Page 56 of Four-ever Single

“When you first came on board as a rookie, they told me to trade you for someone else. To put you at another firehouse where you wouldn’t make more work for me. To put you through hell until you gave up and quit.”

“Why didn’t you?” I asked, feeling even more defeated now.

“Because you belong here, Jones. You’re part of our family. I knew it from the moment I saw you. You didn’t get stuck here with us. You were chosen. I wanted you here. The guys wanted you here. Sure, it’s taken a while for us to trust you around food, but we’re getting there. My point is that there’s nothing you could do that would make us feel any different.”

I swallowed hard, trying to force the emotions down that were bubbling up inside.

“Well, thanks. But I don’t think it works the same way for Bella.”

He sat on the edge of his desk and folded his arms over his chest as he shook his head.

“Don’t be so sure about that.”

“What do you mean?”

“Bella is a lot like you. Whether she admits it or not, she’s looking for where she belongs. For who will accept her for who she is. And Jones, you’ve shown up for her, time after time. You’ve already proven to her that you’ll be there for her. You agreed to marry her without even thinking twice about it. There’s no way that this isn’t meant to be for you guys. I’ve seen you two together, and it reminds me a lot of Abby and me.”

“I don’t think I could handle if she changed her mi—”

“She won’t,” he interrupted. “Though, she might be disappointed if she shows up and her groom is wearing a t-shirt and joggers.”

I looked down at what I was wearing, knowing she wouldn’t be totally disappointed given how much she liked these pants.

“Let’s get you married,” Nate said, clapping my shoulder before grabbing the hangers from the hooks on the back of the door.

Thirty-Three

Bella

Don’t trip and fall. Don’t trip and fall. Don’t trip and fall.

Music floated softly around me as everyone stood and watched me start down the aisle. Never had I felt so alone in my life than getting ready to take the plunge to get married and not have someone walk me down the aisle.

I shifted my bouquet in my hands and tried to swallow down the rising fear that was trying to wash over me. There was still time to turn around and run. I could skip town and avoid the embarrassment and drama of leaving an incredible man like Jones at the altar.

“Sorry I’m late,” Capshaw said, rushing to stand beside me and offering his arm.

“What are you doing?” I whispered, looking up at him with tears in my eyes.

“You can’t honestly think you were going to walk down the aisle by yourself,” he said with a crooked grin.

“I didn’t think about it until now,” I admitted, pulling in a shaky breath.

I could feel everyone’s eyes still on us and was thankful that it was a relatively small ceremony, with only close friends, as neither of us had family we wanted to attend.

“Are you ready?” he asked softly, giving me all the time in the world.

I wanted to scream no and reconsider why I was doing this, but then I saw Jones standing at the front next to the altar, and everything changed. My heart raced, and my feet started moving on their own accord.

I vaguely heard Capshaw chuckle as he led me down the aisle, but my attention was solely focused on the man I would soon call my husband.

Once we got to the front, we stopped, and the battalion chief asked something about who was giving me away today. Capshaw answered and then slid my arm out of his and placed my hands in Jones’s.

I was still riding the insane emotional ride of being out of my mind freaked out about this and over the moon excited. I couldn’t figure out which direction I was going, but when he smiled at me, I knew it wasn’t anywhere without him.

Just as the battalion chief started talking, I had a moment of panic rush through me, my hands immediately dropping from his. His brow furrowed in concern as he studied me.

I’m about to marry someone who I don’t even know their name. How do I introduce him to people? This is my husband, Jones—don’t ask for his first name because I didn’t bother to get it before I spread my legs for him. That’s me—a girl who doesn’t bother with the little details before jumping into bed with someone and agreeing to marry them! My grandma would be so disappointed!

---