I’d been picking up extra shifts at Voy and Voyeur trying to save every penny. Between Andrew’s physical therapy, his new medical equipment, and this wedding that grew larger by the second, I wasn’t sure there were enough hours in the day to work to cover it all.
I was one flower bouquet away from starting to perform again at Voyeur just to make more money. Not that I would ever do that to Jake, but dammit, I was struggling to keep up. A year ago, he was set to get married to a successful woman who could’ve paid for her wedding ten times over, and now there was me—poor, struggling me.
Of course, I didn’t mention it, because he’d call me crazy and say what was his was mine. He’d wave it off and say that if his mom was the reason the wedding got so big, then let her pay for it. But she wasn’t my mom—not really. Mine had died years ago and hadn’t left me with much. I didn’t have a family member promising to pay half the wedding as they sent me off into holy matrimony.
Who came up with that shit anyway?
But mainly, I didn’t mention it, because he always looked so happy when his mom talked wedding planning. He didn’t care, but he loved giving his mother something to focus on and that made me happy. Happy wife, happy life.
A chuckle slipped past my lips when I imagined Jake’s reaction if I called him my wife.
Never in my life did I imagine being here: engaged and planning a wedding to a man. I’d almost always known I was bisexual, but I never thought I’d find someone to be enough for me to settle down.
Until him.
I saw his face through the window of the hired car, but had the wind knocked out of me when he stepped out and gave me that perfect smile. I fought the urge to run to him and pull him in for a kiss right there on the busy street. I craved to feel the rough brush of his scruff against my mouth as he aggressively feasted from my lips.
His mom stepped up behind him and before I could greet her, he leaned in to press a quick peck to my lips. “Hey.”
I swallowed at his nearness, trying to bring moisture back to my mouth. “Hey.”
His rough fingers of one hand slipped between mine and the other moved to wrap around the hand holding the cup, forcing me to bring it to his lips. He didn’t break eye contact as he took a sip and I wondered how the hell watching his lips wrap around the lid of my cup could make my dick jerk in my pants.
“Hello, Jackson,” Joanne greeted, squashing any erection.
“Hello, Joa—Mom.” I was still getting used to calling her Mom. She loved me like a mom, and I cared for her deeply, so I had no issue with it. But I’d known her since Jake and I were in college and she’d always been Mrs. Wellington or Joanne.
She tugged me down so she could place a chaste kiss to my cheek. “I love hearing that.”
“Anything to make you happy.”
She gave me a loving smile, like any mom would. “Let’s head inside. We’re meeting Andre Dorne for a tour.”
I’d only been inside the Netherland Plaza once when my parents attended a fundraiser and brought me along. I’d looked up in awe at all the dark woods, golds, and intricate designs. It’d been huge and overwhelming to twelve-year-old me. It was still overwhelming to me. Now, I looked at each antique design and all I saw was dollar signs. This place was expensive—not in a subtle way, but in a way that screamed.
Joanne greeted a thin man in a dark suit who held his nose in the air but also gave a genuine smile and firm handshake. The next hour passed in a blur of various rooms and the history behind each one that made it so unique and a top selection among couples. Joanne oohed and ahhed over it all. The bigger it was, the more excitement crept into her face.
Jake nodded and paid attention, keeping my hand clasped in his until I pulled away with the excuse to use the restroom. In reality, I needed to escape before he felt how sweaty each option made my hands. I splashed water on my face and took a few deep breaths. I looked as tired as I felt. The dark circles under my eyes made the brown even darker.
Shaking my head, I covered another yawn and left the safety of the restroom. Jake’s laugh reached across the space and squeezed my heart, forcing it to beat harder and faster. It always did. I loved him. I loved him with every single cell in my body. Seeing his head thrown back with joy surrounded by the golds that matched his hair reminded me of that love. My own lips tipped in a smile and I knew then, I’d get married anywhere he wanted. I’d work triple shifts if it meant keeping him as happy as he looked now.