Bradley hands everything out and then stops in front of me and smiles. “Come.” He takes me by the hand and pulls me to his car. He reaches in and pulls out half a dozen thorn less ivory long stem roses, tied together with a long gold ribbon. He turns serious as he looks in my eyes. He hands me the beautiful bouquet then cups my cheeks. “Listen, Allie, I hope I didn’t overstep any boundaries. I know you didn’t technically have any bridesmaids or a maid of honor and I wasn’t sure why but something compelled me to do this for you and Jesse. I hope it’s okay.”
“Thank you, Bradley. It’s perfect and I’m so grateful. This is so much more than I ever imagined.” He smiles, releases my face and I look down and gently touch the petals of the flawless flowers. “So much more than I dreamed.”
“Always dream big, honey.” he whispers and kisses my cheek.
He leads me to my dad whose eyes are glassy. “You look beautiful, baby.” I blush at his words.
“Thanks, Dad.” He opens the back door of his dual cab truck and helps me in. Before he closes the door I yell out to Bradley, “How were you and Connor able to do all this? You just found out this morning.”
“Pssh. Seriously? We’re gay.” he yells back, almost offended and rolls his eyes.
“Of course. I wasn’t thinking.” I grin and watch him throw his head back and laugh. My dad chuckles as he closes the door before helping my mom in.
I look over and see everyone loading into the other cars. Abigail, Kore, and Jenny ride with Jaycee and Jesse’s aunt's ride with Grandma Lila and Violet.
My dad starts the truck and then rests his hand on the console. My mom lays her hand on top of his and they interlace their fingers.
I hope Jesse and I have the same kind of love as our parents.
We pull up in front of the Guadalupe county courthouse and I observe the tiny parking lot is almost full of cars. Abigail is walking towards the truck and she’s texting away like a madwoman. She smiles and looks over at me as I exit the truck. Bradley and Connor rush in ahead of everyone with boutonnières for the men inside.
“They’re ready and Nick said Jesse’s freaking out because he was worried you wouldn’t show.” I don’t like that. I frown, reach for my purse, take my phone out and swipe the screen.
Oh, my God. I don’t even know Jesse’s phone number.
I snatch Abigail’s from her hands and she bursts out laughing. She turns to Jaycee who’s just walked up and chuckles. “She doesn’t even know his phone number.” I ignore them as they both start laughing.
Nick’s number is still up so I call him. He answers and I ask for Jesse. I hear his deep chuckle. “Allie, thank God. Jesse is—” Then there’s a commotion and rustling before I hear Jesse’s voice.
“Allie, baby?” Then there’s another commotion.
“Fuck, Jesse. Didn’t have to dislocate my damn shoulder.” Nick groans in the background.
Jesse and I both stay quiet for a few moments and I can hear everyone inside.
“Dude, you can’t cuss in here.” Nash reprimands.
“It’s not a church, Nash.” Chase throws back.
“Oh yeah.” Nash chuckles.
“Seriously?” Jesse says irritated.
“Everyone get him privacy for a few minutes.” Jake orders while laughing.
“Like the three stooges.” Jesse utters. “Baby?”
“Hi.” I reply softly.
“Hi.” He sounds relieved. I want to share Cody’s letter but I’ll wait until after the ceremony.
“So, are you sure about this? I couldn’t even call you from my phone. I don’t have your phone number.” There’s humor in my voice, as well as apprehension.
“More than sure. Baby, don’t get me wrong. I know this is all crazy but I am sure.”
“Me too. Well, I’m ready if you are.”
“Good because the justice of the peace just walked in.” He takes deep breath. “I’ll be waiting. Hurry.”
Only my dad is standing at the entrance to the building, waiting for me.
“On my way.” I turn off the phone and walk to my dad.
“You’re sure?” Dad asks.
“For the last two years I’ve been lost. This is the first day I’ve been sure about anything.” I confess.
He leans down, kisses my cheek and we make our way into the courthouse. We pass the front counter and there’s an older woman working behind a computer but she doesn’t seem to notice us. We reach the courtroom and everyone is already there, waiting.
There’s no music to cue my entrance or ushers in fancy tuxedos to open the door. There are no candles flickering softly or beautiful arrangements of flowers at an altar. There aren’t pews filled with family and friends. There’s no minister in his best robe waiting for me or a photographer and videographer, but there’s Jesse and our families and that’s all I want or need.
I make my way down to the judge’s bench, my eyes never leaving Jesse’s. He’s wearing a perfectly fitting pair of black pants with an almost gold button down shirt with his boutonnière pinned to the front. His muscles are straining beautifully against the tapered fit of the shirt. He looks so handsome. His jaw is hanging open as his eyes travel up my body finally coming to my eyes.
“Perfect,” he mouths and it makes me smile.
“You too,” I mouth back, and he returns my smile.
The woman we passed behind the counter rushes in the room yelling, “Wait!” startling us all. She’s holding some papers above her head. “Here.” She hands me the papers and a pen. “Fill these out.” She says breathlessly, and then looks around the room. “You all look so beautiful.” She looks back to me. “Give me your ID. I need two forms,” she orders, frantic.
I look over and Patrick is closest to me. “My purse is in the truck.” I inform him while filling out the paperwork.
“Keys!” Patrick calls to my dad. He reaches in his pocket for the keys tosses them to Patrick as he rushes out to the truck. Seconds later he returns with my purse and hands it to my mom. She pulls out my wallet and hands the whole thing to the clerk. The clerk grabs my mom’s hand and pulls her with her out to the office. I get to the address part on the form and freeze.
“Jesse,” I hiss under my breath looking around for him.
“Allie,” he hisses back, chuckling from right behind me causing me to jump and yelp a little.
“Jesse, behave,” I scold. “Address?” I point to the section.
He takes the pen and fills it out and then hands it back to me. I sign the papers and pick it up and wonder who I hand it to. My mom comes back in with the clerk, who takes a deep breath and looks at the judge. “She’s not wanted for any crimes or felonies. She’s good.” She collects the papers from my hands.
I take this opportunity to look over at Abigail with one eyebrow arched high. She starts giggling and shrugs her shoulders.
“Alright then. That was exciting. We all ready now?” The judge booms and comes off the bench in his robe.
“Yes.” Jesse, the clerk and I respond simultaneously.
Everyone gathers around with Callie standing between Jesse and I and the judge. He looks down at her and smiles. She gives him a finger wave which makes him softly laugh. “Today, we’re gathered to join Allison Taylor Holloway to Jesse Cian McGinty—”
“Cian?”
I look over at Jaycee and Abigail and they’re silently cracking up.
Oh, thank God.
I’m so relieved I’m not even mad.
A clicking sound draws my attention. Everyone has their phones out and taking pictures.
After we exchange our vows and say I do, it’s time for the ring exchange. Blue reaches in his pocket and pulls out two rings. One is an engagement ring with a round, pink sapphire surrounded by tiny diamonds with six more tiny diamonds on either side. The next one is the band. Jesse slides the engagement ring on first. As he’s about to slide the band on with a row of the same tiny diamonds, Jake mutters, “Shortest engagement in history. Like one point two seconds.” Everyone
softly laughs.
I look down at the rings and all my breath leaves my lungs. They’re beautiful. Grandma Lila comes forward and hands me Jesse’s grandpa’s wedding band then steps back. With trembling fingers, I slide it on his finger. He looks at it, takes a deep breath then steps away from me and over to his grandma. He pulls her into a brief hug, kisses her cheek then returns back to me.
He takes my hands and we both turn to the judge waiting. The judge pronounces us husband and wife and we smile. Jesse is about to give me the words but it’s not right so I put my finger to his lips and shake my head. “Not yet,” I whisper. I rise up on my tiptoes and he leans down to meet me halfway and we share our first kiss as husband and wife. It’s the most intense kiss we’ve shared yet. I pull back, look in his eyes and for a few moments it’s just us in the room. Soon our family surrounds us with hugs of congratulations and well wishes.
“Congratulations.” A man with long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and tattoos comes forward. He’s holding hands with a beautiful Asian woman and next to them is a younger but meaner looking Blue.
“I’m Acer, Blue and Johnny’s father.” He points to younger meaner Blue. “We all belong to this one. Our Ana.” He gestures to the beautiful woman.
“You’re stunning.” I blurt out shocked by her beauty and she blushes.
“Thank you. You are too and your wedding was beautiful. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Jesse walks up behind me, and wraps one arm around my waist. He leans across and shakes Acer and Johnny’s hand, then leans in and gives Ana a kiss on the cheek.
“I’m going to steal my wife for a few moments if you don’t mind.”
When he says that my stomach flips and I can’t help but jerk in a sob.
“Baby?”
“Jesse. Thank you for bringing me back to my family, back to life.” I blurt out, wrap my arms around his neck and hold him close.
He holds a few moments before pulling back and cupping my cheeks pulling my face to look at his. “You’ll never know how much you’ve done for me too, Allie.” I start crying even more. “Baby, let’s get the paperwork done so we can get out of here, okay?”
I nod. I’m so overwhelmed with emotion it’s all I can do.
Everyone is standing in the lobby waiting for Jesse and me to finalize the paperwork. The clerk is looking over everything and then I remember. “Blue, Jaycee.” I call to them. “They’re going to need your signatures.” The clerk looks up at me and then over at Blue and Jaycee who’ve joined us. “Why?” she asks.
“Why?” I repeat.
“Why do I need their signatures?” she asks puzzled.
“Witnesses? Don’t you need two witnesses?”
“We do, but I and Wesley, our bailiff, who’s in the back having lunch, we usually just sign as the witnesses. I told Mr. McGinty this when he called this morning.” She looks back at the papers and then stamps a couple of them and staples a couple more.
I look over at Jesse and he’s smirking. Go ahead and smirk, husband. You earned that one too.
I smile back so thankful gave me, us and our families this.
I know Jesse is dying to get me alone but that’ll have to wait. We all decide to head to downtown San Antonio to have dinner at Rita’s On The River. We leave the courthouse and Jesse leads me to his car. I’m lost in my thoughts as Jesse sits me inside the car and fastens my seatbelt for me. He gives me a kiss on my nose before closing the door and heading to the driver’s side and getting in.
“Jesse, I know today has been amazing and I hope this doesn’t ruin it, but I want to show you something.” He gives me his full attention as I pull Cody’s letter from my purse and hand it to him. He doesn’t open it. He waits for me to finish speaking. “Dad and I decided it was time and went into Cody’s room. I found his guitar and when I picked it up, heard something moving inside. It was this and three more. One for each of my parents and Patrick.” Jesse cups my cheek and his thumbs wipe away a few tears I didn’t know were falling before giving his attention to the folded piece of paper. While he’s reading, I take a deep breath and look out the window. Dad and Patrick are standing by my dad’s truck and Patrick is reading his letter. I don’t see tears but he does bow his head when he’s done. My dad pulls him into an embrace and holds him. I turn back to Jesse when I hear him clear his throat. He carefully folds the paper back up and hands it to me.
“Baby,” he murmurs and leans over and pulls me into a hug. “Are you okay?”
“He said goodbye. It hurts but it also means so much. Between what my dad told us and this letter, I’m understanding more of where his mind was. It hurts more than I can explain knowing he suffered, Jesse. It hurts knowing he blamed himself for McGowan’s death. I only pray he has peace now.”
“Me too, baby. Do you want to go home? I’m sure everyone would understand if you want to just have some privacy,” he offers.
“No. I want to go.” I smile and kiss him. “I want to move forward.”
“Okay.”
On the drive downtown, my mind drifts between becoming Mr. and Mrs. Jesse McGinty and Cody. When Jesse parks and exits the car I decide to give my husband my full attention.
None of us have changed from what we wore at the courthouse and since it’s unseasonably warm, we sit outside on the patio that runs along the river’s edge under the thousands of Christmas lights draped from the trees.
“How are you doing, wife?” Jesse whispers in my ear.
“I’m going very well, husband.” I turn my lips in time to catch his and we share a small kiss.
“Do you mind if I plan something for tonight, for all of us, a celebration, or do you want to go home?” he inquires cautiously.
“I want to celebrate.”
He smiles, and stands. “Be back.”
Jesse signals the men to come over to the side and talk privately. Stone breaks away and walks over to Violet and pulls her aside. They talk for a few moments and whatever she says caused her to smile huge and clap in excitement. She grabs her phone and walks off.
Our drinks come and we’re all sitting around talking when Violet walks up and declares, “Done.”
Jesse grins. “Violet has a few connections with some of the hotel owners’ downtown since my dad’s company does work for them. We, well not us, the others are going to run back to their houses real quick and grab overnight bags because we just reserved rooms for everyone at the Omni La Mansion Del Rio. It’s not too far from here. Actually, our room is a suite on the top floor. Blue and Jaycee are going to swing by our house and grab us some clothes for tomorrow so we can go straight there now. Tonight, we all go out, have a good time and don’t have to worry about drinking and driving. Tomorrow everyone else is leaving and we’ll spend an extra night here, just us."
I pull Jesse into a hug. “Sounds wonderful, husband. Thank you.” I lean in and kiss him.
I hear my dad clearing his throat and I pull away from Jesse blushing in embarrassment. “Hey, Dad.”
“Your mom and I just want to say how happy we are for you and we have something for you. Mom thought to grab it before we left. It’s a gift but it’s not from us. It’s from Cody.” he explains softly and hands me a small booklet. I stand, surprised and unsure, as I hesitantly reach for it.
“I mean, Mom and I, we’ll get you anything you want but this was supposed to go to you after your graduation from college. We were going to contact you, but then this happened. So, um, yes, Cody left us all something, Patrick, Mom and I, but this is yours.” My dad says and pulls my mom in close to him.
I look at it puzzled before I open it and almost fall to the ground. “What?” I ask looking between the two of them. “How?” I ask shocked
“It’s Cody’s SGLI, his life insurance. He filled out the paperwork with you and Patrick as the main beneficiaries. Cody wanted you and Patrick to follow your dreams even if he couldn’t be with you to share them with you. Patrick used his to start his security f
irm in Cody’s honor. It’s your choice to do what you want with it.” Mom smiles but I get angry.
“I can’t. I won’t. This is a result of his death.” I try and hand it back to them.
“No, honey. This is a result of his life and service to our country. A country he loved. It’s his final gift to you and Patrick, the family he also loved.” Mom’s words began to penetrate and I think back to the note he left.
Jesse pulls me into a hug. “Baby, it’s what Cody wanted. Honor his final request. Maybe start the bar you both wanted to in his honor and memory.”
It’s a lot to take in, but following through with mine and Cody’s dream of opening a bar and dance hall actually makes me feel excited.
“I think that’s exactly what I’m going to do.” I share with Jesse, Mom and dad.
Always dream big, honey. Bradley's words flow through me.
After dinner, Jesse and I head to the parking lot where he parked. Jaycee, Blue, Abigail and Nick follow and I grab my packages from Jaycee’s trunk. We talk briefly about meeting in the lobby around eight o’clock. That will give everyone enough time to run home, grab an overnight bag, check in to the hotel and change for tonight. Mostly it will give Jesse and me some time together.
Grandma Lila and Callie are having a sleepover in her room. The adults are splitting up. Jesse’s uncles, aunts, and parents and my parents are heading to The Republic of Texas while the rest of us head to Benny’s, a nightclub not far from the hotel. We plan to meet back up for breakfast.
Jesse pulls me towards his car and it’s the first time I really get a good luck at it. It’s a super sleek black car. I’m instantly in love with it and agree it fits him perfectly. “What kind of car is this?” I ask running my finger along the hood.
“Allie, you can’t touch her like that. You have to be careful with her.” he chastises me and inspects where I very lightly ran my finger along the hood.
“Like what? I hardly touched it.” I return, confused.
“Her. She's a her. Not an it.” he responds totally offended.
His Forgotten Love (A McGinty's Of San Antonio Series Novel Book 4) Page 11
