The Journey Home(43)
Author: Kelly Elliott

I drifted off to sleep to the sounds of the man I loved humming to Lily. Our daughter. My baby girl.

“I HEARD YOU got some back door action the other night,” Jack said as he threw the basketball, missing the hoop. “Damn.”

I stopped and looked at him. “What?”

Jack laughed. “Seems you were the first to do that to Maddie. She texted Monica about it.”

I smiled. “Really?”

Something about knowing Maddie had never played like that before had my dick jumping at the thought of doing it again tonight.

“Dude,” Jack said. “Are you seriously standing there thinking about it?”

I grabbed my towel from the bench and wiped my face. “You brought it up.”

Jack dribbled the ball, then jumped and threw it, this time making a basket. “Yeah,” he said, “well, I take back this conversation. Moving on. Monica and I are talking about getting married on December 23rd.”

I smiled and made a beeline for the basketball. I knocked it out of his hands and turned and shot for the hoop. When it swooshed in, I whooped and turned to Jack. “I do believe that was the winning shot.”

Jack rolled his eyes and grabbed his towel and bottled water from the bench before heading to the locker room.

“Oh, come on. Don’t be such a poor sport,” I said, jogging over to grab my stuff. “So December, huh? That’s a quick engagement.”

“No, it’s not,” Jack, said.

“Dude, y’all haven’t even been dating a year, and you’re engaged and planning a wedding.”

Jack stood there, staring. “What’s your point?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, a year ago, you were hooking up with two girls a week. Now you’re talking about settling down and getting married. It’s just…weird.”

Jack shot me a dirty look. He pushed the locker room doors open and headed straight to the showers.

Fifteen minutes later Jack sat down next to me. “I’ve never felt the way I feel when I’m with Monica. She changed me. I mean, I can’t imagine my life with anyone but her. I want things with her that I never dreamed I’d want with anyone.”

I smiled as I shoved my workout clothes into my duffle bag. I stood and placed my hand on Jack’s shoulder. “I’m really happy for both of you, Jack. I truly am.”

“I know you are,” he said. “You want to be my best man?”

Grinning I said, “I’d be honored.”

Jack laughed. “Good, ‘cause I expect a kick-ass bachelor party, and I know you won’t let me down.”

He headed out the door. I chuckled and followed him. “No strippers though, right?”

“Fuck yeah, there’d better be strippers.”

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. “I’m already regretting this decision.”

I WATCHED AS Jack paced back and forth in front of the window. He must have run to the bathroom to throw up at least three times in the last hour.

“I didn’t even fucking drink last night. I mean, we sat around and watched movies all night. What the hell is wrong with me?” Jack asked, surveying the room.

I attempted to hold back my laughter. Jack had talked and talked about a kick-ass bachelor party but, three weeks ago, he’d finally broken down and told me he wanted a low-key night with just a few friends at my place. So Maddie and Lily went and stayed at Monica’s parents’ house and had a girls’ night in while we stayed at my place and listened to Jack’s father and my father tell fishing stories.

Jack’s father, Craig, placed his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Son, just calm down. Take a deep breath and relax.”

Jack looked at his dad like he’d grown two heads. “Relax? I’m getting married,

Dad. Married.”

His father raised an eyebrow, then looked to my father. “Should we tell him?”

I sat up straighter, my interest piqued.

“Tell me what?” Jack asked.

My father nonchalantly shrugged and said, “If you want. Not sure what good it’ll do now.”

I smiled and shook my head. Our dads lived to torment us. They’ve been doing this sort of thing as long as I can remember.

“What are y’all talking about?” Jack asked.

Craig placed both hands on Jack’s shoulders. “Son, because I love you, I’m going to tell you this.”

Someone knocked on the door and yelled, “Showtime! Take your places, gentlemen.”

Craig frowned and said, “Well, looks like it’s time, son. Let’s go.”

He turned for the door while Jack stood there, his mouth gaping open.

My father walked by and hit Jack on the back. “Let’s do this thing!”

Everyone followed Craig out the door except for Jack and me.

I snapped my fingers in front of Jack’s face to break his trance. “Dude,” I said. “They’re screwing with you. You know they’ve always done this sort of shit.”

Jack nodded, looking into my eyes. “I’m scared shitless. What if I’m not good enough for her, Cale? What if she gets tired of me? What if…”

“Jack, stop this. Do you love Monica?”

He nodded, smiling. “More than anything.”

“Do you want to spend the rest of your life with her, and only her?”

Smiling he said, “Yeah, I do.”

I slapped his back and said, “Then you’ve got this. Monica is crazy in love with you. You guys are perfect together. You make each other happy. Dude, just relax.”

Jack nodded. “Right! I mean, you’re right. Jesus, what’s wrong with me? Monica is probably cool as a cucumber right now and here I’m acting like a pussy.”

I swallowed and nodded my head. “Yeah, you know Monica. She’s got this.”

“Shit! I’ve got this, too!” He stood up taller, cracked his neck, and started for the door. “Let’s do this shit!”

I chuckled as I followed him. I pulled out my phone and saw Maddie’s last text to me.

Maddie: Monica looks like she’s about to pass out. If she makes it through this, I’ll be impressed. She keeps doing these breathing exercises to calm down. It’s starting to freak me out!

Me: Jack is pacing back and forth. I find it rather amusing.

As we walked down the aisle to where the pastor was waiting, Jack stopped a few times to welcome friends and family. That’s when I saw the small soldier girl—the wedding planner—coming. She was terrifying.