“You better not,” I threaten, but I don’t mean it. I don’t care what he does, I just want him to keep on doing it.
* * *
After a delicious meal at La Fontaine de Mars, the sun is just beginning to fade and as we walk near the Eiffel Tower, the sky turns the most beautiful ombre, starting with blue at the top and fading into shades of pink. I turn in a circle, admiring the colorful sky juxtaposed with the Tower. When I turn back around to face Jaxson, he’s down on one knee, holding a box.
“I want to make your heart pound out of your chest for the rest of your life,” he says, looking up at me, eyes glistening with the light of the Tower and unshed tears. “You are my forever. You always will be. I knew it as a kid, and I know it more than ever as a man. Will you marry me, Bells?”
He opens the box and I gasp, tears rushing to my eyes.
“You’re really doing this?” I whisper.
He nods, grinning up at me. “I want to wake up and fall asleep next to you…and do nothing and everything with you for the rest of my life. How would you feel about that?”
I get down on my knees in front of him, whispering, “Yes, yes…yes. You are everything I will always want.” I kiss him and can’t tell whose tears I feel the most, but I put his hand on my palpitating heart and nod. “Yes.”
He slides the ring on my finger and it’s then that I look at it for the first time.
“I thought it looked like royalty. Like you,” he says.
I stand up, unable to sit still any longer, and he follows, looking concerned.
“We can get something else if it’s not you,” he says.
I sniffle and then lean my head over on his chest and bawl. “I’m just so happy!” I cry.
He laughs. “Me too. Bells? Don’t be mad, but look up and say, ‘I love Jaxson.’”
I lift my head and a cameraman is clicking away, his long lens out even though he’s very close to us.
“Has he been here the whole time?” I ask.
“Yeah,” Jaxson says, biting his lip. “I knew our mums would never forgive me if I didn’t make sure it was captured on camera.”
I start laughing and can’t stop. We get up and run, stopping to kiss and smile for the camera. It’s easy to forget he’s there; we’re too caught up in the moment to mind an audience.
* * *
The night before the wedding, the wine is flowing and we’re eating a delicious meal at The Marine Room. Overlooking the water is a glorious sunset and my stomach hasn’t stopped buzzing all week. I can’t believe I’m marrying Jaxson. It still feels surreal.
Our parents are having a little too much fun sharing stories about us. Anne leans in and looks at my mum, who seems to know what Anne is thinking because she cackles.
“I do miss the footage of Jaxson sneaking into her room every night though,” Anne says, and our mums wheeze they laugh so hard.
I clutch Jaxson’s hand. “No. What footage?”
“You really thought we didn’t know?” Mum says. “Remember the year that awful thing happened with the spray paint…Charles put cameras in?”
Charles and Dave both grin like we’re the only ones out of the loop.
“You all watched?” I put my head in my hands, my face crimson. “How could I forget?”
“I only heard about it,” Dave says, like that makes everything better. “Good stuff.”
“The times Jaxson ran out still pulling up his pants when he heard me coming,” Mum says and they start another fit of laughter. “I had the timing down to a science.” She wipes her eyes. “Oh lord. We had such fun with that. It made for the best weekly viewing,” she barely gets out.
“Oh, you guys are just…too…much,” I say with a straight face, but it’s all over when I look at Jaxson.
“I told you they knew,” he says, as his laugh bursts out. “And speaking of the cameras, did you ever find out who did the spray paint?”
“Ugh. I always knew who did that, but it’s ancient history…and not going to be part of this night,” I tell him, kissing his cheek.
“Tomorrow night will be even better when you’re my wife,” he says, kissing the top of my hand.
Our mums sigh and he shakes his head, smiling. “They’re going to be psychotic if we ever have kids.”
I laugh and dig into my cheesecake.
* * *
We get married on the beach behind Jaxson’s house. Our mums haven’t stopped smiling since we came home. When we told them we were engaged, they wailed and laughed and then got straight to planning the wedding. We’ve had to keep pulling the reins along the way, but once they realized we really wanted something intimate, they dove into that plan wholeheartedly. The only people watching us say “I do” are our parents, stepdads, Gemma, Nana, Maddie, Liesl, and the guys from the band. Winston is also right there, sitting at my feet and looking remarkably calm.
As I say my vows, I get choked up midway through. “I vow to love you even when you’re not so fun…which seems impossible because you make even the most mundane thing in the world seem exciting and brand new. Even nearly crashing in a plane…not that I want to try that again, but everything with you is an experience. I’m ready to try the dolphins again. I’m ready to try all of it with you…maybe not peanut butter but everything else. Specifically number eleven…”
Jaxson chuckles and just as quickly sobers, seeing the serious expression on my face. Mum had our list printed on cute cardstock for bookmarks as a wedding favor, so everyone else will eventually know what I mean if they don’t already.
“Wait a minute. Are you saying—?” he asks.
I nod and his head falls back when he laughs. He dips me back and kisses me hard while everyone applauds.
The minister clears his throat and Jaxson reluctantly sets me upright again so we can be pronounced as husband and wife.
We’ve always excelled at doing things out of order.
Acknowledgments
I started 5,331 Miles back in 2015 and posted the first four chapters on Wattpad…then moved on to other books. I eventually continued writing for my newsletter and I’m so glad I did. Your input was so fun! Thanks to all of you who asked me to go back to this book. I should’ve done it sooner because I had so much fun writing it!
Thank you, Christine Estevez, who has hashed EVERYTHING out with me more hours than I can count. This story is better, thanks to you! I’m better, thanks to you. Thank you for the edits, for the shoulder to lean on…I’m so grateful for you.
Thank you, Erica Russikoff, for your eye in looking over this book! I love hearing your thoughts and value every chance I get to work with you.
Thank you, Darla Williams, for your exceptional beta skills. The timeline would’ve been a mess without you. I thought of you every time I typed “Dear D”…
Which leads me to The Vault—thanks, Darla and Priscilla Perez, for being the Vault where I can just be ME. I love y’all. We know.
Thank you, Blade, for my beautiful cover. You’re my favorite.
Thank you, Christine Bowden, for being my always encourager. You make me cry on the regular with your incredible love and kindness. I can’t believe we live a world apart and I still feel like you’re right here with me always. I love you so.
Thank you to my beloveds: Tosha Khoury, Ashleigh Still, and Courtney Nuness… TAWC. You are my rocks and I’m so glad we’re in each other’s lives. There’s more love than I can say.
Thank you, Staci Frenes. I wish we lived close enough to go to lunch AT LEAST once a week. Love you so much.
Thank you, Dawnita Kiefer, for never giving up on this story.
Thank you, Steve and Jill Erickson, for the steady, loving presence you are in our family. I love you both dearly. And thank you for selling my books at Spoils of Wear!
Thank you, Tarryn Fisher—for so many things—but when it comes to books, thank you for believing in my work from day one. It’s an honor to write books with you and it’s an honor to call you my family. I love you.
To my dad. I still get hives when I think of you reading my books, you little sneaky critter! I love you so much.
Thank you to the rest of my family and friends who pour into my life with love and prayers and kindness. Grace Place, I’m grateful in particular for you. Savita Naik, I love you. Kell Donaldson, so much love for you. I could go on and on. Claire Contreras…our voxes are life. Sidney Parker, love you. Maria, Milano, that goes for you too.
To Nate, Greyley, and Indigo, my everythings. Thank you for cheering me on, even when it means far-off eyes and a spacey wife and mama. You’re the best part of me. I love you.
Thank you to the Asters. You have a special place in my heart, always.
A very special thank you to Winston…#SirWinstonofInver…the only true part of this story. You have made my life a thousand times better. Thanks to Underdog Rescue for getting him and so many others out of these horrific puppy mills.
Last but certainly not least, thank you to all of the bloggers who signed up to read this book and all those who didn’t but have read my work in the past. I’m so grateful for every review and for all your help! And thank you to every author who has been warm and welcoming…for those of you who have been on my podcast, Living in the Pages, or who have shared cover reveals and thoughts about my books—so grateful for every one of you!
XO,
Willow
About the Author
Willow Aster is the author of True Love Story, In the Fields, Maybe Maby, Fade to Red, and Lilith. She is also half of the Fisher & Aster writing duo of The End of Men series.
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XO, Willow
Also by Willow Aster
True Love Story
Fade to Red
In the Fields
Maybe Maby
Lilith
Fisher & Aster
Folsom
Jackal
5,331 Miles Page 22
