“Did you do this for me?” Tears start to form in my eyes and I’m doing everything I can to stop from crying.
“It was a team effort.”
My mom and Josie come over, followed by everyone else. One by one, I give everyone a hug. “How?” I ask my mom after I’ve greeted everyone and have had a moment to decompress.
“Josie and I, along with your sister and Betty Paige. Noah has helped with information when we asked. We realized that you’re both so busy that you don’t have time to plan a wedding.” My mom reaches for my hand. “I know you want to get married at Christmas, and you will. We’ve taken care of everything. You and Noah just have to show up.”
“Are you serious? You’ve taken care of everything?”
Both moms nod. “Noah has been sneaking us pictures of your wedding book. We’ve implemented everything. The groomsmen have their suits. As you know, the flowers are taken care of. The dads met with the caterers and DJ for the reception.”
I can’t hold back the tears any longer. My family has taken care of everything to give me my dream wedding. I look around the room, it’s filled people I love. Some of whom I haven’t seen since graduation. Everyone is talking to each other, they’re eating and drinking, waiting for me to join them.
Noah appears at my side and slides his arm over my waist as he kisses me on my cheek. He holds his lips there and whispers that he loves me. He truly does. Either that or he’s trying to wife me up before one of the guys on the team asks me to marry him.
“Where are we getting married?”
“Where my parents did,” Noah tells me. “At six p.m. I’m hoping you’ll meet me there. I’ll be the guy standing at the front, with your brother and my dad by my side, waiting for the love of his life to walk down the aisle with her dad by her side.”
I turn and pull Noah into my arms. “I’ll be there. I promise.”
18
Noah
My hand slams down on my phone in a failed attempt to shut off the alarm blaring through the speaker. It’s five in the morning and still very dark outside on Christmas morning. It’s also the day the love of my life becomes my wife. Automatically, I reach for her even though I know she’s across town, sleeping in her childhood bed. I think the tradition that the bride and groom can’t spend the night before their wedding together is the dumbest thing ever, especially when the couple already lives together. Someone please tell me why I’m waking up on Christmas morning without my girl?
As slowly as possible I start to get out of bed. My body is sore. My aches have aches. My bare feet touch the hardwood floor and I shiver, already missing the warm California sun and the mild weather of Portland.
Dressing quickly, I sneak out of my parents’ house. Instead of driving, I jog to my destination. I figure I might as well get a workout in while I can because today is going to be nothing but eating and drinking. I’m going to need a vacation from Christmas.
Twenty very cold minutes later, I’m climbing up the trellis and onto the roof of the porch to the James’ home. I haven’t done this in years, but today calls for a little daredevil action. I don’t want to wait until Peyton has had Christmas with her family until I can see her. Last night was torture. Almost as bad as when we’re on a road trip and I know she’s down the hall, sleeping in another room. I tried to convince our employer that Peyton and I should share a room, but they weren’t buying it.
Last night I texted her and suggested she leave her window unlocked, telling her that if she were a good girl, Santa would pay her an early morning visit. Thankfully, she did. It takes a little effort to get the window up, but once it does, I slip in and close it quietly.
My girl is lying there like an angel, the comforter covering her right up to her chin. Her long dark hair spreads out over her pillow, waiting for me to run my fingers through it. I can’t believe that by the end of the night she’s going to be my wife. She’s the only one I want to have children with, to grow old with. Right now I’m the luckiest guy in the world because I’m marrying the woman that my dreams are made of. Life doesn’t get any better than this.
Kicking off my shoes, I pull back her comforter and slide in next to her, pressing into her backside. “Hey, baby,” I whisper into her ear.
I wait for her to respond. To acknowledge that I’m here.
Nothing.
“Baby.” I rest my hand under her shirt. She tenses. “P, I’m here.”
She moans, but it’s not that happy to feel you behind me kind type. It’s the leave me alone, I’m sleeping type.
“Okay, I’ll just hold you.” I situate behind her, but she moves and tries to push me away. “Peyton, seriously.”
“You know, for knowing me all my life, you would think you’d be able to tell us apart by now.”
Before I can comprehend what’s going on, someone’s giggling behind me and Peyton – no strike that – Elle is sitting up in bed. I jump out quickly and stand in the middle of the room while the twin terrors laugh uncontrollably.
“Did you seriously twin me on my wedding day?” I ask the both of them. My soon-to-be-wife nods while her sister looks rather pissed.
“I can’t believe you thought I was Peyton.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” I throw my hands up. “You’re in her bed and when it’s dark, you look just like her. I can’t believe the both of you did this to me.” I sit down on the edge of Peyton’s bed, which is actually Elle’s bed. For as long as I can remember, Peyton has always been on the left-hand side of the room.