“You do. You’re in love with him; it’s written all over your face.”
It was written all over my face? Did he notice it? Was that why he was blowing hot and cold?
“You look like a deer in the headlights right now, Hol. If he’s in the middle of a divorce, the last thing he’s going to see is another woman in love with him. If I can recall, you’re less than warm towards members of the opposite sex at that time.”
“Can we stop talking about me now, please? This is your wedding.”
“Yes, so we should talk about whatever I want.”
I groaned, making her laugh.
“Okay, point taken. I’ll drop the subject, just be careful. I don’t want you getting hurt. Give the boy time, he’s not in the place to even think about a future relationship at the minute.”
Don’t I know it.
“So where’re you going on honeymoon?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Jamaica!”
“Wow.”
Jasper walked back over to us, awkwardly holding two glasses of orange juice and a glass of champagne. Now I knew they said you should eat for two – although you shouldn’t – but this was ridiculous.
“Congratulations,” Jasper said, handing Tammy the champagne. He gave me an orange after and kept one for himself. What?
“Thank you and thank you,” Tammy replied, taking a sip and then kissing Jasper on the cheek.
“You’re not drinking?” I asked.
“No, I’m taking you home tonight.”
“Oh. Right, well I’m sure we can get a lift with Mum and Dad or Brad if you want to drink. We can pick your car up tomorrow.” I’d assumed we were going to do that anyway. “Or I can drive.”
He laughed. “You’re not driving my baby. I don’t mind not drinking. Gotta look after you anyway, so I need to be sober.”
“How much trouble do you think I’m going to get into?”
He looked me up and down, and I blushed. My aunt was right there!
“In that dress…”
“He’s right, you look stunning, sweetheart,” Tammy said and winked. “Anyway, I’d better move on.” She glided across the floor elegantly with the train of the dress following. I wanted that one day. With Jasper.
“I look fat.”
He snorted. “You don’t look fat. You look pregnant and so beautiful I can barely keep my eyes off you.” He took my hand and caught my breath.
Why say things like that if you don’t want anything to happen between us?
“I love it when you blush.”
I didn’t. It was embarrassing. “You make me do it a lot.”
He smiled. “I know. Think we’re gonna get fed soon?”
I laughed, shaking my head. Moment over.
When it was time to go through for the meal Jasper and I took our seats along with my parents, Brad and Casey.
I fell into conversation with Mum and Casey while Dad, Jasper and Brad chatted about football. My cheeks ached from smiling so much, especially when Jasper’s hand found mine under the table. It was so easy to pretend that we were together, or that he was open to it in the future at least.
The evening reception kicked off with Britney Spears and the top tier of the wedding cake falling off the stand. The bride and groom shrugged it off, too happy to care that their six-tier cake was now a five. I’d dragged Jasper around, introducing him to more family and then we used the excuse that my feet were hurting to escape and sit back at our table.
Brad and Jasper held a conversation about some car part for a full ten minutes, and I sat there wishing I was anywhere else. I laid back in my seat, looking around, bored. Poor Casey, it looked like they weren’t getting on. She had been texting for a while.
“Okay?” Brad asked.
“Yep,” I replied.
“Dance with me,” Jasper said, standing up and holding his hand out.
Brad turned to his date. I could tell he still wasn’t completely happy with me and Jasper having a baby together. At first I thought it was because I was his sister, but now I think it’s because Jasper was his friend. They spent a lot of time together, even when Jasper was with Abby, but now he comes to see me a couple times a week and most weekends.
I took Jasper’s hand, and we walked to the dance floor. Thankfully it was quite full so we wouldn’t have the embarrassment of being the only ones. He wrapped his arms around me and pressed his body to mine as much as he could.
My small, five-month bump poked him in the stomach, and his eyes lit up. “I hope she kicks,” he said and started swaying us to the music.
“You wouldn’t say that if you were getting the kicks from inside.”
“It really hurts?”
“When she gets my ribs it does but only for a second. But I’d rather she was active, so I don’t worry about not feeling her move.”