Still Into You // Paramore

Holly

"Is Jackson stopping by?" Mom asks from her spot at the table. She's looking on as I tie tulle netting along the edges of a blooming wisteria arch.

"Not sure. His friends got in town this morning and they're spending the day together. They might be golfing."

"Isn't he helping with the decorations?"

I turn a side-eye at my mom. "Of course not. He's all thumbs and I want perfection." I look back at the arch, making sure the connectors are hidden. They are.

I never imagined having an outdoor wedding, let alone one with a lush setting like this. Savanna and Brax offered their backyard as soon as we told them we were engaged. Jackson shook Brax's hand. I smiled after hugging Savanna. Their garden arch surrounded by roses and daisies makes the setting more lovely. It doesn't hurt that their offer saved us a ton of money we didn't have to spend on venue.

The only issue was needing to move up the date because they're set to start renovations on their house. With baby number three on the way, they need to make adjustments on the floor plan for more space. Savanna didn't want to move. Half of Brax's classic car and motorcycle restoration business is set up in their garage. Plus, Jackson and I love living in their second-floor apartment.

"He does know the wedding is tomorrow, doesn't he?" Mom says it with a laugh. I laugh with her.

"He knows." He reminded me this morning.

"One more day, then I get to call you wife."

My heart races remembering the look he gave me when he said it. Like marrying me was a privilege. A dream come true. I feel the same way. All of this time, all of these years apart, and it took almost no time at all to realize he's the one for me.

I think I fell in love with him when I was five. After all of this time, I'm still in love with him.

"What's next?" Savanna says as she exits the house with a box of floating candles for the centerpieces of clear glass vases with floating blossoms. Those won't get assembled until tomorrow. We have tables of six set up on either side of the arch where the ceremony will take place.   Even I'm not sure what comes next. Savanna survey's the yard before putting the box on the nearest table and covering her mouth. She looks a little green.

"You should be resting. That little peanut is giving you a run for your money today."

Savanna shakes her head. "Keep your voice down. If Brax hears I've been sick twice already he'll forbid me to be on my feet."

"I heard that!" he shouts from the garage right before the sound of his footsteps rushing toward us.

I cringe. "Sorry."

"I'm fine!" Savanna pushes at his chest as he reaches her. "Don't you dare send me inside. I need fresh air. I need to be busy. Sitting on the couch will only force me to focus on my stomach. I need distractions."

Brax drops his head, hands on hips, as he releases a pent up breath.

"It goes against every instinct I have to take care of you. But I get it. I'll back off."

"I swear this is the last baby I let you put in me."

Brax's head snaps up. "Don't say that, baby." He steps closer to her, his hand covering her stomach with a gentle touch. She doesn't have a bump yet, but he caresses her belly anyway.

Savanna's gaze softens. "Why?"

He nuzzles her neck and whispers in her ear. I watch with a smile as she blushes, slaps his shoulder and shakes her head with a laugh.

"That's a terrible reason."

He smirks and shrugs. Then he kisses her cheek and walks back to the garage. "Take it easy, sweetheart. I'll rub your feet later."

When he's gone, Savanna joins me in adjusting the tulle arch, still blushing but smiling like crazy.

"That man is a gem," my mom says.

"He is." I nod.

"Jackson is a gem, too. So much of his daddy in him."

I twist to smile back at my mom. "How's Butch doing? He's been excited about the wedding."

"Still is. I think his nerves are getting to him. He couldn't find a darn thing this morning."

Not long after my dad was convicted of his crimes and sent to prison for no less than a decade, Butch's entire circumstances changed. He was no longer hiding himself from the world. He wasn't sending more than half of his monthly income to Verna, and he'd actually been able to recoup some of the money with Jackson's help. I watched in awe as father and son worked together to create a budget that gave Butch more freedom.

And then he'd offered to stay with mom as her caregiver. Because of her condition, she qualified for state funds to support paying for managed care. Butch was able to get certified in order to be appointed the position. It made sense for both of them, and it allowed my mom and Butch to live in a better neighborhood in town.

My dad going to jail helped all of us. Verna got a lighter sentence for her role as accomplice. Jackson breathes easier with her away, at least for now. We haven't talked about how to handle things when she gets out but first, we want to focus on getting married and starting our life together.

My phone rings in my pocket. I drop the supplies I was holding onto the nearest table and pull the phone out. Jackson's smiling face looks up at me as he's requesting a facetime call. I swipe to answer.

"Hey, baby. Are you having fun with the guys?" I squint and notice the background of the tattoo shop. "I thought you went golfing."

He smiles. "We did. But I had an idea, so we came here. Come meet me."

"At the shop?" I scrunch my nose at his request.

"Yeah. Right now. Trust me."

I shrug. "Okay. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Okay."

We end the call and I head toward the stairs to our apartment.

"I'll be back!" I call over my shoulder as I head up the stairs.

"Take your time. Julia will be here soon with her friends and reinforcements." Savanna reassures me.

I wash up and change out of my overalls into my favorite jeans, putting my 'I'm the Bride' t-shirt on full display. It's no good having an adorable t-shirt if you don't show it off.

I rush back down the stairs and jump into my new car. Well, my new-to-me car. After my dad totaled both my car and Jackson's truck, Brax helped me find this '66 Mustang. His friends, Nico and Garret, fixed it up after Brax reconditioned the motor. Now I'm driving a cherried out sky blue classic. I love it.

Traffic is light so the drive takes less than ten minutes. A parking spot right out front is waiting for me saving more time hunting one down. I rush into the shop looking for Jackson. Butch is standing behind the front desk smiling at me.

"Where's Jackson?"

Butch just smiles and points to the back. I head into the main studio space and stop in my tracks. Jackson is laid out on Grinder's chair. Grinder is seated next to him, head bent down. His tattoo gun is buzzing and Jackson is talking.

"Best damn idea I ever had."

"Dude, it was my idea." A guy standing next to Jackson throws his hands out. He's tall and rippling with muscles.

"A dare is not an idea," a second guy says. He's shorter with black hair and pasty skin.

"Told you he was whipped," the guy with a smirk says.

"What are you doing?" I ask, bringing Jackson's head up from his reclined position.

Grinder lifts up and away from him. "Gotta stop moving, son."

"Sorry, sorry. Hang on." Jackson jumps off the chair and barrels over toward me, a huge grin on his face. "Yeah, best fucking idea ever."

"Are you drunk?" I tilt my head at him. His energy is frantic.

"No way, baby. Well, unless a guy can be drunk on love." He shoves his hand in my face. A thin black line circles the ring finger surrounded by purple numbers.

I grab his hand. "What is this?" Inspecting it closer, I turn his hand over. It continues all the way around. I look back up at Jackson, into his eyes.

"It's our wedding date in a band around my finger. My first ink."

I gasp. "You're getting a tattoo the day before our wedding?"

"Yes." He steps closer, taking my face in his hands. "The absolute most important date in the world on the most important finger."

I smile. "Well, finish it up so I can get mine."

The responding smile on Jackson's face glows. He takes me by the hand and plops back into the chair with me cuddled beside him.

"Holly, this dog is Craig." The muscled guy smiles at me. Jackson's former roommate. The guys came for the wedding and to have like a bachelor day since Jackson didn't have a party.

"This kid is Tim." Jackson points to the youngest of the guys. He's got a baby face along with the pale skin and dark hair.

"And then there's this one," he says waving to the guy who called him whipped. Dan is the only one left so that must be his name. I don't even question why he didn't tell me what it is. Jackson told me Dan likes to razz him so this must be payback.

"Broby, don't pout just 'cause I called you out." Dan munches on popcorn, tossing a kernel at Jackson.

I crane my neck around to look at the guy. "Broby?"

"Bro plus baby equals broby."

Somehow that makes sense so I don't question him further.

Nice guys. My brows rise with the thought. I mean, I think they mean well but I'm glad Jackson doesn't live with them anymore.

"Does it hurt?"

Jackson's free hand squeezes my ass. "Not that much. I've had worse."

I don't ask what he's referring to.

"I'm feeling like a third wheel," Dan says. "Let's go down the street for some pizza. I saw a hole-in-the-wall that probably serves banging stuff."

"It does. I'll catch up with you when we're done."

"Sure," Dan says as he, Craig and Tim leave the shop, waving at Butch as they go.

"Almost done," Grinder says a few minutes later.

"Do you have time for mine?" I ask.

"'Course. Just gotta wipe everything down before I start yours."

I snuggle back into Jackson. "Forever," I whisper.

"Forever plus a day. I'm getting as much time as possible with you, baby."

I smile and curl even closer. Forever starts now. It started when he came back into this town, in this shop, standing next to me at the counter. I didn't know back then, but I should have. He walked in and changed everything.

I'm his and that will never change. My love for him is irrevocable. 

THE END!! Well, unless I decide to write one more from Jackson's POV. Wedding day...and night? Maybe. I have to have my head in it and right now I don't. But that could change with the right song!

Speaking of music, The @music profile interviewed me for their author interview book! I'll post a link to my page if you want the inside scoop on my process among other fascinating details about me 😉

ALSO, The Monstrous Love Anthology IS BACK!! Yeah we were tooooooooo hot for Wattpad. The entire book vanished! So we've reposted as Monstrous Love - Love Bites Back. That link is on my page as well. Check it out!

Here's another song I stole from the My Bloody Valentine playlist (seriously it rocks) and I think it's the perfect song for these two. Still Into You, no matter the time that's gone by, no matter the situation. That's Holly and Jackson to a tee!

https://youtu.be/OblL026SvD4

I'll post a behind the scenes chapter soon, and then keep your eyes open for the Moonlight finale! Lots of hints for the next book in the Hollywood series, Not Another Player, and the next Salt Creek story, Sunlight.