Chapter 30
Four months later
Jesse
“For the love of common sense … Cody, the tulle goes in front of the arch!” Ella’s voice echoes. She’s only a half second away from exploding.
“Don’t you think this looks better? Then you can see the woodwork,” he argues.
As the three of us stand in the middle of my parents’ backyard, I feel like I’m watching a tennis match.
“I don’t need to see all the woodwork!” Ella retorts and then grits her teeth. “Put the tulle in front of the arch.”
I rub the back of my neck. If Cody only knew how close she was to losing her shit on him. He has no idea what kind of fire he’s playing with. I’m kinda wanting him to find out though. Better him than me.
He sighs. “Fine. But let the record show I think it looks way better switched.”
“I don’t care!” she argues and I can’t help myself anymore, I let out a laugh. Her eyes bolt to mine, and the hair on my entire body stands.
“I don’t think it’s very funny!” she warns.
“El, he’s just messing around.” I try to shrug it off.
“I don’t care! I’m not in a ‘messing around’ mood, if you couldn’t tell!”
“I can tell. Can you tell me why you’re so angry?” I ask calmly.
“We get married in two days!”
“And you’re angry about it?” Cody jumps in.
I hold my hand up to shut him up. Ella gives him a stink eye.
“I’m not angry! I’m stressed,” she says.
“Don’t be stressed. It’s all under control, babe.” I reach for her back, but she shimmies away and gives me a look like she’s gonna murder me in my sleep tonight before walking away.
Cody laughs to himself and starts to unravel the tulle from the arch.
“Damn. She’s not playing today,” I say, debating whether I should go after her or not.
“She’s funny when she’s mad.” Cody chuckles.
“You want her to slap you? She’ll do it,” I warn and walk toward the house.
We are getting married at the church and then having the reception here.
It’s not going to be a lot of people, under a hundred.
The arch is for pictures, and Cody’s in charge of it since he built it.
We’re just doing a mockup tonight, but for some reason, Ella is acting as if tonight’s the real deal.
Heading in through the side door of the big house, I see Mom and Addie writing the seating chart on an old window to display and Dad’s at the other end of the table putting batteries in a bunch of candles.
I walk through to the kitchen to find Mason, Brantley, and Wesley?
—I didn’t know he was here—assembling party favors.
I give him a nod and slap on the shoulder but keep walking through the house.
Ella’s sitting on the living room floor doing something with flowers. I believe they’re centerpieces. She looks focused, and I’m terrified to interrupt.
“El,” I call out, but she doesn’t look up.
“What,” she states. Not asks, states.
“You’re a little uptight today, sweetie.”
“And?”
“Why is that?”
“There’s a lot to do,” she mutters.
“We have two days yet. We’re getting as much done as quickly as we can. Your family gets in tomorrow, and they can help too.” I shove my hands in my pockets and lean against the doorframe.
“My brain feels like it’s going to explode. Telling everyone what to do and how to do it, remembering everything, it’s a lot! Not to mention I worked a thirteen-hour shift yesterday and barely slept last night because I am so worked up over all this.”
All I can do is listen and try to understand her frustration. I step closer, towering over her as I extend my hand. She hesitates for a moment before laying hers in mine. I pull her to her feet and hug her.
“It doesn’t have to be so intense, Ella. All I care about is by the end of the day, I make you my wife.”
“I know. I know, babe. I’m just… I want it to be nice and not seem thrown together.”
“It’s not, sweetie. It’s going to be great.”
“Well Cody’s a jackass,” she mutters.
“Cody’s always gonna be a jackass. That gonna stop you from marrying me?” I look down at her with a playful grin.
“I guess not.” She tries not to smile.
“Good.” I kiss her before letting her get back to what she was doing.
* * *
As I’m standing up here staring at Ella, her hands holding mine, with the pastor standing between us, I’m in such a daze.
I’m trying to focus but the reality is settling in.
Tomorrow I finally get to marry this woman.
The woman I’ve loved since I was sixteen years old.
I’m ready. I’m so ready, I don’t know how I’ll even sleep tonight.
We rehearsed the procession four times. I’m good. Ella and her dad have their walk-down-the-aisle pace figured out along with the correct way to link arms. It’s our bridal party—also known as my siblings—that can’t seem to get their crap together.
We’re having only them in the wedding. Ella doesn’t have any girlfriends and my buddies couldn’t give two craps if they were in our wedding or not.
So Addison is her only bridesmaid, and Cody and Mason are my only groomsmen.
Given the odd number, they’re both walking Addie down the aisle, which is apparently extraordinarily difficult.
Cody walks too fast, Mason gets hung up on walking to the beat, and Addison is not one for walking in heels.
When we’re finally done, we have a sit-down dinner in the fellowship hall. Ella is the first one back to the table with a plate of food. Cody’s the only one still sitting at the table when she returns. My guess is he’s waiting for the line to be shorter before he gets up.
I watch him say something to Ella but can’t hear what. She replies with a look of sincerity. Maybe she’s apologizing for being so angry at him the other day. Hopefully he’s doing the same for testing her patience.
I make my way over with my plate and settle in beside Ella, who looks absolutely stunning, by the way.
She’s glowing in the white, off the shoulder dress she’s wearing tonight.
Her hair is pulled back in a loose ponytail and whatever eye shadow or makeup she put on her eyelids makes her green eyes pop. Every time she looks at me, I get lost.
“You two keeping it civil?” I ask sorta quietly, but loud enough for Cody to hear too.
“Course.” She nods.
“For now,” Cody teases and stands up to go get in line.
I lean closer to her. “No, really. Everything good?”
“Yeah. I apologized and he did, too.”
“Cody apologized?”
“Well, sorta. It was fine, we’re good. Promise.”
“Okay, good.” I graze her bare back with my hand and peck her cheek before picking up my fork and absolutely demolishing the macaroni and cheese on my plate.