Haven
I woke to an empty bed, but was aware of the effects of Jake all over my body. I was sore and bruised and felt perfect. I propped myself up on my elbows to see if I could hear him in the bathroom. I couldn’t make out a sound. Would he have gone without waking me?
I scanned the huge bedroom and saw his t-shirt at the end of the bed. I smiled. Grabbing it, I pulled it on and climbed off the mattress.
Jake was on my laptop as I wandered into the sitting room. The morning sun lit the room as if he was on a movie set. He was perfect. “I thought you might have left,” I said, pushing my hand through his hair. Looking around, my eyes were drawn to the views of London that surrounded us.
“I’m never leaving, I told you,” he said as he reached out and pulled me onto his lap. “What are you doing three weeks from Friday?” he asked, staring at the laptop.
I drew my eyebrows together. “I’m not sure. What date is it?”
“It’s the twenty-second.”
“Nothing, I don’t think. Why?”
“Then you’re free to marry me?” he asked.
I rested my hands on his cheeks and moved his face so we were eye to eye. “What are you talking about?”
“Friday the twenty-second. The registry office is free. We can get married.”
“In three weeks?” I asked.
He nodded.
“We can’t get married in three weeks,” I said. “We just got back together.”
“Do you not want to marry me?”
“Of course I want to marry you! But, we have things to discuss. Logistics. People. Things to do and more things—” My mind was racing but I couldn’t hide my grin.
“What do we need to discuss?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Lots of things. I don’t even know if you want children.”
“I want three,” he answered matter-of-factly.
“I can live with three,” I said through a smile.
“What else?” he asked.
“How is your dad? I’m sorry, I didn’t ask.”
“He’s fine, better than ever, so he says. I’ve been speaking to him on the phone.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “That’s great news. I’m so pleased.”
“It is. It really is. So, what else?”
“Where do we live? Will Beth mind if I move in?”
“I don’t care. I bought this place for you, but we can live here or not—”
“You bought this place for me?”
“Yeah, you looked so at home here and I loved that I had memories of you here. And I knew you liked it. At the back of my mind, I believed that if I bought it, you’d have to come back to me.”
I smoothed my hands over his neck and I kissed his jaw. He’d always had such faith in us. Why was I questioning things, why didn’t I just agree to get married? There was no reason not to.
“Last night was my first night in the place and you were here with me. So it looks like I was right. And Beth has her own apartment on the floor below. We’re not roommates anymore, so she won’t mind. It’s entirely up to you. What else?”
“I want to live here, with you. You’re right, it feels like home.” I could imagine myself here. I could imagine myself anywhere Jake was.
“Later we can go to your place and get some of your stuff. I’ll get the movers to get the rest later in the week.”
I smiled at his eagerness. “What’s the rush?”
“What’s the point in delaying the inevitable? This is it for me and for you, too. I know you. I don’t want to waste another moment not being with you, not being married to you.” He was right. Everything he was saying was making sense.
“Three weeks?” I asked again.
“Three weeks. And if you want a big wedding reception, we can do that later,” he said.
“I don’t want anything big. I just want to love you for the rest of my life.” I leaned forward and pushed my lips against his.
Jake squeezed my hand and I realized I’d let my concentration wander, trying to take in every detail of this moment. “Are you ready?” he whispered. Standing next to me, in the oak-paneled registry office, his hand in mine, Jake looked as handsome as I’d ever seen him. The bespoke suit he’d bought after he’d sold his first business clung to his frame in all the right ways. My dress was very plain; there was no lace or beading. It was ivory silk, off the rack and it fit perfectly, thankfully, because we had no time for alterations. I wore my hair down because Jake wouldn’t have had it any other way, and I had on dangerously high, strappy bright pink shoes. They were the type of shoes that I knew got Jake’s attention.
I glanced around the room. Everyone I loved in the world watched as Jake and I were about to be pronounced husband and wife. And even though a few were missing, I felt them with us. My bouquet was lily of the valley—my mother’s favorite flower—and Luke’s blue glassy eyes as he placed my hand in Jake’s echoed my father’s. Unable to travel, Jake’s father had wished us well and we had promised to visit him soon.
As if marrying the love of my life wasn’t perfect enough, I got to share it with these wonderful people—Luke, Ash and Beth. My people. I nodded. Yes, I was ready.
I took a deep breath, recalling the words the registrar had just recited. “I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, Haven Daniels, do take thee, Jake Harrison, to be my lawful wedded husband.” I slipped Jake’s ring onto his finger and interlinked our hands, not wanting to lose the feel of his skin against mine. I’d never smiled so widely or seen Jake look so happy.
“You may kiss the bride,” the registrar said.
Jake slid one hand around my waist and cupped my jaw with the other. He waited a beat, scanning my face and then pulled us together, crashing his lips to mine. I melted against him as his tongue pressed against mine, exploring as if it were our first kiss. I hoped it would always be like that between us. Sniggering from our family filtered through the moment and Jake’s kiss turned into a smile as he loosened his grip. Reluctantly, I pulled my lips from his and grinned up at him.
“So, now that we’re married, what happens next?” I whispered.
He leaned into my neck, his nose rubbing against my cheek. “Now we live happily ever after.”