Hotbox

by Delia Delaney

  “No. The guy’s married and almost has two kids. I just like to feel informed.”

  He looked at me carefully. “And you think Jayden didn’t tell you everything?”

  “No, I was just wondering the main reason why it didn’t work out. Jayden said she just wanted to be friends with him.”

  “Jayden’s not a mystery,” he smiled. “Like I said earlier… She feels a certain way about her life and the direction it’s meant to take. She really liked Nick—a lot—and I think he liked her even more. But I honestly believe that’s where her ‘divine providence’ played a part. She didn’t feel like he was her soul mate. She’s one of those girls that a million guys could fall in love with, but unless she chooses you, there’s no chance in hell. Consider yourself lucky.”

  “I do,” I said adamantly.

  “Good, because the fact is…she did choose you. It’s a miracle in and of itself, so take hold of it, brother.” I was quietly taking that in when he continued with, “You know what might be bothering you?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Nick is a really great guy. Despite all his fame, good looks and money, he actually would have been perfect for Jayden.”

  “Thanks a lot,” I scoffed. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?” But deep down, I knew it really was the issue.

  He laughed and said, “I’m not done yet. The crazy thing is… You and him are so much alike.”

  I looked at him skeptically, not sure I understood where he was headed.

  “You don’t get it?” he asked me.

  “I don’t get what you’re getting at,” I admitted.

  “She knows what she wants. She’s always known. The second she met you, she found it. You’re the one that filled in all the missing pieces.”

  I stared at him, waiting for it to be spelled out.

  “Whatever it is about you, she feels complete. You love her entirely, you treat her well, you want what’s best for her, and you’re willing to make sacrifices if you have to. Now there are probably a hundred guys that would do that for her, but…she wants you. She doesn’t want to run across the country, trying to raise a family while her husband is touring, or whatever. She wants to be here, with her friends and family.”

  I was shaking my head. “Your theory is shot.”

  “And how’s that?”

  “She was willing to travel around the country with me if I played baseball. She told me she’d live wherever I lived.”

  “Then again, the difference is you. Ty, I’ve never seen her in love with anybody. As a person, you’re everything she wants. Where you live or what you do for a living are just minor details to her. She found the love of her life and that’s what she’s focusing on.” After a pause he asked, “You’re not seriously doubting her feelings for you, are you?”

  “No, not at all,” I replied honestly. “I just… I like talking to you, I guess. And I like talking about Jayden. I guess I just feel it’s important to understand people from different perspectives.”

  “Yeah, I know how you feel. Stacie was Cali and Jayden’s friend before she was my girlfriend. Even with all the time we spent together it was still nice to learn things about her from her friends, or just hear things repeated, but from someone else’s point of view.”

  I nodded with agreement. “So how long have you two been together?” I asked.

  “Over a year.”

  “A year?”

  I couldn’t imagine knowing Jayden for a year without giving her a stronger commitment. But yet she was willing to be with me no matter what, and she had even suggested living together. She admitted she thought it was all she was going to get from me. I was glad she was able to talk me out of my prior feelings about marriage.

  “Well, we were kind of roommates before that,” he continued, “for about four months. She lost her job and then her apartment. Her parents are kind of ridiculous and… Well, to make a long story short, I told her she could stay with me until she could work something out. But,” he laughed, “I guess we became more than roommates. It was a little difficult to see her come out of the bathroom with just a towel on all the time.”

  I laughed, but I admitted I was probably weaker than he was; all Jayden had to do was smile and I wanted to take her clothes off.

  “It makes a guy sound so pathetic when you put it that way,” Matt laughed, “but I guess we’re only human.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  I finished up my work around four-thirty, and then went home to shower and change so I could meet Jayden at Jack and Megan’s wedding. It was being held at a community church downtown, and when I got there, Jesse was the first person that I recognized. We talked for a minute before he said, “I know where Jayden is if you want to find her.”

  “Is she busy? I don’t want to bother her. She’s supposed to be putting corsages and stuff on people.”

  “Yeah, I think she’s done with that. I saw her out in the hall talking to some guy,” he smiled. “Maybe you should go rescue your fiancée.”

  “Oh, she told you, huh?”

  “She wanted you to tell me, but she said she couldn’t wait. She’s betting that you’ll forgive her, though. But anyway, congratulations, man.”

  We talked another minute until he pointed me to a hall he thought I could find her in. I felt a little out of place because there wasn’t anyone else that I knew. Finally I heard her laugh and I slowly made my way toward the sound. I stood in front of an open door and saw her talking to a little boy and girl. They looked like they might be the ring bearer and the flower girl. There were two other adults in the room, and a few seconds later Jayden sent the two kids with the grown-ups. They passed me on the way out and that’s when Jayden saw me.

  “Oh, my goodness,” she said with wide eyes. “You own a tie?”

  I smiled and glanced down at myself. “Yes, Ty owns a tie. I figure if I’m going to be in a church I’d better not offend God.”

  She smiled as I approached her and she quietly said, “Wow. You look so amazing.”

  “Look at you,” I said, looking her over. She was absolutely beautiful in a long, lavender dress. Her hair was entirely down with soft waves that framed her beautiful face. “I think it’s a sin to look like that in here.”

  She opened her mouth in protest, but then smiled as I took her hands in mine. I stared at her for a moment, completely astounded that she was mine to marry, and I got an incredible feeling that washed through me. After I kissed her she said, “I think it’s a sin to kiss me like that in here!”

  I gave her a guilty smile and then asked, “So? How is this wedding stuff looking so far?”

  “It’s definitely a lot of work.”

  “But this is a huge wedding. Did you see how many people were in the chapel?”

  She nodded with a laugh. “I don’t think I even know that many people.”

  “No kidding. Who are they all?”

  “I think half of them are Megan’s relatives. There are a lot.” She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me once more. “Did you look out back where the reception will be?”

  I shook my head no.

  “You know how you teased me about ice sculptures and a live orchestra…” I was chuckling by then, and she shrugged and added, “But it all looks beautiful.”

  “Hey, Ty!” Jack said from the doorway.

  “Hey yourself. Wow, you look nice enough to get married.”

  “Yeah, it looks like it might turn out that way,” he laughed. “Maybe you’ll have your day if you look as good as me,” he joked, tugging on his lapels.

  I nodded and led Jayden toward him. “Well, maybe it’s sooner than you think. We’ll be getting married in November.”

  His face lit up. “Seriously? That’s awesome! Congratulations. I better get an invitation, then,” he informed me. “You’re not gonna have a huge, lavish wedding like this, are you? Because this is insane!” he hissed dramatically, and we both laughed. “But,” he shrugged as he looked at me, “wha
tever the girl wants, right? Jayden, be nice to him.” Someone called his name from the hall, so after he agreed to get moving, he turned to us and said, “I gotta take my battle station. I’ll talk to you two later. Hopefully the ice swan doesn’t melt before then.”

  I laughed and said, “Well, just remember why you’re doing this. It doesn’t matter what the decorations look like, just that you’re marrying the girl of your dreams.”

  He thought for a second and smiled. “Yeah, you’re exactly right.”

  He left down the hall and I caught Jayden staring at me.

  “What?” I asked her.

  She almost looked emotional when she said, “You’re just very sweet.”

  “Shh, don’t tell anyone,” I said as I took her hand. She laughed as we made our way toward the chapel to take our seats.

  After the ceremony, Jayden led me out back to the gardens where the reception would be taking place. Jack wasn’t kidding when he spoke of insanity. There wasn’t just one ice sculpture, there were three, and the orchestra was actually playing next to a huge covered dance floor when we stepped outside. There were dozens of tables scattered throughout the grass, all decked out and adorned with outrageous centerpieces.

  “At least there’s lots of food,” I observed. There were about four banquet tables set up, loaded with a grand assortment of things to eat.

  Jayden tilted her head at me. “Well, I don’t care about anything but the food, so our wedding will have plenty of it.”

  “Good.”

  “Even if it’s served on paper plates and not real china,” she added, making a face at the white china stacked in fancy holders.

  “Hey, I’m fine with paper plates.”

  “Holy cow,” she mumbled. “Look at that cake.” I followed her gaze and spotted the enormous white wedding cake that took up an entire table. Every tier of it was covered in flowers.

  We walked around the gardens for a little bit, and after meeting up with Jesse and Devin for a few minutes, we made our way back to the food when the line had shortened. I had no clue what some of the things were that I ate. There were so many options, Jayden and I got different things and shared them. When Devin and Jesse joined us, Jayden scooped something onto Jesse’s plate and said, “You gotta try this.”

  He did and he gagged. “That’s disgusting! Why would you make me eat that?” He scooped a bunch of mints into his mouth from a dish on the table. The rest of us were laughing as he was still trying to get the taste out of his mouth by drinking all of Jayden’s water.

  It was impossible to even talk to Jack or Megan, so none of us tried. There were always people talking to them every second of the evening. And if there weren’t, they were being guided from one part of the reception to the next—pictures, cake, and the wedding dance—and no room in between for them to even sit down.

  I spent a lot of time with Jayden on the dance floor. She joked that she had never danced with one guy so many times at a wedding.

  “This thing works wonders,” she said, holding up her engagement ring. “I’ll never go to another wedding without it.”

  “There are a lot of guys here. You may have had a good time,” I teased her.

  “You’re right. This would have been a great wedding to get some dates out of. I’ve never been to a wedding with such a selection. Funny how things work out that way, huh?” she winked.

  “So what’s the proper etiquette when a girl asks me to dance? Should I say ‘no thank you,’ or accept and talk about you the whole time?”

  She smiled at me and asked, “Is this something you’re planning ahead for?”

  “Yes, Jesse’s on his way over here, and I know he’s going to ask you to dance.” She followed my eyes and saw him approaching as I added, “I’ll be left all alone.”

  “And you’re that confident that the vultures will come swarm you?”

  With a laugh I said, “Maybe.” When she didn’t answer I said, “So? What’s the polite thing to do?”

  Jesse got to us by then and asked if he could cut in. Jayden accepted and then turned to me and said, “Go sit by Devin and hold his hand. You’ll have nothing to worry about.”

  “Gee thanks, you’re a lot of help.”

  She laughed but blew me a kiss and began dancing with Jesse. I decided it was the perfect opportunity to use the bathroom, and then I wouldn’t have to worry about it. When I returned, Jayden was dancing with Jack. I spotted Megan dancing with someone else and I assumed Jack must have grabbed Jayden to dance with at the same time. When the song was over I was quick to take her back.

  “Jeez, Huntington,” Jack teased me.

  We actually got to talk to him for almost a minute, until he was dragged away by one of Megan’s cousins.

  “So? How many did you turn down?” Jayden smiled at me.

  “I took your advice and used Devin.”

  “You did not,” she laughed.

  “I did.”

  “No, you did not because Devin danced with me right after Jesse did.”

  “And then you moved on to Jack? Wow, you’ve been busy. I didn’t realize I was lost that long trying to find the bathroom.”

  “Ooh, speaking of the bathroom,” she smiled. “Would you care to be my escort?”

  After my perfect navigation to the bathroom the second time, we came back outside and walked through the gardens again. I talked to Jayden about Matt and she was really glad the two of us were working together. I shared some of the things that we had talked about, particularly the stories he told me about her in high school. When the conversation came to a natural end, my thoughts settled on her music.

  “So I just need to ask you flat out,” I told her. “Do you want a career in music?”

  She was a little surprised but answered, “No.”

  “Do you want to keep doing shows with Shawn, though?”

  “Maybe. If they’re local.”

  “What about working with other musicians?”

  “Only if it feels right.”

  “So…you don’t want to get mixed up in touring all over the place and being away from home?”

  “Right.”

  “Then why would you do that so I could play baseball?”

  She paused. “That’s different.”

  “How?”

  “Well…you would be the one with the traveling career. I’ll be your wife and come support you when I can, and I’ll bring our kids when it works out well enough.”

  “Why can’t we do that if you had a career in music?”

  “Because I don’t want a career in music.”

  “Why? Jayden, I know we’ve talked about this, but I want to make sure you have everything you want. I don’t want you to give up anything. Please be completely honest with me so we can make decisions together. And how come you didn’t tell me about Rod’s offer?”

  She raised her eyebrows at me, and then they slightly creased. “Because it wasn’t something I was going to even consider. I didn’t want to throw it in the mix when it wasn’t necessary. I just want a normal life. I love music. I’ll always have it. But recording albums and doing shows everywhere… It’s not my thing. I hope that works out for Shawn because it’s what he really wants. But he already knows he’ll have to find another guitarist because I will not tour with him. I’ll do whatever I can to help him with his songwriting or compositions, but I don’t want the life he wants. Ty,” she said softly, putting her arms around me. “I want to be a wife. I know that probably sounds so…old-fashioned…but I don’t care. I want a family with you more than anything. I’d really love to be a stay-at-home mom. Financially we’ll be just fine; we’ve already discussed that. And whether you work for Lou, or have your own shop someday, or play baseball… It doesn’t matter to me as long as you’re happy. You’ll always be number one in my life.” She kissed me and added, “I promise I’ll let you know if I want to be pregnant on stage.”

  I chuckled and said, “Okay. But I’d like to see how you maneuver a guitar around a
pregnant stomach.”

  She smiled and we were quiet for a moment. Then she surprised me with, “How come you didn’t tell me you’ve been turning down baseball offers for the past two years?”

  I opened my mouth, maybe to deny it, but she raised her eyebrows at me again, letting me know she was waiting for a sincere answer. I sighed, not really wanting her to delve into this particular subject. I wasn’t sure where the conversation was going to end up.

  “Well, two years ago I wanted to continue with school. I wanted to take the scholarship offer from Tucker and complete my education.”

  She nodded; apparently she understood that much of it. “And this year? Tucker says you completely backed away from any meetings or any talk about advancing to a professional team. Ty, you be completely honest with me and tell me exactly why you feel it ‘isn’t the right time.’ ”

  I sighed again, and then briefly looked away to the busyness of the party. I knew it wasn’t going to change the subject, so I returned my eyes to hers and said, “It’s very simple, Jay.” I put my hand against her face and softly touched her cheek with my thumb. “I want a normal life, just like you. I can’t wait to marry you, and I can’t wait to get you knocked up.” With that she laughed, and playfully swatted my chest. “And I look forward to seeing you every day for the rest of my life, even when you’re mad at me and lock me out of the house.”

  She smiled and shook her head in disagreement, but then her expression changed. “So you’ve completely changed your course since meeting me.”

  “No. Since meeting you I know my decision was right. Before I met you, I felt that baseball wasn’t right at the time. Sometimes I just feel a certain way about things and I can’t explain why. I just try to go with my instincts, I guess.” That was absolutely true, and her expression seemed to agree.

  “Yeah, I can understand that,” she said. “I feel the same way sometimes.” She took a deep breath and leaned against me so I could hold her. “I love you, Ty. You are the most amazing person I know.”

  “How strange. You’re the most amazing person I know as well.”