room. Part of me misses football, but then I think back to the stress the game gave me, and I realize I don’t miss it enough to want that life again. This is definitely much more my speed.
“What are you typing so frantically over there?” I tilt my head toward Stella, giving her a sidelong glance.
She’s sitting on our sofa with her feet, adorned in fuzzy slipper socks, extending out onto the ottoman. Her laptop rests on her thighs as her fingers hit the keys in rapid succession.
“Just sending Lily all the final details.” She doesn’t look up from her computer as she continues to type.
“Stell,” I say her name in a mock accusatory tone.
She stops typing. Looking up, she gives me a sheepish smile.
“I thought you already sent her the final information—a few times, if I recall correctly.”
“Well, yeah, I did. I’m just making sure she understands everything.”
“I can assure you, she does”—I put down my beer, so I can tick off a list on my fingers—“as does the caterer, the florist, the quartet, the DJ, the minister, and the videographer. Oh, and let’s not forget the church organist and your cousin’s daughters, who are in charge of handing out the bulletins and the pouches of rose petals to throw after the ceremony. I think I can say with confidence that everyone who will be within a five-mile radius of our wedding knows what is expected of them.” I smirk, raising one accusatory eyebrow.
“What?” Stella laughs. “I just want it to be perfect. I can’t help it. You know how OCD I am. This is like preparing for Professor Chapman’s exams times one hundred.”
“Oh, your color-coded note-taking system. How I miss those days,” I say sarcastically.
“Oh, hush. You obviously loved the way I studied. You studied with me enough,” she points out.
“True. Your organization was impeccable. It did make you the perfect study partner.”
“Yep. You never complained in college.” She grins.
“I’m not complaining now,” I clarify. “I just think that you should relax and rest assured that everyone knows what they will be doing on your day.”
“On our day,” she corrects me.
“Sorry, you’re right. Our day. Come here.”
She closes her laptop and sets it next to her on the couch before standing up and walking over to me. When she reaches the recliner, I grab her wrist and tug her down to me. She giggles as she falls across my lap and wraps her arms around my neck. I run my fingers through the hair at the nape of her neck and pull her to me, crashing my lips on hers. My heartbeat quickens, and her lips part, accommodating my tongue as it explores her mouth.
We stay lost in the kiss for several minutes before I pull away. I stare down to Stella’s eyes, and they radiate love.
“Thank you for making our day so special, babe.”
“You’re welcome.” She beams up at me before readjusting herself on my lap.
“You’re about to get up and go back over there to email more people, aren’t you?” I snicker.
“Maybe,” she says coyly.
“Stell.”
“You know I can’t help it.” She laughs.
“Okay, but then let it be. Everything will be great.” I kiss her on the forehead.
“I will. I promise…right after I laminate the schedules I typed out for each vendor.”
I throw my head back in laughter. “I love you, Stella.”
“I love you, too.” She leans up and places a quick kiss on my lips. “Also, we need to go over what music we want or don’t want at the wedding. I’m going to type up our playlist for the DJ.”
“Babe, that’s all you. Whatever you want to dance to, we’ll dance to. I just have one song to add to the list of what not to play, but other than that, I like pretty much everything.”
She nods. “Okay, well, we can sit down after the game and go over music.”
“Then, we can practice for the wedding night—you know, in the bedroom.” I raise my eyebrows.
“Ha. Like you need any practice with that, Jax.”
“Oh, I need practice. I need to make sure everything goes perfectly.”
“Okay, maybe I can spare some time to practice.”
“You won’t regret it.”
I chastely kiss her before she swings her feet off my legs and stands.
“I never do.” She grins and retreats back to her world of compulsive wedding planning.
The sun is strong, and I watch in fascination as it beats down on Stella’s tan shoulders. She’s wearing a coral-hued strapless dress that is wrapped tightly around her chest and then flows down