Chapter 23
Georgie
“I have to pee, we need to go back.” Ashlyn complains.
Savvy and I share a look knowing we need to get her outside. The wedding’s supposed to start in five minutes.
“Ash, honey, you just went before we left your room. I don’t think you really need to go again.”
“Shit, you’re right. I think I need to take a dump. Sorry guys I’m just so nervous, it’s an anxious shit.” I try to hold back my laughter.
“I know what you need. I’ll be right back.” Savvy heads for the stairs.
“Ash, why are you so nervous. You’ve been living with Josh for over a year now. You have Mia, how are you nervous?”
“I’m not nervous to marry Josh. I just hate being the center of attention. Yeah, I know, who would have thunk?” She laughs.
“Here we go.” Savvy runs up to us with her dad in tow. He has a bottle of Crown Royal and two shot glasses.
“Ladies, can I have a moment alone with Ash?”
“Sure thing, we’ll be waiting by the back door.” Savvy and I head down the stairs to give them a moment.
“Thank whatever’s out there in the universe he didn’t ask me to do a shot.” Savvy breathes a sigh of relief.
“Why?” I ask accusingly.
“Oh shit, nothing.” She goes to walk out the door but I grab her elbow.
“You’re pregnant again? Danny’s only six months old!”
“I know, I know. But when Zander gets an idea in his head he kind of goes with it. He wants me bare foot and pregnant for the rest of my life. I try to resist him but… well, you’ve seen him. It’s an impossible task. So here I am, pregnant. Apparently his pull out game is not strong. And by not strong I mean he didn’t pull out.”
I squeal and pull her towards me. “I’m so happy for you guys! Danny is going to be an awesome big brother.”
“Right! He’s such a good boy.”
“The best.”
A tear streaks its way down her cheek and I quickly wipe it away. “None of that, you’ll ruin your makeup.”
“I can’t help it. Stupid hormones.” She shrugs her shoulders and we hear Ash and Jack working their way down the stairs.
“Please, don’t tell her. Today is about her, not me.”
“I promise.”
Ash enters the room, raises her hands in the air and yells, “What the hell are you waiting for? Let’s get me married!”
We all shriek and get ready to walk down the aisle.
As I step on the back deck I’m in awe. I haven’t seen the yard yet but it feels like a dream. Ash and Josh decided to get married at their house because they have a humungous back yard. Plenty of room for tents and plenty of people.
“Oh my.” Savvy gasps next to me.
“Are they for real? I feel like I’m in heaven right now.” And I mean that literally. There’s white satin draped in trees and white roses everywhere. It’s beautiful and I’ve never seen anything more gorgeous in my life. As we make our way down the stairs into the yard I see everyone gathered in white chairs off in the distance. We walk down a path that has a runner with rose petals all over it.
At the top of the aisle I find baby Danny seated in a wagon adorned with flowers and fluffy white blankets as well as Mia wearing a matching dress to Ashlyn’s, holding a basket of rose petals.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry.” I chant to myself.
“It’s not working.” Savvy looks back at me with tears in her eyes before looking down at her baby boy.
Ashlyn walks by us and crouches down in front of her baby girl and pulls her into a hug. “Baby, you look beautiful.” She sobs. “How would you like to walk down the aisle with mommy?” Little Mia stares at her mommy and Ashlyn pulls her to the back of us and nods her head.
The music starts and we make our way down the aisle side by side as Savvy pulls the baby. Everyone ooh’s and ah’s and Danny’s eating it up with giggles and smiles. He has his daddy’s personality for sure. Halfway down, I look up and my eyes connect with Jayden’s and the look he’s giving me is so intense I almost want to look away. I give him a shy smile as we get to the front of the aisle. Zander meets us and unbuckles Danny from the wagon before handing him to Judy. She takes the baby and sits back down in her chair. The wagons pulled off to the side before Savvy and I take our spots on the opposite side of the arbor as the guys.
The melody changes and I look up the aisle in time to see Ashlyn entering my line of sight. She’s breathless and I can’t hold the tears back anymore. She deserves this so much, the wedding of her dreams. She’s linked arms with Jack and holding an excited Mia’s hand. They march down the aisle together and halfway down, Jack whispers something in Ashlyn’s ear and the tears pour down her cheeks as he takes a step back. For the rest of her walk down the aisle, Ashlyn holds Mia’s hand as Jack walks behind them giving them a special moment for Josh.
Speaking of, when I look up at the groom a sob escapes my mouth. He has tears tracking down his cheeks looking at the two most precious things in his life. His soon to be wife and daughter. The look of pure joy and love on his face is overwhelming, almost like I shouldn’t be invading in on this private moment.
As I seek out Jayden, I see him wipe discreetly at his face. Oh my god, he’s crying! I can’t deal, men crying are too much. These Cage boys are something else. They’ve shown me what it means to be family.
When the girls finally get to Josh, he pulls them in for a hug. After he shakes Jacks hand he directs his girls up to where the JP is waiting.
As I’m standing up there I imagine my own wedding. Something I never thought I’d get in life and I can see it clear as day. Me, walking down the aisle in a gorgeous dress to the man of my dreams. I’d look up and my eyes would connect with his hypnotizing blue eyes and I’d know that this is the man I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. The man I’ll wish a good morning and kiss goodnight before bed. The man I’ll be able to hold when life gets hard, or laugh with during all the good times. The man that’ll make love to me every night, then every morning because who would turn down Jayden Cage. That’s who I see in my future. Jayden. For the rest of my life. The man I want to start a family with.
With our eyes connected it’s like he knows exactly what I’m thinking. The love and adoration shining from him is everything. This man is everything. He’s given me a chance at a happy life and I’m going to grab on and fight like hell for it.
A short while later after Josh and Ash pledge their love to each other, they kiss for the first time as husband and wife and all the guests cheer. Josh bends down and picks up a smiling Mia before turning him and his new wife to face all the applause. They begin making their way back up the aisle and I can’t wipe the smile off my face. When I head towards Jayden who’s waiting for me in the middle of the aisle, we link arms and follow the procession.
“Someday this will be us.”
I look over to him with an even brighter smile on my face. “Promise?”
“I swear.”
Looking at all the guests, I smile and wave to the select few I actually know. When my eyes wander to the far side of the current row I’m on my feet stop. I never expected to be looking in her eyes again and I don’t know how to react. She doesn’t give me a chance as she runs out of there. I don’t know why she’s here but I need to stop her. Leaving Jayden, I chase her down and around the front of the house before yelling out, “MOM!”