Chapter 1
Candy
We were halfway through the ceremony when it got to the part about speaking now or forever holding their peace. I looked out to the people that were behind us and I don’t know why, but the knot that had been growing in my stomach was sure that someone was going to pop up and say that we couldn’t be married. I saw it happening several times in my head, so when an older man did stand up and said those very words, I wasn’t really hearing it. “What?”
Jax was cursing under his breath, asking the man what the hell was going on. I was like Jax, I wanted to know as well. I didn't know who the person was standing there, but he didn't look so happy to be getting all the attention now. The attention he was getting, was not a good intention and I almost felt sorry for him if he wasn't in the middle of ruining my wedding.
“I work for the office of Cheryl Roberts. I just found out some information when doing the background check that was requested by the groom and I found out that the bride-to-be is already married. So, since she is already legally married, there can be no wedding today. I am sorry that I had to say it like this, but it is impossible to talk to either one of you before the wedding. Your security is rather strong.”
My mouth was open, and the reason was that I had no idea what he was talking about. First off, is the fact that Jax had had him check up on me. That was weird enough, but the fact that they thought I was married was ridiculous.
I looked to Jax and told him that there had to be some kind of mistake. I wasn't married, never had been married and I would have told him if I was. This was all just some huge mistake.
He wanted to believe me, but he also wanted to hear to what the old man had to say as well. He must have trusted his lawyer, more than he trusted me. I don't know where he got his information from, but he was wrong. I would know if I was married.
“She says that it isn't true. Do you have proof?”
The old man looked stricken for a moment and started to pat down his pockets. It was clear that he had some sort of proof, but I was sure that it was just going to be a big misunderstanding. It was someone with my name, something like that. It was the only thing that I could come up with.
When he walked towards us, Jax took the paper out of his hand in a not too nice way. I could tell that my husband-to-be was frustrated, and I didn't blame him. I was frustrated as well, more like humiliated and I wanted someone to pay for this. Whoever had messed up, should have to pay for this moment because this was happening in front of everyone that I knew.
Jax looked back at me and I will never forget the expression on his face. It called me a liar, even if his lips did not. I could tell by the way that he was looking at me, that he believed what the man said was true.
Now, I wanted to see what was on that paper and I put my hand out, asking for him to let me see it. If a piece of paper was going to ruin my life, I at least wanted to know what it said.
It looked like Jax didn’t want to give it to me, so I snatched it out of his hand. I wanted to know what was going on and I hated all the attention that we were getting. This was not how this was all supposed to go. In my head, it was all supposed to turn out so much better.
When I finally started to look at it, there was a name that I didn't recognize. What I did recognize though, was my signature on the bottom of the page. Looking further I could see that it was done in Las Vegas. I had been there a few years back, for a bachelorette party , but I was just getting out of college at the time and I don't remember much of it.
I didn’t remember Las Vegas at all, though I did wake up one morning in a bed that wasn't mine. I of course, got out of there as fast as I could, but now I was starting to wonder what happened. There were several hours of my life that I couldn't remember, and I was afraid that maybe this paperwork had something to do with the missing time. Did I really get married?
“Well say something, Candy.”
Jax was pissed off and I could hear it in his voice and see it on his face. He most likely could see that I was starting to question everything, and I wasn't denying it anymore.
“I am not saying that I did get married, I don’t remember it if I did. But I was in Las Vegas about this time. It is a possibility.”
He cursed a little louder and I could hear a gasp going out through the room. I was so embarrassed, and I couldn't even look over towards my family’s side. I knew that they were going to think that I was a fuck-up, like always. What was I supposed to say now?
“Jax, if this is real, which I don't even know if it is, we can take care of this. I don't even know who this guy is and if I somehow got drunk and signed a piece of paper, that doesn't mean anything. It doesn't mean that we can't be together, and it certainly doesn't mean that I love this man or anything like that.”
“It doesn't matter if you love him. It matters that you are married, and we can't get married today. All of these people are here and what are we supposed to tell them?”
He wasn't talking so loud now, and his voice was almost a whisper. I knew more than anything that he was embarrassed like I was, but he didn't take it as well. His family was well to do, and they had a reputation to uphold. I don't think that they wanted me and him to get married in the first place and now it was just reason for them to hate me more. My perfect day was turning into anything but perfect.
“I don't know what to say Jax. Do you want me to say something to these people?”
He looked out at the crowd and I could tell that he was debating it in his mind. I think a lot of it had to do with how he wanted to move forward with me. If we were still going to be together, the last thing he wanted to do was make it harder. But if he was going to walk away, it wouldn't matter what anybody else thought.
“I don't know what to do.”
He looked over at the old man and told him that he had done what he came there to do, and he could go sit down.
“In fact, why don't you go ahead and just get out of here? I think you have done enough for the day. Tell my lawyer that I will be talking to her soon. She could have found a better way to do this.”
The lawyer’s assistant was stuttering a little bit and I could tell that he was upset. He was of course, just the messenger and it wasn't his fault.
“She was just trying to make sure that you didn't break the law. That is her job above anything else is to protect your family Jax.”
Jax waved him off and told him to go. I knew that he was trying to hold in his temper, but it couldn’t be easy for him. While everybody thought Jax was easygoing, he really wasn't. he was quick to get upset, but he was good at hiding it. I could tell that he was seething inside. I hated that it was my fault that he felt this way.
This was all my fault and even though I didn't remember marrying anyone in Vegas, I wouldn't put it past me. I was in a weird place back then and I was drinking a lot. There is no telling what happened. The old adage that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, is obviously not the way it worked for me. What happened in Vegas, did not stay in Vegas for me and now I was going to have to pay for the consequences, whatever they were going to be.