Loving Mr. Daniels(83)

When we were fifteen, she dated a total loser, and when he broke up with her, she cried for four days straight.
When she found out I was sick, she cried more days than I could count.
She has the biggest heart in the world, and I know you have seen all sides of it. It takes a strong man to love my sister. And you are a strong man. So here are some twin-tips for you from yours truly:
Read her Shakespeare when she cries.
Take walks in the rain and jump in the puddles with her.
Don’t mind her when she calls you an * during ‘that time of the month’—she’s a total bitch at those times.
Buy her flowers because it’s Tuesday.
Make her do things that scare her.
Don’t be a pushover—we don’t like that.
Don’t be a dick either—we hate that.
Smile at her when you’re mad.
Dance with her in the middle of the day.
Kiss her just because.
Love her forever.
Thank you for loving my best friend, brother.
Keep up the good work.
-Your new sis, Gabby
I stared at the words for the longest time, tears streaming down my cheeks. The door to the room opened and Jace peeked his head inside. My hands brushed against my eyes and I turned to him.
“You ready, Danny? The photographer wants a few shots of the groomsmen before the ceremony,” he said smiling my way.
I walked over to him and wrapped my arm around his shoulder. “I’m ready.”
He smirked my way. “You know how to tie a bowtie?”
I snickered and rolled my eyes. “Of course. Don’t you?”


“So help me God, if you move, I’ll kick your ass. Don’t. Breathe,” Hailey muttered behind me, my hands resting on my waist. I stood as still as possible, staring out the window at the beautiful landscape. The sun lay golden-soft over the huddle hills.
Hailey pulled the ribbon of my corset tight, cutting off my air supply for a moment.
“Okay, on the count of three, exhale… One…two…three!”
I breathed out, bending forward as much as the gown allowed me to. A robin danced past the window, and I followed it with my finger, watching it fly higher and higher toward the nonexistent clouds of the day. The sky was completely blue in all directions.
Turning around to face Hailey and Mom, I listened to them inhale deep, but a following exhale never came.
“I look fat!” I cried, running my hands across the lace material.
Mom’s eyes watered over as she walked closer to me and placed her hands in mine. “You look like the most beautiful bride.”
My lips turned up. “It’s a good day to get married, isn’t it?”
Hailey clapped her hands together and poured champagne. “It’s a perfect day for a wedding!”
There was a knock at the door, and I moved a curl of hair from my face. “Come in. Unless you’re Daniel. Then you stay out.”
The door knob turned and two people walked in with boxes in their hands. Jace and Bentley. They were in suits and looked extremely dapper. When they turned to me, I blushed because of how their mouths hung open. I shifted around at the silence, begging them to speak.
“Ashlyn, you look…” Bentley smiled, showing his deep dimples.
“Perfect,” Jace finished, his blue eyes brighter than the day. “Um, sorry. We’ll leave you to finish getting ready. We just had a few things to give to you.”
Bentley walked over to me and opened the first box. “Something old and something new. Gabby’s favorite guitar pick placed on a new diamond necklace.”
My eyes glossed over as Hailey lifted my hair and Bentley placed the necklace around my neck. I thanked him with a kiss on his cheek.
Jace stepped up next with a smaller box. “And something borrowed and something blue.” The box opened and I gasped. “It was our mom’s favorite pair of blue diamond earrings. You don’t have to wear them. I just thought…”
His worries were taken away because I removed the studs from my ears and quickly replaced them with the beautiful earrings.
Jace wrapped me in a hug and held on tight. “He’s one lucky bastard.”
“Is he nervous?”
Jace gave me a wicked smile and reached into his back pocket. Pulling out an envelope, he placed it in my hands. “He told me to give it to you.”
My fingers traced over the letter and I smiled, knowing that it was his letter he’d written years ago about where he wanted to be in five years. I’d already had Henry deliver my letter to Daniel.
Mom smiled to everyone. “How about we give the bride-to-be a few minutes to read?” Everyone agreed and left the room.
I sat in a chair, opening the letter.
My Sweets,
You asked me where I saw myself in five years, and the only answer I can come up with is with you. We’ll be so deeply in love that the world will envy us. We’ll be so ridiculously happy that the flowers will grow from our laughter. In five years from now, you will be mine, and I will be yours.
If things go the way my heart is begging them to go, you will be my wife. I don’t know if we will have children by that point, but there will be children in our future. I will wake up every morning with your sweet smile and emerald eyes on me. I will fall asleep to your touch, your heat. So on the day we say ‘I do,’ just know how much I do love you. There is no question to the truth of the words, no doubt that fills me inside. From this day forth, the only thing I ever want to do is love you.
Always Always,
Mr. Daniels
His words were embedded into my soul. Daniel Daniels was now a part of me. But truth be told, I thought he’d already been there before I was even born.