Page 4 of Jasper

"Daisy and Jasper Hamilton."

It jars me, to hear our first names together with his last name. It's a reminder of what we're about to do. That this will irrevocably change our lives. That we will be forever linked because of the child we're supposed to have. This is everything I've ever wanted, and at the same time, not at all the way I wanted it. "Let's go." I give him a reassuring smile.

He takes my shaking hand and together we approach the Justice of the Peace. Turning to face each other, I for one second allow myself to believe this is the fairytale. To believe I can make it one, and we can both have the kind of life we deserve.

"Do you Daisy take Jasper to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The rest of it blurs into a bunch of words I don't hear, the only thing I can do is watch his face as the man standing before us speaks.

Jasper's face softens, his eyes warm in a way I haven't seen since the two of us were together in college. We ended right there in the courtyard of Middle West Virginia University. We begin again right here, in a courthouse in Broken Falls.

"I do," I answer, and I mean with every fiber of my being. What happened between us previously is at zero. I can't promise I won't ever bring it up again, but I won't allow it to affect our day-to-day lives.

"You may now kiss your bride."

My heart thumps against my chest as we step toward each other. I haven't kissed him in years, but I can still remember how it felt. It was breathless, wild, and out of control. Is it still the same? God, I hope so. Reaching forward, I grasp him around the biceps, digging my fingers into his button-down shirt. His hands cup my cheeks, and I close my eyes, wanting to enjoy this with every sense I can.

I inhale deeply, the scent of his cologne invades every pour of my skin. When he leans in, his lips covering mine, I'm back where I'm supposed to be.

I'm home.

CHAPTER THREE

Jasper

I never thought about getting married. Absolutely never. I've never wanted to put myself out there in that way. Life is so fleeting and can change with every season. I've always tried to protect myself because I was so broken when my parents died, and I was never able to move on from it. Six years old, and I didn't feel I had anyone in my corner, still haven't other than the guys, since then. Thank God for Boone. He's the only father figure I've had since mine passed.

He'd be beating me over the head right now, telling me I'm a dumbass for what I'm doing. He'd tell me that I'm setting both me and Daisy up for failure. He'd probably be right, but I can't help it. I have to do what I have to do in order to keep the only thing that's ever mattered to me alive.

"Jasper, do you take Daisy to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"Yes," I answer, slowly and sincerely. No matter how this started out, I will cherish and worship her. I loved her, have loved her since the first moment I saw her. I've loved three people my entire life. Daisy and my parents. I didn't want us to be over, but I was terrified of losing my heart, and mind. With my parents, I forgot what it was like, because I was so young.

With Daisy? I would know. She was such an integral part of my life. I looked forward to seeing her every day. Wanted to talk to her whenever I wasn't in class, was in a hurry to finish hanging out with my friends so I could get back to her. My life was starting to revolve around her, and I was terrified about losing her.

I should probably go to therapy, but I can't change what I did back then, I can only change going forward. I promise myself in this moment, I will do my best to give her everything she deserves.

“Jasper, the ring?”

She gasps when I pull the ring out of my pocket. It’s a diamond with two sapphires flanking it. If one were to glance at it, you could easily see a star in a dark sky. “It was my mom’s,” I whisper.

“Jasper…”

I stop her from speaking. “I want you to have it. I would’ve given it to you back then if I’d been more thoughtful.”

We finish with the exchanging of vows and rings.

“You may now kiss your bride.”

We turn to face each other for the kiss to seal the marriage, the butterflies start in my stomach. I haven't kissed her in years. I still remember the feeling of her lips on mine, how I lost myself in her, how it felt to give it all up and let her have all my sadness, happiness, and adoration. She never even knew I trusted her with all of it, but I did. Still do.

Reaching forward, I hook my finger under her chin, tilting it better to my liking so that I'll have control of the kiss. "Hold on," I whisper as I lean in. Her fingernails dig into my dress shirt, doing as I instructed. Banding an arm around her waist, I pull her to me, close my eyes, and take the kiss I've wanted so badly. I own her, inhaling the smell of blueberry and sunshine, stepping in between her legs so that I can lodge my thigh right where I've desperately wanted to be since the last time.

Although I pride myself in control, this meeting of our lips is totally the opposite. I'm not sure when I might be able to kiss her again, so I put every piece of myself into this. When we pull apart, we're breathing heavily.

The Justice of the Peace chuckles. "I give you Jasper and Daisy Hamilton."

We walk down the small aisle, holding onto one another. I'm dazed, not actually able to believe we just did this. When we get out of the courtroom, I pull her over to the side, and place our marriage license on a table. "Come here, Daisy." She stands next to me. "Can you put your hand over top of mine?" I ask as I lay mine down on top of the marriage license. "We're sending this to good old Grandpa, so he knows we did it."

She gives me a smirk. "I do love the way you like to stick it to him. Can it be a little more personal, though?" Her pinky hooks into mine, showing off the rings, along with our hands and the license. "We're together in this, Jasper. You're never going to be alone again."

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