Accidentally In Love

**Five Months Later**

I was freaking out. There was no way else to explain, I was freaking out. Avery was being fussy and nothing was going right. It was the day of my wedding and nothing was going according to plan! There was a thunderstorm rolling in and it caused us to have to move the wedding from the garden we had rented to the hotel ballroom. On top of moving the entire wedding there were still people from the wedding party and guests missing due to the traffic in the city.

There was a knock on the door of Marc and Lindsay’s hotel room. “Come in” I sighed.

My mom and Linda stuck their heads in. “How are you doing, sweetheart?” My mom asked.

I looked at the two women in front of me. “I don’t know.” I sighed. “Please tell me everyone for the bridal party is here now?”

Linda and my mom looked at each other before looking at me. “Not yet,” Linda said hesitantly. “Sidney called Taylor to see where she was.”

“Wait!” I shouted. “My own sister is late for my wedding?!”

My mom came and sat next to me on the bed. “Sweetie, we are all a little frazzled since we had to switch venues. No one is upset about this, give her time to get here. Everything will go smoothly.”

“I want Jordan.” I admitted.

“I’ll go get him.” Linda said with a nod.

I looked at my mom. “Can you go make sure everything in the ballroom is in order? Then let me know when Taylor gets here?”

“Of course”

I sat on the bed and put my head in my hands. I couldn’t be mad at my sister, it wasn’t her fault the weather decided to suck and then traffic sucked even more. I was just so stressed. Just then Avery began crying from her portable playpen and I groaned laying back on the bed.

“A, please go back to sleep.” I begged the five month old, but she didn’t let up. With a growl, I stood up and went over to her.

“Knock knock.” Jordan said “I heard there was a meltdown brewing.” I glared at him as I picked up Avery. “Ookay, that’s your ‘don’t talk to me if you don’t want to die’ glare. What’s wrong?”

“I’m freaking out! Taylor and God knows who else aren’t here yet. The weather sucks and screwed up our wedding…” Avery’s cries got loud and I felt tears burn my eyes. “And Avery will not stop crying.” I said on the verge of tears of my own.

“Alright, I think you need to relax.” Jordan said coming over to me. “Give me Avery and go take a hot shower.” I was about to say something, but Jordan cut me off. “I don’t care that you already took one today and that you are supposed to be getting ready for the wedding. You are super stressed out right now and you need to relax.”

I handed the baby over to Jordan and just stood there looking at him. “Her bottles are in the fridge. Lindsay put them in there for me.”

He nodded and went to the mini fridge and removed a bottle for Avery. He looked over his shoulder at me and gave me a pointed look. With a sigh I did as he suggested and went to take a shower. I stripped out of my pajama pants and Penguins shirt and stood under the hot spray of the water. I took a couple of deep, soothing breaths and laid my head against the wall of the shower letting the water run down my body. I pushed all thoughts of today out of my head and finally relaxed. My mom was right, I couldn’t get upset because the weather messed with our plans. These things happen and like she said no one was upset and they were being patient. I shut off the water, stepped out, and wrapped myself up in the robe. When I walked back into the bedroom to find my sister, Sidney’s sister, Lindsay, and Tanya all sitting in on the bed.

“Where’s Jordan?” I asked, looking around the room.

“He went to get ready.” My sister smiled. “I’m so sorry I was late. The traffic was horrible and then Stephanie spilled juice on her outfit. Before you freak out it wasn’t her dress, but still messy.”

I waved her off. “Where’s Avery?”

“Linda and Henry are watching all the kids.” Tanya smiled. She clapped her hands together. “Now, let’s get you ready for your wedding!”

An hour and a half later the five of us were ready. Taylor went to get Stephanie and make sure she was in her dress and Tanya made sure Parker was ready as well. When my dad came to get me, he had Stephanie and Parker with him. Parker came right up to me and gave me the biggest hug ever and it brought tears to my eyes.

“You look so pretty Aunt Mandy.”

“Thanks Parker, you look pretty handsome yourself.”

We all lined up in the hallway outside of the ballroom and waited for the okay to start down the aisle. By the time it was my turn to walk, I was practically bouncing on my toes, my earlier freak out forgotten. When the double doors opened and revealed the large crowd of people, my heart rate sped up. Then my eyes landed on Jordan at the front of the room, holding Avery. Seeing the two of them together brought tears to my eyes. I never thought I would be here, getting married and having a family was never on my todo list unlike Taylor who planned on it. But here I was, walking down the aisle to the man I love and our daughter. I looked around at my family and friends and smiled. I loved my life and every one in it.

When I reached the end of the aisle I had a huge smile on my face and so did Jordan. I handed my flowers to my sister and reached for Avery who squealed, causing the guests to chuckle. I kissed her cheek before handing her to my mom in the front row. Jordan took my hand and smiled at me.

“You look beautiful.” Jordan said.

“Thank you, you look pretty good yourself.” I smiled.

***

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. Jordan, you may kiss your bride.” The priest smiled and Jordan made a big show of kissing me causing me to laugh. When we turned to our guests, everyone was on their feet cheering for us. “Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to present to you Mr. and Mrs. Jordan Staal.” The cheers got louder and our smiles got bigger.

We waited in the hallway for the receiving line and when my parents came through, mom handed Avery over to me. After we said hello to everyone, Jordan and I went home to change and put Avery down for a nap before heading to Consol Energy Center.

Jordan and I laid Avery in the middle of our bed and laid on either side of her, facing each other. We laid there for a while just looking at each other and looking down at our daughter. I caught myself staring at her and pushing her blond curls out of her face. I was happy with the way my life turned out. I was married to one of my best friends and we had a beautiful daughter together. Two things I never thought I would have at my age. I often got asked by people how could I handle raising a baby with a guy who traveled for a living and I give them all the same answer. It isn’t always easy, but he makes up for the times he is gone when he does have time with her. Plus the Penguins were knocked out of the Playoffs in the first round, so he was home all the time after the first week of May.

“We are officially married.” I whispered still looking down at Avery. “And we have the most beautiful daughter in the world.”

“I also have the most beautiful wife in the world.” Jordan smiled causing me to blush. “I love that I can still make you blush.”

I slapped his arm lightly. “Shut up.”

He leaned over gently and kissed me. “I love it.”

“You’re mean.” I stuck my tongue out at him, which he gladly returned. That was just another reason why I loved Jordan, he could be silly with me.

“I love you Mrs. Staal.” Jordan whispered.

“I love you too Mr. Staal”

I wrapped my arm around Jordan, careful not to crush Avery and drifted to sleep. Last thing I heard was Jordan say, “Just me and my two girls.”