Chapter Twenty-nine
As much as Ellie loved weddings, she didn’t have much occasion to attend them.
As an only child without many cousins, there weren’t a lot of family nuptials to celebrate.
And aside from Rhett, none of her friends had yet made the decision to tie the knot.
So even though she was Jack’s plus-one—who’d technically never met the bride or the groom—the prospect of Rich and Cherry’s big day filled her with joy.
To be fair, she was pretty full of joy most of the time these days. She’d loved a handful of her boyfriends and girlfriends through the years, but never like this. Never like Jack.
Jack loved parts of her she’d never shown anyone. It was all rather humbling, to be honest. To be loved so deeply and so wholly. But also to admit that the big, open-hearted personality she showed to the world was only one piece of her whole self.
She’d decided to embrace it, though. Just like she embraced Jack’s stubborn streak and antisocial tendencies.
And the way his siblings took her in as one of their own.
And the way her own mother had started to tease her about getting married and giving her a grandbaby.
Not that she was in any rush, but she felt open to it, which was a revelation.
“You’re looking dewy-eyed and the wedding isn’t for two hours still.” Jack caught her gaze in the mirror as he tied his tie.
Ellie smirked. “Is that a problem?”
He shook his head without breaking eye contact and smiled. “Not even a little.”
“I promise I’m not one of those women who cries at every wedding.”
“Good to know.” Jack finished tightening the knot, then immediately tugged at it. “Are you just about ready?”
Satisfied with her hair and makeup, she turned and pointed to the dress hanging from the door of Jack’s closet. “I just need to put that on.”
“Pity.” He came close and slipped his arms around her waist. “I kind of like you like this.”
She glanced at the swell of cleavage peeking out of the pale blue lace of her bra. “Maybe if you’re real nice, I can go back to this when we get home.”
“Nah.” Jack shook his head. “By the time we get home, I’ll need you completely naked.”
“And under you?” Ellie quirked a brow, loving the surge of arousal and the fact that Jack seemed to want her all the time.
“Under, over. I’m not picky.”
Images of both flitted through her mind. She gave his tie a gentle pull. “I love that about you.”
They arrived at Jack’s parents’ house just as Maddie and Sy did.
She’d actually gone dress shopping with Maddie, since Maddie apparently hated that sort of thing.
It made Ellie smile to see the emerald and ivory stripe she’d promised wasn’t too bold.
“You look so great,” she said in lieu of a hello.
“You, too.” Maddie pulled her into a hug without hesitation. “I’m taking you shopping every time I need something fancy. I love wearing it, but God, picking it out is such a nightmare.”
Ellie laughed, but not as loud as Jack. Or Sy. “I accept this responsibility,” Ellie said.
They made their way to the backyard. A massive white tent took up more than half of it, and rows of folding chairs facing a wooden arch took up the rest. “Oh, wow,” Sy said.
“Agreed,” Kathleen said with something resembling reverence.
Ellie turned to find her and Logan behind them. She hadn’t spent much time with Kathleen yet but hoped that would soon change.
“We can have this exact setup, you know.” Logan made a sweeping gesture. “I can make that happen for you.”
Kathleen blushed, but a gleam in her eye made Ellie think she might be considering it.
“Wait, are you two engaged?” Sy asked. “Like, officially, I mean.”
Logan lifted both hands. “Hey, now. Don’t go spreading rumors. I have not been given the green light to propose.”
Everyone laughed, and Kathleen rolled her eyes. “You make me sound like a control freak.”
“No, no.” Maddie draped an arm around Kathleen’s shoulder. “That’s me. Just ask Sy.”
Sy grimaced, then grinned. “You are headstrong and fierce and delightful.”
Clover joined them, and the teasing continued as they found their seats. Ellie delighted in all of it—in being welcomed in like she’d belonged there all along. She also found herself wishing Rhett was there and not for the first time, she imagined how well Rhett and Clover would get along.
The ceremony started and she turned her attention to the happy couple.
Despite Jack’s low-grade grumblings about his uncle, it was obvious that Rich and Cherry were smitten with each other.
The idea of the two of them finding each other, of choosing each other, after previous marriages and kids and careers and everything else life had thrown their way gave her hope in the universe to get things right sometimes.
During the vows, Ellie sniffed, trying to blink fast enough to keep any tears from spilling over.
Jack regarded her with an affectionate smile. “Are you crying?”
“No,” she said, reminding herself of an obstinate toddler.
He squeezed her hand. “I thought we agreed we wouldn’t hold back our feelings.”
She sniffed again and laughed. “Yeah, but I also promised not to turn into a romantic sap at the wedding.”
Jack canted his head. “Maybe a little sappiness would be okay.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re not going to tease me about it later?”
“Oh, I didn’t say that.” Jack winked. “I just said it was okay.”
He pulled her hand into his lap and gave it another squeeze. She rested her head on his shoulder. The universe, it seemed, was on a roll.
* * *
The wedding might have taken place in his brother’s backyard, but otherwise Uncle Rich spared no expense.
Legit catering, open bar, and a band he hired to come all the way from Bennington.
The vibe was casual but classy—traits Jack never would have ascribed to his uncle but Cherry clearly possessed in spades.
The food was out of this world and the bartender Clover had recommended, courtesy of someone she’d dated down in Amherst, whipped up cocktails interesting but subdued enough to tempt even his beer-inclined palate.
Rich and Cherry cut the cake, and the music started.
Danceable oldies kicked things off, the kind of songs that had his parents and their friends on the rented dance floor in the middle of the tent.
When the music shifted to something more modern, even more people joined.
Jack realized it was one of those songs whose lyrics basically directed the made-up dance designed to accompany it.
Fierce debate over the merits of line dancing ensued.
Kathleen mostly shook her head and lamented being alive when the Electric Slide was in its heyday.
When the bouncy beat stopped, the lead singer made a joke about being too old for that sort of thing and announced that it was time to slow things down a bit.
She called out the count and the strains of “At Last” began.
Shy smiles and goofy looks ensued, and both his siblings made a beeline for the dance floor with their respective girlfriends. Even Clover caught the eye of one of Cherry’s nephews and agreed to dance. Jack looked at Ellie and tried not to cringe.
Ellie chuckled. “We don’t have to.”
She’d instantly perceived his hesitation and shifted her body language to take any modicum of pressure off him. Did she even know she did it? Something to talk about, for sure. But not today. Today was for happiness and sentimentality, and maybe even a little romance.
“I want to.” Jack stood and extended a hand. Ellie’s smile softened and her eyes sparkled as she took it. He led them to the parquet floor, and they joined the other couples swaying close to one another.
“Thank you,” she said.
“I’m not going to lie, I’ll take pretty much any excuse to pull you into my arms. Even if it requires dancing.”
“I’ll remember that.”
For all his grumbling—internal or otherwise—it felt good to hold Ellie close in such a public way. Like they were announcing to the world that they’d decided to forge ahead together. Symbolic, but also concrete and real.
When the song ended and another fast-paced oldie began, Jack shook his head. “I do not, however, do the twist.”
Ellie laughed. “I accept these terms.”
It turned out, however, that Kathleen did. Kathleen convinced Logan, who didn’t require much convincing, and Sy promptly joined them. It took exactly one encouraging look, and Ellie offered him a parting wave to join them. He found himself leaning against the bar with Maddie, watching.
“You know, I think we did all right for ourselves,” Maddie said.
Jack shook his head. “That is literally the most elder sibling thing you’ve ever said.”
“Not true. I know for a fact I’ve said ‘I’m right’ many times and I’m pretty sure that’s the most elder sibling thing one can say.”
“Nope. Using that as your retort and example now officially holds the title. It’s kind of meta.”
She elbowed him in the ribs. “Don’t even with that.”
“Whatever. I’m using that word correctly.”
Maddie rolled her eyes. “I never said you weren’t.”
“Well, now that we’ve got that all settled, yeah, we did.”
“Did what?” she asked.
He rolled his eyes. Not annoyed so much as accepting that this was how they had conversations. “Did all right for ourselves.”
Maddie’s features softened and she smiled at Sy. “I can’t believe I’m going to be the one rocking the white dress soon.”
“I do love a winter wedding,” he said without having any legitimate opinion on the subject.
“I thought you disliked all weddings.”
His gaze drifted to Ellie, twisting and turning herself on the dance floor with abandon and joy. “I’ve reconsidered.”
“The curmudgeon has gone soft.” She bumped her shoulder lightly to his. “Wonders never cease.”
He swallowed the retort that came naturally because it was a matter of habit more than his true feelings. “I’ve been told recently that wonders abound, if you’re willing to slow down enough to see them.”
“Wise words.”
Donna’s smile, her frail hands and fierce spirit, flashed in Jack’s mind.
Along with it, so much gratitude to Ellie for breaking down her walls and letting him in.
They both knew it wouldn’t be an overnight fix—as evidenced by her immediate acquiescence about the dancing—but he had hope and more than a smidgen of confidence.
And he had plenty of learning and growing of his own to do.
But he genuinely believed they could do it together. And he believed Ellie did, too.
The song ended and dancers came and went from the crowd. His crew laughed and hugged and decided to take a breather. “I think some bubbles are in order,” he said, more as a general declaration than to Maddie in particular.
Rather than bothering with another round of glasses, Jack snagged a full bottle of champagne from the cooler they’d set up behind the bar.
He brought it over to the table he and his siblings had claimed along with Clover, who’d wound up coming alone since her latest attempt at a relationship had imploded.
He topped off the empty and half-empty flutes, then lifted his. “I’d like to propose a toast.”
Logan and Maddie looked dubious, but everyone else at the table seemed happy to go along. “This ought to be good,” Maddie said.
Sy elbowed Maddie in the ribs. “Be nice.”
“Yeah.” Jack gave her a pointed look. “Be nice.”
Maddie made a sweeping gesture with her hand. “Go on.”
“I feel like a lot has changed in the last year, especially in the falling in love department.”
“Understatement,” Maddie said, though she disguised it in a cough.
“Some of us were looking, most of us weren’t.” He looked at Clover. “Some of us got a little bruised.”
Ever the optimist, she winked at him. “Comes with the territory.”
He gave her a little bow. “Still, I can’t stop thinking about how much better all of us are because of the amazing people who’ve found their way into our lives and our hearts. Sy, Kathleen, you make my sisters happier than I’ve ever seen them. And you manage to keep them in line at the same time.”
Maddie grumbled, and Logan laughed.
Jack cleared his throat and turned his attention to Ellie. “Ellie, I thought a nice easy woman would stroll into my life eventually and everything would fall into place.”
“Ha,” Logan said.
Ellie grinned and gave a little shrug. “I didn’t get that memo.”
“You weren’t what I was looking for, but you’re everything I want and, maybe even more, you’re everything I need. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Ellie said.
“So, I wanted to raise a glass to us. To learning and loving and all that good stuff.” He’d wanted an eloquent end, but words failed.
“To all that good stuff,” Kathleen said, raising her glass.
“To all that good stuff,” said everyone else.
They laughed and clinked and sipped. Conversations resumed, and Jack felt a quiet happiness settle over him. He looked at Ellie, who regarded him with amusement and affection and love. “Hi,” he said.
“Hi.” She smiled. “Nice toast.”
He winced. “I lost it a little at the end.”
“Nah. The sentiment was there.”
It had been. For everyone at the table. But mostly for her. “Thanks.”
“Thank you,” she said, emphasis on the you.
“For what?”
“For loving me, for helping me learn so much about myself.” She shrugged. “For not giving up on me.”
He took her hand, ran his thumb back and forth across her knuckles. “You might be surprised to learn this about me, but I can be pretty stubborn.”
“No,” Ellie said, feigning shock.
“I was so damn resistant to falling in love with you that, once I did, there was no going back.” And if he’d had to go forward without Ellie in his life, he’d have done it, but not without being a miserable wretch.
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
He thought about the future, all the possibilities it held.
No absolute certainties, of course, but trust. Trust that things would turn out okay, trust that they’d find a way to weather the storms together.
And trust that they’d have fun doing it.
As far as he was concerned, there was little more he could ask for. “Girl. Same.”
She laughed at the phrasing, mostly because he’d picked it up from Rhett. “I love you, Jack Barrow.”
Jack’s gaze traveled over her face before locking back on her eyes. “I love you too, Ellie Lancaster.”