Stolen Course (Wrecked and Ruined #2)

IN A white-and-orange dress and with my sister at my side, I officially became Emma Jones. Caleb and I agreed to wait until the real wedding after the baby was born in order to write our own vows, but he still surprised me with a few sentences about how much he loved me. It was really sweet, and of-freaking-course I cried.

Sarah and Caleb didn’t even acknowledge each other at the courthouse. They didn’t speak, but it wasn’t really all that awkward either. Just having them in the same place at the same time meant the world to me.

“You really have to go?” I ask Sarah as we stand outside the courthouse. Caleb walked away to make a few phone calls. I’m sure he was calling his sister and the rest of our gang to announce that we have officially tied the knot.

“Yeah, I need to get back before six,” she says, pulling me into a hug. “I’m really glad I got to be here today.”

“Me too.” I squeeze her tight. “Hey, and only a few more weeks before they start letting you come home on the weekends.”

“Oh goodie. Just in time to listen to you complain about your swollen ankles and heartburn,” she teases while rubbing my belly.

“See you on Wednesday?” I yell as she walks over to the unmarked police car that escorted her here.

“You know where to find me!” she shouts back.

God, it is so good to see her finding herself again. She’s actually seems happy these days. A feeling I know all too well.

“Hey, beautiful,” Caleb whispers behind me, wrapping his arms around my stomach.

I turn in his arms, which is not exactly the easiest feat these days. “Let’s go back to the hotel and make this whole thing official.” I nibble at his neck.

“I’m starved. Can we stop and grab some dinner first? And then go back and really grab dinner?” He rolls his hips into mine.

“Mmm, I could eat too.” I wink up at him as we stroll down the sidewalk. “How come your sister didn’t come to the ceremony too? You know I wouldn’t have minded.”

“I wanted it to be just us today, but I knew you would want Sarah there. So that, my love, is what you call a compromise.”

“Compromise? What the hell happened to my asshole boy—I mean, husband?”

“He took the day off,” Caleb says, stopping in front of a little Italian restaurant. “Come on. We should probably carb load for the bedroom marathon I have planned for tonight.”

He gives me a half smile that sends flutters down to my core.

“Mr. and Mrs. Jones,” he tells the hostess with pride.

“Right this way.” She grabs two menus and leads us past a ton of empty tables to a back room that has a curtain separating it from the rest of the restaurant.

“Go ahead.” Caleb pulls back the curtain and guides me inside.

Sitting at a long rectangular table is every person I think I know in this world. My eyes slide down as they take in the smiling faces looking back at us.

Brett, Jesse, Kara, Eli, Caleb’s sister Lindsey and her wife Deena, Alex, and—

“Hunter!” I squeal as he rises to his feet and heads in my direction.

“Emma Jane Jones. Holy shit! You really did it.” He pulls me in for a hard hug.

“You are such a liar! You said you couldn’t make it up here this month.”

“Well it wouldn’t have been a very big surprise if I’d told you I was going to be here.” He leans forward and kisses my forehead like he always does.

I swing my head around to face Caleb, who is watching us. His arms are crossed over his chest with his left hand on top. He’s mindlessly spinning his new tungsten ring with this thumb, and instead of the glare I was expecting him to be shooting at us, his face is painted with a warm look of contentment.

“How long have you been planning this?” I ask Caleb, stepping away from Hunter.

“Since about ten seconds after you told me you wanted to get married at the courthouse,” he answers, reaching a hand out to catch me.

“I love you,” I say quietly as he tugs me against his side.

“Good, because you’re stuck now.” He lifts my hand and plants a kiss on my wedding ring.

As my eyes drift around the eloquently decorated room, I catch sight of a small three-tiered cake in the corner. “You got us a wedding cake!”

“My baby loves cake. Of course I got one.” He rubs a hand over my stomach and around to my back, pausing just before it drifts down to my ass.

“Which baby?” I ask teasingly.

“Both. Now heads-up—here comes Brett and he looks happy as hell.”

I turn around just in time to crash into Brett’s arms.

“Congrats, Em. You finally made an honest man out of him.”

“I know. I’m really excited to finally lose my virginity.”

At first, he curls his lip. Then he bursts out laughing. “I can tell.” He glances down at my swollen belly.

After that, each person heads our way. Caleb’s sister claims him and Kara grabs my hand, pulling me aside.

“You are a bitch!” she whisper-yells at me while standing on her toes and peeking over my shoulder.

“Excuse me?”

“I thought we were friends? But it’s obvious you don’t like me at all!” She flashes her wild eyes back to mine.