Chapter 30
Aubrey
Olivia’s wedding was beautiful, and while I’m sitting at the small reception dinner with a table full of amazing people who I love like family, I feel…
alone. For so long, I was comfortable being by myself—dinners, movies, coffee, museum visits.
Not anymore. Ever since I met Jamie, I can’t manage a single day without wishing he was with me.
To be fair, all any woman wants to do is share their life with someone. This feels different.
While politely smiling and laughing at jokes that aren’t remotely funny, my phone chimes in my purse. I haven’t heard from Jamie about how lunch went with his dad, and I’m hoping it’s an update. I excuse myself and check it and find a new text from him, quickly clicking on the notification.
Jamie
How’s the reception?
Good. How was lunch with your father?
Good. Are you free?
I don’t bother replying, quickly excuse myself, and step outside to call. He answers on the first ring, “Hey, mama.”
There’s a slight echo, and I pull the phone away from my ear. My cell reception is okay, so I put it back to my ear and reply, “The wedding was beautiful. How did it go with your father? Please tell me you didn’t tell me you asked him to sponsor you for a green card…”
“I didn’t, I promise. But you know how you always say I’m impulsive? Well, I think I know where I got it from.”
“Why is that?” I laugh, the echo still there. When I’m back in Sacramento, I need to look into a new service provider or phone. Wanting to keep things light, I tease, “Did you convince him to adopt a dog too?”
“Four, actually.” When I don’t take the bait, he admits, “No, I’m kidding, but you should probably turn around.”
All of my levity drains from me as I slowly glance over my shoulder.
I know it’s him, but seeing Jamie’s only about ten or twelve feet away—if that—leaning against the hallway wall with his trademark smirk and his phone pressed against his ear…
. I drop mine and run to him, flinging my arms around his middle.
He pulls me in closer and kisses the top of my head.
“Why are you here?” Willing back my tears, my words are barely muffled against his chest.
As he tucks his phone in his back pocket, he sighs, “I missed you too.” After what feels like only seconds—but also several hours—he quietly tells me, “We should probably get your phone before someone steps on it.”
“Fuck my phone. Why are you here?” I repeat, not letting go. “What about Angel?”
“Alejandro is taking care of her until later tonight, when Tracy will take over.”
“Your dad is with her? Does he know she’s a menace if she doesn’t get her little dog siesta, or if you don’t give her extra treats when you’re cooking?”
“Bree.” The sternness in his tone pauses my freakout. “I gave him and Tracy instructions when I was on the plane. It’s just for the night. But if Angel destroys the apartment, she destroys the apartment.”
Jamie loves Angel more than anything in this world, but he has no problem letting his father take over after meeting him for one day? None of this makes sense. “So, what? You thought you could just show up like this and expect me to swoon?”
“That was the general idea, yes.”
Jamie releases me, then steps around to retrieve my phone.
While I love that he’s here, I hate surprises, and he knows it.
Or at least I thought he did. How the hell am I supposed to function when my best friend just married the man she’s been in love with for over a decade, but then the man I’m in love with shows up and all I want to do is run away and pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist?
There is no pregnancy book that covers this.
“So, are you swooning yet?” he asks as he hands me my phone.
“Honestly? Yes, I am.” I have nowhere to stow my phone, so I tuck it between my tits, secured by my bra and a dress that’s a size too small since getting it fitted.
“You’re really here, in Vegas? I don’t remember hallucinations listed under pregnancy symptoms, so please give me a sign that I’m not imagining things. ”
“You know this is real, but since we’re playing the honesty card, I thought you’d be a little more excited than this. It works way better in movies and books.”
“Yeah.” I let out a snort-laugh. “So, does that mean we’re going to live happily ever after?”
“As long as our happily ever after involves my version of tacos and not yours, I’ll marry you tomorrow.”
“Jamie,” I breathe, a tear slipping down my cheek, even as I can’t help laughing.
“Thank you for coming here, but don’t tease about that.
I saw you this morning and it’s like I haven’t been able to function properly until just now.
It’s like breathing for the first time. What are we supposed to do? Tell everyone the truth?”
He swipes at my tear-stained cheek. “One step at a time. I was only half-kidding about the tacos—Angel likes the leftovers. Isaac gave up being Prime Minister, so the least I could do is hop on a plane to see the woman I plan on spending the rest of my life with. My father was right, you deserve a grand gesture.”
More tears fall. “I really don’t. I just want you.”
Jamie closes the distance, kissing me with hesitation I’ve never felt from him before.
It could be that there’s a possibility someone could see us, or that he doesn’t believe I’m just as in love with him as he is with me.
I’ll have none of it. Without a second thought I tear my lips from his and grab his hand, dragging him back into the dinner with his fingers firmly interlaced with mine.
As we approach the table, Olivia spots us first and gasps. Everyone else follows her line of sight and suddenly having this much attention on me has my cheeks hot.
I’m about to launch into a word-vomit of a speech when Jamie beats me to it, grounding me.
“Hi, everyone. I didn’t mean to crash your wedding.
Congratulations, by the way.” While Jamie’s talking, Isaac gestures to Fiona and she comes over.
He whispers something to her and milliseconds later, there’s another table added to ours and two more chairs. “We have—”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been completely honest with all of you,” I interrupt.
“Jamie—James—and I have been seeing each other since he started working for Olivia.” No one seems surprised, so I press on.
“Human Resources is aware, and I planned on telling you all this weekend anyway after the wedding, but he just showed up. So, here we are… ruining your wedding.”
Olivia insists, “You’re not ruining anything, Bree.”
I’m about to contradict her when Isaac taunts, “You’re in Vegas. Why don’t you get hitched already?”
Jamie replies without skipping a beat, “Okay.”
“Isaac, you’re hilarious… Wait. What did you just say?”
“Okay,” Jamie repeats.
“Isaac just joked that we should get married, and you said ‘Okay.’” I can’t process what’s happening because the man I’ve been in love with for months said he’d marry me, but no one proposed.
“Was it a joke?” Jamie’s little smirk that I love and hate appears. “Because I don’t think it was. I love you, and I wanted to be the one to ask you—that’s why I’m here—but since Isaac just asked for me. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“What is happening right now?” I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh, then mumble to myself, “Did I just really accidentally get engaged?”
Jamie pulls my hand from my face and kisses my tattoo.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m here because I’m ready to spend the rest of my life with you—not as your boyfriend or your friend—as your husband.
If you don’t believe me, call Alejandro.
I don’t want to spend another day with you doubting how much I love you or how I have no plans on abandoning you or our baby.
The four of us are a family. Why not make it official? ”
Every time he calls this little girl inside me his, my heart breaks. I wish I could go back in time to ensure she is, but time travel doesn't exist. “This is a big decision. We should make a pros and cons list. I had one in my desk, but it’s a little outdated.”
“Go for it.” Nothing I have said has shaken him.
“Did you really come all this way and want to… marry me?”
“When will you finally get it?” He keeps his voice low, so only I can hear. “You’ve been my forever since the moment we met. If you’re ready for me to be the last man who ever loves you, then let’s do this. But on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“Our baby will be ours until she’s old enough to know that I’m not biologically her father.
One day, she’ll yell at me that I’m not her dad, but we’ll deal with it when that day comes.
I didn’t know who my father was until five years ago, so I sure as fuck don’t care that she doesn’t share my DNA… I’m her dad.”
“Maybe you should work out this conversation in private,” Ned suggests, and he’s right. To be honest, I’m surprised he was invited, since there was so much to clean up after Olivia and Isaac were outed. Then again, he’ll have his work cut out for him to clean up the mess Jamie and I just made.
However, Ned is never wrong. While we’re amongst friends, and someone could overhear, Olivia’s wedding would be shoved to the back of the headlines if this got out today. Jamie and I step away and find a quiet space in a tucked-away storage closet.
The man I love is here with me, miles from home, to get married?
To me? It doesn’t feel real. This doesn’t feel like us.
If our friends weren’t celebrating their wedding tonight, I’d already have my skirt hiked up in a dark corner with the same smirk Jamie always has as his release slips down my thighs.
What the fuck am I saying? Jamie wants to get married?!
I place his hand on my stomach. “To be clear, I love you, and this baby is absolutely as much yours as she’s mine. It’s messy, and I’m so sorry for that. But… you’re sure?”
“I’ve known since the night we met what I was signing up for,” he reminds me.
“She’s so lucky that you’ll be her father, and we’ll have years to workshop the right words, but if you really marry me, I need you to know I would marry you, even without this—our—baby. I love you and—”
“I don’t need a disclaimer,” he growls, but quickly corrects, “I love you and our baby. We’ll figure it out, but I want you to marry me for no other reason than because we love each other.”
“I don’t know, I’m pretty sure your talented tongue is also a good reason.” It earns me a smile. “I love you, Jamie, and if you’re really ready, then so am I.” He kisses me, but instead of letting him play, I pull back in case someone may be close by. “Okay, last question: how drunk are you?”
“You know I’ve been sober since the night we met.”
“Then can we get married in secret? Wait to tell them we’re married until we have a plan to properly announce it? I don’t want to ruin Olivia’s day.”
“Whatever you want.”
Based on his tone, he’s done with hiding, but so am I. “It’s not about what I want. I’m just hoping we can keep it quiet-ish—close friends and family, waiting to announce to the media.”
“There is one person who may already know… Alejandro. He’s the reason I’m here, but I don’t think he’ll say anything.”
“Then he deserves to know, but… you really want to marry me?” I dare to ask, praying to all of the deities that he doesn’t say no.
"Tú eres el amor de mi vida, lo único que falta es que seas mi esposa."
“You know you have to slow down when you’re practically purring in Spanish. Was that a yes or…?”
“Of course it’s a fucking yes,” he laughs, but his admission brings on happy tears for me. “I just said that you’re the love of my life, and the only thing missing is you being my wife. I’m yours, mi abayarde, but it’s about time the world knew you’re mine too.”