“Jennifer, are you awake?” Scarlett asked knocking on the door.
“Yes, come in.”
“Happy Birthday to you, Jennifer. Are you excited? I am!” she told me, sitting on the bed.
She had brought me a welcome cup of tea. Her beautiful young fresh face was alight with energy.
“I am, but I’m a bit nervous to be honest.”
“It will be fine and you will soon be Mrs Cole and my step-mum.”
“I am looking forward to that bit, Scarlett. I love you to bits, you know.”
“I love you too, Jennifer,” she told me, hugging me.
“Here, I got you a present.
“That’s so sweet, thank you.”
She passed me a card and a silver box with a ribbon on. I opened the card that read, “You are like a mother to me.”
Tears filled my eyes as I kissed her cheek. Next I opened the box and it contained a beautiful white gold necklace with a gorgeous pearl drop.
“Scarlett, it is gorgeous and it will be perfect with my dress. It can be my something new!”
“I am glad you like it, Jennifer. I will let you get ready. See you in a bit.”
After a relaxing shower, Rachel, the hair and make-up lady, knocked on the door. Scarlett and Katie followed her into the room.
“Let’s get this bubbly open. Come on!” Katie laughed, popping the cork on some very expensive champagne Zack had sent up to the room.
“I’m sorry but I don’t fancy it. I haven’t eaten anything. I am too nervous to eat.”
“Well, bottoms up! I will have a drink for you then, babe!” Katie shrilled.
Rachel put my hair up beautifully and curled it. She kept the make-up to an elegant minimum and then she moved onto Katie and Scarlett.
“Can you help me into my dress, girls?”
They helped me into an off-white lace dress with long sleeves. It was designed by one of Zack’s main advertisers whom he had negotiated a good deal with.
My dress was stunningly beautiful and I felt like a movie star in it.
“Oh Jennifer, you look so beautiful but your massive boobs took some taming! I’m only jealous,” Katie told me as she giggles.
“Ha! Thank you. What time is it?”
“It’s 2pm. Only an hour to go!” Scarlett said, hardly containing her excitement.
Shortly afterwards, my Dad knocked on the door.
“Can I come in, Jennifer?”
“Come in, Dad.”
“We will leave you too it,” Katie said as they filed out of my bedroom.
“Oh my goodness, you look absolutely stunning, darling. You take my breath away, sweetheart, Happy Birthday!”
“Aw Dad don’t, you will have me streaking my make-up.”
“It’s nearly time for you to get married, sweetheart!”
“I know. I am so nervous, Dad.”
“If you are as happy as your Mother and I are, that will do nicely. He is a good man, Jennifer, and he asked me if he could marry you. Did you know that?”
“No, I didn’t. Bless him. I love him so much, Dad.”
Taking a deep breath, I quickly checked my make-up for the last time. I gathered up my lovely bouquet of lilies courtesy of Connor’s Mum Lynne.
“Are you ready, darling?”
“Yes, let’s go.”
We started to descend the staircase and Katie and Scarlett followed behind us. They looked gorgeous in their wine-coloured dresses.
My legs were wobbling outrageously as I took the staircase and I appreciated Dad’s steady arm to help me.
“Here we go.”
I took a deep breath.
We made our way to the large dining room and I was relieved to see Zack standing at the front with his brother Jake, his best man. Jasper was at his other side. He ended up with two best men. He chose Jake as well as Jasper as there was only a year between them and growing up, they were as thick as thieves.
The song, Never knew love like this before, played as I confidently walked up the aisle towards Zack.
I got to choose this one and Zack got to choose the song as we went back down the aisle as man and wife.
Neither one of us knew what the other had chosen.
He hadn’t turned around to look at me until I was standing by his side.
When he did, he took my breath away.
My heart swelled with love for him.
He was my soul mate, the other half of me, my one and only.
Zack turned to me and gave me a broad lopsided smile.
I felt like I had lit up inside.
Obviously he looked beyond gorgeous in his beautifully-tailored grey morning suit. Not a strand of his sometimes unruly hair was out of place. He had about two day’s stubble on his chin and he looked absolutely, breathtakingly, beautifully irresistible.
This is it, the moment I give myself to him and him to me.
My stomach flipped as he looked at me with those amazing sapphire blue eyes. Our amazing chemistry fizzled tangibly in the air around us as something special passed between just the two of us.