Jace
“Did you remember the rings?”
“Yes, I remembered the rings,” I say to Zac then immediately start patting my pockets. “Shit.” My heart sinks. “I forgot the damn rings.”
I spin around in circles, still checking every pocket, the ones in my pants, my jacket, coming up empty.
“I’m screwed,” I confess, knowing there is no way I have enough time to run back to the shop and get them out of the safe. I’ll be late. Aurora will be standing at the altar, and I will be met with a really pissed off brunette.
“Hey.” Spinning around I face Zac. “Can you—” I stop mid sentence when I see what he is holding.
“Dick.” I grab the rings and glare at him.
“You can act like you’re pissed but truth is, I knew you’d forget them.” I don’t argue, because I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.
“You nervous?” Oliver opens the door and steps inside followed by Daxton.
“No,” I say and they simply stare at me, not saying a word. “Fine, yes,” I admit, feeling like an ass. “Not because I don’t want to marry her. Aurora is perfect, for me she is everything, but what if I fuck this up? What if I’m terrible at this?”
“Being married?”
“Being a husband.” I say. “It’s not like I was brought up in a loving home, with the perfect example of a loving married couple raising a family. Most of the time all I saw were two people that could barely stand one another, sticking it out so they could get the next month’s check for the foster kids they housed. There was no happy, it was coping.”
“Do you want to be a good husband?” Daxton asks and I look up at him. His focus is solely on me, and so is Zac and Olly’s. I think of his question, let it roll around in my mind.
“For Aurora I want to be more than good.”
“Then stop struggling with this.”
“I’m not struggling with the idea of marriage. I guess I’m just worried one day she’s gonna wake up and think what in the hell did I do? Like I was the worst mistake.”
“That’s not going to happen.” Zac chuckles. “Believe me, I spent months with that girl. I had to talk her down off a metaphorical ledge almost daily. She tortured herself looking at old images. Every conversation we had would somewhat end up spinning off in your direction. Everyone was compared to you, she’d play the what would feel game constantly. She is in love with you. Not just the he makes my heart race kind of love. It’s much more than that.”
“Now.” I know it’s the nerves forcing my doubts.
“Now,” Zac repeats only he doesn’t stop there. “Tomorrow, and the day after that. Next month, next year, and the one after that, the decade after that, it’s endless. I can promise you, Aurora is the sticking kind, she isn’t going anywhere.”
“I’ve never had it this good,” I confess, sitting down on the stool and looking back at my three best friends. “I’ve never had something that takes my breath away. It’s like each day I fall a little more. My entire heart is here, I swear it beats for her. I understand how cheesy that sounds. I know I’ll regret this later because I’m giving you all so much ammunition, but it’s true.”
“What happens in this room and on this day, stays in this day,” Daxton assures me.
“You have this day to be sappy and lovestruck.” Oliver smiles. “You’re marrying your best friend and today the two of you begin the next chapter.”
“It’s up to you how you write the story,” Zac adds and I realize just how lucky I am. Most people rarely see the kind of friendship I have with these guys. People wish for it, the ride or die, help you hide the body kind of loyalty. I have it, Zac, Oliver and Daxton, they are in my corner, rooting for me and cheering me on.
“Besides if you screw this up, I’m pretty sure you won’t survive Bree, Luna, and Presley.” Oliver chuckles.
“Presley is pretty shifty lately.” Zac widens his eyes in emphasis. “I wouldn’t test her.”
It’s my turn to laugh. All fear is gone and I have these guys to thank for it.