Page 2 of Our Little Wedding

“Great. That is exciting. Things must be going well then between you two.”

“Yes, so well, in fact, that I put my Finding Forever profile on pause. I hope that is okay.”

Spencer nodded. “Of course. That is why we have that feature.”

“I’m glad you guys are getting along so well. She seems nice. Maybe someone that I could bond with,” I said, hoping that maybe one day she might be like a mother to me.

“She really likes you, Ainsley. It would be nice if you guys got to know one another a little better,” Dad said.

The room grew quiet. My body seemed to be filled with tension as I took a small bite of my cake. My stomach turned. I just wished Spencer would get on with this and ask him already.

“What about you two?” my father asked. “Things all right?”

I could tell my father cared but really didn’t want to know any details. It had been hard on him to start when he’d found us in bed together. It had been hard on all of us, and that had almost ripped Spencer and me apart from one another for good.

“Things are going better than expected,” Spencer said. “That’s why we wanted to talk to you about something.” Spencer set his plate down and placed his hand on my knee, giving me a gentle squeeze.

“Oh,” my father said, taking the last bite of his cake and washing it down with coffee. Then he looked up at us, then down to where Spencer’s hand now rested on my inner thigh. My nerves were so bad that I had to set my plate down to stop shaking. “Well, what is it?”

I blew out a breath as Spencer took over the conversation. “As you know, I’m really in love with your daughter, and she is with me.”

My father looked at the pair of us, not saying a word. I feared this was going to be another blowup, and I bit my bottom lip and wrapped my arm through Spencer’s, while my father sat there watching my every move.

“I’ve given things considerable thought and, well, I’d like to ask you for permission to marry her.”

I’d lowered my eyes as Spencer had spoken. I’d was afraid to look and see my father’s reaction because I feared it was going to be the same as the night he’d caught us. I wouldn’t be able to take that, and I prayed that wasn’t what was coming. The only sound in the room was from the game on TV. I hated the silence and I wanted someone to say something. I shyly glanced up to see my father staring at us both.

“Married?” My father cleared his throat.

“Yes, sir,” Spencer answered, his voice calm and even, never once faltering.

“Ainsley, what do you think about this?”

Spencer and I hadn’t gone over what would happen if he asked me anything. All Spencer had said was not to worry, that he’d handle it because he knew how nervous I was.

When I didn’t answer him, my father cleared his throat again. “Ainsley, I asked you a question.”

“Daddy, we want your permission. I’ve said it before. I’m in love with Spencer. I’m happy. I want to spend the rest of my life with him.”

My father grew quiet, sitting there looking at us. Then, without another word, he got up and wandered down the hall to his bedroom. I looked over at Spencer, who sat there looking at me with the same perplexed look on his face.

He’d been gone for a few minutes, and I was about to say something to Spencer when my father returned to the living room and looked at us both. “I knew this day would come, eventually. Given the brief history with the pair of you, I already know you won’t take no for an answer, so I’ll give you my blessing.”

I couldn’t believe what my father had said, but I wrapped my arms around Spencer and hugged him tight.

“Spencer, just make sure you take care of my baby girl.”

Spencer let me go and looked up at my father. “Jon, you know I will.” He stood up and shook my father’s hand.

Relief flooded me as I stood up and hugged my father tightly. “Thank you, Dad.” I whispered in his ear. Then the three of us sat back down, but not before I pulled the ring Spencer had surprised me with from my purse so I could show the only person in my life who had always been there for me, until now.

Ainsley

I stood in the bedroom looking at my reflection in the mirror, turning to the right and then the left, and again looking forward. “I don’t know about this dress. It just doesn’t seem to hang right,” I cried. “I knew I should have gotten the one I was looking at the other night, but it was so expensive.”

“Don’t worry, you look fabulous,” Carly answered, not paying attention to anything I’d said as she lay across our bed, flipping through one of our favourite magazines.

“I don’t know.” I smoothed the fabric of the dress down my body. “This one just doesn’t hang right.”

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