by Mj Fields
He smiled at her, ���You���re serious aren���t you.���
���Sadly I am,��� she buried her head in his chest, ���I should have waited for you back then.���
���We���ve waited. We���ve done this as right as possible in today���s world,��� he laughed.
���I don���t want to take any chances of screwing this up. I want you now and forever.���
���Well, apparently not now but tomorrow and forever sounds perfect to me,��� he kissed her softly.
He laid her in bed and covered her up.
���I���ll see you tomorrow,��� he kissed her, and she closed her eyes. ���Hey Tessa? You don���t mind if I think about you in the shower when I get home do you,��� he grinned wildly, ���That���s not breaking any rules is it?���
Tessa threw a pillow at him, and he dodged it they both laughed.
���Just remember whatever you do after we say I do, I get to watch,��� she looked up at him raising her eyebrow.
His mouth opened slightly, and a breath escaped, ���Damn it Tessa.���
���You and I are going to have a lot of fun together, goodnight Collin,��� Tessa smiled and her face burned red.
He winked, ���I love you.���
Tessa covered her face with a blanket and giggled.
* * *
Maggie woke Tessa every four hours checking her vitals.
���Mom I���m going to look like the walking dead for my wedding tomorrow if you keep this up. This is a little much.��� Tessa complained.
���Well, your wedding is today but stay in bed for a couple more hours. You���re right you���ll look like��� well just rest a couple more hours dear. Yesterday must have been awful,��� Maggie said sadly.
���Mom did Lucas make it home? I mean I didn���t say goodbye and I hope he���s alright. He must have been upset when he left,��� Tessa looked at her mom Maggie wouldn���t look at her, ���Mom?���
���Tessa why do you feel like you have to protect him? After what he did to you yesterday,��� Maggie���s voice cracked, ���He is not your responsibility.���
���He didn���t do anything to me Mom,��� Tessa snapped.
���Tessa he pushed you off of those rocks, he could have killed you!���
���He did not! He tried to grab my hand! Mom where is he?��� Tessa demanded.
���Tessa������ Maggie began.
���WHERE IS HE?!��� Tessa yelled.
���He is in jail Tessa,��� Maggie whispered.
���Damn it! Seriously?��� Tessa got up and threw on a sweatshirt, pants, and a ball cap.
���Tell Collin I���ll be back!��� Tessa said as she headed out the door.
Collin was outside playing fetch with Leia.
���Good morning, where do you think you’re going?��� he laughed.
���Apparently to spring Lucas out of jail,��� she snapped and jumped in the jeep.
���What?��� Collin asked in shock as she peeled out of the driveway.
Collin ran and grabbed his keys and phone, ���Maggie?���
���He didn���t push her Collin, he tried to grab her hand, and she pulled away. Lucas didn���t push her,��� Maggie���s voice cracked. ���You should let her do whatever it is she needs to she said to tell you she would be right back.���
���Thank you Maggie but I���ll be there as well,��� Collin tried to call Tessa and hung up he didn���t want to upset her while she was driving.
Tessa stormed into the police station, and Lucas was sitting in a room with Landon. Tessa looked at Landon and looked at Lucas shocked. Landon came out of the holding room.
���Tessa may I please speak to you?���
���Sure.���
���Excuse me who is this?��� Collin asked from behind Tessa.
���This is Landon Links, Lucas���s father, Landon this is Collin Abraham,��� she looked at him and closed her eyes tightly.
���Tessa���s husband in a few short hours.���
���So I hear,��� Landon looked disgusted.
���May I speak to you alone, please?��� Landon asked, ���And Tessa you���re going to need to talk to him because I can���t I���m not privy to the goings on yesterday and he thinks���.���
���She owes you and your son nothing,��� Collin said pulling Tessa into his side.
���You may want to ask her if she feels the same. Tessa he doesn���t know you very well does he?���
���Collin I���m going to talk to both of them. I want you to understand that. The room is glass you can stand out here and watch. Landon don���t be rude to him, or I���ll walk out of here and not try to make things better for your son.��� She looked up at him, and he was angry. ���Can I speak to you first for a minute,��� she took Collins hand and walked away from Landon.
���You���re actually going to walk in there and talk to that asshole, he could have killed you yesterday?��� he asked trying to hold back his rage.
���If you���re angry I understand we should���ve talked about this last night, he didn���t hurt me!��� Tessa snapped quietly and looked down. ���I don���t want to hurt anyone here, I hope you understand.���
She walked in, and Collin followed her and stood outside the window watching as she sat across from Lucas.
���Are you okay?��� Lucas asked as soon as she came in.
���Yes, are you?���
���I���m sorry Tessa I didn���t mean to hurt you.���
���I know Lucas.���
���Are you really going to marry this guy?��� he asked pointing to Collin.
���Yes I am.���
���He fucking killed someone, Tessa. I won���t leave you alone with someone like that,��� Lucas yelled.
���Lucas I love him,��� she said, ���and if you could talk to him you, wouldn���t sit here and judge his actions.���
Lucas sat back, ���Bring him in.���
Tessa walked out and took Collin���s hand, ���I know you don���t owe Lucas anything, but he wants to speak to you I don���t care either way. He somehow found out about your juvenile record.���
He smiled and looked over Tessa at Luke, ���Good, sure I���ll go in.���
���Okay, but please understand he never physically hurt me or forced me to do anything. He has had a pretty bad life, not the same as you Collin. But his mother was a mess, and his father was not involved until I came around or when Lucas���it doesn���t matter, he raised himself with free rein.���
���Let���s go Tessa I really don���t care to spend our wedding day with your first love,��� he walked in.
���Tessa says you have some questions Links. I have no idea why you think you deserve any answers after the shit you pulled yesterday or last weekend, but she seems to think you do so have at it,��� Collin sat down.
���Tessa, do you even know this clown?��� Lucas sneered.
���Yes I do.���
���Do you love him?���
���Yes I love him Lucas, I���ve told you that,��� Tessa said softly.
���This is a fucking joke. You fucking killed someone?��� he looked at Collin.
���Yes I did,��� Collin smiled. ���Keep that in mind because I don��
�t regret it and I would do it again if I had too.���
���Tessa, do your parents know about him?��� Landon stood beside Lucas glaring at Collin.
She looked at Collin, ���Yes actually they know everything, and when he asked my father if he could marry me, my dad gave his blessing.���
���Is there anything else?��� Collin leaned forward staring Lucas in the face.
���Yeah plenty. Baby if I fucked you up bad enough for you to do this I���m sorry, but you can���t seriously stay with someone like that, and you Collin, won���t keep me away from her. I won���t let her do this,��� Lucas glared at him.
���Collin won���t hurt me Lucas. I trust him to keep me safe.���
���Do you have nothing to say for yourself? Fucking punk ass bitch!��� Lucas snapped at Collin, who was smirking at him.
���Lucas, look at me. I���m not stupid, and he has told me more about himself in the past few weeks than I ever asked him to tell me. He���s a good man.���
���Seems like it Tessa,��� Landon said snidely.
���Are we done here?��� Collin asked Tessa.
���No asshole I���m not,��� Lucas stood up abruptly.
���Then could we hurry it up? I was under the impression you had questions and well frankly we have a life to start so let���s end this, we don���t need to revisit it again.��� Collin said dismissively.
���Why did you kill that man?��� Landon asked.
���He was hurting my sister,��� Collin looked at him.
���When did this happen?��� Landon asked.
���When I was twelve,��� Collin said with his eyebrow raised.
���Collin you don���t have to,��� Tessa rubbed his back.
���No, I want this over and done with. He needs no excuse to be in your life,��� Collin stood and was leaning against the glass wall.
���What do you do?��� Landon asked.
���I am a doctor,��� he said.
Lucas laughed, ���Oh really?���
���Yes really.���
���Tessa is he for real?��� Lucas asked.
���Yes,��� she said.
���Did you work with him? Did little miss perfect fuck around on me?��� he asked.
���We met years ago Lucas. I told you that at the farm, I showed you the book,��� Tessa said softly.
Lucas looked at her, ���This is why you���re marrying him? A fucking book? Collin you should see the books I have of Tessa, way hotter than what you have. Five years with her and your precious little book trumps that? You are out of your mind.���
���Have you had enough yet?��� Collin asked her.
���She never has had enough of me, she comes back every time I put forth effort. I���ve fucked up several times, but I can promise you I never will again, I won���t see you wasted on him Tessa. We love each other that just does not stop,��� Lucas was visibly shaking.
Collin looked at her, and she could tell he had enough.
���Lucas I���m sorry if this hurts you, I love him. You have to heal and be better. You have chosen to not be with me several times. I care very deeply for you, I always will, but I love Collin and am going to spend forever with him. I want you to find that person who was meant to be with you. I���m not it Lucas we tried. Maybe it���s Jessie. I don���t want to hurt you, I don���t. I would love nothing more than to come home someday and see you happy,��� Tessa spoke softly with tears in her eyes. ���Please be okay Lucas.���
���She���s had enough,��� he stood behind her rubbing her shoulders, ���I���ve had enough. We have two options here Links. We can walk out there and fill out paperwork and my lawyers will hang your ass,��� Tessa���s eyes widened and looked down. ���Or you can stay the hell away from her and accept that she and I love each other and are getting married. And I can promise you if you so much as harm a hair on her head, I will not regret what I do to you. Are you ready?���
���It wasn���t his fault Collin,��� Tessa stood.
He pulled the chair out for her and took her hand. ���I need an answer.���
���I wasn���t trying to hurt her she just told you that asshole and I would never hurt her. But if she ever says the words, I���ll take her back. I love her, and whatever it is you���ve done to mess with her head will wear off someday. So you do whatever it is you need to do, I really don���t give a fuck,��� Lucas said. ���Tessa I love you baby, when you need me call I���m not going anywhere. I love you Tessa, so fucking much. We can call it even alright; we can start over with a clean slate.���
���Lucas, please stop.��� Tessa walked out and Collin followed.
Landon followed them out. ���You���re okay Tessa?���
���Yes Landon are you?���
���No,��� he said. ���He���s this way because of me, he loves you and because of what I have shown him he���s hurt you and now he���s lost you.���
���Landon I know I am exactly where I���m supposed to be. He���ll be alright he���s a very smart man. He���s going to be fine. Please tell the girls I love them. And please keep him busy and safe, be there for him. I need to live my life now,��� she hugged him looked at Lucas who sat frozen; she knew how he felt numb.
���Collin I���m sorry,��� she hugged him
He held her, kissed her head, he lifted her chin, and ���We���re done here. I don���t want to ever revisit this do you understand that? Now you can make a decision about what we do about this.���
���There���s only one thing to do Collin, the right thing,��� Tessa looked at him with concern.
���You���re one hundred percent sure he���ll not hurt you?��� he asked staring into her eyes.
���He would never physically hurt me Collin,��� Tessa signed papers dropping charges that should never have been filed in the first place, ���Let him go now, please.���
���Yes ma���am,��� the officer said looking at Collin and waited for his nod of approval.
Tessa raised her eyebrows and gave him a dirty look, ���Tessa, they know me. That���s nothing against you.���
Once outside, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder and smacked her ass, ���That���s for leaving today and not telling me what the hell was going on.���
He smacked her again.
���What was that for?��� she gasped.
���I wanted to hear that little moan you let out the first time, it made me a little hard Tessa,��� he smiled as he sat her on the ground.
She was smiling when she buried her head in his chest, ���Don���t do it again.���
He lifted her chin and looked at her she closed her eyes, ���Really?���
Tessa smirked and pulled away from him and walked towards the Jeep, ���See you later, Abraham.���
���You certainly will,��� he watched her get in the Jeep and pull out.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Collin stood in the front of the church with his hands in his pockets when the music began. He looked up and saw Tessa walking with her arm linked together with her father. She looked up and smiled at him. His bride wasn���t nervous like one would think, she was beaming. She didn���t look like a broken hearted girl who just walked away from a man she was in love with. Tessa Ross looked at him like there was no one else in the entire world. Her smile was brighter than the sun that shon
e high in the sky. She was glowing, and her glow erased any worry Collin had about her feelings for the boy she walked away from less than two hours ago. One who she had given her heart to for many years. He knew without a doubt that she was walking towards him without reservations.
Tessa looked at Collin and saw his shy smile. One that reached his eyes and poured out to her and radiated through her body, mind, heart, and soul. His eyes twinkled in the light that shone through the stained glass window of the church where she first met him many years ago. He looked amazing. His gray suit fit perfectly and he adjusted his light blue tie when she was half way down the Isle. Tessa stopped and looked him up and down and shook her head. His lips turned up even more.
John gave her hand to Collin and smiled and whispered, ���We don���t want her back.���
���That���s good because I���d never give her back,��� Collin stared at Tessa and John hugged him.
���Don���t hurt her,��� John warned.
���Never.���
Tessa looked at them and whispered, ���Are you two about done?���
John kissed her cheek and sat with Maggie in the first row.
The church wasn���t full, but the people in attendance filled their hearts. They were family, connected in the heart, held together with love.
Their vows were as traditional as they could get. His hands softly stroked hers as he repeated his vows and his eyes pierced into her soul as he spoke.
Tessa said her vows and her eyes searched deeply into his. Her hands clung to the collar of his jacket, they were nose to nose.
���I need to say one more thing, sorry,��� Collin blushed.
���Go ahead,��� Pastor Lou smiled.
���Tessa Ross, from you I finally know what it is to feel love. My every emotion is within your control. Your smile brightens my heart. Your kiss I feel throughout my body, my soul. I���m drawn to your scent, your eyes, your touch, your heart. I have never dreamed that I could feel this way, ever. I never even knew I wanted it. I thought you were a dream Tessa, for years I thought you were an angel. Now I know the truth: you are. I���ll love you, always. This is my promise to all that love you, to you, and to God,��� Collin let out a breath.
