Kelsey: Your office.
I nearly sprint to my office and shut the door behind me. She’s on the couch, a cup of coffee in hand. When our eyes meet, she slowly sets the coffee on the table in front of her and stands. “What did they say?”
I smile. “They fucking loved it.”
She jumps in glee and then runs to my arms, offering me the world’s best fucking hug. I grip her tightly, one hand on her back, the other at the nape of her neck as she clings to me, her legs wrapping around my waist.
“Oh my God, I’m so excited for you.”
“Thank you,” I say, burying my head in her hair.
I press a kiss to the side of her face and hold her so tightly. It’s as if the world around me is starting to make sense. For so long, I’ve felt lost, like I wasn’t supposed to be where I was, but over the last few months, the clouds have parted and I can finally fucking see what I’m supposed to be doing.
Giving back.
Creating something bigger than an income for me and my brothers.
Falling for this woman and showing her the kind of man I can be for her.
It’s all clicking into place, and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.
Ever.
Chapter Twenty-One
KELSEY
Meant to Be Podcast
Jason and Dottie
Kelsey: Welcome, listener, to the Meant to Be Podcast, where we talk to madly-in-love couples about the way they met. Jason and Dottie, thank you so much for joining me today.
Jason: It’s an absolute honor.
Kelsey: And this potato salad you had sent over, did you make this, Jason?
Jason: I did. We’re in the early stages of production, but hopefully soon we’ll have my potato salad in grocery stores around the country, not that I’m trying to promote it here or anything, but you know . . . Best Butt in Baseball Salad, coming to a store near you.
Dottie: It’s all he talks about. Like . . . all he talks about.
Jason: Can be used for backyard barbecues, family dinners, intimate evenings . . . I even licked it off Dottie a few times.
Dottie: Can you not say those kinds of things?
Jason: She’s always been camera shy.
Kelsey: You know, I’m always looking for sponsorship. A potato salad for lovers could be the first one.
Jason: Don’t you play with my heart.
Kelsey: Well, I just love the letter you sent in, Jason, about you and Dottie, and I’d love for you to tell the listeners how you two became meant to be.
Dottie: Please note, anything he says is going to be exaggerated, so take it with a grain of—
Jason: It was a dark, morbidly chilly evening in Chicago, where everyone was searching for hope and love.
Dottie: Oh, dear God, here we go.
“Are you nervous?” I ask Lottie as we stand outside on the patio of Huxley’s and her house.
For the reception, they had the pool covered in a clear surface, decorated it with seven tables, and added some soft, pink uplighting on the stone walls of the fence. Strings of flowers make for a faux ceiling, while two cellists are tucked off to the side, adding sophistication to the intimate night.
It’s family and friends, that’s it.
The original plan was for me to stay here tonight with Lottie and get ready in the morning, but Huxley wanted nothing to do with being apart from Lottie, so I’m spending the night at JP’s place. I’ll make the short walk here in the morning, where we’ll all get ready, Ellie, the other bridesmaid, included.
Thankfully, she has no ill feelings toward me, given I ditched her brother. She said he understood completely and had wondered if someone else had been on my mind when we’d gone out. I feel bad that I didn’t give him all my attention, but from what Ellie has said, he’s dating someone right now who lives in Hawaii, and he’s enjoying the “commute.”
Lottie exhales next to me and then knocks back her champagne, emptying the flute. “Am I nervous? Not really.” She speaks quietly, keeping the conversation just between us. “I’m not nervous about my choice. Without a doubt, Huxley is the man for me. I can’t wait to be married to him. I’m just nervous about all the fanfare, you know? I really wish we just got married back here tonight, and then we could go on our honeymoon, but I understand Huxley wanted more of a traditional wedding.”
“The ceremony will be short, and then you get to party. That will be so much fun.”
“True. Plus, tomorrow we’re going to have fun getting ready, right? Did you get those Mad Libs I sent you a link to? The bridal ones?”
“I did. I have them in my bag of things to do tomorrow. Can’t wait to insert boob and penis into every category.”