Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Another week later
Jacob
As we pulled into the gravel drive of my parents’ house, and squeezed in between Nathan and Zach’s car, I could tell something was up.
“I thought it was just going to be your parents here,” Sutton said.
We’d driven up as soon as we both had days off at the same time. We’d FaceTimed Mum the night we got engaged—there was no point in trying to get my dad involved. He didn’t even like talking on the phone. She’d been excited and wanted to celebrate with us, so we’d come up with a bottle of champagne. I was hoping that if I asked her nicely, she might cook a roast dinner tomorrow.
“Dad’s right—there’s always more than one of us around. They genuinely never get any time by themselves.”
I opened the car door as my mother backed out of the house. It looked like she was carrying something. As she backed out farther, I realized she was unfurling a banner that said Congratulations. Zach was holding the other end, his expression more funerial than congratulatory.
Dad, Dog, Nathan, and Madison followed Zach out to greet us. Mum dropped the banner and rushed toward us, pulling us both in for a hug.
“I knew the moment I met you that you were the one for Jacob. I even told him so, didn’t I?”
“You did, Mum. Always right, as usual.”
“Welcome to the family,” Dad said, enveloping Sutton into a hug. “Why anyone would want to marry this troublemaker, I have no idea.” He turned to me and winked, then pulled me in for a hug. “I’m kidding. You’re my least troublesome son. Always been the one I’ve not had to worry about, but don’t tell Zach or Nathan.”
“We can hear you, Dad,” Nathan said.
“I said what I said,” Dad said, pulling out of our hug and patting me on the shoulder.
Sutton started to laugh like she couldn’t believe what she’d signed up to.
“You’ve said yes,” I said. “There’s no going back.”
“She’s not changing her mind,” Mum said. “I see the way she looks at you. I have another daughter and I’m not letting her go.” She turned to Sutton. “You’re family, now and forever.”
I could tell Sutton was trying to swallow her tears. She was a Cove now, whether or not she chose to take our name.
“Come in, come in,” Mum said. “Nathan, get their bags. Zachary, open some wine, we’ve got some celebrating to do.”
Madison finished rolling up the banner that had been abandoned in the driveway. I slung my arm around Sutton and we headed in.
“I’ve made apple pie and a roast dinner in celebration of our newly engaged couple,” Mum said.
“I made the apple pie,” Dad said. “Even the bloody pastry.”
“That’s true. He did. Under strict supervision, mind you.”
“Carole, I threw a few apples in some pastry. I didn’t need supervision.”
Mum rolled her eyes but was happy to let him think he’d made the apple pie on his own. “Who’s in charge of drinks?” she asked.
“Me,” Zach said. “Give me a chance. It’s like catering for a wedding every time we open wine for the family.”
“It will be,” Carole said. “Speaking of weddings, have you thought where you might have it and when?”
I glanced at Sutton. We hadn’t discussed it at all. We’d only just got engaged, and neither of us seemed in a rush.
“When do you want to get married?” I asked Sutton.
“Don’t mind,” she replied. “When do you want to get married?”
“What about a winter wedding?” Zach suggested, handing Sutton a glass of champagne.
“Maybe winter,” I said.
“I think I prefer summer,” Sutton said.
“Summer works,” I replied. Summer would always remind me of getting back with Sutton under a perfect, blue, cloudless sky.
“We’re in August now,” Dad said. “You’ve only got a few weeks of summer left.”
“It wouldn’t have to be this year,” Madison said. “Maybe they want to wait.”
“I don’t want to wait,” Sutton said, slipping her hands into mine.
I smiled at the thought of being married to Sutton in just a few weeks.
“And have you thought about where?” Mum said. Was she angling to host another wedding? Maybe she’d been bitten by the bug after having Nathan and Madison’s wedding at the house.
“You want to have it in Norfolk?” Sutton asked. “That might be nice. I think I was in love with you already by the time we came here.”
A chorus of ahhhs filled the room and then Dad shouted at Dog for bringing a bone in from the garden and ruined the moment.
“Let’s do it here at the house then,” I suggested.
Sutton grinned up at me. “That would be perfect.”
All the decisions we’d had to make since we’d gotten engaged had been so easy—like as long as we were together, everything else slotted into place.
“Are you going to move to Highgate?” Nathan asked. Zach pressed a glass into his hand.