Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Addie took all the hugs from her family and the expressions of concern and felt loved and at home. She was finally with her family after one of the worst weeks of her life. She was safe. She was loved.
The plane taxied off.
“Where’s Price?” Daphne demanded.
She whirled on her little sister. “You’re in enough trouble with me. No demands right now.”
“Who’s Price?” her niece Laynee asked.
The plane gained speed and then soared up into the air. It was loud, and they all stopped talking and watched.
“You got to fly on Aiden Porter’s jet,” her nephew Colter said reverently.
“Who’s Price?” Laynee asked again.
“Her boyfriend,” Daphne said.
“My bodyguard,” Addie spoke over her sister, then shot her a glare. “I’m only not going to dye your hair orange and shave off your eyebrows while you sleep because you’re getting married in four days.”
“Girls, girls,” her dad interrupted. “What is going on? You haven’t fought like this since you were teenagers.”
Emery and Juliette looked to be hiding smiles at their fighting. Vance and Reef looked uncomfortable. Her mom looked near tears.
“It’s Christmas and Addie almost died,” her mom said. “Let’s get home and love each other. No more fighting.”
Addie gave Daphne a look.
“I love you, sis.” Daphne hugged her tight. “I thought Price was the right one for you. He’s a freaking stud. I thought you being thrust together would make you fall in love.”
“He is incredible,” Juliette added. “I know that from personal experience.”
“Ooh,” Daphne teased.
“Not like that.” Juliette shoved at her sister.
Price was a stud, and incredible, but Daphne had gone about it all wrong.
Addie hated that Price was so insecure in his relationship confidence that he’d gone along with it.
It seemed to be the only area of his life he wasn’t confident in.
For some reason, she pictured him fighting Easton and the confidence he exuded then.
If only she had gotten the chance to touch each of the scars on his upper body and hear the story behind each one.
“I love you too,” she told Daphne, “but please never pay for a bodyguard behind my back, have Vance set up the contract so you can lie to me, and then force the man I love to lie to me.”
“Sheesh. You’re making it sound worse than it was. You’re alive and in love, right?”
“I’m alive.” She wouldn’t admit to being in love.
Even if she already missed Price.
She turned to look. The jet was gone.
The next four days were insanely busy. Her mom wanted to do all the Christmas traditions now that Addie was there, and they had a lot of prep work for the wedding.
Addie spent all of her time with her family and saw some friends from home at church.
New Year’s Eve was a fun party with her family and the Gem family combining.
Noisy and crazy. They all laughed nonstop at the youngest brother Lincoln’s constant teasing and antics.
He and Easton would’ve been fast friends.
She and Daphne reconciled, and she forgave her sister. Of course she did. She wasn’t willing to tell her that she loved and missed Price though. Trust would take a lot more time to build. Some things needed to be kept to herself.
The wedding was beautiful and exhausting and she was ecstatic for Daphne and Vance. Daphne was gorgeous in her white satin gown and Vance was very handsome in his gray tux.
Her sister’s new husband was more serious than Daphne, but they were an ideal fit. Vance was solid, good clear through, and devoted to Daphne, God, his family, and community. Great guy. Addie loved when she heard them telling corny jokes to each other.
As part of their vows, Daphne and Vance each told a silly joke.
“What did the mathematician say at her wedding?” Daphne asked.
“I don’t know. What?” Vance asked with a happy grin on his face.
“The odds of this working are better as a pair.”
The wedding crowd gave a soft chuckle.
“Everything is better with you by my side,” Daphne continued. “I’m forever grateful to heaven above for bringing us together. I want to be a pair with you.”
Vance gave her a soft, sweet kiss. Then he asked, “Why did the jumper cables get married?”
Daphne grinned. “Tell me.”
“They had a major spark,” Vance returned. He studied Daphne with his unique jade-colored eyes. “We have much more than a spark, Daphne. What I feel for you is an inferno that will never burn out. I love you.”
He wrapped her up and gave her a very long kiss.
Everyone cheered.
Addie had tears running down her face. She was thrilled for her sister and new brother-in-law, but the spark and inferno joke hit too close to home.
Easton had joked about his and Cassie’s spark becoming an inferno.
She wanted that with Price, to fan their spark into an ever-burning flame.
Would they get that chance? Could she learn to trust him as much as she felt she was coming to love him?