Samantha Young E-Bundle: Castle Hill, Until Fountain Bridge, One King's Way(7)

“But we’re not single. We’re married without the certificate. Let’s change the symbolism of it. We’ll celebrate together. We’ll celebrate how we mean to go on for the rest of our lives.”

I loved the way he looked at me. So full of . . . everything. “You could charm the pants off absolutely anyone,” I told him quietly.

He smirked. “I take it that means you like the idea?”

“I love the idea. I love everything you’ve said. But I know Ellie’s excited about this, so we’re going to give our friends what they want.”

“Adam mentioned strippers,” Braden warned me, his eyes twinkling.

“If Adam books a stripper for you, I’ll force Ellie to book a stripper for me.”

Chuckling, Braden relaxed back in his chair. “Let’s agree to no strippers.”

I raised my glass of water and waited for Braden to do the same. “To no strippers.”

“To no strippers,” he repeated.

“And let’s just make that a motto for our marriage.”

Laughing, Braden nodded. “I can guarantee it.”

I gestured to our plans and gave him a smile. “So are we done for the night? Can we lounge in front of a movie now?”

“Definitely.”

Together, we cleaned our dishes and cleared the wedding plans away. Half an hour later we lay on the sofa together, my head on Braden’s chest, his arm around my back, as we watched an action movie on pay-per-view.

Forty minutes in, I tilted my head back to look into his face and said, “Sometimes I can’t believe that I get to do this with you for the rest of my life.”

Surprised at my sentiment, Braden looked at me, eyes glittering with amusement. “What? Watch a movie?”

“Yes,” I answered honestly. “Lie in your arms and watch a crappy movie. It might seem simple to other people, but it’s everything to me.”

The amusement left his expression, quickly replaced with something far more intense as he reached up to stroke my cheek with his thumb. “I’m glad you’re quitting the bar.”

“You are?”

“Yeah. I’ve never liked you working there, and I miss you at the weekend.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because you seemed happy. It’s sort of my life mission to make sure you stay that way,” he teased.

I grinned. “Gotcha. Well, mission accomplished. I have lots of new friends, so I don’t need the bar for a social life anymore. And I want to concentrate on my writing and on us. I’ll hand in my resignation this week.”

Braden nodded and squeezed me closer. “Sounds good, babe.”

Snuggling into him, I let out a contented sigh and turned my gaze back on the movie. “Pfft.”I mocked the screen as we soaked in each other’s warmth. “Like a cop would start shooting in a public place like that. What is this crap we’re watching?”

“Something about ‘everything to you,’ I believe.”

“Hmmph. Well, it will be if we become a little more discerning in our rental choices. Oh, God,” I groaned at the screen. “This guy is a tool.”

“Jocelyn?” Braden tightened his arm around me and I looked up at him to find him grinning. “Just so you know, this is everything to me too.” He bent down to give me a sweet kiss before turning back to the television. “Perhaps minus the commentary from the peanut gallery.”





Chapter 3


The Wedding


Clark, Ellie’s stepdad, and thus father figure to Braden and me, threaded my arm through his elbow and patted my hand in a comforting way.

At the gesture, I glanced sharply at his kind face. “What? Do I look nervous?”

He smiled softly at me. “A little.”

“I don’t want to look nervous,” I whispered back.

Although his mouth didn’t laugh, his eyes definitely did. “Just take a deep breath.”

We were standing out of view of the double doors that had opened up onto the red-carpeted aisle of the church and my bridesmaids were already walking their way up it. It was nearly my turn.

I couldn’t believe our wedding day was here already. It didn’t seem that long ago that I’d woken up the day after my engagement to Ellie knocking on my door with a bunch of bridal magazines in her hands. Although I’d had moments of doubt, I’d fiercely fought them back.

It was kind of a shock then to find myself standing at the bottom of the aisle, freaking out.

Fuckity, f*ckity, f*ck, f*ck.

Deep breaths.

I could not have a panic attack. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Braden. The problem was I was terrified I was going to find some way to f*ck it up. Even after months of proving to myself that I was capable of being in a committed, loving relationship, I was still afraid. I was afraid I was going to hurt him.

“What if I mess this up?” I murmured.

Clark’s hand tightened over mine. “It’s not going to be perfect because no marriage is. You’re going to fight, clash, say things you don’t mean . . . When you love someone, these things can happen. But, Joss”—he dipped his head to meet my gaze—“the good you two will have together, will always outweigh any bad.” He smiled. “And I think Braden’s proved there’s not much you can do to chase him off.”