Just To Have You Back Again

A Most Important Day

Jake tossed and turned all night. He couldn't stop thinking about how he mishandled the situation at the rehearsal dinner. He didn't think clearly, just focused on his jealousy. Although he blurted out words that he doesn't regret saying, that was his uncouth way of asking her to be his girlfriend.

He has never felt this strongly for a woman before. The fact of the matter was, he had never felt anything remotely at all like this for another woman before. The intensity of his love for Beth is something he could no longer deny. Seeing another man openly flirt with her right in front of him angered him and made him snap. It pushed him over the edge of reason. He wanted to stake his claim on her. He kept calling Ben "a kid" to ease his own worries and nervousness; but the truth was he was downright scared. Ben was someone Beth had known longer, someone already close to her, someone she already had

a friendship with; and right now he was positive she was still fighting with herself over what to make of their situation, having grown intimate in such a short amount of time. He should thank his lucky stars that she had been as open as she had been with him; he knew she was not the kind to give in easily.

Saying he loved her didn't scare him, but the possibility of her rejecting him did. After he dropped the bombshell on her, she didn't say anything. She just looked at him with such confusion and surprise written all over her beautiful face. After she got over the initial shock, she asked him for time. She needed time to think, she had said; time to process everything. Telling her he loved her was scary, but not telling her he loved her was scarier. And now he had to wait. Wait for good news, he hoped.

He only knew bits and pieces of her past love he had heard from Pete or Jen in passing conversation between the couple. He knew she was engaged. He knew her fiancé died in a car accident. He knew she was still grieving. But that was the extent of his knowledge. Before he met her, he thought a year in grieving was a little over the top; that a heart didn't need that long to heal. After he met her, he understood what kind of heart she had. A heart that was gentle, kind, and loving. A heart so big that put everyone and everything else before herself. A heart so pure that loved deeply and believed in forever. And only now did he appreciate a heart like that, a heart he instinctively wanted to protect, a heart he wanted her to give to him to treasure forever, a heart deserving to be loved. At first she had been a challenge, but now...he didn't know what to do if she told him she decided she never wanted to see him again after the wedding. He couldn't fathom what would be of him then.

He wanted so badly to do nothing more that very moment than to run to her room and see her; to embrace her tightly and never let her go; to convince her to be with him. But he knew she was busy with attending to Jenny and the wedding and is otherwise preoccupied. He wondered if she was even thinking of him at all, because she had been the only thing occupying his mind all night and all morning. Maybe he should go out and clear his mind. Go for a run.

And so he did.

***

Beth was so thankful it had been a mayhem all morning, otherwise she would probably be just sitting in her room in deep contemplation. Jake told her to take all the time she needed and kissed her on the forehead when he dropped her off last night. Honestly, she still had no answer, not just because she was in full maid of honor mode, but because she didn't know what to answer him. She was delighted yet concerned with his declaration of love last night. How was it possible that he was already in love with her, after only five days? She found it a little unbelievable! But the butterflies and knots that were in her stomach upon hearing those words disagreed with her. Should she let her mind win out this time? Or just let go and follow her heart? Did she love him back already as well?

***

Pete and his groomsmen were already dressed and waiting in their dressing room by 3:30 pm, looking simple yet sharp in their grey linen suits. A crisp white shirt, a grey bow tie, and a white orchid boutonniere completed Pete's wedding garb while the groomsmen wore the same thing save for a plaid kelly green and coral bow ties instead. They were all barefoot, just like the bridesmaids.