"You know, I was thinking during dinner that I wouldn't have gone with the chicken dish at our wedding."
"Oh?"
"And what about that dessert? The one with the custard."
"It was so gross," we both said in unison.
Like music to my ears, Bailey giggled again. "What would you have gone with?" she questioned.
"I dunno, probably steak, and some sort of cherry desert, like that cheesecake your mom makes."
Bailey smiled and then grew quiet. She interlaced her fingers with mine, snuggling into me a little closer. I closed my eyes and rested my head against hers, allowing the scent of her shampoo to surround me.
We both sat there, quiet, just holding one another for a while, and then she cleared her throat. "Whatever happened to us?" she whispered. "Why did we allow all of what happened to split us apart?"
I sat there, running my thumb over the back of her hand, holding her against me. I didn't have an answer. I didn't even know if she wanted an answer. I was afraid to even move because I didn't want to stop her from continuing if she had more to say.
"You know, Jackson, I've thought a lot about that over the last few years, more so over the last couple of months. From the second I first saw you again, I realized how much I've missed you."
I swallowed hard. "I've missed you too, Bailey. So much," I whispered, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head.
I could have sat there all night with her in my arms, but instead, she pushed away and sat up looking down at her watch. "We should get back. Everyone's going to be wondering where we are."
I checked my watch. My escape to my room had turned into a two-hour escape. I nodded and stood, taking her hand in mine, and together we began walking back to the hotel. The walk I had wished would last forever seemed to go by so fast, and soon I found myself holding the door open as she ducked below my arm and went inside.
We'd walked into the lobby and stopped just outside the bank of elevators where she turned toward me. I looked down into those beautiful blue eyes. "Why don't you come with me up to my room."
She bit her bottom lip. "I can't, Jackson. I'm supposed to be spending the night in the bridal suite with Cara."
The disappointment that shot through me hurt almost as bad as the morning she walked out on me, but I swallowed my pride and nodded. "Well, can't blame me for trying. I guess this is good night then."
She nodded. "I guess," she said, lowering her eyes from mine.
I placed my finger under her chin, lifting those beautiful blue eyes back to mine, leaned in, and gently placed a kiss on her lips. "Good night," I whispered.
I heard a rumble of laughter and pulled away instantly, looking over my shoulder as the boys poured out of the lounge.
"There you are!" Ryan yelled across the lobby. "Bout time you decided to come down here and join us losers."
I turned to see Bailey smile as she walked away from me toward the elevators. "Good luck with that. Good night. I will see you tomorrow," she said as she left me standing there as the guys made their way over to me.
11
Bailey
"I now pronounceyou husband and wife."
I wiped my eyes and watched as Cara and Ryan kissed. Everyone erupted into applause as they began their descent down the aisle. I was so happy to know that my best friend had found the love of her life that I could barely take my eyes off the happy couple. I was so intent on watching them make their way down the aisle, Cara stopping to hug family members and Ryan giving high fives out to a group of co-workers, I hadn't noticed Jackson waiting for me to take his arm, until Sierra tapped me on the shoulder and nodded in his direction.
I flipped the bouquet I was holding to my other hand and laced my arm through Jackson’s. The second I stood beside him, I could feel the heat rolling off his body. I smiled up at him, and together we walked down the aisle, following the newly married couple out to the flower garden of the hotel for pictures.
We stepped out into the flower garden, and the photographer began shouting out directions. I swallowed hard. The sick feeling I'd woken with this morning was still present. Cara had asked me numerous times what was wrong, but I just shrugged it off as nerves.
"What do you have to be nervous about?" She laughed as we sat having our makeup done.
I'd laughed it off too, but as the day wore on and I set eyes on Jackson for the first time since we parted ways last night, the butterflies started all over again. While the photographer reloaded his camera with a new card, I looked over at the men.
Jackson stood there, laughing with the guys, and then his eyes locked with mine. Instantly, my mind went straight to last night, standing in the lobby as he leaned own and brushed his lips against mine. That kiss had sat in the forefront of my mind the entire night. That kiss had made my heart skip a beat, and I realized that I wanted to feel that kiss again. I wanted to feel his lips against mine, his arms wrapped around me, pulling me against him. I'd had those feelings on my mind for the past three months, and over that time, I was sure that almost every single night I had fallen asleep to the memory of him lying behind me, holding me the way he used to.