6. Chapter 6 Margot
Chapter six
“Wow, Margot! You look like a real princess,” Jack says, twirling me around on the dance floor at my cousin’s wedding reception.
I got a couple of dances out of Henry and Ledger, but it’s been Jack dancing with me for the past hour. We’ve all had boring ballroom dancing lessons, but I prefer either standing on Jack’s feet or just goofing off.
When the band announces a thirty-minute break, I let out an exaggerated sigh, pouting at the news as Jack guides us back to the table where Ledger and Henry are fighting over who’s the strongest.
This is the first wedding I can remember going to, and it’s beautiful.
I’m already making mental notes about what I would change for my own wedding.
I think I would want to have it in a castle, overflowing with pink flowers.
I would get a real pop star to sing at mine, though.
I’ve never even heard of the band that’s here tonight.
I don’t think I would serve any regular food.
Instead, I would have a gigantic chocolate fountain that everyone could dip sweets into.
“We’re going to get married when we’re old enough, right, Jack?”
All three boys look my way, and Jack chokes on the water he was chugging down.
“Excuse me?” Henry asks. “Why on earth would you think…ow!”
Ledger elbows him in the side, cutting him off. “What makes you say that, Princess?” His tone is much kinder than our older brother’s.
I roll my eyes at Henry before giving my attention to Ledger. “Well, Daddy says I can’t marry him since he’s already married to Mommy, and I can’t marry you or Henry either because you’re my brothers. So that leaves Jack!”
The three boys exchange glances before Ledger responds. “Jack is basically your brother too, though.”
I look beside me at my beautiful Prince Charming.
He’s not quite as tall as my brothers are, but he’s at least a head taller than me, and that’s all that matters in fairy tales.
His dirty-blond hair looks almost brown as it drips with sweat from dancing, and his chiseled jaw could cut through diamonds.
I look into his deep blue eyes and have no doubts that he’s the one.
“Jack is not my brother. Plus, he’s not gross like you and Henry are. He's like…like a prince!” I say, noticing how Jack’s cheeks have the faintest of blushes painted across them at my words.
My brothers hunch over laughing, only stopping when Jack clears his throat, pulling their attention back toward me.
Ledger is the first one to stop. “And here I thought Jack was the one with all the jokes. Margot, you don’t need to worry about getting married any time soon anyway. I promise we will find you a suitor worthy of our Princess. But not until you’re thirty. Or I’ll beat him up. Okay?”
I roll my eyes but nod anyway. They’ll see. They may not think so right now, but I know it’s Jack.
I’m lying in my bed, looking up at the glowing stars on my ceiling and thinking about the conversation earlier.
Turning to my side and propping myself up on my elbow, I look down at Jack.
I stopped sleeping in the same bed as him years ago, but most nights, I still insist on him sleeping beside me on the pull-out trundle that was intended for girlie slumber parties.
“Jackie?” I whisper, trying to gauge if he’s still awake.
“Yeah, Princess?” he says as he rolls over to face me. He really is the most beautiful boy I’ve ever seen.
“You will marry me when we grow up, won’t you?”
His sleepy smile shines in the dim light. “Why do you want to marry me?”
I think about it for a minute before giving him an honest answer. “I’ve always just known I was going to marry you one day.”
“Then do I really have a choice?”
A smile explodes on my face as I’m flooded with relief. Of course we’re going to get married one day. “I love you, Jackie.”
“I love you too, Princess.”