Evie kissed my
cheek and squealed, "Mama!" This little girl and her father were my
world. No matter what happens in the future as long as I have my
family I know I will make it.
“
Did you see momma in those pictures?"
Evie just
shook her head and she wiggled to get free.
My mom wiped
her tears then stood. "Me too, baby. Now let’s go get you ready for
your happily ever after."
We spent the
rest of the day being pampered. As six o'clock got closer my nerves
started resurfacing.
"Ready for the
dress?" My photographer asked.
"Yes, I'm
going to need some help though."
Sadie came
into the bedroom of the hotel suite carrying my dress. "Let's start
this process."
And a process
it was. My dress was a mermaid style with the bodice covered in
tiny crystals and the bottom was made of fluttering, shimmering
organza layers. The dress looked like it was made for a beach
princess. After putting my dress on I knew this was my last moment
with my mom as just her daughter. She was standing off to the side
holding Evie, watching all the commotion. I smiled at her and
mouthed 'I love you'. She smiled back dabbing under her eyes then
mouthed 'I love you too."
A few minutes
later there was a knock on the hotel suite door. "Come in," Maggie
yelled.
The door
opened and Gage walked in wearing his custom made tux, he looked
gorgeous. "Where is my girl? I wanted to see her before I walked
her down the aisle."
"Unky Gage! Me
pwetty!" Evie squealed as she twirled around in her princess
dress.
"Gorgeous mini
babe," Gage snickered.
All the girls
in the room moved to the side and I slowly turned around to face
him. "Hey." I bowed my head a little.
"You look
beautiful, babe. Larkin is going to be amazed." Gage started
walking towards me. "Do y’all mind if I have a minute with
Jenna?"
The girls
shook their heads as Maggie spoke up, "Ok ladies it’s time to head
downstairs and line up. We have eight minutes until show time.
Gage, Jenna I will be back up when we are ready for
you."
Everyone left
the room, my mom kissing my cheek and grabbing Evie's hand on her
way out.
When the door
shut Gage pulled me into a hug and kissed my cheek. Gage ran his
hands down my arms, grabbing my hands. Smiling he said, "You look
absolutely gorgeous. Your dad is looking down right now with a huge
smile saying 'that’s my girl'."
I grabbed a
tissue to blot under my eyes trying not to smear my makeup. "Thank
you Gage, you have no idea how much that means to me. I know you
are making him proud by filling in his shoes. Thank you for
everything you got me." I walked over to the bag sitting on the bed
and pulled out the two jewelry boxes. "Will you put them on me,
please?"
Gage simply
smiled and grabbed the two boxes.
After putting
on my necklace and bracelet Gage whispered, "Ready to walk to your
future?"
I couldn't
help the tears as I replied, "Yes, but I will never forget my past
or what it means to me." I got on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
I saw tears in his eyes. I had only seen Gage cry when I was in the
hospital after my attack, when Evie was born, when I told him I
wanted Larkin, and when my dad died.
"Let's do it,
babe."
Gage wrapped
his strong arms around me, rocking us back and forth. We stayed
that way until Maggie knocked on the door and poked her head in.
"Ready for you two.”
We walked
downstairs and stood behind the hotel doors. I could see everyone
including Larkin waiting on the beach. Gage looked gorgeous but he
had nothing on my man. The music started as the bridesmaids and
groomsmen started walking. Mac and Kota both came up and hugged me,
kissing my cheek and telling me they loved me. I loved my family.
Just before Evie started to walk with Frannie I leaned down and
kissed her, "Momma loves you."
"Wuv you
mama." Evie smiled then turned to walk down the aisle with Frannie
throwing their flowers.
Maggie came up
beside me and instructed, "Ok y’all go slow and don't rush. Enjoy
your moment. Ready...and go." Maggie opened the doors and stepped
aside.
CHAPTER 34
As Gage and I
first stepped into view of everybody I felt my eyes tear up. I
never envisioned this day for myself, to be this happy and this
loved. "Don't cry, babe. Smile and enjoy all the love you have in
your life. Plus if you cry you might not to be able to see where
the hell you’re going causing you to fall. And if you fall on my
niece I can't promise your safety."
I couldn't
help but smile as I looked from Gage to Evie, who was taking her
time tossing her flowers. I looked up and straight into Larkin's
eyes as I walked to him. When we reached the front Larkin stepped
forward to grab my hand. Larkin and Gage shook hands as Gage told
Larkin, "Treat my girl right and love her like she deserves. When
she drives you crazy, call me. Oh and she will always be a Jets
fan." Larkin and Gage shared a laugh and a man hug. Gage turned to
kiss my cheek and whispered, "Love you, babe. Forever."
I kissed
Gage's cheek and choked out between tears, "Love you always." I
turned and grabbed both of Larkin's hands and smiled. "Love you
baby."
Larkin and I
stepped forward and he whispered, "Love you more."
The preacher
did his part then it was time for our vows, Larkin and I decided to
write our own. I turned to hand my flowers to Mac and saw Evie
sitting in the sand with Frannie burying the flower petals they
didn't throw out.
Turning back
to Larkin, I grabbed both his hands and vowed, "I Jenna Reylan take
you Larkin Nayler to be my best friend, the love of my life. I
promise to stand by your side and support your dreams. I will be
your biggest cheerleader, even when you play the Jets. Sorry,
Gage." I looked to Gage and winked, and he smiled back and shook
his head. I continued, "I never thought this day would come, but
you never gave up hope. You became my best friend and the one I
turned to with my problems. You were always there no matter what I
did or said, you knew I needed you even when I didn’t know it. I
will always be here to laugh with you, cry with you, or just be
there. I give you my deepest most passionate love. I promise to be
faithful to you. Where you go, we all go as a family. You have
brought out a side of me I thought I would never get back, you
saved me. You have shown me what it’s like to truly be madly,
deeply, and completely in love with someone. Seeing you with our
daughter melts my heart every time, knowing Evie will always have
her daddy. You gave me something I never saw myself having, you
gave me a family. With you and Evie in my life I have everything I
could ever want or need. I love you to infinity and
beyond."
Larkin
squeezed my hands then looked into my eyes and vowed, "Jenna, from
the day I met you two years ago I knew you were something special.
With you I found happiness. I love you more than sushi, and any of
you who know me, knows just how much that means. You brought me
back to who I want to be, who I want our daughter to look up to and
be proud of. You and Evie are my everything. You’re the one I want
by my side through life, the good and the bad, the happy and the
sad. Only you can make me so mad but with one look melt my heart.
Being with you assures me that no matter what happens, with you and
Evie I have everything I could ever need. I can't wait to start our
life together as a family and show you the world. Everything that I
am and everything that I have is now yours. Spending my forever
with you is going to be the best, craziest, and happiest ride of my
life. I will love you to infinity and beyond, baby."
The preacher
asked for the rings and we repeated the 'I DO's'. After the
preacher said a short prayer to bless us he looked from us to all
our friends and family and announced, "With the power vested in me,
I now pronounce you husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Larkin Nayler.
You may kiss your bride.”
As Larkin and
I shared our first kiss as a married couple I heard the whistles
and hollers. Those football boys were relentless. We broke apart
and the music started as we walked back down the aisle, grabbing
Evie on the way as Larkin carried her on his hip. I stopped to kiss
my mom’s cheek and Larkin kissed his mom's cheek. After we made it
into the hotel he sat Evie down and swooped me up into his arms.
"You look so damn sexy and beautiful baby. I can't believe you’re
my wife. I love you." Larkin kissed me again as the bridal party
started filling the room.
"Ok you two,
calm down before you get her pregnant again. I mean Uncle Gage
sounds pretty kick ass but let’s not make it a public affair." Gage
smacked Larkin on the back.
I rolled my
eyes and joked, "Pretty sure it takes more than a kiss to get
pregnant asshat."
Maggie came up
beside our group and stated, "Ok, while everyone is at cocktail
hour it’s time for pictures."
We all
followed her back to the beach for pictures. I couldn't wait to see
how they turned out, the sun was setting and the sky was a
beautiful mixture of pinks, purples, blues, and oranges. I couldn't
wait to see the picture of Larkin holding me and Evie while Gage
and the rest of the bridal party watched us from a distance, which
was my new life. My life was no longer Jenna Reylan, best friend of
Gage Tucker, but it was now Jenna Nayler, wife of Larkin
Nayler.
After pictures
where finished we were announced by the DJ and sat at our table. As
dinner was served Gage stood and tapped his glass for attention. He
was not only the guy who walked me down the aisle but also Larkin's
best man. Gage cleared his throat before he spoke, "Good evening
everyone. As many of you know Jenna and I grew up together so
getting to be a part of her special day means so much to me. I met
Larkin a little over two years ago in college. Things for Larkin
and I didn't start out the best but over time I grew to love him
and not just because he was always at my apartment eating my food
and being stuck up Jenna's arse but because he is an awesome guy. I
had big shoes to fill tonight and I'm hoping Jenna's dad is looking
down and approved of my role. I know he's looking down on his
daughter with tears wishing he could be here but I know how proud
he is. Larkin and Jenna are so lucky to have found each other.
Jenna has been my best friend for almost twenty two years, now it’s
time I let her go. Jenna and Larkin are best friends now. Jenna, I
love you babe. You have driven me crazy and you have made me happy.
We have a lifetime of memories to remember. You will always be my
number one girl. Larkin, good luck man, our girl can be crazy at
times. I love you both, here’s to a lifetime of happiness,
laughter, health, wealth, and kick ass football. Jets Baby!"
Everyone laughed and toasted as Gage walked over to kiss my cheek
and shared a man kinda hug with Larkin.
My sister
stood next, "Well I'm not sure how the hell to follow that, Gage.
I'm Mackenzie, Jenna's younger sister. I have looked up to Jenna
since I was little. I remember one night a few years ago when Jenna
was telling me about this sexy football player at school. She
couldn't get the smile off her face, I knew then that Larkin was
someone special. Seeing how happy she is tonight lets me know that
life is worth all the hurt just to see these moments. My sister can
be a pain in the ass but somehow Larkin can handle her kind of
crazy. Our dad is looking down right now bragging to all his heaven
friends about his gorgeous daughter. Our dad and Jenna had a
special kind of father/daughter relationship so with him not being
here today is hard. Gage did an awesome job and I know our dad is
proud. Larkin and Jenna, I love you both and wish you a lifetime of
joy. Cheers"
Mac handed the
microphone off to Cobie. Cobie dabbed her eyes and smiled at Larkin
and I. “Jenna, I want to thank you for giving me my brother back. I
can see how happy you make him and how much you two love each
other. It’s no secret you saved my brother. I knew the first time I
met Jenna that she was the one for Larkin, even though she kept
saying over and over she wasn’t. Thanks to Jenna and Larkin I have
the most beautiful niece and a new beautiful sister. I never
thought I would get that. Larkin changed when he met Jenna, he went
back to the Larkin I grew up with, the one I loved and adored as a
big brother. May you both love each other like crazy and remember
Larkin, Jenna is always right. Love you both.” After toasting again
everyone settled for dinner.
"Good evening
ladies and gentlemen. At this time I would like the new Mr. and
Mrs. Nayler on the dance floor for their first dance.
Larkin grabbed my hands and pulled me onto the dance floor. As
the words to Train’s
Marry Me
started playing I sank into Larkin’s strong arms and said,
"Thank you for making all my dreams come true. I love
you."
Larkin looked
down into my eyes and kissed me. When he pulled back he said "Baby,
you and Evie are my dreams come true. Everything else is just
extra. I have no idea where I would be without you. I love
you."
We danced the
rest of the song in silence just looking into each other’s eyes.
When the song ended Larkin kissed me and we both whispered I love
you.