by Megan Smith
“Yup, Rex is going to have to fend the guys off.” She says with a smile. I’ve gathered from last night that Rex and Summer are a couple. “He’s going to have to keep you on a tight leash tonight.”
Huffing and puffing, I’m looking in my closet for something equally as drop dead gorgeous.
“Everything ok?” Jasmine asks.
“Yeah, yeah, just can’t decide on what to wear.” I yell back from way in the back of the closet.
I hold a dress up to me.
Jasmine peeks her head in my closet, “That’s the dress.”
I turn sideways in the mirror, “You think so? White doesn’t make me look too fat?”
Jasmine rolls her eyes at me, “You, fat? Trust me, Tanner’s not going to be able to keep his hands off you tonight.”
The dress is white with a scoop neckline. One shoulder is cutoff while the other is a full see-through sleeve. There are black lace trim strips that wrap around the dress and it’s tight fitted and stops about mid-thigh.
Jasmine bends down and picks up a pair of white heels and hands them to me, “Wear those and it’s stunning.”
I don’t waste any time stripping off my t-shirt and shorts and then slide the dress on. I slip my tiny feet into the heels and do a full turn in the mirror. “Hair up or down?”
Jasmine shakes her head, “That’s Summer’s department,” she laughs and turns to Summer, “Hair up or down?”
Summer leans against the doorway to my closet, “Definitely down but with big waves.”
I nod and kick stuff out of my way to get out of the closet that I buried myself in. When I make it out, Summer takes a seat at the vanity and turns on the curling iron.
“What’s the matter, Jas?” I ask while looking at her through the mirror.
Jasmine sits on the end of my bed and looks down to make sure her girls are still covered. I reach into a drawer in my vanity and throw her some tape. “Thanks,” she says. “I don’t want to sound like I’m prying or anything but how often are you and Tanner here? I got the impression that it was only used for a shore house.”
I pick up a hairbrush and start brushing the knots from my hair. “We used to be here all the time but not so much in the last few years. We haven’t really taken all our things home with us because we’re hoping things will go back to normal eventually.” I stop brushing my hair and look down at the brush in my hands. “This house holds a lot of memories for all of us.” Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes.
I look back down to my hands, “When she left, all of the memories that were spread throughout the house did too, even the ones of his parents.”
“Who is she?” Jasmine asks.
My eyes fill with unshed tears, “You’ll have to ask Knox. It’s not my story to tell.”
Summer clears her throat loudly. “Let’s get your hair up, Jas, and then I’ll help Rhea real quick and we’ll be on our way.” Summer says, steering the conversation in a different direction.
As Summer finishes up with my hair, Tanner pops in, his eyes go wide at the site of me. I glance over at Jasmine and she gives me a ‘told you so’ smile.
Tanner stalks right over to me and kisses me until we’re both breathless. “Cabs will be here in like twenty minutes.” He whispers against my lips.
“K, Sugar Lips,” I coo as I reach up and wipe my lipstick from Tanner’s mouth.
“You guys are so cute.” Summer says as she applies some lip gloss to her lips.
I wink in Tanner’s direction. Then quickly glance at Summer, “Thanks.”
Summer and I come down and we are both yanked into our men’s hands.
Jasmine asks Jeremy and Cade, “So who’s going with who?”
Cade answers, “Those four can go together and me, you, Jeremy and Knox will go in the other cab.”
I turn in Tanner’s arm and he kisses my neck and my need for him grows. Jasmine looks over Jeremy’s shoulder down the hallway, I guess she’s looking for Knox, but he’s nowhere to be found. “Where’s Knox?”
Jeremy shrugs and says, “He’s in his room still, I think.”
Rex speaks up beside me, “No, he’s not but I know where he is.”
Rex takes the stairs two at a time and disappears upstairs while Tanner ushers us outside. Summer and I go over to the one cab and the driver opens the door for us, we both slide in the back. Cade, Jeremy and Jasmine walk over to the other one and the driver opens the door for them too. Cade jumps into the front while Jeremy and Jasmine slide into the back. A few minutes later Rex and Knox walk out from the house, Knox stops to shut and lock the door while Rex climbs into our cab.
“He alright?” I ask Rex.
He shrugs, “I never know these days with him.”
A short time later we pull up beside Club Mango and the line wraps around the corner. “Damn,” Rex whistles, “Business is doing well, huh?”
I exchange a knowing glance with Tanner, “It’s doin’ well.” The club is bringing in more money than we were ever expecting it to. And, of course, being summer time helps a lot too.
Summer runs over to Jasmine and throws her arms around her. “Twenty minutes and then I’m getting your ass on the dance floor, girl.” She says excitedly.
Knox walks over to Dylan the body guard, they shake hands and Dylan opens the side door for Knox to enter. Knox looks back over his shoulder and nods his head for us to follow. He holds the door for all of us to walk in.
Tanner and I have redesigned Club Mango just a little bit in the last year. The second floor has about six, twelve by twelve rooms, three on each side of the club. There is a huge red U-shaped couch with a black leather square table placed in the middle. The lighting is set low, giving the floor a light sparkled look. Each room is set up the same way but just a different color. The center of the second floor overlooks the dance floor below. There is a bar along the full wall that only has a few people sitting around it. I walk over and glance over the railing to all the people dancing to the music. The DJ is set up on a stage right along the back wall. All of his equipment is spread out in front him and he’s bobbing his head to the beat.
“Jas!” Summer yells over the music.
She turns in her direction and holds up a shot for Jasmine. She walks over to where our group is holding up their glasses.
“A toast,” Jeremy says and holds his shot glass up. “To good friends, good music and good fucking sex tonight.”
I roll my eyes as Cade throws his head back and howls. Knox, Rex and Tanner shake their heads laughing. We all tip glasses and take our shots. The tequila burns as it makes it way down to sit in my stomach and warm me.
After a few more rounds of drinks, the effects of the alcohol kick in for everyone. Jasmine grabs Summer and me and drags us down to the floor below. Timber by Pitbull and Ke$ha starts blasting from the speakers. Summer, Jasmine and I hit the dance floor and our bodies start swaying to the beat as we sing at the top of our lungs. I grab Jasmine’s hand, wink at her and lip sync “Let's make a night you won't remember,” then she spins and grabs Summer and sings to her, “I'll be the one you won't forget.” These girls are a lot of fun to hang out with and fit in perfectly with our group.
We’ve been at it for a while before the boys come down. Rex, followed by Jeremy, Cade and Tanner, make their way over to us. Rex goes to Summer and Tanner comes to me. Cade and Jeremy close in on Jasmine and I look around for Knox wondering where he is. Gas Pedal by Sage The Gemini comes on. Cade steps up behind Jasmine and places a hand on her hip and Jeremy steps in close to the front of her. Jasmine is sandwiched between Cade and Jeremy and they start rocking their hips.
“This isn’t gonna end well.” Tanner shakes his head.
I glance up and see Knox taking a pull from his beer staring at them. “I don’t know, babe, they might be on to something here.”
Tanner spins me in his arms, “I might be on to something too.”
Forgetting the scene unfolding in front of me, I focus on the man who has me wr
apped in his arms. He’s my center, my universe, my everything. Looking at him now I take a moment to reflect on the fact that life is so fleeting, time is passing us by every second of the day. And I won’t take this moment with Tanner for granted. With all of the tragedy we’ve had over the past five years, I don’t hesitate to lean in and give Tanner the most sensual of kisses while swaying my body up against his. Right now we are two people in a club surrounded by hundreds yet we connect as if we are the only ones left on the planet. I pray that Tanner is “on to something too” as we continue our dance.
And he was, all night long. It was like a marathon with no finish line. Just two people helplessly in love running towards feelings, living in the moment, enjoying what we both have to offer each other and reveling in the fact that things seem to be returning to normal.
~ Age 27~
Tanner
We just got home from the Bahamas where Knox and Jasmine had a small wedding. It was beautiful and very low key. Just our little family, Knox and Jasmine, Rex and Summer, Jeremy and little Ava, Cade and Rhea and I. No one else needed to be there.
Rhea thought for sure that Knox screwed everything up. Rex and Knox were at each other’s throats and everyone assumed it was because of Jasmine. Summer and Rex even broke up over whatever was going on with them.
So one night after a killer steak dinner that Rhea made, Rex calls me. “Hey, man.”
Rex is breathing heavy, “I can’t reason with her, Tan. Why is she doing this?” Maybe Jasmine wasn’t the only problem.
I step out onto the deck, “Doin’ what?”
Rex growls, “Never mind, I don’t need another war to battle.”
“You need to get the hell out of there for a few days.” Rhea steps out onto the deck and climbs into my lap. “You can come crash at our apartment for a few nights. I’m taking Rhea out of town this weekend.”
Rhea lifts her head from my chest and cocks her head. “Huh?”
I place a finger over her lips.
“Nah, I need to stay here and keep talking sense into her.”
“Alright, well, if you change your mind you know where the key is.”
Rex and I say goodbye and I hang up. Before I can even explain Rhea is questioning me. “Where are we goin’?”
“Away.”
“Babe.”
“Honey Bee,” I smirk.
“Stop that.” She squirms in my lap. “Tell me where we are going. I hate surprises.” She whines.
“I’m not telling you but make sure you have a bag packed and are ready to go. We leave tomorrow afternoon.”
Rhea rests her head back on my shoulder, “You’re not goin’ to tell me?”
“Nope.”
“Good talk.” She says sarcastically.
“We’re not talking.”
I can picture her rolling her eyes, “No shit.”
Friday right after dinner we are on our way back to North Carolina, to my mama’s house exactly. She has no idea what’s coming and that’s exactly how I want it.
“Are we there yet?” She says chomping on her gum like a cow.
“Are you done chewing like that?”
Her head snaps in my direction, “Nope.”
“Then there is your answer.”
Rhea rolls the window down and spits her gum out. “There, gum is gone. Now are we almost there?”
“About a half hour away.”
Not telling her anything is really working out for me and keeping her distracted from the real reason we’re going to my mom’s house.
She crosses her arms and sits back in her seat pouting. “This isn’t right.”
“It will be.”
Rhea rolls her eyes and looks out the window. She has to know where we are going but she probably doesn’t believe it. She hasn’t talked to or seen her daddy in years and wants nothing to do with him or her mom.
Her daddy isn’t going to be around this weekend according to mama. He’s going on some kind of fishing trip or something in Cape Hatteras. Mama isn’t going to be around either; she’s going with a few of her girlfriends on some kind of cruise.
We pull off the highway and Rhea’s face starts to pale, “He’s not home.” I say trying to comfort her.
Rhea only nods. I reach over and grab her hand offering her comfort. A few minutes later and we pull into Mama’s driveway. I cut the engine and look over at Rhea who’s staring straight ahead. Clearly she is uncomfortable and doubt starts to creep in.
My phone beeps notifying me of a text.
Jasmine 8:28 pm: Did you do it yet?
Me 8:29 pm: No. I think this was a bad idea.
Jasmine 8:29 pm: Do it!
I put my phone down in the cup holder. I take a couple of deep breaths. Checking my nerves I climb out of the car and walk around to Rhea’s side of the car.
“Come on, Bee, I’ve got something I need to do.” I hold my hand out for her.
We walk into the house and she goes into the bathroom. I quickly sneak outside and run out back. True to Jasmine’s word, she set up everything and it’s perfect.
A blanket is lying under the same dogwood tree that so many memories were made under. Candles are on each corner of the blanket and rose petals are placed all around. I reach into my pocket and pull out the black box that feels like it weighs a ton. I flip it open and look at the ring that I picked out for Rhea. It’s stunning just like she is. I place the box behind the candle out of sight and run back up to the house.
Rhea is in the living room looking at a picture of her and I when we were about five and eight. She had her arms wrapped around my neck and she was kissing my cheek and I looked like I was in pain. It’s laughable now.
“I love that picture.” I say placing my hands on her hips and kissing her neck.
She rests her head on my shoulder and leans into me, “Me too.”
“Come with me.”
“Okay.”
I lead Rhea outside and down the lawn that splits our childhood homes. I hear her gasp and stop walking.
“Tanner?”
I shrug and pull her along. When we reach the blanket I kick off my boots as does Rhea. She goes to sit but I grab her hips stopping her. She looks confused, “What’s goin’ on?”
“You were my first kiss, my first love, my first everything, Rhea.” I reach for her hand and kiss the back of it. “I want you to be my last kiss, my only love and I want you to be the last thing I see every night before I close my eyes.”
Rhea is bawling and I haven’t even asked her yet. She has to know that this is how I feel about her. We’ve been through some shitty times but we got through them together and that made it so much more bearable.
I reach over to where I put the box. I let go of her hand so that I can open the lid. “Rhea Elizabeth Hudson, will you marry me?”
She covers her mouth with her hand and drops down to her knees and throws her arms around me. “Yes, yes, yes.” She says through the tears.
Rhea leans back and I take the ring out of the box and slide it on her finger. She stares at it for so long I start to get a complex thinking she doesn’t like it. “We can return it and get what you want if you don’t like that one.”
She shakes her head, looking up with eyes that are glistening and shining like the diamond on her finger, “It’s perfect, Tanner.”
I place a kiss on her lips and pour my life into it and she takes everything I’m giving, showing me she’s ready to do this with me.
Hours spent making love under our tree where it all began, we rest and start reminiscing about the past.
“Remember when we used to run around the yards and caught all those lightning bugs in the mason jars?” Rhea asks running her finger tips up and down my bare stomach.
“Yup and running through all the puddles barefoot because you used to hate wearing shoes and you used to hide mine so I would get in trouble with you?”
She chuckles. “And all those field parties after the football games.”
I r
oll Rhea on her back, “Remember that one time we went with Jeremy to his aunt’s house in Knoxville? All the trucks lined up in a huge circle blasting the country music and getting drunk from all the Southern Comfort we drank that night.”
“Oh yeah and waking up with our bodies outlined in red Solo cups?”
I kiss the tip of her nose, “I forgot about that.” I lean back so I can stare into her beautiful blue eyes, “I want that for our kids one day. I want them to have that carefree childhood and to have lifelong friends who stick with them through the amazing times as well as the hard times. I couldn’t have done any of this without you, Knox, Jeremy, and Cade…and especially you.” Rhea smiles a smile so bright at all the memories made together over the past fifteen years.
She reaches up and cups the side of my face, “They will, we’ll make sure of it.”
~ Age 25 ~
Rhea
Tanner and I had a small beach wedding, shot gun wedding if you may. Seems the night of our engagement we conceived our little boy who is due any day now. It was a beautiful wedding right on the beach behind our house that we purchased just down the road from the Mitchell’s beach house. Jasmine, Summer and Ava were dressed in coral colored dresses. Cade, Rex, Knox and Jeremy were dressed in khaki colored shorts, white button down shirts and coral ties to match the girls’ dresses.
Tanner was dressed the same as the boys only he had a white tie on. My dress was simple but elegant. It was a strapless sweetheart neckline with a ruched, beaded bust. The A-line of the dress flowed softly to the ground. I opted for white rhinestone encrusted flip-flops since we were going to be on the beach.
After we exchanged our vows we danced the night away on our patio which was converted into a dance floor. Jasmine and Summer took care of all the details for Tanner and I so we could just worry about ourselves and enjoy our wedding day.
It was simply perfect.
Tanner and Knox talked morning, noon and night on the phone about the babies. Jasmine had her princess Nevaeh just a few days ago and Knox was the new doting daddy. He was texting all of us pictures of her. She was gorgeous; I saw both of her parents in her angelic features.
