge of selecting the flowers for the ceremony and I was impressed that he had remembered.

Twinkling white lights strung everywhere through the trees, giving the woods a magical quality like something from a dream.

White folding chairs covered in tulle and fresh flowers had been set up on both sides of the arch with an aisle going right down the middle. Jackson stood just to the right of it, looking incredibly handsome in a black tuxedo with an apricot pink English rosebud in his lapel.

Everyone stood and gasped in awe as I started to walk slowly down the aisle clinging to Uncle Tom’s arm. As I felt their eyes upon me and heard their oohs and ahhs, I felt truly beautiful for the first time in my life, like a fairytale bride floating on a magicalclou
d
.

My dress was a simple design made by Vera Wang. The sleeveless bodice was made of embroidered lace accented with tiny pearls and the flowing skirt was comprised of layers of silk organza that cascaded over my body like a waterfall. My hair hung loose down my back in soft curls, topped with a crown of delicate flowers on my head.

As I walked down the endless aisle toward Jackson, all I could see was him as the rest of the world faded into the background. We smiled at each other, our eyes never leaving the other as I walked toward him.

When we reached the end of the aisle, Uncle Tom kissed my cheek and gazed into my eyes one last time. He was the only father figure I had ever really known and I saw the pride and love he felt for me in that moment and knew that I was like a daughter in his heart. We hugged each other tightly but briefly before he gently handed my hand over to Jackson.

To Jackson, he whispered, “Take care of her.”

Jackson nodded. “Always.”

When we stood there, holding each others’ hands, I saw the sheer happiness and joy in his eyes—the same I’d felt inside.

“And now the couple will exchange rings and say aloud the special vows they have each prepared,” the Officiate said as he smiled between me and Jackson.

This was the moment I had been dreaming about all my lif
e
, and
i
t was suddenly happening with the man of my dreams.

Jackson took the platinum band we had picked out together and slid it onto my left hand where it nestled perfectly against the breathtaking vintage engagement ring.

I saw him draw in a deep breath to steady himself. He looked into my eyes and smiled that boyish grin I’d fallen madly in love with.

“My dearest Clo, I have so many things I want to say to you right now, but all my thousands of words can be merged into one sentence: Thank you for appearing in my life, for forgiving me for my mistakes, for allowing me to spend the rest of my life trying to make you as happy as you’ve made me. I love you so much, and I promise to do everything in my power, for the rest of my days, to make you as happy as you made me on the day you agreed to be my bride.”

I saw the tears in his eyes as he finished his vows, and I swallowed hard against the lumps of emotion that were caught in my throat. All I wanted to do was throw myself into his arms right then and kiss him, but I resisted the temptation. 

I slipped the platinum wedding band onto his broad finger and tried to blink back the tears that threatened to break free from my eyes.

Then, in front of all our friends and loved ones, I froze. I had written a speech I wanted to say to Jackson in front of everyone I loved and cared about, but at that moment, it had suddenly disappeared from my mind.

I started to panic, but then, as if he knew what I was thinking, I felt him squeeze my hands and I met his gaze. At that moment, all my nervousness melted away, and as I got lost in his warm, emerald eyes, the words that expressed everything I felt for him came out.

“Jax, since as early as I can remember, I always wanted to feel loved, to feel wanted, and feel safe. There’s no other place I feel more loved and safe than within your arms. You’ve loved me when I felt unlovable and you’ve loved me when I didn’t feel like I deserved it. Thank you. Thank you for being the very best friend I could ever hope for. Thank you for coming into my life.”

I saw the emotion well up in Jackson’s eyes and I knew my vow had touched his heart the same way his had touched mine. 

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride,” the Officiant declared.

Jackson didn’t even wait for him to finish the sentence before he pulled me into his strong arms and kissed me passionately, stealing my breath away as I melted into his embrace.

Jackson

“Well, we did it, Mrs. Pierce.” I grinned at Chloe and watched her eyes light up when she heard me call her by her married name for the first time.

“We sure did, Mr. Pierce.” Chloe smiled back at me and kissed me.

I had always known that Chloe was beautiful, but when she was walking toward me down the aisle at the lake, I was blown away by how stunning she looked. Her face was glowing, her eyes were like gemstones, and her smile had never been lovelier. It had taken all my restraint not to run toward her and sweep her into my arms.

The reception hall was located fairly close to the lake and all our friends and family were already there by the time we’d finished getting our pictures taken with the photographer by the lake.

“Congratulations! I trust you’ll take good care of our girl.” I felt a friendly tap on my shoulder and I turned to face Chloe’s Uncle Tom and Aunt Betty, both of whom were grinning broadly. 

“I promise.” I gave Uncle Tom a hearty handshake, but Aunt Betty insisted on a hug.

“I’m still going to cook extra food for you, so whenever you need a hot meal just come and visit us. You don’t even need to call first,” Aunt Betty said.

I stood back as Chloe hugged Aunt Betty and Uncle Tom while they gushed about the ceremony. Then Chloe looked around anxiously and asked, “Where’s Charlie? I hope the ceremony wasn’t too much for him and he had to leave.”

“Are you kidding?” Aunt Betty said with a laugh. “We can’t get that boy to take it easy now that he’s in love. Ever since he’s met Kendra, nothing is too much for him anymore.” Aunt Betty laughed heartily and jerked her head in the direction of the dance floor. 

We all looked to find Charlie dancing exuberantly in his wheelchair, popping wheelies and spinning in circles with a lovely girl, who was laughing and smiling as she twirled around him. I glanced at Chloe and saw the look of relief in her eyes just before they started to fill with tears of joy. I knew how deep her feelings ran about her cousin’s accident and I hoped seeing him look so happy and healthy would finally put her guilt at ease and give her the peace she deserved. 

As the D.J. got ready to play a new song, I held my hand to Chloe, bowed with exaggerated chivalry and said, “You know, Mrs. Pierce, we haven’t had our first dance as husband and wife yet. What do say Clo, shall we?”

“It’s about time. I thought you’d never ask.” She grinned at me playfully and followed me to the dance floor. I nodded at the D.J. and he put on the record I had specifically requested.

As “At Last” by Etta James filled the air, I held Chloe close into my arms as we moved through the dance floor.

“I love you, Clo,” I whispered in her ear. “Whenever you look at me, I see everything I know I’ll ever need in life. I’m so thankful that this day has finally arrived.”

“I love you too, Jax.” She looked up at me with tear-filled eyes. “You’ve made me happier than I ever thought was possible for me.”

“Baby, I know it took us some time to get here. When we were thirteen, I promised to marry you when we turned thirty,” I said as I gazed into her eyes. “I’m sorry I’m about two years late.”

“No, Jax.” She smiled up at me and pulled my head down to her. And just before our lips met in a long, tender kiss, she whispered, “You’re just on time.”