Page 97 of The One I Stood Beside

I put my hands on his cheeks and make him look at me. “As long as I have you, there are no regrets. I’ve wasted all these years hiding my feelings. Jude, I went to New York, and I hated it. I missed you and my life in Willowbrook. I was too ashamed to tell anyone, but I don’t want that life. And I told Melody that before she left.”

“I figured she had everything you’d ever wanted, and I got scared.”

“Are you married to Melody?” I shake my head. “No.”

“Why do you put up with me?” He drops his forehead to mine.

“That’s easy. I love you, and I know how much you love me. I know you want me to experience everything this world offers, but I don’t want to do that without you. Willowbrook is where our love sprouted, and I want here to be where it grows. Trust me, okay?”

He nods, brushing a kiss against my forehead. “I trust you.”

“Good. Now let’s go celebrate our wedding… again.” I laugh.

He captures my lips, and our kiss gets a little heavy before we part. “I can’t wait to have makeup sex tonight.”

“I doubt it will beat our first wedding night.” I move to walk out of the room.

“You doubting me, Mrs. Noughton?”

“Never.” I smile and hold my hand out for him.

We join our family, and when it’s time for our first dance, “Your Everything” by Keith Urban plays.

Jude leads me around the dance floor in his arms. “I’m sorry, Sadie.”

“Stop apologizing. All of this more than makes up for it. Thank you for arranging the dress shopping.”

He chuckles. “But you wore your original dress.”

I shrug. “It’s sentimental.”

He circles us around. “I wanted you…” He seems to stop himself from whatever he was going to say. Probably something about how I always wanted to go dress shopping. “I love the dress. It’s beautiful.”

I grin at him. “Good answer, Mr. Noughton.”

“I’m learning, Mrs. Noughton.”

“There’s something I need to tell you.” I had planned to wait until we got home tonight, but the longer we’re face to face, the harder it becomes to hold it in.

He stops dancing for a second and inspects my face before moving us again. “You’re scaring me.”

“I’m… pregnant.”

This time, he stops dancing completely. He stares at me, his eyes crinkling. “Really? How?” He shakes his head, disbelieving.

“I know it’s a surprise, and it’s a long story, but?—”

“Sadie…” His voice is a soft rasp.

Jude falls to his knees on the dance floor, both hands going to my hips, and presses his lips to my stomach. My hands wind through his hair as he looks up at me with tears in his eyes. A few gasps echo through the room, then the cheering and clapping start.

“Baby Noughton! Man, he just beat you on all fronts!” Emmett shouts to Ben.

Our guests all laugh.

Jude stands back up on his feet. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

---