This Could Be All I've Waited For

I’ve never been one for huge parties… I mean sure I’d gone to a few that I couldn’t avoid, thanks to Jack, but I’d never thrown a huge party to celebrate something for myself. I don’t particularly care for all of the attention which is why Jack had respectfully thrown me very small get togethers for my last couple of birthdays. But I really shouldn’t have expected anything less than a mile long guest list when mine and Jack’s moms along with Jack himself all got together. We had to rent out an entire house to accommodate everyone. I only had one requested guest and that was Addie, who was nowhere to be found.

I sighed watching people move about mingling. I tried not to catch anyone’s eye because the last thing I wanted was for someone I barely knew to come over for an awkward and stiff conversation.

“That was a crazy summer though, wasn’t it Cade?” Alex called me out, probably trying to purposefully get me into trouble for not paying attention again.

Jack’s fingers gave my hand a gentle squeeze as if he was trying to fill me in on the conversation through osmosis.

I frown at Alex as he grinned back devilishly, taking a sip from his overly alcoholic drink. He looked like a fifties movie villain in his suit… well except for the hair. His hair could never be normal no matter what the occasion, but then again neither was Jack’s. In fact, his hair was still just as wildly out of control yet in an almost tamed Mohawk as per usual.

“Cadence, dear, you really should pay more attention to your guests,” Momma scolded.

I bit my lip to keep myself from saying that they weren’t my guests and directed my attention back to a smug looking Alex who narrowly dodged a slap to the shoulder from a disapproving Lisa.

“What summer is it that you’re referring to?” I asked.

“The one where you got your first tattoo,” Alex brought up casually definitely trying to get me in trouble this time.

Jack frowned alongside me and back handed Alex’s chest. We all knew that the moment my tattoos were mentioned that Momma would get flustered. She never really got over the first one.

“I still can’t believe you let her start that, Jack,” Momma turned her disapproving look on Jack instead of me for once.

Before the conversation could progress much further Addie came running into the loosely formed circle.

“I’m so sorry I’m late, God I have got to be the worst maid of honor ever,” she borated herself engulfing me in a hug successfully separating from Jack for the first time since the party started. “My flight was all screwy but that doesn’t matter,” she said breaking the embrace, “Let me see that ring up close,” she demanded not waiting for me to lift my left hand for her, instead she just yanked it up to her face inspecting the overpriced piece of jewelry that I loved way too much.

“We promised that we weren’t going to tell them until after the party,” Jack whined clearly upset that Addie already knew she was going to be my maid of honor.

I groaned both not wanting to argue with Jack about the wedding party members and that Addie was being so grabby.

“Please, Jack, Cade didn’t have to say it for me to know who her maid of honor was going to be,” Addie quipped rolling her eyes.

“You promised that you weren’t going to be a freak about this when you got here,” I complained at Addie and gesturing at my hand.

Jack chuckled clearly over the maid of honor thing. He had found my slight aversion to people to be even funnier than he had ever before. Who knew that your fiancé could get such a twisted sort of enjoyment out of your engagement?

“Cady, you’re supposed to want to show it off,” Jack encouraged attaching himself firmly to my side again by wrapping an arm around my waist.

“I would love to show it off from a distance or in pictures, I would be more comfortable if it involved far less touching,” I grumbled causing everyone to laugh, though I really wasn’t joking. It’s not like it was news to anyone that I didn’t like to be grabbed at by random people, why would a gorgeous engagement ring given to me by a man that I love desperately change the way I felt about big parties or being touched by strangers?

“You are going to be a hoot when you and Jack decide to have children,” Cassadee commented clearly enjoying how disgruntled this party was making me.

Momma’s eyes grew wide at her words and I’m sure mine did as well. I hadn’t even thought of children but I knew for sure that Momma was going to push it.

“Oh Cadence, you and Jack are going to make the most beautiful babies,” she gushed. Joyce, Jack’s mom, joined in with her excitement.

Alex thought that was the appropriate time to make a crude joke about the baby making process which caused all of the ridiculous immature men that I surrounded myself with to laugh and make even more jokes.

Daddy made quick work of clearing his throat to make sure everyone was still aware of his presence. Apparently sex jokes weren’t funny when they’re about your daughter. Jack sobered up quickly in a graceless manner before giving my dad a surly look.

“Sorry,” he mumbled clearing his throat. His lips were unable to keep his serious look intact and betrayed him by breaking into a lopsided apologetic grin. “We didn’t mean anything by it, papa Rick.”

Daddy couldn’t hold back a grin when jack used the fond name for some reason he’d grown a soft spot for it years ago.

I chuckled at the two and Addie finally let go of my hand allowing Jack to pull me into his side. He kissed the top of my head and nuzzled his face closer to my ear. “I love you so much, Cady,” he barely whispered causing me to blush and burry my face into his dress shirt.

“I love you too,” I murmured. It didn’t matter if he had actually heard me or not. We both knew just how much we loved each other because we’d made it our mission to make sure that neither of us forget it.

“Can you two not be cute for five seconds while I try to finish this fruit thing?” Zack asked holding up an h’orderve that had been going around.

Everyone laughed while Jack and I blushed trying to hide our faces in one another. I’m sure it would have resulted in even more embarrassing things being said if one of Jack’s relatives hadn’t chosen that moment to approach. Of course they don’t come alone and soon we were being surrounded by flocks of mostly women wanting to see the ring and hear how we met… and because we were just friends at first everyone wanted to know how we got together… which was awkward to say the least. Let’s just say that Jack and I lied our asses off on that one.

“Geez how many people do we know?” Jack groaned burying his face into my neck when we finally got another second to breathe.

I chuckled because while I had grown used to the swarms of people Jack had progressively become to hate them more and more. “You’re supposed to want to show it off,” I mocked, “and this party was partially your fault.”

He bit my shoulder lightly causing a surprised yelp to escape my mouth.

“It is also partially yours because you said yes,” he pointed out kissing the place he had bitten.

“We all make mistakes,” I joked sighing and leaning into Jack parties that were meant for socializing and not getting drunk were a bummer really.

Jack grumbled something about how my jokes weren’t as funny as I thought they were as he wrapped both of his arms around me hugging me tightly. “I can’t wait to get you home,” he whispered.

I scoffed, “Says the guy who helped plan a five hour long party. We are never getting home.”

He groaned, “Speaking of homes my parents want to help us shop for a house.”

I groaned as well because the last thing that Jack and I needed was extra opinions on our first house. We are already super picky as it is.

“Can’t we just ignore the house thing and focus on the cool parts of getting married?” I jokingly whined sticking out my lower lip in an exaggerated pout.

Jack chuckled and nodded, “Yes, yes we can, but first what do you consider to be the fun?” he asked raising his eyebrows suggestively.

I smacked his chest trying to hold back a laugh. “I was talking about planning the honeymoon, you pervert,” I scolded.

Jack shrugged, “It’s close to what I was talking about,” he joked.

We probably would have kept up with the light banter but of course another swarm of people just had to come see the ring and hear our stories because you can’t hear the story from someone else and you can’t just settle for a ring is a ring.

------------------------------------------------------

“Jaaaaack,” I whined throwing myself onto the couch. I kicked of the stupid heels that I had loved so much in the store but one engagement party later and they were demons.

“Caaaady,” he mocked standing in front of me as he toed his way out of his dress shoes.

“No mocking,” I demanded pointing a finger at him, “And no more overly drawn out parties, my feet can’t take it.”

“You are not going to be very fond of the wedding day,” Jack pouted holding out his hands in front of me.

I rolled my eyes taking his hands and letting him pull me up. “I am going to love the wedding day because at that party it is perfectly acceptable to get drunk,” I teased.

Jack shook his head slowly, “Don’t get so drunk that you won’t remember it missy,” demanded.

I shook my head back giving him a quick kiss on the lips. “Isn’t that what you get a videographer for? And a photographer?”

He rolled his eyes taking my face in his hands. “You are absolutely right, I think we should get completely shit faced for our wedding.”

I frowned, “Alright you’re right no getting drunk but it was a good idea at first,” I pointed out.

Jack chuckled kissing me again, “Fantastic in theory,” he agreed pulling me closer.

“Hey, Cady,” Jack mumbled against my skin, “in less than a year from now we’re going to be married.” I felt his lips streatch into a grin.

I bit my lower lip trying to keep my smile under control. “That is an accurate statement,” I agreed.

Jack trailed kisses down my neck. “You will be Mrs. Barakat,” he murmured.

“Also true,” I admitted tangling my fingers in his hair.

“And we’ll get a nice house,” he added trailing the kisses across my shoulder pushing the strap of my dress away.

“If this is supposed to be dirty talk you are really bad at it,” I teased bringing his lips back to mine.

“I don’t know I think I was doing pretty well,” he joked pulling me towards our room.

I chuckled and let him lead the way.

Moments like these are what make me glad that my ridiculous older brother decided to work for Hopeless records and invited a band full of idiots into our house. Glad that Jack didn’t leave me alone no matter how many times I attempted to make it clear that he wasn’t my favorite person on the planet. Glad that he invited me to go on warped tour with the band for a summer. Glad that one night in that stupid hotel room happened and it changed our friendship for the better.

Because without all of that happening I wouldn’t have ended up engaged to my best friend. I wouldn’t be able to say that I would be spending the rest of my life with Jack and that is all I could have ever asked for.