That Forever: A Small Town, Friends-to-Lovers Romance (That Boy® (Chase & Devaney) Book 3)
That Forever: Chapter 26

Guests are able to sign up for a variety of activities, just like we do on a smaller scale for our family vacation. Starred activities mean the future bride and groom will be participating in them so that our guests will know where to replace us.

Future bride and groom. It’s crazy to think that something I dreamed about my entire life is actually happening tomorrow.

“I’m looking forward to today,” Chase says.

Finally, he’s awake. I can’t sleep, because I’m so excited for everything.

“Me, too. We should probably get up and get ready,” I suggest.

He responds by kissing me deeply.

I sigh into his mouth and back away as his hand slides down my thigh.

“Turning me down already?” he says with a laugh. “We aren’t even married yet.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not turning you down. I’ve been waiting for you to wake up.”

He snuggles closer to me and moves my hand to his crotch. “You know exactly how to wake me up.”

“You’re insatiable. Good thing I’m marrying you for sex.”

He sucks in his breath, making it sound like he’s shocked at what I just said, but I stop his joking by kissing him forcefully. I mean, we do have time.

And honestly, even if we didn’t, I’d make time for this. For Chase. I love feeling close to him. Connected physically. We’ve been friends for a long time and explored nearly every facet of our friendship. Sex is something that will require many more years of exploration before it even comes close to catching up.

But we’re trying.

We fall back on the bed, spent.

Chase glances at the clock. “What time are we supposed to be at the course?”

We are participating in the nine-hole golf scramble. Which I only agreed to if Chase and I could be on the same team.

When we arrive, we’re basically surrounded by a group of our friends. Who I think have been conspiring against us based on the looks on their faces.

“So,” Treyvon says, his arms folded across his chest in the same way as my sorority sisters, “we need some details here, people. First, why the rush to get married?”

Before either Chase or I can answer, Lauren says, “Are you pregnant?”

And Amber says, “And where are you going to live?”

“And can you be in the sorority when you are married?” Lauren continues.

“I know the answer to that one,” Steph says. “And, no, you can’t.”

Chase holds up his palm, indicating for them to all stop. “Okay, wow. Um, let’s see. Treyvon, we are in a rush to get married because we are in love and don’t want to wait.”

“We’ve loved each other our whole lives,” I add.

“And we want to be together all the time,” Chase agrees.

“So, move in together,” Britta says. “Test the waters. I mean, you’re so young. A lot could happen. I can’t imagine getting married at this age.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s not right for us,” I tell her.

Chase smiles at me, and I can’t help but grin. Because I just realized that I absolutely do not care what any of them think. I know what’s right for me. And that’s Chase.

Damon joins the little group. “Why all the serious faces? This weekend is supposed to be one big party!”

“They’ve been asking us why we want to get married so young,” I tell him.

Damon rolls his eyes. “Seriously?” He looks at everyone else. “Who you choose to marry and when you choose to marry them should be a personal decision, right?”

They sort of shrug, but I can still tell they aren’t convinced.

“Most of you haven’t known us that long. You think we are a new thing. We’re not,” I say.

“And those of us who have known them that long,” Damon says, “think it’s about damn time.”

Treyvon nods and slaps Chase on the back. “If you’re sure, we’re happy for both of you.”

“We are most definitely sure,” Chase says.

“And to answer your other questions,” I say, “I will become an alumna of the sorority. We will live together in a condo off campus. And I am not pregnant.”

And then we’re called up to tee off, effectively ending the conversation.

When Chase and I get in our golf cart, which is decked out with white netting and a big heart with our names in the center, he turns to me and smiles.

“What?” I ask, tilting my head curiously.

“I love you,” he says, leaning in for a kiss. But I back away.

“Why do you love me, right now specifically?” I ask even though I think I already know the answer.

“You handled that conversation really well.”

“I did, didn’t I?” I grin. “You know, you’re not marrying the girl you fell in love with here three years ago.”

“Oh, I was in love with you long before that, Dani,” he says, “but you are right. You’re not that girl anymore. You’ve become a strong woman.”

“Who is totally in love with you. And thank you for telling me I handled it well. What I really wanted to say was, If you don’t like it, get the eff out.”

“Dani!” Chase laughs.

“What? It’s my wedding weekend.”

“You mean, our wedding weekend.”

“Of course. And no one is going to mess with that.”

“Can I have a kiss now?” Chase asks sweetly.

I give him a smirk, then hit the gas, thinking it will catch him off guard. What I don’t expect is for him to kiss me anyway and cause me to nearly go off the golf path and come close to taking out a row of bushes.

The golf scramble is followed by awards and lunch on the golf club’s patio, overlooking the eighteenth hole. Servers are grilling chicken, hamburgers, and portobello mushrooms for sandwiches, and there is both a salad bar and a French fry bar, where you can choose toppings, like bacon and cheddar, truffle oil and Parmesan.

We spend the afternoon on the party boat, where everyone swims, goes out onto the ski boats to tube or ski, plays some beer pong, and enjoys a nacho table.

There’s just enough time for me to get my makeup and hair done before we meet the family for our wedding rehearsal.

When we were planning everything, I laughed when Ariela said she’d run the rehearsal like a drill sergeant, but I realize now that with this crowd, she probably is going to have to. The dogs, Angel and Winger, are running through the pews, sniffing around at all the new scents.

Damon invited Ainsley to the rehearsal even though she isn’t in the wedding party, and he’s doing nothing but flirting with her.

Mom and Dad seem to be arguing about something, and Mimi is adding her two cents.

Haley has on her dress for tonight but has a long tulle skirt wrapped around it, and she is obsessively pacing up and down the aisle, trying to adjust her gait so that it looks like she’s walking normal. But she keeps stepping on the skirt and is not happy about it.

Jadyn has Emersyn firmly by the hand, but Weston is running through the chapel, chasing the dogs.

Grandpa and Grandma Mac and Papa are talking about how they’ve yet to fish since they’ve been here, and Jennifer pulls up in a golf cart, looking a little ragged.

“Sorry we’re late,” she says, getting herself and Easton out of the cart. “She threw a fit about changing clothes.” She throws her hands up in the air with a what could I do look on her face.

My baby sister obviously won the fight because she’s dressed in a swimsuit, carrying a wand and clomping around in dress-up heels.

“It’s okay,” Ariela says, giving Jennifer a little squeeze and pulling a flask from her bag and handing it to her. “We’ve all been there.”

Jennifer laughs, takes a slug, and goes, “Ahh. Thank you.”

“All right, everyone,” Ariela says, marching up to the front of the chapel, “in order for us to get to dinner on time, I’ll need your cooperation and attention for the next twenty minutes. And if you could keep conversations to a minimum, that would greatly help. If you could all proceed out of the church, we’ll line up and go through the processional.”

Everyone does as instructed, and all goes as planned. Most everyone in the family is seated, and Chase is waiting for me at the front of the chapel with Damon by his side.

Haley goes next and doesn’t trip, and the dogs do a really great job of obediently following her down the aisle, where they are handed off to the ushers, Ryder and Madden.

“The adorable flower girls are next,” Ariela says, bending down to talk to the girls. But one of them is missing.

“Where’s Easton?” I ask, frantically looking around, hoping she didn’t run off somewhere in all the chaos.

“She’s in the corner, back there,” Damon calls out, pointing.

“Oh shit,” Jennifer says from her pew.

Dad, whose elbow I am holding on to, laughs and goes, “Literally.”

Jennifer jumps up and runs to the back of the chapel.

Dad leaves my side and says, “I’ll get her.”

“What’s wrong?” I say, but then Dad carries Easton next to me, and I understand.

“She’s potty-trained,” Jennifer says to Ariela, “but sometimes, she sneaks off to a corner and, well, poos. We’ll get her changed real quick.”

Ainsley, who is sitting in the back of the chapel, watching, says to Jennifer, “Let me. You go sit down.”

Ainsley has Easton changed and back in line in record time.

“Thank you,” both my dad and I say to her.

“I guess better now than during the ceremony,” my dad jokes.

“Most definitely,” Ariela agrees.

Emersyn and Weston try to hold Easton’s hands as they were instructed to do, but Easton is having no part of it.

“No! I walk by myself!” she yells out, crossing her arms tightly across her chest so they can’t touch her hands.

Ariela gives each girl a little ribbon bouquet to hold and says, “Tomorrow, you will have real flowers. These are practice ones. I want you to walk down that way, smile pretty, and then go sit with your mommies.”

Weston and Emersyn hold on to their flowers tightly and do a sort of a zigzagged walk and then go sit down.

Easton is still at the back of the church.

Dad says, “Easton, if you want to be a flower girl, you have to behave, smile, and walk down to Mommy.”

She gives him the most adorable grin, says, “I love you, Daddy,” then does exactly as instructed.

Until she gets halfway, where she drops her flowers to the ground and proceeds to do a somersault.

Then a cartwheel.

She stands up with flair, goes back to pick up her flowers, and looks around with a pout on her little face. “You all clap!” she demands.

Jennifer has her face in her palm.

My dad and I can’t stop laughing. And, of course, we do as told. We clap.

Which causes everyone else to join in.

Easton walks the rest of the way down the aisle. When she sees Jennifer’s outstretched hand, she whispers, “No sit with Mommy. Sit with puppies.”

And then she does just that, making Ryder and Madden slide apart so she can sit in between.

“She was such a good baby,” my dad says, shaking his head. “We thought she was perfect.”

“Now, she’s more of a terror than Weston ever was.”

My dad laughs. “But so darn cute.”

Totally casual.

Devaney

“I’m stuffed,” I say to Chase as we’re walking down to the boathouse after dinner.

“It was a great meal,” he says, patting his belly. “I think everyone loved it. The view is always so good, and the food never disappoints. I mean, the creamy potato chowder with those savory pieces of pancetta mixed with the toasted pumpkin seeds on top? Perfection.”

“Don’t forget the brown sugar glazed salmon. I ate it with the sweet potato fries and honey butter. It was like eating dessert.”

“And then we ate dessert,” Chase says with a laugh. “I’m pretty sure I had a bite of everything.”

“I feel like today was a blur.”

“You’re right. It was,” he says, giving me a kiss. “Golf was played. Beers were had. Cigars were smoked. Stories were told. All in all, it’s been an amazing weekend so far. Are you happy with how it’s turning out?”

“I’m so happy, Chase. Today was so much fun. I was a little worried that—I don’t know—things were going to be too over the top. But it’s been laid-back in the ways I wanted.”

“But not in the ways you didn’t want?”

“Yeah, like, ohmigosh, the food was so incredible. We always eat such yummy stuff while we are here on vacation. And everyone loved the nacho table on the boat. You can’t get much more casual that that.”

He pulls me into his arms and looks down at my cleavage. “You don’t look real casual tonight.”

I’m wearing an adorable cream silk jumpsuit, and Chase looks like the model he is in cream linen shorts and a shirt, paired with loafers.

“Fine. I didn’t want everything totally casual. I mean, it is our wedding. It’s special. And my dress has this—”

“Has what?” Chase grins at me.

I swat at him. “Ugh, you know I can’t tell you. In fact, you should probably kiss me good night. I won’t see you tomorrow until our first look.”

“Wrong,” he says.

“What do you mean, wrong?”

“Maybe I have a few things planned that you weren’t consulted on.”

“Like what?”

His grin turns into a smirk. “Hmm. This reminds me of the last time we were here. You never looked at the family activity board.”

“I did … eventually,” I remind him. “And there’s no board for the wedding.”

“Actually, there is. A huge one, up in the lobby of the resort. But also, the events were printed on the itinerary that was put in all of the rooms.”

“Oh, I haven’t read that because, well, I’m the one who decided on the events.”

He pulls an itinerary from his pocket and tosses it at me. Penciled in at the bottom is, Stay with Chase. Tonight. And every night. Forever.

I drop the paper, grab him by the hand, and lead him up to his bedroom. “I guess if it’s on the list and all …” I say, slowly slipping off my outfit.