The Wedding Truce

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty

ETHAN

T he songs of the birds outside the treehouse windows woke me, and I was happy to realize last night hadn’t been a dream. Waking up with Jessa in my arms was the greatest thing ever, and I stayed still, enjoying the feeling of being this close to her. Her breath was soft against my neck, her arm was wrapped around my middle, and one of her legs was draped over mine. Part of me wanted to wake her with a kiss like she’d done to me at three o’clock this morning and get lost in each other all over again. But I was so afraid this thing between us would look different to her in the light of day. So, I held her close, breathing her in. I didn’t even mind her morning breath. Was that delusional? Probably. But if I had to choose between Jessa with morning breath or no Jessa at all, I’d totally take the smell of wedding cake, champagne, and garlic mashed potatoes any day.

I chuckled to myself. Okay, I’m really tired.

We lay there for hours talking last night. Me more than her, of course. It would take time to get her to open up to me. I knew that. And that was fine with me.

I was just pumped that she admitted to having feelings for me. My heart felt as if it might burst with happiness.

Jessa briefly stirred in my arms, and I gazed at her face up close and personal. The curve of her eyebrows, long eyelashes, a few flecks of yesterday’s mascara under her eyes, her cute button nose, and those full soft lips that had been against mine for hours.

“What is my life right now?” I whispered as I looked up and pointed at the ceiling. “Thanks, Big Guy.”

I closed my eyes and enjoyed being here with Jessa and let my mind wander back to our late-night conversation.

“What was your favorite part of the wedding week?” I had asked.

She groaned. “You are so much like Ellie. Always trying to get people to share their thoughts and feelings.”

“It’s the way we were raised. It’s how you get to know someone better.” I didn’t push and waited to see if she would respond.

After several quiet moments, she said, “Fine. The tornado.”

I was thunderstruck. “Are you serious?”

“You asked. I answered.”

“So, not seeing your best friend get married or finding out I’m the man of your dreams—” I groaned as her elbow jabbed hard into my side. “But the tornado that could’ve ruined it all?”

“If not for that tornado, we might not have kissed, and we might not be here right now.”

I nuzzled her neck. “Okay. I like that answer after all.”

“Is this too weird? You and me?” she asked.

I raised my head from the warm, soft crook of her neck. “Do you think it’s weird?”

“Yes.” She shrugged and avoided eye contact.

A nervous feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. “How about we use the word unexpected instead? Weird makes it sound like you’re second-guessing this.” I lifted her chin until she looked at me. “You’re not, are you?”

“I mean, don’t you think it will be awkward when we’re around everyone?”

“Not more so than when we bicker in front of everyone. It may take a little getting used to for them to see us kissing instead of fighting—”

“Who said there won’t be any more fighting?” She smirked.

I brushed my nose against hers. “Only if we kiss and make up.”

She gave me a quick peck. “That’s about all you’re getting in public. PDA is a no for me. It’s so awkward being around my dad and Pamela and seeing them kiss in public. Did you see them on the dance floor tonight?” She shivered.

“Do you think she’s the one?”

“He’s never been this serious about anyone before. She’s always around now. For holidays and family stuff. She even works at the shop. I have a feeling he’s going to marry her.”

“You make it sound like a bad thing.”

She shrugged.

“He’s getting closer to the retirement phase of his life, and I’m sure he wants someone to spend those years with.”

“I know.”

“Don’t you want him to be happy?”

Her lips pursed. “Of course, I do. I just don’t want to have to call her Mom or something. She’s not my mom.”

“But she might be a good stepmom if you give her a chance.”

Jessa didn’t reply, but I could tell her mind was working.

“What’s going on in there?” I softly tapped her forehead.

“I don’t know how to act with a mom-type person. I’ve never had one.”

“You’ve had motherly influences in your life, though. My mom, Penny and Tally’s moms, and Gram.”

“Yeah, but none of them lived in my house.”

“You don’t even live in that house anymore,” I reminded her.

“I know. But it will always be home to me. And what if she comes in and changes everything?”

“Like what?”

“What if she takes over my old room and makes it a sewing room.”

“Does she sew?”

“She looks like the type of person who would sew.”

I was highly amused by her thought process.

“Or maybe a workout room,” she continued. “She’ll put a treadmill where my bed was, and the whole room will smell like a sweaty middle-aged lady.”

I cracked up, and she smacked me.

“Stop.”

“Are you really that worried about your old room getting remodeled? Or does this have more to do with you being worried about your dad?”

She stared at me with her mouth hung open a little. “Are you a mind reader?”

“I don’t need to be a mind reader to know how much you love your dad, and I’m sure you worry he might end up with another broken heart.”

“What if she breaks up with him? Then what?”

“He’s a grown man. He’ll get through it. Just like he did when your mom left.”

“I do worry,” she admitted.

“Pamela seems like a nice woman, and from what I can tell, she’s crazy about your dad. I have a feeling she’s not going anywhere. I think if you give her a real chance, you could end up liking her.”

She sighed. “I’m not very good at letting people in.”

“You don’t say?” I teased, which got me the elbow in my side again. “One of these days, you’re going to displace a rib, and then how will you feel?”

“Poor baby.” She stuck out her bottom lip, which made me want to nip at it.

Instead, I squeezed my arm around her and brought her closer. “The fact that you’re thinking about all this and talking about it tells me that you might want to change. And look at us. You’re letting me in. Finally.”

“Only because I like kissing you.”

“So, you’re using me for my kisses?” I moved closer and brushed my bottom lip against her top lip.

“Yes.” She reached up and grabbed the back of my neck and brought my mouth against hers.

Needless to say, we stopped talking for a while.

“Do you remember that time we stayed up all night playing Black Ops ?” I asked with a mouthful of wedding cake as we continued talking into the wee hours of the morning.

“Oh, yeah. I totally kicked your butt.”

I snickered. “I beg to differ. You kept spawn-killing me the whole time.”

“I had to with all your screen-cheating.”

“I wasn’t screen-cheating.”

She tilted her head and gave me a disapproving look.

“Fine. But we both were.”

“No way!” she snapped.

“How else would you know where I was going to spawn?”

“Because I know the map.”

I shook my head, knowing she would never admit to any wrongdoing. “We were sitting next to each other on the floor, like we are now, and there were more than a few times that night when I wanted to lean over and kiss you.” I leaned toward her on a path for her mouth. “Just like this.”

She angled back, and I followed. “I would’ve given you a bloody nose.”

I paused inches away. “Why didn’t you like me back then?”

“You were annoying. And you sucked at Black Ops .” She smirked.

I sat straight up. “Don’t hold back on account of my feelings.”

She laughed. “I’m sorry, but you were so darn happy all the time. Even after your parents’ accident. I didn’t understand that. And I was actually kind of mad at you for it.”

“Mad at me? Why?”

“I went through my own kind of loss because my mom left, and I grew up feeling very angry. All the time.” She picked at a thread of the blanket we were sitting on, not looking at me. “You had all those years with your parents there to raise you, and I thought you should be more upset about losing them. They were taken from you so suddenly and tragically, and you went on with life like nothing mattered. I’ve spent my whole life mad at my mom for leaving me.” She got a little choked up and stopped talking, which made me want to cry for her.

I didn’t know if I should hug her or not, so I simply took hold of her hand and waited for her to say more. She was opening up to me, which was a major breakthrough.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that I felt so strongly about my mom, who I didn’t even really know, and you seemed to not show much emotion for the people you spent twenty years of your life with.” Her eyes finally met mine. “I know now that was just you inhibiting your grief. But at the time, I think I held that against you. I thought you should’ve grieved better or something.” She shook her head. “I know that sounds stupid.”

I squeezed her hand. “Not at all. I understand what you’re saying. But people grieve their losses differently. There’s no right or wrong way. And it’s not easy for any of us, no matter how things appear on the outside.”

She pressed her lips together and appeared deep in thought for several long moments. “I get that.”

“Ellie and I also had that extra comfort and reassurance of our faith in God, knowing that our parents are in Heaven, and we’ll see them again one day.”

She was quiet for a few moments. “Dad took us to church when I was young, and I can remember trusting in God at a young age. But as I got older, I started to wonder why, if He loved me so much, He would let my mom leave me. I’ve kind of held it against Him all these years too.”

“I’m sensing a theme here.”

“I know.” She frowned.

“You’d feel so much lighter and freer if you let the anger and grudges go. That’s a lot to carry around with you all these years.”

“I don’t think I’d even know how.”

I lifted her hand and turned it over, palm up, and she looked down at it. “All you have to do is this. Open your hands and release it all.”

She kept her hand open toward the ceiling, even after I let it go, and raised the other hand to the same position. “Just let it go?”

“Let it go. Trust that God knows you and wants what’s best for you. And forgive your mom for leaving.”

She blew out a deep breath and dropped her hands. “Forgive? I don’t know about that.”

I’d given her enough advice for today, and I didn’t want to push her, so I put my arm around her and drew her into my side. I was feeling a little like I should take my own advice where God was concerned too. He knew me and what was best for me. I needed to do better at trusting Him when it came to my job and Jessa.

Jessa shifted to look up at me, and there was a sadness there. “What if I’m not able to forgive her? Does that make me an awful person?”

“No.” I touched her cheek. “Forgiveness isn’t about her. It’s for you. So you can release yourself from all that past hurt and move on to a better, happier Jessa.”

She chewed on her bottom lip, and I leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she rested her head on my shoulder.

I could’ve sworn the wetness of a few tears soaked through my shirt, so I tightened my arm around her.

“And for the record,” she said quietly. “I’m on board with becoming a happier Jessa. I’m feeling happier already.”

That was enough to make me smile for days.

The sound of a car pulling up out front brought me back to the current moment and had me checking my watch. The wedding party would be arriving within the hour for brunch before Ellie and Cooper headed off on their honeymoon.

We probably should’ve planned this better, because I wasn’t sure how Jessa would feel about people seeing us climb down from the treehouse together. I thought maybe I should go down first and try to discretely sneak into the house. But then how would Jessa explain why she slept in our treehouse all night?

The car doors slammed, and I pressed a kiss to the tip of Jessa’s nose.

That didn’t get a response, so I pressed one to her forehead and squeezed my arms tighter around her.

She let out a grumble and stretched her long limbs, pleasantly arching her body against mine, and I was there for it, enjoying every second.

Her eyelids slowly lifted, and she groaned. “I should’ve known you were a morning person. How do you manage a smile that big this early?”

I rolled over her. “I think you might have a little to do with that.”

The corners of her mouth lifted, and little by little, I leaned in, moving toward her lips, ready for the best start to a day I’d ever had.

Another car’s tires crunched on the driveway, and Jessa froze with wide eyes.

“What time is it?” Her voice held more than a hint of panic.

“Time for this.” I tried again for the kiss, but she shoved me back. The mood was broken, and I sighed. “Time for brunch.” I showed her my watch, and she grabbed my wrist and brought it closer to see the time.

“Oh my gosh.” She pushed me off, got up, and rushed over to peek out the window. “Your family just pulled in. And Penny and Tally’s cars are here.” Her eyes shot to mine. “What are we gonna do?”

I calmly stood, walked across the room, and slid my arms around her waist from behind. “We’re going to climb down the ladder, walk to the house, and go to brunch.” I kissed her temple. “Together.”

She tried to wiggle out of my arms, but I tightened my hold.

“Unless you don’t want this after all.” I hated to think it, let alone say it out loud, but I wanted to give her an out.

She stilled in my arms and looked over her shoulder at me.

The future hung heavy in the air between us, and my heart thumped in my chest, afraid of what she might say next.

“I want this,” she whispered.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded, and relief filled me as she turned, and wrapped her arms around me, and held on tightly.

I sighed. “Okay.”

“Okay,” she echoed.

She squeezed once then loosened her hold on me, but I held on longer.

“I think you need more hugs in your life.”

“Ethan.” Once again, she attempted to wiggle out of my grasp.

“Hugs are good for you. They’re therapeutic.”

“Maybe you’re the one who needs a hug.”

“Hmm, maybe.” I thought about that for a few beats. “Did you know people sometimes hire hug therapists?”

“What’s a hug therapist?”

“Just like you’d go see a regular therapist, you go visit a professional hugger.”

“Are you messing with me?”

“No.”

“People pay someone to hug them?”

“Yep.”

She eyed me. “This seems like something that would happen at The Sawmill back in the day. If you catch my drift.”

I let out a chuckle. “No, it’s legit. Hugging has been proven to lower stress levels and help with anxiety and all sorts of other things. People need to be hugged, and some people don’t have anyone in their life for that.”

She shook her head. “Where do you pick up this stuff?”

“I saw it on the news once.”

“I’m not paying you for hugs.”

I leaned back enough to look at her. “I could accept kisses as a form of payment.”

She dropped her arms. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I know.” I planted a kiss on her forehead.

Jessa looked out the window again and sighed. “I guess we should get this over with.”

I let her go and took her hand in mine. “What you really meant to say was, ‘Come on, Ethan, let’s go share our happy news.’”

She twisted her lips to the side. “Sure. ‘Cause I’m all about being the center of attention.”

“Just hold my hand and let me do all the talking.”

She cackled as she headed out the door. “That’s not happening.”

I don’t know how she climbed down that ladder so fast, but she was halfway across the lawn before I could catch up. I took hold of her hand again just as Ellie and Cooper climbed out of their car.

Ellie’s eyes widened when she saw us, and as expected, her screech was loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear.

“You’re holding hands!” She made a beeline for us. “Did you two come from the treehouse? Eeeek! Did you stay there last night? What does this MEAN?”

“It means we’re here for brunch,” Jessa replied.

“Are you together? Like, together together?”

I wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but I let Jessa answer. Her simple nod made my heart swell. I was so happy, I could barely hold it inside.

Ellie shrieked and attacked us both with a hug.

Jessa may have said she didn’t like being the center of attention, but I saw the smile she fought back when Ellie let go of us.

“I can’t believe this!” Ellie took Jessa’s hand and tugged her along toward the house, leaving me in their dust. “Penny! Tally!” she cried.

Cooper patted me on the back on our way inside. “You and Jessa finally. How do you feel?”

“Happy, excited … terrified.”

He chuckled. “Welcome to the club.”