“I would argue, but you might be right.” He chuckled as he imagined his mother saying that. “Don’t let mom talk about your weight. You look good. You look happy too.”
“I wish I could say the same about you. You don’t look too happy.” She paused hoping he’d voluntarily tell her what was going on, “Amara doesn’t seem too happy when she sees you. Is something going on with you two? ”
He looked away from her, afraid she’d be able to read his eyes and know the truth. “What makes you say that?”
“I’ve seen you talk to her with less than amicable results and I’ve seen her avoid you like the plague.”
For a moment it looked like he was going to open up, but instead he said, “You need to ask her not me.”
“I did. I asked her why I had to dodge daggers every time she looked at you and she said it was my imagination.”
“Then I guess it’s just your imagination Sis.”
“Imagination smagination. If you don’t want me to know, I’ll drop it, for now. But, I’ll tell you what I told her, you two play nice and smile real pretty in my pictures then feel free to carry on with the imagined tension.”
“How’s this Sis?” he smiled an overly cheesy smile that made her laugh.
Ryan’s goofy smile fell when he noticed Amara walk out with Noli and a couple of Diane’s other friends. He quickly plastered on the fake, but believable smile that he’d perfected. Diane’s smile fell when she saw a cheap veil and a hot pink banner in her friends’ hands.
“Diane, we have to go celebrate your last night as a maiden,” Noli said placing the veil on her head.
“You deserve a drink or two after that party crasher.”
“If I tried to say no, you’d just force me to go?”
“Yes,” the women said in unison.
Diane quickly found Jack. “They’re making me go party.”
“Cooper is making me do the same thing. Have fun. Don’t drink too much.”
“You don’t make any bets with Cooper.”
He bent down and placed a kiss on her neck until she sighed. “The next time I see you, you’ll be walking down the aisle,” he whispered in her ear.
Just as he began to kiss her again, Amara pulled her away.
“You two will have plenty of time for that tomorrow and for the rest of your lives, we only have a couple of hours to get drunk and make fools of ourselves.”
♥♥♥
Jack had just waved Cooper good-bye and had one foot on the step to his house when headlights turned on illuminating the front porch. The light blinded him so that it took a few moments for him to recognize who it was.
“Exes,” he muttered under his breath.
“I need to talk to you Jack.”
“Not tonight Misti.” Jack inserted his key into the door and opened it.
“But Jack…”
Jack shut the door but could still hear what sounded like the words pregnant and father. He was sure this was a last ditch effort to ruin his relationship with Diane, but he thought it would be better to hear it now, then her try to show up during the ceremony. He stepped out and shut the door behind him before she could attempt to come in.
“You have three minutes Misti.”
She smiled and cocked her head to the side. “We’ve never been able to finish anything in three minutes Jacks.” She ran her hand along his chest. “You look quite handsome.”
Jack snatched her hand off of him. “Misti, you now have less than two minutes so get to the point.”
“Fine.” She stepped into the light and stood sideways. For the first time Jack could see the roundness of her midsection. “I’m pregnant. You’re the father. We’re having a baby. Was that to the point enough for you?”
“You may be pregnant, but I’m not the father.”
She placed her hand over her stomach. “This happened Halloween night.”
“I don’t remember parts of that night, but I doubt we did anything that resulted in that,” he said pointing to her round belly.
“You doubt that it happened, but you ain’t sure we didn’t rekindle the flame. We were as hot as ever, I don’t see how you could forget.”
“I can’t forget something that never happened.”
“It happened. And this is our baby. I just wanted you to have all the facts so you can decide if walking down the aisle tomorrow is in the best interest of our child.”
“I’m walking down the aisle tomorrow and marrying Diane. I don’t believe that child is ours because I don’t believe we even kissed, let alone made love that night.”
“You may not believe it, but we made love that night.”
“If anything happened that night, it was just sex, it had nothing to do with love. You killed any love I may have had for you a long time ago. You have to go. Your two minutes are up.”
“Are you still going to marry her when I’m carrying your child?”
“We both know you’re like Wal-Mart, open anytime to anyone with a couple of bucks. I doubt that you know who the father is. I need more proof than just your word that I’m the father.”
There was a flash of hurt in her eyes, but her words were full of anger. “You may still want to marry her knowing I’m carrying your child, but I bet she won’t want to say I do to you knowing your bastard child will be a frequent visitor to her happily ever after.”
Jack stepped closer to her and stared down at her with menacing eyes. “You don’t say anything about this to her or anyone else until you have proof that’s my child. It wouldn’t be good for you. I won’t let you ruin Diane’s day or screw with my life again.”
Misti just stared up at him for a moment before looking away. “Fine, I won’t say anything. It’ll be our little secret, for now. But will your marriage survive the truth coming to light? Oh, and how will she react when she knows you knew but didn’t tell her?”
“Misti. Go. Now.” He stepped around her and went to the house without turning to see if she left. The house was quiet, accept the increasing sound of conflict in his head.
Before he could head upstairs there was a knock at the door. “Misti, go before Momma pulls out her gun again,” he said flinging the door open to see Cooper and not Misti standing there.
“I thought that was her car I passed. That’s why I came back. What did she want?”
Jack stepped back out and took a seat on the top step. “She’s pregnant and she says the baby’s mine.”
Cooper joined Jack on the step. “When did this happen?”
“I don’t think it did, but she says it happened Halloween. I just remember waking up with a massive hangover and not much memory of the night before.”
“It’s real convenient she tells you the night before your wedding.”
“She thought it would make me call it off.”
“Are you going to tell Diane?”
“When, tonight while she’s drunk or tomorrow right before she vows to love me forever?”
“Neither of those are ideal. If I were you, I would wait until after the wedding, but don’t keep it secret for too long.”
His friend was right. Diane hated secrets. But he’d take his chances of her being mad later. Especially since he had major doubts about the paternity of Misti’s child.
♥♥♥
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Diane Clark’s status: I’m so excited. Tomorrow I will be Mrs. Diane Sloan.
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Jack Sloan: I’m more excited.
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Jack Sloan’s status: Tomorrow I’ll be the luckiest man on earth because Diane Clark will become Diane Sloan.
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Diane Clark: I’m the lucky one
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; Chapter 15
Standing outside the doors to the sanctuary with her arm looped through her father’s, Diane took a deep steadying breath. She wasn’t nervous about marrying Jack, but she was afraid she’d trip, or that her mother would stand up and object, or Misti would burst through the doors on Alan’s arm.
She looked up at her father. He was smiling. “You look lovely Sweetie,” he said to her.
“Thank you, Daddy. You look awfully handsome yourself. Why haven’t you asked me if I’m moving too quickly like everyone else?”
“I knew I wanted to marry your mother before the first date. There was no logical explanation, I just knew. When Jack asked me for your hand, he said he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you, and I believed him.”
“I still can’t believe he actually asked you for my hand.”
“I like that he did. That’s another reason I don’t doubt your decision. I know you’re marrying a good man.”
When the doors opened the first thing Diane saw was Jack standing there in his tux with his hands at his side. The sun was streaming through the stained glass windows on him. All thoughts of possible calamities left her mind when she saw him. Diane could not tell what a single flower or ribbon looked like. She only saw Jack.
♥♥♥
When the doors opened, Diane walked through dressed in a simple white satin sleeveless gown that hung to her every curve. The design accentuated all her features making her look beautiful and sweet and sexy all at once. Jack forgot to breathe until she reached him.
“You look so incredibly beautiful,” Diane whispered.
“I think that’s suppose to be my line,” Jack smiled. “But beautiful doesn’t begin to describe how wonderful you look.”
“Ladies and Gentlemen, family and friends, we are gathered here together to celebrate the union of Jack and Diane before God,” the pastor began. “I’ve only known this couple a short while. As I’ve come to know them, I’ve seen love. Not just love for each other, but love for God as well. They would like to express their love for each other before the vows. Jack, you’re first. Please turn to your bride.”
“Diane, our meeting was not coincidental, but a destiny chosen by God. When I stopped to help you, I thought you had the most beautiful brown eyes I’d ever seen. Of course I could only see your eyes since you were so wrapped up in that scarf. I love you because your smile is my comfort and your eyes are the beacons to light my way. Diane, God answered my prayer for love with you. It may have taken you twenty minutes of stubbornly sitting in a freezing car to realize God had sent me to answer your prayer for help. I will thank Him in every prayer that you said yes to our first date and to spending the rest of your life with me. I will praise God every day by loving you with all that I am.”
Diane wiped at the tears that his vows caused. Her hands were shaking in his. “We had a deal, you weren’t suppose to make me cry again.”
“Sorry.” He wiped the tear that was falling down her cheek.
“I should have gone first because I don’t know if I can follow that.” Diane took a deep breath. “Jack, when you first pulled up behind my stranded car my heart began to race and it’s never beat the same since. At first it beat with fear, but just one of your smiles turned my fears into comfort and made my heart skip a few beats. If I am sad, you make me happy, if I am happy, you make me ecstatic. Jack, with you, God answered a prayer I hadn’t even thought to pray yet. You are everything I never knew I needed and everything I could ever possibly want. Saying I love you seems insufficient to express how I feel about you.”
The pastor read a verse from the Bible and blessed the rings. Diane and Jack barely heard a word as they gazed into each other’s eyes. “Jackson Sloan, do you take Diane Clark to be your wife?”
It took a moment for Jack to realize he’d been spoken to. “I do. I most certainly do. I take you Diane, to be my wife, loving you now and as you grow and develop into all that God intends. I will love you when we are together and when we are apart; when our lives are at peace and when they are in turmoil; when I am proud of you and when I am disappointed. I will honor your goals and dreams and help you to fulfill them. From the depth of my being, I will seek to be open and honest with you. I say these things believing that God is in the midst of them all. I give you this ring as I give myself to you, with love and affection.”
Jack slipped the diamond band onto Diane’s shaking finger. She repeated the vows, expressing the depth of her love and taking Jack as her husband. She slipped the simple white gold band onto his finger. Though the church was full, it seemed that they were the only two people there.
“Now that Jack and Diane have given themselves to each other, before God, by the promises they have exchanged, I pronounce them to be husband and wife, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Jack,” the pastor paused for a long moment before finishing, “you may kiss your bride.”
Diane wrapped her arms around Jack’s neck as he pulled her to him by her waist. He lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss lasted until they were out of breath. He rested his forehead on hers.
“You’re my wife,” he whispered.
“I know. And you’re my husband.” she whispered back. “You know what that means,” she said with a wink.
♥♥♥
“Momma that cake is beautiful!” Diane said to Rose.
“I was hoping you liked it.”
“I love it.”
“It is a very lovely cake Mrs. Sloan.” Catherine Clark said.
“Thank you,” Diane said with a laugh knowing her mother was talking to Rose, but unable to suppress her champagne induced giddiness at being Mrs. Sloan.
Catherine smiled at her daughter’s joke. “Listen, Diane.” Her mother’s tone took some of the giddiness away. “You seem happier than I have ever seen you before. It is obvious how much Jack loves you.”
That was the closest thing to an apology that Diane had ever received from her mother but their conversation was cut short by the DJ announcing their first dance and Jack was by her side to take her into his arms. They had agreed on Endless Love. The song began to play but instead of the usual musical arrangement, it was just a guitar. Diane lost her step when she heard Jack’s voice come over the speakers. She looked at him in shock and her eyes began to water.
“Jack, this is the second time today you broke your promise to not make me cry.”
“The promise is void if they’re tears of joy.” He kissed her as they danced and cheers went sounded around them.
“You can’t keep kissing me like that. It makes me weak in the knees,” Diane said with passion in her eyes.
“You just took vows to let me kiss you like that for the rest of our lives.”
The song ended, but they remained on the dance floor in each other’s arms. “I’m starting to rethink the open bar. Cooper and Noli seem to be trying to drink enough to break the bank.”
“Don’t worry, the bar tab is on Cooper tonight. He lost a bet.”
“Do I even want to know?”
He shook his head.
When the song Jack and Diane came on it seemed like Jack’s entire family was on the floor. Those that were still in their chairs were singing along. Diane’s family looked perplexed as to how all these people knew this song they’d never heard. Every time Jack and Diane were said in the song there were clinks on glasses for them to kiss, which they gladly obliged.
The next song was the electric slide. All of Diane’s family, both young and old rushed to the floor and began to move in unison. It was Jack’s family’s turn to look inquisitively as to how everyone knew the dance to a song they’d never heard. Both songs got played again. By the third rotation of the electric slide, the dance floor was packed as everyone had learned the dance. The next time Jack and Diane played, both the guests of the bride and the groom sang along and clinked their glasses vigorously each time the couple’s names were sang.
The bouquet headed directly towards
Noli, but she batted it away like a volleyball and one of Jack’s cousins from down south caught it. When Jack threw the garter it headed towards Cooper. He stepped out the way making it land on Ryan, who’d been standing on the side with his hands in his pocket.
After posing with the bouquet catcher, Ryan went to the bar for a drink. Amara came to stand next to him.
“You know only single men are suppose to catch the garter.”
“I wasn’t trying to catch it, and I didn’t think it appropriate to announce my secret marriage at my sister’s wedding.”
“There would be no secret wedding if you signed the annulment papers,” Amara said with narrowed eyes.
“Can I buy you a drink?”
“It’s an open bar and you’re trying to change the subject.”
“I’m not going to discuss an annulment because I don’t want us to end,” Ryan said studying Amara’s face for a reaction.
“What us? The only us that exists is you’re Diane’s brother and I’m her best friend. Other than that, there is no longer an us because you already put an end to it.”
“There is to me. I screwed up, I know, but…” he trailed off when Diane joined them.
“Why do you two keep getting quiet every time I get near?”
“I was just telling your brother that I felt a migraine coming on.” She shot him a look to ensure he wouldn’t contradict her. “You look so beautiful Diane. And as strange as it sounds, I’m glad you were stranded on the side of the road. I’m really happy for you and Jack.”
“Thank you. You should go lie down. Ryan can take you to the hotel?”
“No, I don’t want him to.” Diane raised an eyebrow at Amara’s aggressive tone. “I mean I don’t need him to, I can drive myself. I love you Diane. Congratulations.” She kissed her friend on the cheek and left.
Once her best friend was safely out earshot, Diane said, “Ryan, you know if I had to choose between you and her that I’d choose her.”
“There is not a doubt in my mind,” Ryan said still staring at Amara.
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