Chapter 13 Francesca
six
FRANCESCA
We arrive at our venue to do one last walk through before our big day.
The Holiday Star Inn is gorgeous and being decorated for Christmas gives it an extra special feel when we enter.
The main foyer has a large tree decorated in just white and red bows, with tiny blinking lights.
Simple and elegant and gives a romantic, warm feel.
But as we continue inside, the butterflies in my stomach intensify.
I don’t know where this nervousness is coming from.
I mean, all brides get cold feet, right?
They all have second and third thoughts, right?
Let me be clear, I’m not second-guessing Jackson. Not at all.
To the outside world, it looked like he would never settle down. And I was just the silly girl pining away for a professional football player.
We’ve since dispelled that vision and changed the way the world saw us. We belong together, and everyone agrees.
But are we ready for marriage? Am I ready to become his wife?
He said he was all in, he said he always had feelings for me but was forced to hide them as to not upset my brother and their friendship. But when those feelings became so strong, and he couldn’t deny them anymore, there was nothing that stopped him from being with me.
He was one hundred percent all in.
And there I was, the girl who started out as a lovestruck teenager, doodling my first name and his last name on paper, dreaming of our wedding day, and is now a woman standing next to her man, preparing to say, ‘I do’.
I loved Jackson then, even if I wasn’t exactly sure what the meaning of love was.
I know with absolute certainty that what I felt with Nick is not even comparable to what I feel for Jackson.
The need to be with him, the wanting to be close.
The excitement to tell him about my day, or to hear about his.
Planning for the future and seeing him in it, that’s love.
I know it now, but do I know how to show him love like he needs?
“Hello Miss Casanova! Coach Gage! How are you two today?” Stephan, the owner of the Holiday Star Inn greets us, me with a kiss on the cheek and Jackson with a handshake. “I am so excited to go over last-minute details with you. We have been working hard getting everything set for the big day!”
“Good to hear, Stephan.” Jackson has his arm around me, pulling me closer. “We trust you and your staff and know it’s going to be beautiful.”
Stephan nods, pleased with Jackson. “Please know we have also ensured not one detail has slipped out, from the date down to the color of the napkins. We have given your day the utmost professionalism and preference.”
I’m watching Stephan bounce around on his toes and basically salivate over Jackson and it makes me chuckle.
I feel you, Stephan. Jackson has that type of hold over me, too.
“Follow me, I want to show you the gazebo we have set up for your ceremony, the bridge for pictures and then the final reception hall. I’m sure the weather is going to be absolutely perfect that day so taking outside pictures will turn out beautifully.”
Jackson and I walk hand in hand, my heart racing as we come to the gazebo with ivy wrapped around the railings and little red bows woven throughout.
I hate ivy. And adding in the bows makes it looks tacky and cliche.
But I see how excited Stephan is to present the area to us, so I won’t burst his bubble.
I mean, what did I expect when I booked a Christmas wedding. It’s just ivy, I’ll get over it, right?
“Last minute touches are being worked on this week and the lights are being strung for a final test drive.”
“I’d like to take you for a test drive, right over this railing.” Jackson whispers into my hair, his hand sliding down to grab my ass.
I roll my eyes as Stephan claps his hands together excitedly.
“Now, follow me over here! Look at this beautiful fountain and the bridge over the pond.” I’m looking at the old fountain with paint chips and rust stains.
The bridge doesn’t look too sturdy either.
Last thing I need is to fall into the water on our big day. This is not what I was picturing.
“All our brides and grooms take pictures here, alone. It’s a special time for just the two of you and your photographer of course,” he laughs at his own little joke, “to whisper sweet words to each other, while your guests wait to catch the first glimpse of the new husband and wife!”
Jackson leans down and whispers in my ear, his hot breath lighting me up. “Should I let him know my future wife doesn’t want sweet words, only filthy ones?”
I elbow him, I can feel my blood racing turning my blush a deep red and smile at Stephan as he eyes us. “This is beautiful, yes and a great time to recoup before the party.” I side eye Jackson as we move along to inside the hall.
Jackson smacks my ass. “Lighten up, babe, this is fun.”
My heart starts racing again. Lighten up.
It’s only the most important day of our lives and he’s making jokes.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say he is resorting back to typical Jackson, never serious about anything, joking his way through life.
He’s always lighthearted but I feel like this is the ‘show version’ of Jackson he used to give the press.
We approach the main hall entrance and Stephan makes a big show about opening both doors at once, presenting the elegant room to us.
My breath catches. It is simply beautiful.
This room is everything I’ve ever dreamed of, enough so, that I can almost put the other stuff out of my mind because this place.
Is. Everything. A huge chandelier is the focal point, hanging low and with gems and a thousand lights, all twinkling and cascading down.
The floor is black marble with diamond etches that sparkle and seem to make the floor wave as they reflect the lights.
“As you can see the tables are not out yet, but they will form a horseshoe around the room, with your table in the front. You wanted one long table with your wedding party alongside you, correct?”
“Yes, they were an integral part of us getting together and staying together so we’d like them by our side, just like they’ve always been.”
I squeeze Jacksons hand in thanks as I am still too stunned to get the words out.
Stephan and Jackson wander off and I hear them talking about the DJ and where the cake will be set up. I slip out my phone and FaceTime Britt, our call connecting instantly.
“Hey! What—Oh my God, what’s wrong?”
I have tears in my eyes, so I understand why she thinks something is wrong right off the bat.
Shaking my head to say nothing, I croak out, “It’s gorgeous!”
“Oh, thank fuck, I was worried something was wrong!”
I snort at her choice of words. “Well, there are things that are definitely not to my liking, but this room makes up for it.” I flip the camera on my phone around and give her a panoramic view.
I hear her gasp. “Chess! Eek! I am so excited! It’s perfect!”
I flip her back around so she can see me. “It is, isn’t it? I’m in love. This is just what I pictured, and I am so happy they had a date available.”
“I’m so glad.” She pauses. “But I hope you’re in love with my brother as much as you’re in love with the hall. In fact, you better love my brother more.” She raises a brow.
“Like you have to ask.”
“I don’t know,” she sing-songs. I flip her off, she laughs and continues. “And everything is running smoothly and on time, right? I know you said the owner was fine with having his staff sign the NDA’s.”
“Yes, so far so good. I mean, we’re not A-listers but I’d like something for just us, you know? I have enough pressure without reading about what everyone thinks I should be doing.”
She nods along with me. “Understandable and you’re not being a bridezilla for wanting that.”
“Who said anything about being a bridezilla?” I raise my brow.
She makes a motion like she’s zipping her lips and locking them.
I give her a stern look. “I’m being very good.”
“Sure, you are,” she has a wicked little gleam in her eye.
Is she trying to get a rise out of me right now?
“But these next two weeks? This is where the rubber meets the highway. Sink or swim. Condom or baby. You know, this is ‘til death do you part! There is still plenty of time for the maniacal Bridezilla to show up!” She talks in a deep voice with a wha-ha-ha laugh at the end, like she’s Count Dracula.
“Your type of crazy is different, B. How does Bobby make it through the days with you?”
“Alcohol and lots of blowjobs. I know my crazy is out of hand, but it’s like he’s married to two different women and gets to sleep with them both.” I see her shrug her shoulders through the tiny screen on the phone.
I bark out a laugh and Jackson catches my eye and winks.
Fuck, he’s hot.
“Okay, on that note, I’m going to hang up before you eye fuck me through the phone.”
A sly grin on my face because my bestie knows me better than anyone. “Meet me at the florist in an hour, girl.”
“You got it,” she says, and I end the call slipping it back into my purse and walk over to where Jackson and Stephan are. Jackson is right, I need to lighten up. This is fun, planning, waiting it out, talking about what we like and don’t like for the most important day of our lives.
“Everything ok?” he asks as he tangles his fingers with mine.
I smile, folding myself into him. “Perfect.”