Rolling away from her, he reached for his phone on the nightstand. After a moment of looking something up, he said, “It says we have to get a license and then there is a twenty-four-hour waiting period. Let’s get it tomorrow morning.” He smiled his lopsided grin. “And then go back the next day and get married. We can do however big a wedding you want afterwards, but let’s just do this quietly first so nothing fucks it up. This way, by the time people find out we’re getting married, we’re already married.”
“Can Hayley be our witness?”
“Sure. Do you want your parents to come down?”
Kylie shook her head, “No. They can come to the party when we throw it. I just want this to be you and me. And Sip.”
“I’m getting married,” he laughed. “I’m marrying some pushy New Jersey broad who asked me to marry her and I said yes, after she ignored me for weeks. I’m such a fucking pushover.”
“You are a lucky son of a bitch.” She laid her head down on his shoulder.
••••••
They needed a second witness.
Jesse looked out at the rows in the courtroom, “Hey, anyone want to be our second witness?”
What ensued was practically a stampede at a rock concert with fans rushing the judge’s bench instead of a stage, with a none-too-happy judge calling for ‘order in the court’.
His name was Jason and he was a bass player in a local band, there in court to get married that morning, too. It seemed perfect since he was a fellow musician and now would have the ultimate rock ’n’ roll story to tell forever. “Did I ever tell you about the time I stood up for Jesse Fucking Winslow at his wedding?”
In a black suit and skinny tie, with his new clean-cut look, Jesse looked more model than rocker. She was in a white silk drape dress, resembling a stola. It wasn’t a coincidence. With her hair pulled up, titian curls framing her face, Kylie was a vision, ethereal and timeless.
By the time they emerged, hand in hand, onto the courthouse steps, the paparazzi had been alerted to what had taken place in the courtroom and were waiting for the newlyweds.
“I’ll meet you two later to celebrate,” Hayley kissed them both goodbye and effortlessly disappeared into the crowd.
“Jesse, over here. Did you two just get married?” The popping flashes blinded them.
“I’d say I’m a bit overdressed for a traffic ticket,” he kidded.
“Are you and Kylie really married?” It was a reporter from Rolling Stone.
“Well, we were hoping to tell her parents first before you found us, but yes,” he turned to Kylie, his trademark smile and eyes singing a love song of their own. “Please, meet my fantastically gorgeous, smart, beautiful-hearted, and lovable bride, Mrs. Jesse Winslow.”
The crowd cheered as the once world-famous playboy bachelor took his bride’s face in both hands and smiled at her before going in for a kiss that would satisfy all the media outlets and be broadcast throughout the world in mere minutes. But even more importantly, as they stood at the top of the famous marble staircase in lower Manhattan, it did not elude either of them that the fairytale they’d wished for--to be husband and wife, once upon a time, on gleaming white marble steps, before the destruction of Herod’s second Temple in Jerusalem, and once upon a time, among the intricate marble staircases ascending the Seven Hills of Rome--had finally come true.
Had the soul work they had done in this lifetime been enough to alter the fate that had continually kept them separated lifetime after lifetime? Was this possibly their karmic retribution, their day in the sun?
As they separated from their kiss, the cheer of the crowd was deafening as the first citizens of the world celebrated their union. Pulling her close, Jesse held Kylie tight, softly rubbing his cheek against hers until his lips caressed her ear.
Feeling his warm breath against her skin was comforting amongst the growing pandemonium surrounding them. Above the noise of the crowd, she clearly heard his whisper in her ear as he proclaimed a promise, one that she had waited for over the course of millennia.
“Forever Mine, ma moitié.”
Chapter 18
“You know we just started a shit storm,” laughed Jesse. “Let’s call security, so they’re waiting for us at my building, and can get us in the door,” he told the driver.
“And I’d better call my parents. Damn, I thought we were going to be able to stay under the radar with that.”
“Slight miscalculation,” the driver said and they all laughed.
“What do you want to do tonight? It’s our wedding night.” Jesse was beaming.
Kylie laughed. “We really didn’t think about this, did we? Why don’t we invite some friends and family over and order in a bunch of Chinese takeout?” She wondered if he’d go for it.
“Perfect, Toots,” he quickly replied, looking down at his buzzing phone. Answering it, “Yes, I know you want to kill me. You’re supposed to know about things first, so that you can manage the press.” He looked at Kylie and mouthed, Molly. “Yes, it’s true. We’re married. A statement? Okay. Today I married the love of my life, Kylie Marie Martin, the former Miss New Jersey and the current, and forever, Mrs. Jesse Winslow. I have been blessed in finding my soulmate, the one person who, in this lifetime, I am meant to be with, forever. I’d like to thank everyone for their warm congratulations. How does that sound, sound good?”
Next to him, Kylie was on a call of her own. “Hi, Mom. How are you?... Have you seen the news yet this morning?... Okay, well you might want to turn it on…No, everything’s okay… actually everything is fantastic.” She turned to Jesse and whispered, “She’s turning on the TV.” Smiling, she was waiting for the scream on the other end of the phone. “Yeah, try CNN…” Kylie held the phone out and not ten seconds had gone by when she heard the screech through the phone. Kylie put the phone back to her ear, “She’s calling me a little stinker,” she told Jesse. “Mom, Jesse and I want you and Dad to come over tonight. We’re having a few people over. Very casual. We think we’re going to bring in Chinese food…. Sake? Sure, bring it. Come on over about 7:30 or so…. Yes, we’ll talk about a reception. Mom, Jesse wants to talk to you.”
She handed him the phone, “Hi, Mrs. Martin… Oh, okay, Fiona… Yes, I’m very excited. … No, this was a surprise for me too…. Well, I didn’t expect your daughter to ask me to marry her… Yeah, she did.” He laughed. “How could I say no?... We will see you tonight… Bye.”
He handed Kylie back her phone. “Are you going to tell everyone I asked you to marry me?”
“Toots, you bring new meaning to the feminist movement. You’ll be an inspiration to girls and women all over the world.” And then out of the side of his mouth, “Rock stars everywhere will be stalked by their future brides.” He could barely contain his laughter.
Giving him a side-eyed glance, “Don’t make me regret you finding me.”
“Don’t make me regret saying yes, Mrs. Winslow. Now, shut up and kiss me.” He pulled his bride into his lap, the space on the seat between them too much for him to bear.
••••••
“I found out the two of you knew one another when I saw it on TMZ,” Fiona started. “I recognized the mystery woman from Starbucks as my very own daughter. Then I found out you were dating on Facebook news.”
“I’m glad you have such reliable sources to keep track of your daughter,” Jesse laughed.
“And now you’re married and I’m meeting my son-in-law for the very first time.” Fiona was on her third sake. A tall, natural redhead like her daughter, Fiona Martin was still a head turner.
Kylie rolled her eyes at her mother, she knew, more than anyone else on the planet, that her momma was the ultimate, control-freak, stage mother. Having a daughter who was Miss New Jersey was one of her greatest accomplishments in life. That daughter marrying one of the world’s most famous and handsome men was clearly a result of her mothering. Or so she thought. And would continue to let everyone know.
“I loved h
im, Mother. I did not want you to run him off.”
“You loved me?” Jesse asked with a huge lopsided grin.
Kylie backhanded him in the arm. Catching her hand, he pulled her to him, kissing the side of her head.
As the evening went on, and more calls and texts of congratulations came in from close friends and business associates, they continued to invite people over. The question of can we bring anything was answered with, “Chinese food, champagne, sparkling cider.”
By nine p.m., there were nearly thirty people in the apartment celebrating the surprise nuptials.
“Are you going to have a big reception or is this it?” was the question on everyone’s lips and while both Kylie and Jesse would have been more than happy to make their impromptu Chinese potluck the beginning and end of their wedding festivities, Fiona was having none of it. She would make sure her daughter and son-in-law had a wedding that paparazzi would be clamoring for their spot to get a glimpse of the most beautiful bride they’d ever seen.
“I’m going to put together a list of venues here in the city,” she began early in the evening.
“You could do a destination wedding,” suggested Hayley.
“Isn’t tonight good enough?”
The heat in Fiona’s face slowly rose from her chest to her neck and up her face and Kylie knew her mother was seeing red. There was a deep satisfaction in it, payback for years of being paraded out on a stage. Kylie had no doubt in her mind that this was the ultimate stage mother moment for her. Fiona had never expected anything like this.
“I’m not going to even speak to you. Hayley, I know with your good southern breeding, that I can count on you to help me with these decisions.”
Putting her hand on Fiona’s forearm, she smiled warmly and drawled, “It would be my pleasure.” Turning, she smiled at Kylie.
“Turncoat, bitch,” she muttered. “Okay, just get it down to the final choices of venues before you start dragging me all over God’s creation.”
“Fine,” her mother acquiesced with an attitude.
“Zac,” Kylie perked up. “I’m so glad you came.” Standing to greet him, she gave her trainer a big hug.
“Congrats, Red. I am so happy for you two. You were the hot topic at L9 today. People were gathered around the juice bar watching the TV and talking about how they’d seen you both at the club.”
“I’ll bet.” Kylie laughed. “Zac, this is my mom, Fiona, and my best friend, Hayley, aka the reigning Miss Mississippi. Mom, Zac is responsible for getting me healthy and into shape.”
The tall, handsome blond shook his head, no. “Kylie, you are the only one responsible for getting healthy and into shape. I just made you sweat. So nice to meet you both,” he said to the ladies and then introduced the woman with him, “This is my good friend, Liz van der Heyden.”
“So nice to meet you, Liz. I’m glad you could join us.” Kylie welcomed the petite woman at Zac’s side.
“Congratulations. What an exciting day for you.” The dirty blonde had a warm vibe that Kylie immediately liked.
“Are you of the Darien, Connecticut, van der Heyden’s?” Fiona could sniff out Social Register families like a bloodhound.
“Yes, I am.”
“I chaired a fundraiser for Autism with Neelie van der Heyden a few years back.”
“Neelie is my mother.”
“What a lovely woman. She is quite a prolific fundraiser.” Fiona extolled a rare compliment.
Hayley looked on silently, not taking her eyes off Liz, until Liz could no longer ignore the stare.
“Nice to meet you, Hayley.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” Sip was dripping southern honey. “Would you two like something to eat? Let me show you where everything is?” And with a crook of her finger Zac and Liz followed.
“What a nice-looking couple.” Fiona smiled after them.
“I think they are just friends, Mom. My bet is that she will end up as Hayley’s next conquest. Did you see that look Sip was giving her? It was like, excuse me, how are you ignoring me? I’m standing right next to you. Nothing else should matter.”
“You think so?” Fiona was shocked.
“I have not seen Sip act like that.” Kylie was amused.
Excusing himself from their guests, Jesse walked into the bedroom for a moment. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he took a deep breath and smiled. Married. Whoever would have thought it. He had never even considered it before. Not with Claudine or any of her predecessors. Marriage just didn’t fit his lifestyle. Not until he changed his lifestyle and met the woman he promised he’d find again. What a trip. And it was their secret. People would think they were nuts, if they knew.
Jesse laughed out loud. Yes, nuts. Crazy, in-love nuts about her. Just as he had been about Julia and Rachel. And now Kylie. Finally, their time. It may have taken two thousand years and a bunch of lifetimes, but this time they got it right. Tonight, after all their guests left, he would make love to his wife. Finally.
Pulling out his phone, he began to check messages. Congratulatory message after congratulatory message. Even one from Bongo that sounded sincere. All the good energy coming his way was uplifting. Until he got to hers.
I wish you would have spoken to me before going ahead with your spontaneous plans. I’m deeply concerned with your well-being and the ramifications this might have for you. Obviously, I’m prohibited from disclosing certain things, suffice it to say, my concern with what you did today runs very deep. We need to talk. ~ Dr. Claire Stoddard
Seriously? That’s the message she sent him on his wedding day. He was annoyed that she would encroach upon his happiness, on today of all days, and do something to bring him down emotionally. There was certainly an ex-patient of hers with whom he would not be sharing this little missive. Seeing Kylie grab the woman by the hair once might have held a little bit of excitement, if he was being honest about it, but a second altercation would probably result in assault charges.
Heading out of the bedroom, he tried to shake off his mood. It was his wedding night for God’s sake. The apartment was filled with friends and colleagues he loved and he knew he needed to get back into conversations that lifted his spirits. But that text…it really stuck in his craw. So, instead of Jesse Winslow, newlywed, entering the living room, it was Jesse Winslow, rock star, who rejoined his guests, because that guy knew how to put on a show and hide himself in the process.
It was nearly dawn by the time the last guests were straggling out.
“It’s not our wedding day anymore.” Kylie stuck out her lower lip in a pout. “We never made love on our wedding day.”
“And you think I won’t make this up to you?” The look in his eyes made her thighs clench. “But right now, I’m starving. We ate that Chinese food hours ago. Diner?” he suggested to Kylie and their three remaining guests, Hayley, Zac and Liz.
“At this hour, you can actually probably get out of the apartment without the paparazzi camped out.
“Let’s do it. There’s that great twenty-four-hour place on 8th Ave.”
Emerging from the building onto the empty sidewalk into the chilly, pre-dawn, Jesse looked at Zac, “You were right. The paparazzi are asleep.”
“They think we are, too.” Kylie laughed, taking her husband’s hand on what was feeling like the perfect ending to the perfect day.
Two eggs over easy, bacon, rye toast and wonderfully greasy home-fried potatoes later, Mr. and Mrs. Winslow finally crawled into bed together for the first time as husband and wife.
Spooning together, Kylie suggested, “Can we sleep for a few hours before consummating this relationship, because as hot as you are in bed, I know I’m going to fall asleep in the middle of it, even if I’m on top riding you.”
Kissing her neck, he laughed, pulling her tighter into him, “We are so not rock ’n roll.”
Slipping her hand into his and bringing it to her lips for a kiss. “Another one of our many secrets it’s best that the world does not know.”
> “You got that right, Mrs. Winslow.”
Chapter 19
He had received three additional texts from her, all similar in tone to the one she sent on their wedding night. Like the initial one, he chose not to share them with his bride. After cancelling two consecutive appointments, he decided on week three to keep his Wednesday appointment as scheduled and finally make the break. It needed to happen. Claire was not going to be happy, but she really wasn’t of concern to him. Kylie was his only concern and her animosity toward Claire had taken on a life of its own, as she had a strong gut feeling that Claire played a role greater than just as a psychiatrist in their current lives.
“I don’t think she wants us together, Jess, and I don’t think this is the first time that’s happened. Do you think she’s in love with you?”
“Well, that would be highly unethical, Toots. I’m a patient of hers.” But there was something in Jesse’s gut that told him Kylie was very astute and probably on the mark. Women could read other women in a way that men were clueless to understand. It was the way Dr. S. looked at him, always found opportunities to physically touch him, as innocuous as those motions seemed, they happened with regularity at every session. And although what appeared to be her growing feelings for him had crossed his mind, he swept them away
This was his first time seeing her since he and Kylie had gotten married, and frankly, he just wanted to get it over with. Opening the door to her office, she greeted him professionally, welcoming him in.
Something was different. Her blouse was cut a little lower, her skirt a little shorter and tighter and her long hair was curled into loose waves that fell about her shoulders. She gestured for him to take a seat and just looked at him, waiting for him to speak first and surrender the position of control. Sitting back on the couch, he silently continued to look at her.
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