From the Inside Out: The Compilation (Scorned, Jealousy, Dylan, Austin) (33 page)

“I’m giving you my heart, Dylan. I’m trusting you to take care of it.”

A kiss to his forehead and stroke across his cheek wakes him, and he replies, “I will. I promise.”

I’VE BEEN FEELING
very at peace with us. We never did ‘slow’ very well, but even this might be too fast.

At dinner, Dylan mentions that he hopes to have the whole white picket fence, two kids, marriage package. That makes my heart soar. Looking over at me, he smiles and I can see the love in his eyes.

I think I’m coming around to the same idea of forever.

WE VISIT HIS
family for a weekend in the Hamptons. It’s a casual, relaxing time. Renews the spirit to be away from the city. It seems our troubles are finally in the past.

One afternoon, he builds a sand castle with two little boys staying with their grandparents, friends of his parents visiting for the day. I spend the whole time watching him, wondering if he’s feeling the same ticking I’m feeling to have kids.

By the time we go to bed, back in the city, on Sunday night, I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to stop wondering and start planning.

“I WANT TO
live together,” he states one Sunday afternoon. Football on the flat screen, him lying across the couch with his head in my lap, reading a book.

I look down. He looks up. “Really?” I ask.

His gaze goes back to the TV, attempting nonchalance like this isn’t a big deal, but we both know better.

This is a very big deal.

“Yeah,” he says, shrugging. “We’re together every night anyway. It gets tiring lugging stuff back and forth. I’m sure you’re tired of that too.”

“Where would you want to live? Here or at my place?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve thought about it and there are pros and cons to both. I wanted to talk to you first, not just have it all planned out already.” He sits up, dropping his feet to the ground and faces me. “You want to move in here?”

I look around the place and say, “I’m home wherever you are, but a new place might be nice. Someplace that’s between our two jobs to make the morning commute easier.”

“That would be good, but are you ready to move? You’ve lived there a long time.”

“Lived?” I ask, rhetorically. “Hm. I only lived there when you did. And Brandon only has two months left, then he’s moving uptown when he returns from his vacation with Cara. Nothing ties me to here anymore.”

He kisses me gently, and says, “You’re my home too.”

MY PLACE SOLD
above asking price within two weeks of putting it on the market. We ended up having a bidding war between three offers and took the highest. Jules’ apartment,
our old one
, was left to the landlord to deal with after we paid to get out of her lease.

I was worried about her leaving it behind, leaving it for good. After all, she stayed even after I left, so I know she’s attached, but she’s reassured me. She told me she was ready and as I watch her direct the movers—so confident, so sure of herself—I let it go, trusting her words, trusting that she’s happy about starting our life together somewhere new.

“MARRY ME. I
want you to be my wife. I want to be your husband. I want to be married to you forever, always.”

She sits upright, grabbing her stomach, maybe I went about this the wrong way. I hope not. Her face is serious, mouth agape. Now she’s the one staring at me.

“Dylan?” she says, stunned as she swings her feet toward the floor and leans toward me.

“I haven’t done this right. I let my feelings get away from me.” Pulling the box from my back pocket, I get into a kneeling position, on one knee and hold her hand. I open the box, then ask, “Jules, I love you with my heart and soul. I will love you way beyond the years of this lifetime. Will you marry me and be my eternity?”

There’s no pause or hesitation. Just a flurry of arms wrapping around me, her body pressing against mine. “Oh Dylan, yes. I love you so much too. Yes.”
Kiss.
“Yes!”
Kiss.
“Yes!”

WE GOT MARRIED
as soon as we could. We didn’t want to wait. “It’s raining,” I remark, pouting a bit.

“That’s good luck,” my mom says. “Stand up and let me get a picture of you. Say cheese.”

“Cheese.” Just as the camera snaps, my stomach growls. “Cheese sounds good. I’m hungry.”

“You think you can wait until after the ceremony? We’ve only got five minutes left.” My mom sees my frown, then goes to dig something out of her purse and says, “Eat this quickly. Hopefully it will tide you over for a bit.”

I happily take the granola bar.

“You look beautiful, Juliette,” Dylan’s mom says while fluffing my veil.

I’m a whole basket case of emotions today. “You have to say that, Carol, it’s my wedding day.”

“No, actually, I don’t have to say that. I once told Mary Stein that her newborn looked like Winston Churchill.”

“No you didn’t. You’re too nice to hurt someone’s feelings like that.”

She adjusts the pearl necklace around my neck, her gift to me. “You’re right, but I thought it. I’ve often wondered if Churchill’s mother thought him a cute baby.” I burst out laughing. She stands back with my mother at her side and says, “See, now you’re smiling. Everything is just as it should be on your wedding day.”

Two minutes later, I’m touching up my lipstick and my dad comes in. “I was threatened not to ruin your makeup. So, I’m not going to
ooh
and
ahh
like the women do.”

I smile.

But when I stand back up, I see his eyes begin to water. “You’ll always be my beautiful princess, Juliette.” He turns around to collect himself, which brings tears to my eyes.

I touch his arm and when he turns back, I hug him. “Thank you, Dad.”

“We need to get you to that altar before I become a blubbering mess.”

“Hey dad, can I ask you something before we go?”

“Sure.”

“Why do I feel a little shame, like I’m letting someone down because I took him back? What’s everyone gonna think about us, you know, because of the bad breakup and stuff?”

His expression softens. “You know, you shouldn’t feel anything but love and happiness on this special day. Dylan’s proven to us that he loves you. He made a big mistake, but as for being a couple, everyone has struggles and faces roadblocks in life. It’s how you handle them and come out the other side that matters. Anyway, the people who matter most are here to support you, not question your judgment. You know what’s best for you.”

“Thank you,” I say as we hug. He’s right. The people we hold most dear in our lives are here to support us, not judge us. “That’s just what I needed to hear.”

“You ready now?”

“Yes, very.”

I catch a glimpse of Dylan standing under the arbor as I pass through the glass conservatory of the botanical gardens. I stop, slightly breathless at the sight.

“You all right, Juliette?”

I look up to my dad and smile to reassure. “Yes, I’m fine.”

We continue on, rounding the patio, our eyes lock and the world seems to disappear. All I see is Dylan. Only him. Always him.

Twenty people. That’s all that’s in attendance.

All that truly matters—their support, love, and friendship keeping us afloat in times of need. I keep my emotions from overwhelming me by focusing on the happy of the moment.

The music begins and I take a deep breath, then we walk.

It’s surreal standing here after the journey we’ve taken to get to this point. I could have never predicted after our breakup that we’d get back together, much less get married one day. My heart knows he’s the one… maybe it always did. The best part is he knows as well now. We both had to find out the hard way, but looking back and feeling this happy, I realize there was never another option for us. Our lives were always going to be entangled. Even more so now.

Taking his hands, the minister says a few words, but I don’t hear any of them. Looking into Dylan’s eyes, I see my eternity in the depth of his brilliant blues and I smile.

“Juliette?”

I respond when I hear my name. “Yes?”

“Your vows,” the minister whispers.

I don’t need a script and I didn’t write anything down. I nod, ready for this. “You once told me you couldn’t stay away. I’m so glad you didn’t. There’s no glory in easy and we have definitely not taken the easy road to get here.” His hands tighten around mine as I smile up at him. “I thought I could disappear, move forward without my heart. I was fooling myself. Life began when you returned to me, returning my heart in the process. I love you, Dylan Somers, with all my soul and every fiber, muscle, and nerve of my being. I am forever yours and you mine. I’m honored to call you my husband and looking forward to our eternity together.”