Before You Say I Do

“so you’re leaving me here and going to Italy?” Jon asks for the millionth time. I had just told him what was going on.

“Jon, I can’t turn this job down.”

“I think you have the right to turn the job down. You just don’t want to.”

I sigh, “of course I don’t want to! Do you know how much Jacqueline is paying me for this?!”

“since when do you care about money Julie?”

“It’s not just about the money Jon. The press will freak out if I don’t take this job and I can’t have them finding out anything about my past. I’ve spent too long making it up.”

“now this is about the press?” he questions. “I have a feeling you’re hiding something from me.”

“great, have that feeling, the flight leaves in 7 hours though. You’re either going to deal with it or you’re not.”

“at least let me go with you.”

“no.”

“and why not?”

“because, it’s going to be hard enough with four people, I can’t risk Adam finding out that we’re there.”

“and now the truth comes out.”

“what truth?”

“that you’re going for Adam.”

“argh! You’re not listening to a thing I’m saying!”

“what it sounds like is that you’re going to Italy to see Adam again.”

I push back my chair and stand up. “You know what Jon, I’ve had enough of this.” He looks at me confused. “you’re right! Okay?! I am going to Italy for Adam. It makes me want to throw up every single time I think about it. Do you want to know why I’m going to Italy? Huh? Because Adam is getting married to a women who called me white trash over the phone. So congratulations Jon! You’re finally right.”

“Ju-”

“what?” I cut in.

“I’m sorry.”

“and?”

he sighs, “and if you think that you can handle this then I’ll be behind you all the way.”

I lean over the table and kiss him, “thank you.”

“before you go pack…” he wraps his arms around my waist and pull me down to him, “I think that we should take a couple minutes to ourselves…”

“mmm…I think I like that idea.” Okay, so another lie. I can’t say that Jon is a terrible kisser, ‘cause he isn’t. truth be said though, I’d rather be kissing Adam. You know that spark that’s supposed to be there? Yeah, well, it’s not there.

After half-an-hour I decide that I really do need to go pack and say good-bye to him then and there.

Jacqueline got us all first-class tickets which was quite nice of her. The plane ride was amazingly comfortable. The anxiety of going back to Italy wasn’t.

“you doing okay?” Dakota asks.

I shake my head no, not being able to speak.

“Juliana Skye Richards, you are going to go to Italy. You’re going to make one of the most amazing wedding cakes ever. Then you are going to get back onto this plane and pretend that this whole month hasn’t happened. You won’t have to think about them ever again.”

“I’ve never told anybody this, and I don’t think Adam has either. So you have to promise that you won’t say a word of this to Finn.” Finn was currently asleep on the other side of Katie and we all knew he was a heavy sleeper.

“Julie, what’s wrong.”

I take a deep breath. “about two months into the relationship, this women named Stephanie called. Her and Adam hooked up between the two times we were together and he may or may not be the father of her kid. Who’s four now I think, maybe five. Anyways, she called and I answered the phone because Adam was asleep. It started out like any other conversation really. And then she called me white trash and said that she never thought Adam would lower his standards to an American. Let’s just say that Adam and I had our fair amount of conversations about this woman. Her full name? Stephanie Bertina.”

“no.”

I nod, “so see? It’s not just because I don’t want to see Adam. Actually that’s all I want. But for him to go to her of all people, well, I just have a feeling that the Adam you and I know isn’t the one that is getting married in a month.”

Dakota puts her hand on my shoulder reassuringly. “Julie, you are not white trash. Got it? And this woman knows nothing about you. it was just a phone call. I know that you’re hurt by Adam, more now than before, but you can’t let that bring you down. What did you always tell me after I’d break up with, or he would, my boyfriends?”

“that you guys had an amazing time together and you shouldn’t dwell on the last five minutes of the great relationship.”

“exactly.” She says, “you and Adam weren’t a picture perfect couple, but that’s what made you perfect. You fought, but you made up, and it was obvious you loved each other. You had a fun, fantastic six months and even though I hate him for leaving, and you do too, think about those times. Think about your first date, first kiss. The moments that took your breath away. think about those stories that you’ll tell your kids and your grandkids and your great grandkids because those are the times, those are the memories, that really mean something.”

I smile, “you do realize you’re just turning my words on me, right?”

she smirks and shrugs, “well you were right and now you need to start controlling yourself and not just others.”

I lean over the chairs and hug her tightly. “thank you Cody, really, for everything. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“actually, I don’t know what you would do either.” I playfully slap her arm when I pull back from the hug.

“please buckle your seatbelts, the plane will be landing shortly.” My breath gets caught in my throat.

This was it. This was my last chance.