Chapter Sixty-Four
Alan
I hated that I’d left things with Jess on a sour note—and on the eve of our wedding, no less.
I texted her not long after she left Adam and Lainey’s with Ruthie, but she didn’t reply, even though the message showed as read.
I had half a mind to borrow Brian’s truck, drive to the farmhouse, and tap on her window to apologize in person. Had I not been worried about her brothers or dad thinking I was an intruder and shooting me, I might have.
Instead, I spent half the night staring at the ceiling and chastising myself for being such an idiot.
Why the fuck hadn’t I just backed off?
We were getting married tomorrow—there was no rush to adopt Ruthie. Even if she wasn’t legally my daughter, I was still going to raise her like she was.
What I should have done is talk to Jess about a will—naming me as Ruthie’s guardian should anything happen to her, like Lainey had done with Adam.
I rolled over, punched my pillow, and cursed myself again.
Dumbass!
I knew I needed to get some sleep; tomorrow was a big day, and I needed to apologize to Jessica first thing. I didn’t want us to start our marriage on a bad note.
****
Jessica
I’d seen Alan’s text last night before I went to bed, but I didn’t respond. Partly because I didn’t know what to say, and partly because I was worried he was going to call the wedding off.
I thought I’d be braver in the morning.
I wasn’t.
In fact, after verifying what time Jade, Lainey, and Kristy were getting to the farmhouse to help me get ready, I shut my phone off and tried to keep busy.
If I was going to get stood up at the altar, I didn’t want to know ahead of time.
~~~~
I was sitting in my pink bathrobe at the white vanity I’d had since I was twelve years old while Kristy curled my hair when there was a knock at the door.
Lainey cracked it open and declared, “You can’t see her before the ceremony!”
I heard Alan’s deep voice say, “I need to talk to her. Either she’s blocked me or her phone’s shut off.”
My heart sank. This was it. He’d come to his senses and was there to tell me he was calling it off.
Although, I had to give him credit—telling me in person was decent of him to do.
Lainey told him, “I’ll let you talk to her, but you have to stay on that side of the door.”
“How about if I promise to keep my eyes closed.”
Lainey wasn’t a believer. “It’s bad luck to see each other before the wedding.”
“Actually, that’s an outdated superstition, but you have my word, I’ll keep my eyes closed.”
What did it matter if he saw me now if he wasn’t going through with it?
Kristy released the curling iron, leaving a ringlet of hair and I quietly said, “It’s okay, Lain. Alan and I should talk.”
The three ladies exchanged looks before Jade and Kristy shuffled toward the door where Lainey was keeping guard.
Lainey opened the door wider while Kristy pointed her finger at him.
“Eyes closed!”
I saw him smile. “Yes, ma’am.”
She told him, “Don’t ma’am me. It’s miss, thank you very much,” then breezed past him.
He looked handsome when he walked into the room in his bespoke charcoal grey suit and black-white-grey striped tie and matching pocket square. His left hand was over his eyes.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to cover your eyes.”
“No, I want to. I don’t want to see you until you’re walking down the aisle.”
Well, that was a good sign.
He did, however, drop his fingers from his eyes, but kept them closed when he held out both hands and continued, “But will you come here?”
I crossed the room and took his hands, and he pulled me into an embrace, kissing my hair as he said, “I’m sorry, babe.
I shouldn’t have been so pushy. My only defense is I want to make sure Ruthie’s always taken care of—no matter what.
But you’re her parent, and you make the decisions when it comes to her, and I need to respect that. ”
I was glad Jade hadn’t started my makeup because a tear leaked out of my eye.
“That’s not what I want. I don’t want you to feel like you don’t have a say in how she’s being raised. I just don’t want you to be able to take her from me if we get divorced.”
Alan grabbed my shoulders, and his eyes were wide open when he took a step back and held my gaze.
“That would never happen. Never. I would never do something like that to you.”
More tears escaped down my cheeks.
“You say that now...”
“I’ll say it always. I’ll put it in writing. We can add an addendum to the prenup if you want. Or I just won’t legally adopt her. It’s not important.”
But it was important. I wanted Ruthie to be Alan’s daughter. She deserved that.
He deserved that.
Alan lifted my chin, then wiped my tears with his thumbs. “I just want to marry you and be a family.”
“I want that, too,” I whispered.
His mouth turned up in a grin. “Good. So, whaddya say you finish getting ready and meet me in the backyard in…” He pulled the sleeve of his suit jacket up to look at his fancy watch. “An hour and ten minutes, so we can get hitched.”
“I’ll be there.”
He stepped closer and dropped a soft kiss on my lips before murmuring, “I can’t wait.”
With a wink, he turned on his heel and left.
I plunked down on my full-size mattress and realized, I was in love with my future husband.
Oh no.