22. Chapter 22 Margot
Chapter twenty-two
“Come on, Margot, let’s let the newlyweds have some alone time.”
Jack congratulates Ledger as I give my new sister-in-law one last hug. “Welcome to the family, Sloane. I’m so happy to finally have another girl around. If Ledger gives you any trouble, just let me know.”
“Thanks so much, I’m sure that’ll be sooner rather than lat…Ah!”
My brother picks his new wife up and jogs her up the stairs. “You losers get out of here. I have a marriage to consummate!”
Jack throws his arm around my shoulders and walks me to the car.
I’ve always loved weddings. I was that little girl who kept a folder packed with her wedding plans. I wonder if Mom still has that somewhere. It would be fun to look back at what preteen me thought would be a classy wedding. The one thing I know hasn’t changed is that I want it to be a huge to-do.
Ledger and Sloane’s wedding was beautiful for how last minute it was. He literally proposed earlier tonight after winning a fighting competition. I’m sure the photographer will get a hefty bonus for all the editing it's going to take to clean up some of the cuts and bruises on his face.
He and Jack apparently spent last night decorating his house and planning the whole ordeal before he finally caved and hired someone to come in and help get things set up.
Red roses covered almost every surface of his house, making it look like a sea of crimson.
The only guests were Jack, a friend of Sloane’s, and me.
It was intimate in its simplicity and seemed perfect for my brother and Sloane too, from what I’ve heard about her.
A small wedding isn’t for me, though. I would want the entire world to know I was married.
When we both get buckled up, I look over at Jack, and from the look on his face, I don’t think I’m the only one in a post-wedding haze. “This is weird, right?”
Ledger has never even brought a girl home. Neither of my brothers has. Or Jack.
“Yeah, this is definitely weird,” he says as he starts backing out of the driveway and using one hand to get the hot air turned up to full blast and my seat warmer on.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for my brother.
But, I don’t know. I guess I’m both a little sad he’s not around as much and a little jealous of the reason. ”
“Jackie…why have you never had a girlfriend?” I ask him as he stops to check for traffic before pulling onto the road.
He turns to face me, allowing me to see a moment of sadness before switching back to his usual charm.
“Well, I was under the impression I was going to have to marry your bratty ass, so what was the point?” He reaches over to pull a strand of my hair before fixing his gaze back on the road and pulling out.
“Seriously, though, Jack, why?”
Silence fills the car, and Jack shifts into a faster gear.
I’m about to ask again when he answers. “Well, for the longest time, I was just fucking around with Ledger. We were young guys with no sense and too much money in our trust funds for our own good. Then my dad passed away, and you remember how I was. I wasn’t in any shape for a relationship.
I was barely back on my feet when Ledger and I opened the club.
And then for the last little while I’ve been. ..never mind.”
Jack's hand is still resting on his gear stick, so I place mine on top. The touch sends a shock through my body, barely allowing me to get out my question. “You’ve been what?”
“I’ve been hung up on someone,” he says, flipping his hand around to interlock our fingers, then pulling our hands over to his thigh. The implication takes my breath away.
It seems neither of us can think of anything else to say.
I turn on some Christmas music to cut the silence in the car and hold on to his hand for dear life, only letting go when he has to switch gears again.
His desire for our contact seems to mirror mine because every time he has to let go, he quickly finds me again.
Our hands continue that dance the entire way to my mom’s house.
We walk to the house, still hand in hand, but he lets go as soon as I open the door. The confusion painted across my face is question enough.
“I can’t stay tonight, Princess.” He steps closer and gently wraps a hand around the back of my neck before placing a soft kiss on the top of my head. “I’ll be back soon, though, I promise.”
I wrap my arms around his waist and pull him into a hug. “You pinky promise?” I ask, not having any interest in letting him go to actually link our pinkies.
“Pinky promise, baby girl.” He places another lingering kiss on my forehead before he turns and walks away.