James waited for me at the airport. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. He stood, texting, standing with one hand in the pocket of his gray dress pants for work. He’d found a job at a medical lab, and would be given a full-time position once he graduated at the end of the year.
He looked amazing in those pants and pale blue dress shirt.
A moment later, my phone beeped. His head shot up and he grinned when he saw me approaching. I threw my arms around his neck and he lifted me into the air as we kissed.
He pushed my face away as he caressed it. “Let me look at you.”
I smiled and bit my lip as his eyes took in my face.
“How could you be more beautiful than I remember?”
“You’re getting old, so Alzheimer’s is setting in.”
“You’re funny,” he responded sarcastically.
I giggled.
His fingers ran over the ends of my hair. “Come on, let’s get home.”
I monopolized the conversation the whole way home, telling him about Tara and Lyla and all the fun and crazy things we did together. He listened patiently and laughed at our antics. Once we pulled up at the townhouse, I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You’re wonderful, you know that?”
He grinned. “I did know that, yes.”
I giggled and kissed his cheek again.
He sighed, touching my chin. “It’s good to have you back.”
I looked into his eyes, enjoying the warmth and comfort they gave me. “It’s good to be back.”
He kissed me on the lips, and then climbed out of the car. “Let’s get you settled in. Your family wants you tonight, so I need some time with you first.”
We dragged my suitcases inside, and I almost died of shock. “It’s . . . it’s clean!”
James laughed. “I thought it would be a nice surprise for you.”
I nodded, unable to speak. He led me up the stairs. As we entered the bedroom, a chocolate ball of fur charged us. Canis looked full grown and had to have reached the maximum size allowed for their townhouse’s contract. He resembled a Labrador, just smaller and leaner.
“Look at you!” I knelt down to scratch his ears.
“Yeah, he’s a right little terror.” James grinned as he picked him up and tossed him out the door. “Get outside, you!”
Canis raced down the stairs as James shut the door.
James’s gaze turned to me and looked me over, slowly, carefully absorbing every inch of me. “Six months, Cadence. It’s been six months since we were last together. I haven’t gone that long since . . . well, okay, our sexual encounters have always been sparse, but to not even kiss you or hold you has been torture.”
He started unbuttoning his shirt as he advanced on me.
I backed toward the bed and my mind filled with doubt. What about Austin? I was supposed to break up with James at some point. With the strain between us, it only seemed fair, for his sanity. But as his arms wrapped around my waist and he bent down to kiss me, all those thoughts drained out of me.
I moaned under his touch, his kiss. He pulled off his shirt, and my hands found his bare skin. Goose bumps broke out all over him and our lips parted. “Cadence?”
“Yes, James?”
He shuddered as my hands drifted down toward the button on his pants. “I’ve been thinking.”
“Okay.” I unbuttoned his pants and unzipped his fly.
“I graduate at the end of this year, and . . .” He groaned as my hand slipped into his pants.
“And?”
“Forget it.” He pushed me onto the bed. “It can wait.”
I sat between Mum and Dusty, watching Daniel’s rowdy Italian family. The middle child of seven, Daniel had three older sisters—all married with children—two younger brothers, and a younger sister. It seemed like they wanted to fulfill every stereotype possible—we had every pasta dish imaginable spread before us, all made completely from scratch and divine to eat, and his large, boisterous family spoke quickly in heavy Italian Australian accents, making them difficult to understand.
The brother immediately below Daniel, Franco, was about the same age as James, and Daniel’s best man. He seemed intent on hitting on me, much to Dad’s disgust. He sat across the table from me and leaned forward. “Cadence, right?”
“Right.” I tried to focus on my food.
“I usually prefer ethnic girls myself, but you’re cute.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, you’re in luck, because this non-ethnic girl isn’t interested.”
“Aw, come on! As maid of honor and best man, we should be getting along.”
I glanced up at him, and he winked. Gross.
“Hey! Back off!” Dad pointed at him.
Harper sank into the seat beside Franco. “Cadence is spoken for. She’s been with her boyfriend for four years, so she’s practically married to him.”
I flushed. “No, I’m not.”
“Whatever.” Harper looked back at Franco. “Her boyfriend, James, will be at the reception, so don’t even bother. It took forever to get Dad to like him, and even now, I don’t think Dad’s completely sold on him . . .”
I glanced across at Dad. He scowled as he resumed eating.
Harper managed to drag Franco away from us, and Dusty breathed a sigh of relief. “Seriously, Daniel’s family is a bit much.”
I giggled. “Well, we’ll only have to see them occasionally. Harper’s the one who’ll have to live with them.”
We looked across at Harper. She rejoined Daniel and gazed adoringly at him while he talked to his stepfather.
“She’s happy, though,” I said. “That’s what matters.”
Wedding preparations filled the week. Whenever Harper wasn’t working, she dragged me around with her to finalize everything and pick up items. The few times I was home at the same time as James, we spent it focused on each other. I completely forgot about Austin.
The wedding day finally arrived, and it couldn’t have been more perfect. The weather was warm and sunny, but not too hot like a typical January day. The ceremony was held in a packed Roman Catholic church. Harper hadn’t been pleased with the number of guests, but after a huge argument about family traditions and not wanting to offend Aunt So-and-So, she yielded—but she still didn’t like it.
I led the bridal party in on Franco’s arm. As I passed the front row, James grinned at me from the other side of Mum, and next to her sat . . .
“Geri!” I mouthed excitedly.
Geri shrugged and mouthed, “Dusty.”
I stood to the side of the altar to wait and met James’s gaze. He looked me over approvingly and mouthed, “Wow!”
I smirked.
“Nice dress.”
I glanced down at the teal dress and shrugged. “Could be worse.”
He chuckled.
The other two bridesmaids made their way up the aisle—Daniel’s younger sister with Dusty, and Harper’s best friend, Loz, with Daniel’s other brother.
Then, Harper entered. She had her arm wrapped through Dad’s and she glowed, her smile lighting up the room. She’d never looked more stunning. Her dark hair was pulled back and draped in curls around her neck. Her dress had a low waistline, so her slender curves were pronounced and elegant under the lace and beading. I’d always envied her smaller frame, and in that moment, I felt like a brick compared to her with my shorter, athletic build.
But Harper stared ahead. I followed her gaze to Daniel. By the look on his face, I saw that he’d never laid eyes on anyone more beautiful and he wondered why she chose him. I had a flash of my own wedding and remembered Austin gazing at me that same way. Tears burned in my eyes.
Harper stepped up to hand me the bouquet with tears in her own eyes. “Stop it, or you’ll mess up your makeup.”
I giggled softly as she smiled at me.
Dad gave her hand to Daniel. I watched Dad as he turned to sit beside Mum, and he nodded to James before all the guests took their seats.
The ceremony ran smoothly. Mum cried a steady stream of tears through the whole thing. Finally, Daniel was told to kiss his bride, and he clasped her face and kissed her deeply. Everyone cheered, and my own love for Harper swelled. She was so happy, and as their lips pulled apart, she turned to me. Without letting go of Daniel’s hand, she wrapped her arm around my waist and kissed my cheek.
“Thank you, Cay. I love you.”
We went to some gardens for the photos, so Dusty and I took advantage of the time to catch up. We moved to a bench under a jacaranda tree while Harper and Daniel had shots taken of just them.
“You’re doing the HSC this year,” I said.
“Thanks for that.” He rubbed his hands together. “I’m at a point where I just want it to be over. I feel really burned out, you know?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
He looked down at me with wary eyes. “I’m thinking of taking a year off.”
He’d done that the first time around, so it didn’t surprise me. “Sounds like a plan. You can travel a bit, build up some money, and when you’re ready, go back to school.”
“Hey, there you go mind reading again.” He smirked and punched my shoulder.
I rubbed it. “That’s going to bruise.”
“Whatever.”
“So . . .” I glanced around as Daniel’s siblings yelled and laughed at each other, while Loz stared between them uncomfortably. “Do you spend much time with James?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, actually. We hang out at least once a week. It’s kinda nice, you know, with us both only having sisters.” He paused and stroked my back. “He misses you like crazy.”
I flushed. “I miss him, too.”
“Neither of us get it. We don’t understand why you had to go so far away, or why you won’t come back. We thought you were happy here.”
“I am,” I said, looking into his eyes. “There’s just some things I need to do that I can’t explain.”
“James thinks it’s his fault.” Dusty gazed ahead. “He thinks it’s because he asked you to marry him before you were ready.”
I sighed. “That’s not it at all. It has nothing to do with James.”
Dusty turned to face me with a look of concern. “Nothing to do with James? Cadence, everything you do has everything to do with James. Every choice you make affects him, and sometimes, I really think you don’t even know how much.”
I couldn’t respond; my guilt was too strong. I was already up and down about breaking up with him. One minute I’d be determined to end it, but then he’d walk in and my resolve would disappear as I fell into his arms.
“I’m torturing him.” My chin quivered. “Maybe I should let him go until I finish my course and can move back―”
Dusty grabbed my shoulders and pulled me around to face him. He wore an expression of pure horror as he said in a tight voice, “What are you saying?”
I couldn’t look him in the eyes. “Maybe he’d be better off without me.”
Dusty slammed his hand over my mouth. “Shut up! Don’t even think about that! What you just said never leaves this place, do you hear me? Never. And James must never know you said that.”
“But I’m not being fair―”
“What’s not fair is if you cut him off. He’s already let you go as far as he can take. He wants to marry you, Cadence. That’s got to tell you something. But all you seem to be doing is running away, like you always do when something you’re not sure about gets in your way. You did it when he started pursuing you, you did it when you guys first had sex, and you did it when he proposed. Now, you’re trying to run—again.
“I know you love him—we all know you love him—even Dad accepted him because he can see how strong your feelings are. I think you’re the only person who hasn’t accepted it. Yeah, I get that you think you’re too young, and I respect that, but at the same time, you guys have been together for ages. People at school still talk about your epic romance and how he won you over and mended his wild ways. All the girls want their own James, and even hit on me ’cause I’m your brother and James sometimes picks me up from school so we can hang out. They think I can give them that same romance.”
I giggled. “You? Romantic?”
“I know, right? They’re completely bonkers.” He stretched his arms out along the back of the park bench. “Cadence, don’t run scared. I like James—he’s like a brother to me—and he loves you.”
How could I let go of James after that? Dusty was right. I did love him, and realistically speaking, I’d altered my relationship with Austin and potentially ruined it permanently. He thought I was crazy, and who would date someone who’s crazy? But I did have James―wonderful, faithful James whom I loved.
I couldn’t let him go.
At the reception, I sat with Harper alongside the bridesmaids. James and Geri sat with my parents and seemed content enough talking with them. We’d all been together for such a long time that they were practically family.
My phone vibrated, and I discreetly pulled it out to read the text from James. That girl next to you in white is smoking hot.
I giggled and set the phone on the table so Harper could read it. She scanned it, then gave James a sarcastic look. “Your boyfriend’s hilarious, Cadence.”
I looked across at him and saw him texting again with a smirk. Then I received: But that girl on the other side of you . . . oh man, Cadence, you have some serious competition tonight.
I looked up at him, and he twitched his eyebrows at me, still smirking. I rolled my eyes and he laughed.
As we progressed into the speeches, his texts increased in frequency as he pointed out the strange faces people pulled or mocked the speeches. Every time my phone vibrated, Harper grew more and more annoyed until she finally snapped during Daniel’s dad’s speech. “Tell your stupid boyfriend to cut it out!” she said sharply.
His next text said, Tell Harper I heard that ha ha!
I showed her and she smoldered, throwing him a dirty look. He shrugged, smirking, and tucked his phone away.
The daddy-daughter dance came up, and Dad hurried over to take Harper’s hand. She smiled up at him, and he gazed lovingly into her eyes. That moment hadn’t happened in the first timeline—Harper didn’t want the daddy-daughter dance then. Thankfully, this time around, she did.
“Cadence?” I looked up as James stretched out his hand for me. “Will you let me dance with the most beautiful girl in the world?”
“Harper’s over there.” I nodded across the dance floor.
“Shut up and dance with me.”
I laughed and took his hand.
He guided me onto the dance floor and held me in a waltz position. “It seems those classes in PE where we learned line-dancing are paying off.” He grinned. “Look at me box-stepping!”
I chuckled and rested my head against his chest. It rose and fell as he sighed, and he kissed the top of my head. His arm wrapped tighter around my waist, and he held me close.
“James?”
“Mmm?”
“I love you.”
He pulled back and lifted my chin with our joined hands. “Cadence, I love you more than anything.” He kissed me softly. “I wanted to tell you something.”
“What’s that?”
“When I graduate at the end of this year, I’m going to move west to be with you. The lab I work for has branches out there, so I can arrange a transfer. I want to be there for you as you finish your last year.”
“James!” I lifted my hand off his shoulder and touched his face. “That would be wonderful!”
“Really? I thought you went out there to get away from me for a while, so I thought you’d be a bit more apprehensive.”
I shook my head. “I wasn’t running from you—I’ve told you that over and over. I just needed to go out and find myself, and I’m getting there. I have to be self-reliant and independent, and everyone just sees me as me. Not as one of the Anderson kids, or Geri’s best friend―”
“Or my girlfriend,” he said flatly.
I sighed. “James, I promise this is not about you. I love you. That’s why I need to find me.”
He clasped my face. “It’s just so hard. We seem to fight all the time, and I hate it. Cadence, I promise I’m going to study hard so I can graduate and be with you again.”
I smiled. “I’d like―”
“Okay! Can all the single ladies gather around?” the MC’s voice boomed over the microphone.
James kissed my head before turning me toward a small crowd of gathering women. “Show those crazy Italians what being a psycho, sports-fanatic, white chick means.”
“Ah, so that’s what you call me behind my back!”
“Don’t you doubt it!” He spanked me firmly across the rump.
I walked over, and Geri caught my arm. “Finally, I can talk to you! Come on, let’s get into this catfight for old time’s sake.”
She dragged me right into the middle of the pack.
“So, you’re here with Dusty, huh?” I said.
“Yeah, he needed a plus one, and I was convenient.” She shrugged.
“I know he kissed you last New Year’s.”
She stiffened. “What?”
“Yeah, I saw it.”
She blushed. “It was just a thing. You know, being New Year’s and stuff.”
“Geri, it’s okay for you to like him.”
She pursed her lips and stared ahead. “I don’t like him. He’s just a kid.”
“No, he’s not, and he likes you.”
Her breath caught and she met my gaze, but before she could say anything, Harper stood in front of us and the shoving began. We both shoved back, and Geri snickered manically. The bouquet flew into the air. Geri shoved everyone nearby as the bouquet flew right at us. She pushed a girl charging at it onto the floor, and it landed gracefully into my hands without much effort. “Oh!”
Harper spun around and grinned when she saw me holding it, but the fight had only just begun. One of Daniel’s cousins charged me with a roar. Geri blocked her, and they wrestled on the ground.
“Shoot!” I rushed over to the bridal table, tossed the flowers on my chair, and jumped into the fray.
There was screaming and the pulling of hair, but Geri and I fended off the four women attacking us before they realized the bouquet had gone and they were fighting over nothing. The fight ended abruptly, and Geri and I stood with huge grins as we did a knuckle bump.
“I got your back, sistah,” Geri said.
“And I got yours, girlfriend.”
We laughed and turned to see Mum covering her face and shaking her head. We must have put on quite the show. Dad stood with his arms folded, scowling, and Dusty and James rolled with laughter.
Next was the garter toss. James and Dusty were up in a flash, determined to beat our little show. Daniel went under Harper’s skirt to get it with his teeth and we all burst out laughing, except Dad. Geri and I looked over to see him turning bright red, clenching his jaw. I rushed over and grabbed his hand. He looked down at me and I smiled. His expression softened, and he squeezed my hand.
Daniel emerged with the garter in his teeth to cheers and whoops of approval. He stood and flung it out over the heads of the guys. Dusty and James rushed in and started a tussle for the prize.
“Are all my children wild?” Dad muttered. “I thought Dusty was at least moderately sensible.”
I chuckled. “Dad, Dusty’s the worst one.”
“Yes, and when he gets with your boy there, he only gets worse.”
“Oh Dad, you love James.”
He grunted.
James launched into the air and cleared the fight, waving the garter in his hand. Everyone cheered and his eyes locked on me, swiveling it around on his finger. Dusty slugged him. He spun around and the struggle began again, before James rushed to me and used me as a body shield. “Dusty, you wouldn’t hit your sister!”
Dusty rushed over. “You’re joking, right? She’d hit me even harder right back.”
Dad pulled me out from between them. “Dusty Anderson! I think you’ve had enough.”
His fists lowered as he glanced at Dad. “Yeah, okay.” But he gave James a look to tell him it wasn’t over.
The party wrapped up after that, and soon we stood watching Harper and Daniel disappear down the road for their honeymoon. James wrapped his arm around my waist and grunted.
“Dusty hit me hard! When did he get so strong? Seriously, last time I checked he was a little kid who barely reached my chest in height.”
I looked up at him and saw a bruise forming on his jaw. I touched the swelling, making him wince. “Ouch, James! He did hit you hard.”
I swung around to tell off Dusty, but couldn’t see him anywhere. “Where is he?”
“Don’t worry about it,” James said.
“Oh, I will. No one hits my boyfriend like that and gets away with it!”
James smirked. “That’s my crazy, competitive girl.”
“Shut up.”
We rushed back inside, but couldn’t find him anywhere. We checked the bathrooms, the gardens, everywhere. Finally, after I checked the bridal room, we headed to the groom’s room.
Just before I flung the door open, James grabbed my arm and pressed his finger against his lips. “Do you hear that?”
“Wha . . . ?”
James signaled for me to be quiet again and cracked open the door. We peeked in and saw Dusty on the couch with Geri underneath him, making out like crazy. His hands were all over her, and her hands were all over him.
James carefully pulled the door shut with a grin, and we hurried away as quietly as possible.
“I don’t think we’ll bother saying goodbye to them.” James wrapped his arm around my waist. “But you should finish packing up so we can go home.”
I nodded and rushed into the reception hall to grab my handbag. The room was abandoned except for Dad. He walked slowly around the space, running his hand over chairs and tables, and finally paused where Harper had been seated. He leaned over and plucked up a stray flower that had fallen onto the table and tucked it into his lapel. He sighed.
I moved toward him slowly, wondering at his behavior. My heels clicked on the wooden dance floor and he turned, startled. “Oh, Cadence, it’s you.”
I walked over and adjusted the flower in his lapel. “Are you okay?”
He nodded. “Yes, I’m just wondering where the time went. One minute she was the most beautiful little baby in my arms, and the next she’s gone, married, and on her way to having her own family.” He caressed my cheek as he gazed into my eyes. “And you probably aren’t too far behind. My little girls are women now, and I just don’t feel ready to let you go.”
I wrapped my arms around him and nuzzled into his chest. “Neither do I, Daddy.”
He held me tightly and kissed the top of my head. “But you are ready. That boy loves you, and I know you love him. Don’t be afraid to give him your whole self, because he has fought harder for you than I ever thought possible. There’s nothing more deserving than that.”
I gasped and pulled away from him. He was supposed to say that about Austin. He was supposed to say Austin was the only person who could ever deserve me. It only made my internal conflict worse.
He caught my wrist. “Sweetheart, you don’t have to be afraid―”
“Stop it, Dad. You don’t understand.”
Pain flooded into his face. “Then help me.”
I turned away and grasped my bag. “I can’t. It’s . . . complicated.”
“Cadence . . .”
“We’re leaving. It’s getting late. I love you.” I hurried out the door.
James stood talking with Mum. He smiled when he saw me, and my conflict melted away. I smiled back.
We quietly drove back to the house, but it felt comfortable as his hand rested over mine. Back home, I took a shower and came out to find him lying in bed. He sat scanning the internet, wearing only a pair of . . .
“Glasses?” I climbed up beside him. “Since when do you wear glasses?”
“It’s fairly recent, and just for reading and such.”
I shuffled up beside him and, holding my towel, I leaned against him and ran my hand down his chest and abs. I shifted the sheet covering him and his breath caught.
“Do you want something?” His voice was thick.
“What do you think?”
He held his breath as my hand wandered downward. His hand weakly lifted and shut the laptop. I kissed his neck and he shuddered. He set the laptop aside, and when his fingers barely touched my arms, I pulled away.
He grasped his hair with a moment’s frustration as I sat up in front of him. But then I removed my towel. His eyes widened as his hand and jaw fell. “I can never get over how beautiful you are naked.”
I giggled, and before I knew it, his lips were on me and he had pinned me underneath him. His lips and fingers explored my body, piquing my senses.
“James!”
“Yes?”
“I need you.”
“You need me?”
“Yes! James!”
He lifted himself over me to gaze into my eyes. I shuddered as he made love to me. With my senses so heightened, I screamed out in ecstasy. “James! Don’t stop!”
My nails dug into his back, and he grunted, pulling back slightly. He gazed into my face as he continued. I shut my eyes, taking it all in.
He whispered, “Marry me, Cadence.”
My climax hit me. “Oh, yes, James. I will.”
When he finished and rolled off, he didn’t let me go. We clung to each other. I gazed into his eyes as I caught my breath, and it dawned on me what I said. I sat up, startled.
He shot up beside me and ran his hand down my back. “What is it?”
“Did I just agree to marry you?”
He smiled lovingly. “Yeah, you did.”
I gasped and covered my face. “No, no, no! Not now!”
“Cadence, it’s not like we’ll get married tomorrow.”
“No. James, I can’t . . . I’m not . . .”
His arms wrapped around me. “You’re freaking out on me again.”
“James . . .”
“Cadence, it’s okay. We don’t have to be engaged. Just the promise that it’ll happen eventually is enough for me.”
His lips pressed against my shoulder, making goose bumps break out all over me. I relaxed as his hands wandered over my collarbone and he nibbled on my ear. He lowered me onto the bed beside him, and he kissed and caressed me until I fell asleep.