jasper
“Put this on.” I threw the light-pink dress I’d picked out for her onto the bed. It was still in its garment bag and I didn’t have a clue if it was the right size, but Charlotte had assured me it would be perfect.
Lucky she’s only got a tiny bump.
We certainly hadn’t planned for that.
I had to refrain from fist-pumping the air and dancing around like an idiot at the thought of the baby growing in her belly.
I’d never been as proud of myself as I was in this moment.
I found her.
I helped create that.
That’s my baby.
“What is it?” she asked me.
“A dress. You’ll look fucking incredible in it. If you want to do your hair or makeup, go for it, but not too much.” I grinned. “We’ve got somewhere to be… I’ll wait for you out front.” I bolted for the door of the room before she could ask too many questions.
“Jasper – what the hell?” she called after me.
I shut the door to the living area behind me and took a deep breath.
I’m gonna be a dad.
I didn’t think Hannah would have been able to say anything that could have shocked me after these past few months, but once again, I was wrong.
The fact that she had been packing her bag to come home only made the whole thing that much sweeter. If I hadn’t found her, she would have found me.
That’s how our relationship, our marriage, would work. I’d have her back, and she’d have mine.
Always.
Exactly how it should be.
I ran my hand through my hair and grinned like a loon.
I hadn’t even noticed that Charlotte had come inside the house.
“Jasper….”
Our eyes met, and I saw that she had a smile like mine plastered across her face.
“You’re having a baby?” she whispered, her eyes glistening with tears.
I held my finger up to my lips in a shush gesture.
“We’re having a baby,” I whispered back with a nod.
Charlotte did some crazy type of celebration dance that made me laugh louder than I should’ve.
I pointed at the door. “Out, before she sees you,” I hissed.
She grinned huge at me and headed for the door. “You need to put that on,” she instructed quietly, pointing at the bag she had draped over the back of the couch.
I shook my head at her retreating frame.
I should have known better than to think that Little Red would let me get married in shorts and a t-shirt.
I walked right into that one.
* * *
The sweat under my collar had nothing to do with the heat of the sun beating down on me as I sat down the end of the small stone path, my guitar in my hand as I waited for my wife.
Parker and Charlotte, and the few other people we were closest to, had travelled here with me and were gathered around to witness this moment.
I’d decided early on that I couldn’t do this without Hannah’s parents here. I didn’t think it would have been a deal breaker for her, but morally, it felt wrong.
I didn’t want to be the guy that took away a father’s chance to walk his little girl down the aisle.
I could still remember the first time I’d met Hannah’s dad. She’d taken me home for the weekend when we’d been together for about eight months. I didn’t really blame her parents for the shocked expressions they were wearing. She dropped quite the bomb on them when she brought home a long-haired, tattoo-covered, wannabe rock star. Thankfully I’d managed to win them over by the end of the weekend.
“Jasper?!” Hannah’s slightly panicked voice rang out around the garden.
I gave John, Hannah’s dad a nod, and he headed off in the direction we’d heard Hannah’s voice.
I picked up the guitar and hoped to God that she’d meant what she said when she told me she would marry me anytime and anywhere.
I’d been madly scrambling to pull this together for the past week. The plan had been forming in my head from the moment I’d figured out where she was.
I didn’t want to spend another day of this life without her as my wife.
I didn’t want her to commit to me anywhere but here.
I strummed the guitar and plucked out the intro to ‘Amazed’ by Lonestar. I’d thought about doing one of my own songs, but it kind of felt like a douche move, singing my bride down the aisle to one of my own tunes. I knew she loved this song and it was a classic; it was a win-win.
“Every time our eyes meet, this feeling inside me… is almost more than I can take. Baby, when you touch me, I can feel how much you love me… and it just blows me away. I've never been this close to anyone or anything, I can hear your thoughts, I can see your dreams…”
She came into view, on her father’s arm and I had to dig deep to hold myself together.
She was glowing. Her blonde hair was still in loose waves down around her shoulders and the pink dress I’d chosen for her fitted her gorgeous body like a glove. She had bare feet and she could not have looked more perfect.
She must have figured out what was going on because her eyes were filled with tears.
“I can hear your thoughts, I can see your dreams, I don't know how you do what you do… I'm so in love with you, it just keeps getting better… I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side, forever and ever…” I sung the words with every emotion I had swirling inside of me.
“Jasper…” she whimpered through her tears as she got closer.
I grinned at her; the sound of my name on her lips was something I’d never tire of.
“Every little thing that you do, baby, I'm amazed by you… The smell of your skin, the taste of your kiss, the way you whisper in the dark, your hair all around me… baby, you surround me, touch every place in my heart… and it feels like the first time every time, I want to spend the whole night in your eyes.”
She stood before me now, tears running down her cheeks.
“…baby I’m amazed by you.” I sung the last line of the song with my eyes glued to hers.
“Don’t cry, baby,” I whispered as I held out my hand for her to take.
“I can’t believe you did all this.”
I got to my feet and passed my guitar off to Parker.
She glanced around at everyone. “I can’t believe you’re all here.”
Charlotte stepped forward tentatively before throwing herself at Hannah.
“I’m so sorry, I know this isn’t about me, I just wanted to say I love you.”
Lotte was crying now too as the two embraced each other tight.
“I love you too,” Hannah choked out between her own tears.
“Alright, that’s enough of that, c’mon, legs.” Park tugged on Charlotte’s arm until she released the woman I was about to marry.
Gypsy stepped forward. “Who gives this woman to this man?”
Hannah’s dad looked down at her. “I know I’m supposed to say me, but you have always been like a force of nature and I’m not sure I’m qualified to ‘give you away’, so instead I’ll just say that I love you, me and your mother both do, and I’m so happy you’re marrying such a wonderful man – tattoos and all.”
I chuckled at the last part.
“Dad…” Hannah whispered, overcome with emotion as her father took her hand and placed it in mine.
“I won’t let her down, John.” I shook his hand.
“Oh, I know.” He smiled before kissing his daughter on the cheek and stepping back to stand with his wife.
I took Hannah’s other hand in mine as we stood before my sister, facing one another.
“Now, I’ve never done this before, my brother here didn’t exactly give me much of a heads up, but we all know that we’re here today to celebrate Jasper and Hannah and the love that they share with one another.”
Hannah beamed at me; her face was the picture of happiness.
“I’ve known Jasper his whole life, and I’ve never seen him as happy as he is when he’s with Hannah. These two bring out the best and the worst,” she giggled, “in one another, and I know it might sound like a cliché, but they really do complete each other. I’ve never experienced a bond that even comes close to the one they share, but seeing the two of them here today, makes me want to keep looking.”
Hannah squeezed my hands.
“Charlotte has something she would like to share with Jasper and Hannah.”
Gypsy gestured for Lotte to come and stand next to her, in front of our small group.
I had no idea what she was planning to say – this was as much a surprise to me as it was to Hannah.
“I’ve known Hannah a long time now,” she told us all with a smile. “And she’s the most fantastic woman I know. She truly is the best friend a girl could ask for and I can’t think of anyone that deserves a man like Jasper more. Hannah, this man loves you so hard. He would literally go to the ends of the earth for you, and I can sleep easy at night because I know that your heart is, and always will be, safe with him. A few years ago, we stayed up late drinking wine and talking nonsense – it was just like any other night, but there’s one thing I’ve never forgotten. You found something that struck a chord with you…”
“I remember,” Hannah whispered to her, tears pooling in her eyes again.
“I’m going to read that out now, I don’t know who wrote this, but they certainly set the bar for Hannah…”
I dropped Hannah’s hands and wrapped my arms around her instead.
Charlotte read from a sheet of paper in her hands. “I hope you fall in love with someone who always calls you back, and never lets you fall asleep making you feel unwanted. I hope you fall in love with someone who holds your hand during the scary parts of horror movies, and burns cookies with you while you’re both busy dancing around the kitchen… I hope you fall in love with someone who tickles you and makes you smile on hard days and on easy ones.”
I kissed the side of Hannah’s head.
“But beyond all that, I hope you fall in love with someone who will never leave you behind, and who will never take you for granted. Someone who will stand by you when you’re right, and stand by you when you’re wrong. Someone who has seen you at your worst and loves you still. I hope you fall in love with someone who kisses you in the rain, and hugs you when you’re cold, and wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“See, you really are my dream man.” Hannah sniffed back her tears and looked up at me.
“You really are, Jasper,” Lotte replied, her voice full of sincerity. “There isn’t a man in this world that could love my best friend better than you, and I’m so grateful you’re here.”
I felt myself tearing up now.
“Thank you,” Hannah whispered to her as she went back to stand next to Park.
I was grateful for Charlotte too. She was not only a great friend to Han, but to me too. She’d supported me over the past three months even when I was acting like a waste of space.
“Let’s move on to the vows. If Parker could bring forward the rings, we’ll get started.”
It was when she called for the rings – plural, that I realised my mistake.
I’d picked Hannah a platinum band lined with small white diamonds, but I hadn’t thought about the fact that I needed to get one for myself.
“Shit,” I muttered under my breath. “I can’t get married without a god damn ring.”
“You haven’t got a ring?” Hannah gaped at me, her eyes wide as saucers.
I shook my head. “This whole thing was about you – I wasn’t even thinking about myself.”
Hannah’s eyes softened. “It’ll be fine… we’ll think of something.”
“I don’t suppose there’s a high-end jeweller in this little town?”
Hannah just laughed at me in disbelief.
I’ll take that as a no.
I really didn’t want to get married with a ring that I wasn’t keeping forever, but at this point, anything would have been better than nothing.
I was looking around, hoping for a genius idea to strike, when Hannah got in first.
“Oh, I know… it’ll be perfect!” Hannah announced.
She turned and ran back towards the house.
“You want me to go with her?” Lotte’s voice whispered from off to the side.
I chuckled. “Nah… she’ll sort it out.”
“She better not take off again,” Parker murmured under his breath.
Charlotte turned to face him, her mouth open to tell him off but I got in before she could.
“First and last dig you’ll be having, man,” I warned him.
Our eyes met, and a moment of understanding passed between us.
He stepped forward and passed me the box housing the ring I’d chosen for Hannah and shook my hand. “I just want you happy, J.”
“I’ve never been happier in my whole life.”
He grinned and nodded his head.
I didn’t hold a grudge virtually ever, and I certainly wasn’t about to start now; with the woman I loved… my wife and the mother of my child.
Hannah appeared around the side of the house again, a giant grin on her face, so I assumed that whatever she had found in there, she was happy with it.
“All sorted, BG?” I whispered in her ear as I took her hand in mine again.
“It was like it was meant to be.” She beamed up at me.
God, I missed her.
“Are we ready for the vows now?” Gypsy smiled at us.
“Second-time lucky.” I chuckled.
“You’re up first, Lollipop,” Hannah whispered. “I haven’t had time to think.”
I looked at her beautiful face and thought about everything I wanted to tell her. “I had notes, ya know? But I’m just going to wing it instead.”
She giggled.
“I wrote down that I wanted you to know that I’ll always be here for you, and that I’ll cherish you forever, but what I really want to tell you is that I would do anything for you. There is no limit to my love for you, Hannah. I’ve always believed that promises were too easy for people to break, so instead of promising you the world, I’ll just show you instead. Every single day is an opportunity for me to prove to you how much I love you… how much I want and need you, and I intend to use every single one of those days doing exactly that. There isn’t anywhere in the world that I’d rather be than right here with you, barbie girl, and there isn’t a thing about you that I’d change if I was given a choice.”
I took a deep breath.
“I love you, my beautiful wife, you are the crazy to my calm, the tonic to my gin and the conditioner to my shampoo,” I repeated her words back to her.
She laughed, and more tears flowed down her face.
“I’ve got no doubt that it will be one hell of a crazy life with you, but I’m all in. A life without you wouldn’t be a life at all.”
“Jasper…” she whispered.
“Will you do me the incredible honour of becoming my wife?”
“Of course.”
I slid her ring into position on her finger.
“You don’t know how long I’ve waited to do that, BG.”
We stood motionless, smiling for what felt like forever.
“Your turn, Hannah,” Gypsy prompted when it became obvious that we weren’t in any hurry.
“Oh, right.” She giggled. “So, I obviously haven’t had a lot of time to rehearse…”
“Just say what you feel,” I encouraged.
She took a deep breath.
“I’ve always felt a little bit lost in my life, like maybe I was incomplete. The moment I opened my heart and my life to you, that changed. I may not have known it right away – but you complete me, Jasper. You make me feel loved, worshipped and treasured. You’re it for me; this is the part of the story where we live happily ever after. You keep me sane and drive me crazy all within the space of forty-five seconds, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
I laughed loudly.
“You’re the only person I could imagine spending forever with and the only man I’d ever be willing to give my heart to. I want fun-filled days and sleepless nights. I want lazy mornings and passionate afternoons… I want games of hide and seek and late-night takeout dinners… I want to whip your ass on the motocross track and show you up on poker night… I want you, every minute of every day. Will you be my husband?”
She held the ring in her hand out to me.
I smiled at her. “Of course I will, but… there’s one more thing, before we seal the deal…”
Her face looked panicked as she waited for what I might say.
“What’s your status on cats?”
She shrugged, obviously confused by my question. “Umm, I mean I like them just fine?”
“Good, because we’ve got one.”
She laughed. “Should I even ask?”
Sammy chimed in before I could answer. “Nope, you really shouldn’t.”
Hannah laughed and shrugged. “Well, alright then.”
Too easy.
I winked at Lotte and she laughed.
“Okay… carry on,” I instructed.
“You can put his ring on him.” Gypsy nodded at Hannah.
She slipped the ring onto my finger and I’d never felt more complete in my whole life.
“Where did you get this?” I looked down at the gold ring on my left hand. It had an ornate pattern around the band and it looked like it belonged in another era.
“Do you like it?” she asked nervously.
“It’s pretty damn cool, barbie.”
“It was my grandfather’s. I don’t remember him… he died when I was little, but he sounded like a real hard case.” Her eyes shone with love. “I think he would have been a lot like you. I think my grandmother would have loved you, J. I think she would have wanted you to have this.”
“You’re giving it to me?” I choked out around the lump in my throat.
“Only if you promise to keep it forever.”
I swallowed deeply. “Easiest promise I’ve ever made.”
We went through the final ritual of committing ourselves to one another, but the only words I really heard were ‘I do’.
“Introducing for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Jasper and Hannah Jones,” Gypsy cried. “You may kiss your beautiful bride.”
I dipped her back and kissed her senseless until I couldn’t breathe.
“Hey, husband.” She grinned up at me.
“Hey back at ya, wife.”
We were enveloped in hug after hug from everyone around us; they were all so happy and excited.
I’d never felt so surrounded by love in my whole life.
Hannah started crying again and I took the opportunity to share our other news with our friends and family.
“Oh, hey, everyone,” I called out as their chatter died down. “Don’t go worrying about my wife and all her crying, alright? Pregnancy hormones are crazy.”
There was a moment of silence as my words sunk in.
“You’re pregnant?” Gypsy gasped.
“About three months.” Hannah blushed.
Gypsy enveloped her into a giant hug. “Holy shit, I’m going to be an aunty!”
Everyone had tears in their eyes now, even Sammy looked like he was getting emotional.
“You can all remind me how great it is when I’m fat and dying for a beer.” Hannah laughed.
Charlotte, Gypsy and Hannah’s mum all gathered around, fussing over her and checking to see how big her bump was.
This was my happy place. Hannah was glowing.
Parker mock punched my shoulder and I reluctantly dragged my eyes from my wife.
“A husband and a dad, huh?”
“Crazy right?” I smirked.
His face broke out into a huge smile and he pulled me in for a man hug, clapping me on the back.
“I’m so fuckin’ proud of you, man.”
“Me?” I quizzed as we let go of each other.
“Yeah, J, you… you were right, she was worth it, and I’m sorry that I had moments of doubting your state of mind, but I’m so stoked you got it done and got your woman back. You, her, your family… that’s everything.”
I glanced over at Hannah and she was looking right back at me.
She smiled at me and my stomach flipped.
“Ain’t that the damn truth.”
* * *
I looked out at the sun setting over the ocean, my wife on my lap, and I’d never felt more content.
“I know the perfect place for our honeymoon.”
“Oh yeah? And where is that, husband?”
Husband…
That was never going to get old.
“It’s a perfect little spot…”
She turned in my lap so she could look at my face.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “It’s peaceful and relaxing, and you know the best bit?”
She ran her fingers through the hair at the back of my head, her arms draped around my neck.
“What’s the best bit?”
“We’re already here.”
Her fingers froze, and she looked at me with a surprised expression.
“Really? Here? You wanna stay?”
I gestured around us. “Hell yeah I do, does it get any better than this?”
Her face broke out in a huge smile. “I’m not sure it does.”
“And I figure, and I could be wrong – but I’m guessing that you haven’t exactly been relaxing and enjoying everything that this place has to offer.”
She nodded. “You know, I thought it was because Nana wasn’t around anymore that it didn’t feel right out here… I assumed it would never be quite the same again… but as soon as you arrived, the magic came back.”
“I told you’d we’d make our own magic.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “You did indeed.”
“We’ll make our own magic forever,” I told her, my voice hoarse.
“Can we promise right now that we’ll do one thing?”
“Anything,” I replied.
“You shouldn’t say anything, what if I wanted you to commit murder?”
“Who am I taking out?” I chuckled.
She lightly smacked my arm. “Seriously though, every summer I want to come back here with our kids. I want to tell them stories from when I was little and let my nana’s memory live on… I want them to experience everything about this place. Can we do that?”
“That sounds like perfection.”
She smiled at me, her eyes twinkling.
It still hadn’t entirely sunk in that I was finally here with her – that she was mine to keep.
I tugged on her left hand and pulled it into mine.
I kissed each of her fingers, saving the one that wore my rings for last.
“Do you have any idea how good those look on your hand?”
“I think I just might.” She grinned.
“I can’t believe you’re mine.”
“Well you better start believing it, because the second you strolled into my life I was yours, and I always will be, Mr. Jones… forever.”
Her hand cupped my jaw as she leaned in and kissed me, gently at first then more deeply and passionately. She moved around, not once breaking our connection until she was straddling me.
I stood up, cradling her against my body and headed off in the direction of the house. “You know what, Mrs. Jones? I can’t wait for every moment of this forever.”