Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Aurora
“Are you still going with me for the final walk through of the venue?”
I pin my phone between my ear and shoulder while packing my laptop and things into my bag.
“Yes,” I assure her. “Nine a.m., Saturday morning,” I say, so she relaxes. Bree has been on edge for days, weeks even. The wedding is only three weeks away. The day she marries the man of her dreams.
They’ve kept it simple. A small lodge, with twelve cabins outside of Boulder. Craig rented out the entire place. The wedding and reception, within walking distance from where we would all stay.
I’ve only seen it in pictures, and its beautiful. An open layout, white, with wood beams. Large, rustic tables, and gorgeous centerpieces, with a huge dance floor. Bree, being the control freak she is, wants to do another walk through, going over the setup, decorations and catering one last time.
The wedding guests are only those closest to her. Mostly friends, with the exception of her uncle, her father’s younger brother and a couple cousins.
The ceremony is being kept small, all of us standing together to bear witness to two of our best friends becoming one. Sonya and Craig have volunteered to keep the kids, allowing us all to celebrate with Dax and Bree. The two of them loving the grandparents’ roles they’ve so easily fallen into.
Even Kayson calls them Gampy and Mama, it’s so adorable.
“I’ll see you tonight for our girls’ night,” I tell her and throw the last of my things into my bag. “Hello?”
“Oh, uh, yeah,” she says in a rush. “Gotta go.” She hurries to end the call and I am left holding my phone staring down at the screen.
“Well, that was odd,” I say to myself, tossing it into my bag and exiting the office.
Taking work home with me I planned to get a few things done before I go over to Luna’s and then during the drive to and from Boulder.
Thirty minutes later I’m walking into my apartment and grabbing a fresh bottle of water, and my container of grapes. Sitting down at my desk I quickly get back to my current project and lose track of time.
My phone rings, interrupting my edits. I stand up and stretch my arms over my head looking at the clock, realizing it’s been more than an hour. I hurry to the kitchen, worried I’ll miss the call, I slide to a stop, picking up my phone.
Jace’s name lights up the screen.
My mind wondering back to last night and this morning, how sweet he was still leaves me feeling a little off kilter. He’s slowly allowing me to see a side of him that I never knew existed.
“Hello.” It’s more of a hoarse whisper and I quickly clear my throat, repeating my hello.
“Are you still working?” he asks, and I hear people talking in the background and realize he is still at the shop.
“I got a little caught up and didn’t realize how late it was.” I make my way back to my desk and sit down reawakening my computer. “I’m behind on these corrections and if I want to be able to relax during girls’ night, I wanted to get some of this done first.”
“Girls’ night huh?” The mischievous tone of his voice has me pausing. “Sounds interesting.”
“What are you up to?”
I’m met with a chuckle.
“Jace?”
“I’m not up to nothing,” he assures me but I don’t believe a word he is saying. “I just overheard Luna saying that girls’ night might be a coed night instead.”
I pause, with my fingers hovering over the keys and wait for Jace to explain. “Apparently Oliver says it’s his house and he isn’t leaving and then Dax said if his girl is there and Oliver is hanging out, he is too. It sorta rolled on from there.”
“So we are basically having a party at Luna and Oliver’s?”
“Bree’s dad is taking princess and I guess Presley’s little guy is going too.”
Craig and Sonya, Bree’s step mom are seriously the best. They are like the community parents, we all need. Bree is the only one out of all of us that has active parents and they’ve kind of adopted the entire crew.
“I feel like you played a part in this invasion.” I save my progress and closely laptop.
“Me?”
“And there is my answer.” I smile, imagining him doing the same.
“I’ll admit I’m looking forward to seeing you and maybe convincing you to stay at my place afterward.”
“I’m staying at Bree’s.”
“Babe.” I hear a door close and then he talks a little lower. “Bree and Dax are child free tonight. They’ll be having a few drinks, which means dirty things will probably take place once they get back home.”
I wrinkle my nose thinking of the sounds I’ll be forced to hear.
“I bet my offer to stay at my place is sounding even better now huh?”
As if I wasn’t already liking the idea of his place versus theirs, I’m more for it now.
“Plus, I bought that girlie creamer you like, so you can have the good coffee in the morning.”
The little things, he has no idea just how much they mean to me. Because in my eyes it means he’s trying and it means he cares.
“Are you going home before you go to Oliver and Luna’s?”
“I need to shower.”
“Is it okay if I come there first too, and we ride over together?”
“I’ll be heading that way in fifteen, come over any time, and I’ll leave the key under the door mat.”
“See you soon.” Excitement soars through me. There has been a lot of dating around for the both of us. More so on his part than mine. I know this is all new to him and he’s worried about messing it up. I’m thinking its time I take matters into my own hands.
After packing a little overnight bag, I get everything in my car, and the nervous energy immediately kicks in as I drive toward Jace’s place.
A cute, two bedroom white house with a rustic porch, and fence surrounding it on three sides.
A two stall garage sits off to the left where he keeps his car and his bike safely inside.
I pull into his driveway and take a few minutes to rebuild my courage, then grab my bags and walk toward the porch.
Unlocking the front door, I place my things on the chair and walk quietly down the hallway toward the bathroom. The sound of the water running in the shower gains my full attention and I take a deep breath, deciding its time.