Chapter 39 Emmett
THIRTY-NINE
EMMETT
“Fuck yeah!” Maddox shouts, slapping Jett’s shoulder as he waves Stella’s garter above his head. After a night of dancing and fun at our reception, things are coming to an end. But not before our very well-thought-out scheme comes to fruition.
When Jett told us he was ready to take his relationship with Bailey to the next level, Stella insisted he catch her off guard by proposing at the very last place she’d expect.
She’s unknowingly foiled two of his previous plans already.
The first time, she got car sick, which wasn’t within her control.
But the second, she forgot her purse at home, causing them to miss the plane he had hired to pull a sign that said Bailey, will you marry me?
The poor guy has been trying to wife her up for months, to no avail.
But tonight, the quest will come to an end.
“All right!” the DJ says into his microphone as electronic music continues to bump through the speakers.
“Can I get all the single ladies up front for the bouquet toss? Who’s ready to be next in line for wedded bliss?
” Stella takes her spot up front as the girls shuffle in, everyone but Bailey aware of what’s about to happen.
Nerves and excitement wash over me, rivaling the very emotions that I felt right before both of my proposals.
We all know what the answer is going to be today, but fuck, I’m antsy for my teammate.
“On the count of three, our beautiful bride is going to throw her bouquet. Everybody ready?” he asks. The girls pretend to stretch, readying themselves to make the grab right before the DJ begins the countdown. “One! Two! Three!”
Instead of tossing the flowers over her shoulder, Stella turns, her gorgeous hips swaying as she makes a beeline for her friend and extends the bouquet between them.
Bailey’s brows pull in, confusion written all over her face, but she takes the offering, stumbling just slightly as my wife takes her by the shoulders and spins her around.
The entire crowd gasps as Jett drops to one knee in front of her, opening the turquoise box in his hand to reveal a gigantic sparkling diamond.
Bailey’s free hand flies up over her mouth, tears spilling down her cheeks as she looks at him.
“Bailey Faith Hart,” he says, his voice trembling.
“When we were twelve years old, we made a pact—that if we were still single by the time we were twenty-five, we’d marry each other.
That was the day I started counting down, hoping that no other lucky man would get to you before then, because I couldn’t see any kind of future where you weren’t my wife.
Now, here we are—twenty-six, and so in love that it hurts.
The only thing that could make it better is giving you my last name—or me taking yours, if that’s what you want.
But please, baby. Be mine forever. Will you marry me? ”
Unable to speak, Bailey nods her head so fast that I think she may give herself whiplash.
Everyone watching bursts into raucous cheers, clapping loudly as Jett slides the ring on his fiancée’s finger, stands, and lifts her off her feet.
She squeals as he presses his lips to hers in a chaste kiss—one that could never be mine and Stella’s because we’d much rather dry hump in front of a crowd than hold ourselves back—before placing her back onto her feet.
The girls take the opportunity to rush their friend, demanding a closer look at the ring as the guys and I congratulate our tight end.
We celebrate loudly, love swirling in the air around us while dance music vibrates the floor under our feet.
But when I catch my wife’s attention, those big, beautiful golden-brown pools conveying all the happiness she’s feeling, I know I need to get her out of here.
Jett wasn’t the only one with a plan for the evening, and now that all the attention is on them, it’ll be easy to leave without anyone giving a fuck.
I sneak over, bending down and throwing Stella over my shoulder. She screams, my name coming out in a tinkling laugh as I give her ass a small swat. “Say good night to your friends, Mrs. Hayes,” I tell her, turning so she’s face-to-face with Arden, Livvy, Sydney, Bailey, and Lauren.
“Byeeeeee,” she says sweetly, her little body bouncing on my shoulder as I move toward the exit. She giggles softly all the way to my truck, where I open the door and deposit her onto the front seat.
“Where are we going?” she asks as I reach across and buckle her in, only answering with a charming wink before making sure her dress is out of the way and closing her inside.
I run around the hood, grateful that the guys took care of everything else so I didn’t have to worry about making any stops.
It isn’t long before we’re pulling out of the parking lot and driving toward Lake Erie with the full moon illuminating the darkened road ahead.
“Helloooooo…” she implores, drawing out the word. “Are you just kidnapping me? Gonna take me to some dark, wooded area and have your wicked way with me?”
I chuckle, turning my head. She’s as beautiful as ever, her skin flushed and glowing from a night of dancing. My heart squeezes in my chest, thankful that I’m actually getting her alone for the first time in two days. With all the commotion, I feel like we’ve barely seen each other.
“Close,” I reply, popping a shoulder nonchalantly.
“It’s not wooded.” She rolls her eyes playfully, reaching over and weaving our fingers together on the center console.
Soft music plays through the speakers, giving me something to focus on other than the sound of my own pulse as I pull down the long, dirt road that leads to a secluded beach.
I wanted this night to be perfect for Stella, so breaking into a public one wasn’t an option.
I couldn’t risk being caught trespassing after hours.
Luckily, Austin knows a guy who owns a vacant house right on the lake, so I rented it for the weekend.
That way, we can enjoy our wedding night away from anyone who may not want to hear all the ways I plan on making my wife scream for me.
“What is this place?” she asks, looking out the window as I come to a stop, shift the truck into four-wheel drive, and continue onto the sand. She whips her head my way, waiting for an answer with worry written all over her face.
“Relax, Wild Girl,” I reply. “I promise, we have permission to be here. I just wanted to bring you somewhere special tonight. It’s not exactly what we’re used to, but I think you might like it all the same.
” She sits back, obviously happy enough with my answer, while I find the perfect spot and throw my truck into park.
“Stay here, okay?” I say. “Just for a second.” She nods her head in understanding as I hop out of the cab and rush to the bed of the truck.
There’s a chill in the air, causing me to shiver slightly as I pull down the tailgate and climb up.
I was warned about the fickle weather in Ohio when I arrived, but I really wasn’t prepared for the hot one day, freezing the next forecasts.
I thought last fall was bad enough, needing a hoodie in the morning and sweating my ass off by noon, but spring has proven to be just as indecisive, which is why I came prepared tonight.
Spreading out the copious amount of blankets I brought, I make a perfect, cozy place for us to lie before opening the cooler and carefully pulling out what I need.
A cold breeze swirls around me, and for a moment, I think we may have to move the entire thing into the house.
But I’m bound and determined to pull it off, so I finish up, hop to the ground, and walk to the passenger side to collect my bride.
“Ready, baby?” I ask.
“I guess,” she sasses. “For what, I have no idea, since you’ve been so secretive.
” I huff a laugh, sliding one hand behind her back and the other under her knees before lifting her into my arms. I press wet, sloppy kisses all over her cheek and neck, eliciting high-pitched giggles as she kicks her feet in faux protest. As soon as her ass hits the tailgate, she takes in the setup, a big, bright smile blooming across her face.
“Em,” she breathes. “It’s just like our first wedding night.” She continues scanning her surroundings as I climb up beside her, her bottom lip pushing into the cutest little pout as soon as she settles on the most important part.
“It’s a crappy grocery store cake,” she whines, her eyes shining with emotion. “I can’t believe you remembered.”
I shake my head, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.
“How could I forget? This was our plan, Stell. Even though we’ve been through so much, we’re still those same eighteen-year-old kids who had the biggest dreams of a life filled with love.
We might’ve missed a few years, but this is exactly where we’re supposed to be tonight—in the back of my truck on the beach, feeding each other shitty vanilla cake just like we imagined. ”
Tears fall down her cheeks, so I lean in, wiping them away before taking her mouth in a soft kiss.
I drag my tongue along her bottom lip, and she opens, granting me access to taste her sweetness.
She whimpers quietly, the sound mixing with the water that laps along the shore, every nerve ending in my body lighting up as she deepens the connection even further.