It’s been a month since I last held my Ella in my arms, even if it was just a quick goodbye hug. Everyday talk and video calls just haven’t been enough.
Ella’s words from our date in the field still bounce in my head. We both know this is it, so why wait? I wanted to get down on one knee that night and ask her to be my wife. I wanted to sweep her off to the courthouse and marry her, so she never left. But I also want to do this right because she deserves that.
Today, I’m back at the airport, waiting for Ella and her family to get here for Megan’s wedding this weekend. I get a whole week with her, and I can’t be happier.
What Ella doesn’t know is I’ve had many long talks with her dad over the last couple of weeks. I want a good relationship with him, and that takes time and bonding. I know it won’t happen just because I’m going to marry his little girl.
I watch people file out of the airport security area and every time I see blond hair, my heart races. After the fifth time, I don’t think I can take it anymore. God has mercy on me when I see her talking to Maggie with the biggest smile on her face.
When her eyes lock with mine, it’s like no time has passed. Like there hasn’t been a month since I saw her last. Everything and everyone in the airport fades away as she rushes to my arms just like last time.
There’s no side hug. This is her body plastered to mine, her arms wrapped around me in the largest hug, and her face rests on my chest. I bury my face in her neck and take a deep breath.
“I missed you so damn much, sweetheart,” I mumble into her neck.
“I missed you too, Jason. I don’t want to leave.”
“You just got here. We have a week. Let’s not think about you leaving.”
“Deal.”
She pulls away and instantly, I hate the space between us. Her parents are there, and her dad is giving me the look. The one that says, ‘you know what you did, don’t do it again.’ I haven’t gotten that look from my own parents in over ten years.
I get them loaded up in the truck, and we head towards town.
“So, what’s on the agenda?” Ella asks just as my phone rings.
“Can you answer that for me, sweetheart?” I ask her when I see it’s Megan. “Put it on speakerphone.”
“Hey Megan,” I answer.
“Hey yourself. Please tell me Ella is there with you.”
“I’m right here, Megan.”
“Good. I need a huge favor. One of my bridesmaids backed out. I have her dress, but please tell me you’ll do it. I promise to pair you up with Jason and everything. Just please, please, please say you’ll do it!”
“Is that okay, Jason?” Ella whispers to me.
“Of course, sweetheart. I’d love nothing more than to be stuck next to you all day.”
She laughs. “Well, I have to see the dress. Make sure it’s modest enough,” she says back to Megan.
“It’s knee-length and modest. High neckline, but it’s sleeveless. The girls all agree to wear whatever cover-up you need. Soon as you get here, I need to steal you away for a fitting and see what you need. One of the ladies from the beauty shop offered to tailor anything we need.”
I just shake my head. This is so Megan.
“Okay, we’re about an hour out,” I tell her.
They say their goodbyes, and everyone laughs a bit once Ella hangs up.
“Sounds like it’s going to be a busy few days,” Ella’s mom says. “Make sure you tell her I can sew and help with anything she needs as well. Okay, Ella?”
“Of course, Mom.”
I take a deep breath and take Ella’s hand. We talk about the wedding prep that has been going on at the ranch for the rest of the drive.
***Megan is waiting on the front porch, and I barely get my feet on the ground before she’s pulling me upstairs to Sage’s room, which has become wedding headquarters.
“You’re the most amazing friend, soon to be sister, and bridesmaid ever, ever, ever.” Megan is talking a mile a minute, which shows me how nervous she is. It makes me smile. I hope to be in her shoes soon.
“Okay, show me the dress. Let’s start there. OH! Mom wants you to know she can sew too if you need anything.”
“Oh perfect! Let’s see how this looks.” She tosses a coral dress at me and pushes me towards Sage’s massive bathroom.
As I get dressed, I take in Sage’s bathroom with its hardwood floors and light-gray walls that play off the large rustic wood ceiling beams. It’s done in a beautiful farmhouse style. The sinks are built into old dressers painted white. Even I’m jealous of her shower with the river rocks and rainfall showerheads.
When I’m dressed, I look at myself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror. The dress is a deep coral color and is knee-length. Plenty long. The neckline comes up to my collarbone, but it’s sleeveless. It’s very flowy and honestly, something I would wear out to a nice dinner.
“Open up before she kicks the door down.” Sage laughs.
I open the door, and Mom is there taking measurements.
“I stopped in to see how you look. We’ll need to do something about the sleeves, but the length is good. I just need to take it in a bit at the waist, but these wrap-around straps will help with the fit,” Mom says as she pins the dress.
“The plan is to wear brown cowgirl boots. What about a lace sweater that is kind of see through?” Megan holds up her phone, showing a picture of the beautiful ivory lace sweater that you can see between the lace pattern.
“Oh, I like that. It’s perfect,” I say.
“Yay! Wendy has them in everyone’s size, so I’m going to text Mom to pick them up. I think they’ll look great with the dresses and the wildflowers.”
“Megan?” I ask.
“Yeah?”
“Everything is going to be perfect. You have so much help, and now that Maggie, Mom, and I are here, you have even more.”
She sighs and flops down on the couch at the other end of Sage’s room.
“I know. I think it’s more the excitement than anything. I can’t wait to marry Hunter. I hid my feelings from even myself and now that they’re out, all I want to do is shout it out to the world.”
“Which you get to do the day after tomorrow,” Sage says with a huge smile on her face.
“Okay, Ella, go change so I can get started on this dress,” Mom says.
“Let me show you where the sewing stuff is. I don’t use it much, so I put it all in one of the guest rooms,” Sage tells Mom.
“Okay. With that, I’m off. Hunter and I have a date today. It’s the last chance we have before the wedding, and Hunter is demanding some alone time with me,” Megan says as she heads downstairs.
I smile and just take it all in. It’s busy here, but the house is so big, you don’t feel cramped, but you don’t feel alone either. It’s lived in, and I love that feeling. It gives me butterflies. I can’t wait to live here too.
With any luck, it will be sooner rather than later.