Jensen
I loved the smile on Ireland’s face. I loved that she tied my tie and…I couldn’t think of anything that wasn’t wonderful about her. Suddenly, I felt that I needed to know more about her… Like, how did she learn to make that fancy knot? Had there been a man in her life that taught her? I didn’t want to know about another man—just her—but she seemed most interested in running her own business—that was why she had jumped on my proposed arrangement. She wanted to be taken seriously, not instructed to be home barefoot and pregnant…although that didn’t sound like such a bad idea as I looked at her. I was to be the one to keep her from that kind of marriage. I had to make our marriage different—a partnership where we made decisions together. All of these things were running through my head as we walked into a twenty-four hour jewelry store and began to search the cases for the right wedding bands. Our first agreement…or disagreement…but definitely two opinions coming together.
“Tell me more about your business.” I launched right in with a series of questions: “How did you start it? What does it entail? What is the best part of running your own company?” She beamed with excitement and turned her attention away from the glass cases in front of us before we were ambushed by an overly eager salesman.
“Can I help you? We have exactly what you’re looking for…you name it, we can get it for you.” His interruption had us diverting our eyes from each other and focusing on why we had entered the shop in the first place.
I, quickly, pointed to a few I liked and Ireland did the same. I noticed that we both picked simple platinum bands in different widths and curvatures. After he lined up our selections, we moved the ones that we liked the most toward us and then had the salesman put the others back. I had to admit, it was a little strange to be slipping on a wedding band. When I had purchased the engagement ring earlier, that salesclerk asked me about wedding bands—namely about one for me—and I waved him off. It didn’t seem real at the time, it was just something I needed to do. Purchasing rings together as a couple was a far more enjoyable adventure.
Looking at Ireland wearing the diamond ring that I bought for a mystery bride, it was perfect for her and it even fit her—didn’t need to be resized. “I like these two the best,” she said, lifting the ring for me from the cushion and holding it up for me to try it on. My heart pounded and my stomach did a little flip as she slid it on my finger. It didn’t fit, but I liked it and did as she had done—ready to test the daintier one on her finger. Hers didn’t fit either and we looked at each other in a questioning manner…was it a sign?
Our salesperson seemed to be keyed in to our doubtful minds…or stares, and quickly chimed in. “Not to worry about the fit. These are just samples. I have a ring sizer here.” He held up a larger metal ring with what looked like a hundred different rings on it, varying in size. “We have all sizes in the backroom. If these are the right ones, I will go get the perfect sizes. Just say the word.”
Ireland nodded with a bright smile which caused me to melt a little. But, at least I was able to speak up and send him off with my credit card to find the rings for us once we were sized just right.
“I started by pairing vendors for an event,” Ireland spoke up once we were alone, sipping a complimentary glass of champagne that another person in the store had immediately delivered to us. “Pairing is key along with atmosphere. Clients must see the right eye candy everywhere when they enter an event or an online site…”
I couldn’t help but laugh, stifling her. “Eye Candy is important to women.”
“Men like it too. You just don’t use that term. Hot! Sick! Rad! Bomb! Awesome! Gnarly!” I had to laugh even harder when she said each word, attempting a different manly voice. “It’s true!” She stood up a little taller and I got the idea that I was putting her on the spot to defend herself.
Not wanting to be like her parents or anyone else that questioned her knowledge or ability, I reached out and rubbed her bare arm. So warm and soft, it had my thoughts muddled, but I think I made sense. “I get it. Everyone has desires, wants…lusts.” I swear she gasped a bit while doing a little shiver movement and it was the sexiest thing ever.
“Visuals…appealing visuals equal eye candy for the masses.” She smiled up at me and I forgot where we were, what we were doing…what my own name was. I just wanted her in my arms and acting on my wants—removing our glasses from the equation—I captured her mouth.
Again, a salesperson ruined our moment, breaking us apart with his words, a little box, and a postcard listing chapel photos on one side and a map on the other side. “These are some we recommend,” he said, circling a few with a red pen.
We thanked him, drained our champagne flutes, Ireland put the ring box into her purse, and then we looked at the postcard. “Your expertise could come in handy here…pair us with the place that suits us best.”
She shook her head. “Put that away!” She demanded quietly, looking around, tapping the card one last time before I folded it up and tucked it in the interior pocket of my suit jacket. “They probably get a kick back from the ones he pointed out. Look right there at the bottom right-hand corner, a discount code…linked.”
She was smart, probably had her own clients do similar things to network—she did mention networking was essential. “So your aversion to the postcard is not because you’re having second thoughts?” A questionable eyebrow greeted her.
She laughed. “Not at all. We’ll find the right place for us. It might be one of those or not… However, we do need our witnesses.” Her gorgeous grin nearly took my breath away and I felt lucky to be starting a new life where Ireland would be part of my daily routine.
Though as much as I loved her expression, I loved wiping it from her face with a kiss right outside the doors of the jewelry shop. It wasn’t anyone who broke us apart next, but my desire to hurry up and make her officially mine. “I would like nothing more than to crush my mouth to yours for hours but, you’re right we need to find our friends and make this legal.” She nodded in agreement and we set off on our quest.
Striding back toward the club holding hands and wearing a pair of goofy grins, two very familiar, yet, unhappy looking people were heading our way.
“Hey! Where do you two think you’re going?” Montana shouted from a short distance away. “Ditching us?” Her words were quieter as she and my friend caught up with us.
“Running off to elope from your elopement?” Novak raised an eyebrow in our direction and I threw up my hands—a move I hated since it meant that I had to let go of Ireland’s soft hand. He didn’t seem convinced that we were coming back for them and looked to be waiting for an explanation.
“I needed a tie,” I said, touching the red silk fabric sitting proudly in place on my chest thanks to my gorgeous bride-to-be.
“And we needed wedding bands,” Ireland announced, pulling out a little box not quite as pretty as the one her engagement ring came in, but the store where I had purchased it wasn’t open after midnight. Even if not from Cartier, the two rings wedged in the tiny white pillow looked perfect together—like us.
“We were actually coming to find you…it’s wedding time,” I said with a bit of excitement in my voice. I really was happy and ready—the total opposite of when my parents mentioned that it was time for me to get married.
I could see a skeptical look on Novak’s face but when I nodded that it was what I wanted, he was quick to make jokes. “Let’s go find Elvis to perform the ceremony.”
Ireland was quick to protest and Montana backed her up, “My friend is not going to have a gold chain wearing hunk of burning love jumpsuit guy asking her to say I do. I’m sorry but we have to put our foot down…although, it could be a kick.”
“I agree with the no-Elvis. Sorry, Novak,” I told him, grabbing him by the shoulder in a reassuring and comforting way that had him laughing…then we all joined in. “Okay, first chapel we find that’s it…unless there is any mention of The King.”
“Champagne first!” Montana exclaimed. “We need to continue the celebration… Wow! This is really happening!” Then she hugged her friend as she continued, “Ireland and I promised each other that we would be drinking bubbly from dawn to dusk and beyond on the day of either of our weddings.”
“I believe you started already at the pool earlier.” Novak didn’t seem very happy with the whole situation and something told me that I could not convince him no matter what. He would see—I was certain of it—in the end, things would be as they should be and that my…our happiness was best for everyone.
“Don’t be a spoil sport, buddy.” I really wanted Novak to get onboard. “The girls want champagne, let’s get it and keep it flowing…this is a celebration. Let’s drink to our freedom—” I looked at Ireland when I spoke my next two words, “and love.” Funny to be mentioning freedom linked with our marriage, but for both of us it was the freedom of choice. The love part, I truly believed that there would be lots of it in our future.
We were free from expected love…free to find our own.