Page 7 of Intertwined Hearts

Hope, Sky’s girlfriend, brought Abby into the room with us. She had fixed Abby’s hair and dressed her already. Abby, to this point, was Nikki’s best work, in my opinion. She was a beautiful happy, little girl, who had so many people who loved and cherished her. Nikki had told me how she struggled with being a single mom right after Sky and her separated. She felt like her world had completely fallen apart and regretted having distanced herself from her daughter. But she was doing everything she could to make up for that, while ensuring Abby was happy. Sometimes that meant spoiling her with a little too much cake, but no one has a manual on raising children, and sometimes cake is a requirement. Nikki was trying her best, and I could see she was becoming the amazing kind of mom her own mother, Rebekka, had always been.

When the song that was the cue for the wedding party to get ready began to play, we all lined up in the hallway. Seeing Hunter again was like seeing him for the first time. My eyes traveled up his tall, muscular, beautiful body until I reached his gorgeous face. He was exquisite. He looked so amazing in his tuxedo. My heart skipped a beat. His eyes shifted over in my direction, and we stared at each other for a few seconds. He shot me a guarded half-smile, then winked. I couldn’t help the big grin I sent back. His smile widened in return.

Then the wedding organizer directed all of our attention back to her, and after lining up, we slowly began the processional outside to the gazebo. My hand held onto Connor’s arm as we followed the paved path, but I wished it could have been Hunter’s.

It was a sunny day, and the temperature wasn’t too hot. It was perfect. The guests had all turned slightly in their chairs to watch us come in. As we neared the gazebo, I smiled at Nikki’s mom, who was sitting in the front row. All of the memories of childhood sleepovers, pizza parties, and her homemade cookies raced in my mind. I missed those days. And I could have missed this amazing day if it hadn’t been for divine intervention reuniting Nikki and me that day on the beach.

God had a plan. He knew Nikki and I were meant to be best friends forever, and He helped bring us back together. He helped Nikki forgive me for my selfishness and idiocy during high school. Nikki was like my sister and I loved her, but for those few years, I was completely lost in my own self-serving desire to be friends with the popular girls and almost ruined it all.Thank you, God. You truly are great!I smiled at Jeff as I wiped the tears from my eyes, then took my place. I turned to watch the others walk up to join Connor and me.

Sandy and Mandy had taken their places. Hunter was walking in with Georgia. I was hypnotized by his every movement. Each powerful step, each sway of his strong shoulders as he held his outside hand in his slacks pocket, and how Georgia held onto his bent arm. Everything. I never took my eyes off of him. He was perfection. As he closed the distance between us, his eyes lifted to meet mine. I could feel my face heat up under his gaze. He broke our stare when he turned to take his place next to Sandy, but we quickly found each other’s eyes again when he turned toward me.

The wedding march began, and I knew my best friend would be entering to take her place next to her best man, her husband. I glanced in Jeff’s direction and noticed him stand taller, then he clasped his hands together while waiting for his bride.

All of the long nights listening to Nikki tell me about the good and bad of Jeff, all of her indecisiveness around this relationship, all of the fighting over the pre-nuptial agreement, all of the tears during the wedding planning, all of that brought us all here today for the most amazing day of Jeff and Nikki’s lives. I couldn’t be happier for the two of them. I wiped away a couple of tears, while I wondered if I’d ever find the love of my life and be as happy as Nikki.

Everything Jeff had been doing in the past few weeks demonstrated his true feelings for Nikki. He truly loved her, and I knew deep in my heart he’d do anything for her. I wiped away my tears and glanced at Hunter, who had his eyes locked on me.

The wedding ceremony didn’t last very long. My bestie looked beautiful, and was in tears the entire time. Jeff had some tissue with him and dabbed her tears away throughout the service, with a few of his own tears needing to be wiped away.

My chest felt like it would explode with joy when the officiant pronounced them husband and wife. It was the perfect way for them to make their union official. I looked up in Hunter’s direction, and our eyes had the most intense meeting yet.

I had been so busy protecting myself from being hurt again for so long that I didn’t realize the amount of desire he was conveying until that very moment. And I wanted him more than anything.

Chapter 7

Hunter

I had been watching Jackie’s every graceful, seductive movement during the entire reception. She seemed like one of the most carefree, outgoing, fun-loving people I had ever seen. She talked to everyone. And when the dance floor was opened to everyone, she was the first one on it, signaling for Georgia and Mandy to join her and Nikki.

I sat at the table, watching Jackie’s hips sway to the music. The smile on her face was infectious and never left her pretty face. Her long, black, silky hair swung in sync with her hips, and occasionally wrapped around her face, but she’d removed the strands, never allowing it to interfere with her fun. The dress she had on hugged her curves like it had been made just for her. I couldn’t help but wonder if her body would move so effortlessly and vigorously beneath me. I felt myself growing at the thought of my cock being buried deep inside her.

I leaned back in my chair to continue watching her when she glanced in my direction and her eyes locked on their target. She pursed her lips and signaled with her index finger for me to join her. I wasn’t a big fan of the music. I actually hated dance/club/R&B music and really didn’t want to dance. I was more than content to sit there and watch her enjoy herself. I smiled and slowly shook my head no. Her lips turned down, wiping every trace of her smile from her face. The pouty look was so cute on her.

She looked away and found some guy sitting nearby, alone, and waved for him to join her. He smiled at her like he’d just won the lottery. He damn near knocked his seat over trying to get to her. My breathing quickly became ferocious, like an angry bull, and the blood raced through my veins as I feebly attempted to calm the jealousy that was building with rapid speed.

Nikki and Jeff were walking behind me when Jeff leaned down and whispered in my ear. “Go dance with her.”

“Nah, I don’t like the music.”

Jeff shrugged and followed his wife.

When the song ended, the meek fucker kissed Jackie on the cheek and I damn near lost it. She gave me the most teasing look and winked. She knew she had gotten to me. She waved for me to come to her, and like a love-sick puppy, I did. I wouldn’t have been able to watch her dance with another guy again. I had to figure out a way to make the most of this god-awful shit music that was playing, just so I could be close to her.

Jackie

My mind was racing with all sorts of delicious thoughts of Hunter while I danced around with Bill. I knew Hunter was watching me, and I was trying my best to entice him.

I had purposely kept my distance the past week, but it wasn’t because of a lack of interest. The way I felt when I first met him scared me. I had convinced myself that inviting him to my place to watch a movie with me had been a knee-jerk reaction. It was definitely out of the ordinary for me. I hadn’t felt an attraction like that to anyone since Landon.

I was terrified that I’d be making a huge mistake if I continued with Hunter, but I wasn’t sure I could walk away from him and pretend I’d never met him. I was weighing the risk-reward of moving forward with getting to know him. The entire week of not seeing Hunter had felt like torture. We did text each other, but it wasn’t the same. The more I thought about it, the more I knew I’d kick myself until eternity if I didn’t at least see if he and I could ever become ‘we.’

When the song ended and Bill left the dance floor, I motioned for Hunter to come dance with me. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw him push his chair back, stand, and then make his way to me. I continue to shift my hips from left to right, charming him to join me.

“Not a big fan of dancing?” I asked. I danced around him while he stood still near me.

“I’m not a fan of this music.”

“It’s dance music, like you’d hear in a club. I thought everyone liked it.”

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