Chapter 27

Chocolate doesn’t ask silly questions. Chocolate understands.

-Ellen’s secret thoughts

Ellen

My father hugged me tightly on one side, while my mother smoothed back my hair.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a few minutes for a conversation with you and Jessie before y’all go through with this,” my mother said softly.

My insides turned to jelly.

“That’s fine.”

It didn’t matter what they said at this point, even if it was to tell me that Jessie wasn’t good enough for me.

I knew in my heart that he was, and they weren’t going to change my decision.

We were five minutes away from our appointment—one I was still reeling over—to get married, and my parents stopped and bombarded me.

I hadn’t seen them much since I moved back to our hometown. They were both excited to see me, as I was them.

But I was also wary, especially now that they said they needed to speak with us.

“Sure,” Jessie said.

I looked over at him to see him smiling softly. Not a trace of annoyance or anger was in his face at all.

It was as if he didn’t care that the people who broke us up fifteen years ago were here. He was that secure in our relationship that he believed nothing could change it.

And he was right.

“Good,” my father said. “Let’s go over there. I don’t want anyone to hear me groveling.”

Tommy, who was standing next to us but speaking with his wife, snorted.

My father shot him a look.

Tommy’s grin went even wider.

“Shut up, boy.”

My father walked away while Tommy’s shoulders shook, and I found my first real smile since my parents walked up two minutes before.

I loved Tommy. He always took care of me by finding a way to de-escalate the situation before it got too hot.

Jessie took my hand and we followed my parents into a small room I hadn’t seen before I was standing in it. A break room of sorts.

Then my mother broke down and started crying.

Shock lit my features.

“Mom…”

“I didn’t mean for you to do this,” she whispered. “I just wanted the best for you.”

I sighed.

“What your mother is trying to say is that she wanted what was best for you, and at the time, Jessie had some bad shit swirling around him.” He held up his hand when I would’ve argued. “I know it wasn’t his fault. We didn’t realize that until much later, but at the time, we only saw the fact that he had a baby and his parents were obvious drug dealers. We should’ve researched it a little harder, but instead, we tried to push him away before he could hurt you. It was wrong of us. We should’ve dug past the surface, but we didn’t. Not until it was much too late.”

Jessie’s body was taut.

“We didn’t know that you were in trouble. We only saw what was on the surface. What we heard in town, when we should’ve trusted our daughter to know her head. We should’ve trusted you.”

My father said that directly to Jessie, and I watched as the two had a silent face off.

“I know how it looked,” Jessie finally said, relaxing slightly. “My parents were deplorable. I was in a bad place, and to be honest, it might’ve been the best thing at the time. It forced me to wake up. Forced me to make decisions in my son’s best interests instead of my own. I might’ve brought her down with me and that wasn’t what I wanted. It was never what I wanted for her.”

My dad nodded his head.

“That doesn’t make it all right,” my father said quietly. “And I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you two.”

My mother was crying silent tears, and it took everything I had not to throw my arms around her and tell her it was okay, because it wasn’t okay. Not even close. Eventually, I would forgive them, but Jessie and my relationship was too new to forgive them yet.

But Jessie was a better person than me and offered my father his hand.

“I’d like your permission to marry your daughter.”

Jessie’s words sent a silent sob through my system.

“You have it,” my dad said, then he looked at me. “I’m not sure there’s much of an aisle, but I’d love to walk you down to where Jessie is waiting for you.”

My mouth formed a small smile. “I’d love for you to do that, too.”

And that was how I got married in front of my family and new friends, to my best friend.

***

I darted behind some people when I saw Sean heading my way, and headed with my head down to Jessie—who stood across the clubhouse speaking quietly to my father and Tommy.

He was facing away from me, so he obviously didn’t see my discomfort, otherwise he would’ve saved me.

Or, at least, that was what I told myself.

I looked over my shoulder and realized that no longer was Sean so far away. He was directly behind me…and I had nowhere to go.

He cornered me, and I started to panic.

“I’m not going to hurt you, honey,” Sean said, reading my dread.

I eyed him warily, turned around and stared at him.

“I know. But the last time you cornered me, you yelled in my face,” I winced. “I’m still really sorry, Sean. I never meant anything bad to happen to your family.”

Sean’s face showed pain at my words, but he surprised me when he apologized. To me.

“I’ve tried to do this a hundred times, but either it’s not the right time, or you look so scared of me that I don’t want to freak you out. Now that you’re married, I want you to know a few things.”

I bit my lip and nodded.

“I never should have yelled at you in the hospital,” he said. “I never should’ve done that, and I regret it every day. I was scared, and you were a convenient target.”

My shoulders sagged. “I know you didn’t mean it,” I lied.

He snorted. “You were always a shit liar, but thank you for trying to make me feel better about it.”

I smiled.

“While we’re apologizing, I’m also not mad at you for leaving me. You did us both a favor, and I should thank you every day for the rest of my life for putting me on the path to meeting Naomi.”

My cheeks started to heat.

“I was selfish. I should’ve never dated you. Every man I’ve ever gone out with was always compared to him,” I said, staring at the him in question.

My husband.

My husband.

I looked down at the ring on my finger and breathed out. “Sean?”

The big man looked at me, sorrow for what he’d made me go through written all over his face.

“Yeah?”

“Let’s put this behind us. I just got married. It’s time for a celebration.”

His grin was a combination of relief and happiness that looked good on him. “I think I can handle that.”

Sean gestured with his hand, and all of a sudden Jessie was back at my side. Sean slipped away, and I stared at the man who’d left me on my own to deal with a man he knew I was nervous to be around.

“You’re so going to pay for this later,” I told him.

His grin was nothing short of maniacal.

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”