Mood: swipe left and tap the media box above to listen to Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat.

Jake

A year later.

"Honey, I'm coming home soon. I promise," I tried soothing her.

She was crying on the phone because she missed me. I hated to hear my Missy cry. I missed her too.

It had been close to a year since I left. After a short summer and an engagement party, I went back to London. I took the job offer.

Working for a credible international news corporation was what I needed to advance my career.

I had Missy's support. She told me life wasn't about regrets. It was about taking opportunities and following our hearts. I had told her my heart was with her.

She said her heart was always with me, no matter where we were.

"You'd be a fool not to take the job," she said.

I listened to her.

Missy found a small inner-city apartment that she shared with Philly, and took the train to work. She liked her job and her colleagues. She and the professor's wife were close.

Missy and I were getting married next month-we finally set a date six months ago.

"I just miss you so much," Missy said.

"I miss you too, Missy. It won't be long before we'll be living together."

"I know."

"Yeah."

I listened to her talk on the phone. She loved to talk, especially about the wedding.

We decided to have a small, intimate wedding at our home church. It was going to be outdoors in the church garden. My mom and May were helping Missy out with the wedding. We called in a wedding planner, who took care of most of the details. The last thing I wanted was for Missy to be overly stressed.

The last time I saw her, she had lost weight. I told her she needed to eat. I said I liked a woman with curves.

"Jake, did you hear what I said?"

Back to earth.

"Um, sorry, I got a little side-tracked," I replied.

"The girls want to do a hens' night with male strippers for me, and Zach said he wanted to do a stag night for you," Lydia said.

Here we go again. Missy was relentless.

"No."

"What? No?"

"That's right, you heard me. No."

I had to stand my ground. I wasn't in favor of Missy watching naked guys strip and grind their shit in front of her face.

Nope. Not happening.

"Jakey, you get to go to Diamonds and Laces with the boys," Lydia wailed.

She wasn't convincing.

"Been there, done that. Not interested," I said.

"You've been there?" She had to ask.

"Yup."

"When?"

"A few times. A long time ago."

I noticed it was getting late.

"Lydia, I've gotta get some sleep. I'll call you next weekend. I love you, okay?"

"Okay. I love you too. Good night."

"Night, Missy."

I sighed when I hung up. Missy was a little minx.

She was all I wanted. I thought of her topless, in a crotch-less pair of lace panties I bought her during her last visit.

---

Lydia

"So he said no to a hen's night?" Carrie said.

She and I were shopping for bridal jewelry and shoes to match my wedding dress.

"Oh, he doesn't mind us girls going on a ladies' night, but he said no to strippers," I said.

"Ok, then we'll go out with the girls and have a great night, filled with champagne. Changing the subject, where's Philly? I thought she was joining us."

"She's on a date," I replied. "Carrie, you know Jake invited Johan to the wedding?"

"Yeah, that's fine," Carrie said.

"Really?" I looked at her.

"Yeah! I've moved on," Carrie assured me. She threw a pillow and smiled at me.

Carrie Deacon was a fighter. She didn't accept mediocre in life and was always on the hunt for the best thing for herself.

She found work in a state government department, with an office in the city. Carrie's place was a bus ride away from mine.

I knew had Carrie moved on from Johan, because she found the guy of her dreams.

The lucky guy was an old university friend of Jake's. The last time Jake came to visit, he invited Dean Grey for a beer at a local city pub. Carrie joined me to keep me company and the two got along like a house on fire.

"Dang, girl! Jake's friend is so yummy! Dean Grey is my Christian Grey," she confessed.

She must have read Fifty Shades of Grey at least half a dozen times and maybe half a dozen more after meeting Dean.

I handed a pair of stilettos to Carrie.

"Are these okay?" I needed her opinion.

"Yeah, if you want blistered feet on your wedding night," she replied.

"Dean will be staying the whole weekend in Gainsville for the wedding," she boasted.

"And you know this?" I teased.

Carrie blushed. She was awfully quiet.

"Carrie!" I knew her all too well.

"What?" She looked up at me with pretend-innocent eyes.

I exhaled, and then looked at Carrie.

"He's a nice guy. Be good to him," I said.

Carrie nodded, with a smile as bright as the sun.

---

One month later.

I came home a few days before Jake, so I drove to pick him up at the airport when his flight arrived.

Before he flew to London, he left his white Mercedes with me so I could drive around. He said he trusted me with it when he handed me the key. Unfortunately, I made a small dent on the side while I was parking-it was an oversight and I missed a post.

Jake paid for the repair and told me to be more careful. I felt like such a pickle!

As I waited for Jake at the arrival hall, I got a text message from my mom.

Don't forget to pick up milk and bread on the way home.

I looked up and saw my beautiful man coming through the arrival doors and toward me.

I didn't hesitate to rush toward him and squeezed him tightly with a hug.

"Missed me, Missy?" Jake let out of soft chuckle while I covered him with kisses.

"I missed you so much," I whispered, as I kissed his ear.

"Soon, Missy," he replied.

Jake dropped in to visit my mom and dad before we drove to his parents' place. His paternal grandmother was staying with them, and we were joining his family for dinner.

She was one heck of a tough lady who did not hold back on what she thought.

"Jake, you are twenty-three years old. How long have you known Lydia for?"

"Close to seven years," Jake replied.

"We weren't together for the whole period. We were friends most of that time," I added.

"Oh. Well! Plenty of time to get to know each other, then."

Jake's grandmother then looked over at Angie, who looked down at her food. I sensed that Angie may not have had it easy with Robbie's mom.

Later while I was relaxing in Jake's room, I listened to him tell me stories of him being a little kid visiting his grandma.

"Once, we were in the shopping mall..." Jake began.

Long story short, a woman went up to Jake and asked him where his parents were. His grandmother asked if there was a problem and stated that she was his grandmother.

"She didn't believe your grandmother?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Skin color. Hair. In case you didn't notice, I don't look much like my grandmother."

"You have her good bone structure," I said. "You also tan really well. That's from your dad and your grandmother. You certainly don't get that from your mom!"

Jake's mom had pale skin that would burn badly under the sun.

Jake laughed. It was good to see him smile.

---

The morning of the wedding day.

Kath, Philly and Carrie got me a room at a fancy hotel the night before my wedding. I was pampered, plucked, waxed, and prepared for my wedding day like a turkey ready to roast for Thanksgiving!

Jake was staying at his parents' place. Zach was back in town and so was Greg, for the wedding. Kessler and Kath stayed at a nearby hotel and Jake's family from out of town were filling up his place. My mom and dad also had his family staying at their place.

Carrie and Kath were my bridesmaids, while Zach and Kessler were Jake's groomsmen.

Mom wanted me to stay with them but I preferred the idea of being spoiled in a luxury hotel the night before my big day. Mom was coming over to the hotel room early that morning.

When there was a knock on the door at eight a.m., while I was getting my hair and makeup done by a professional makeup and hair artist, I made way to open the door.

"Oh my gawd! Oh my!" Kath, Philly, and Carrie all rushed in to hug me. Cindy, the makeup and hair artist, stood back and smiled. We asked her to take a few photos of us girls.

I was twenty-three years young, and I still remember the day as if it was yesterday.

My mom came along twenty minutes later, with my wedding dress.

The photographer also arrived and started taking some pre-wedding photos of us. We had him for the whole day until the start of the reception.

This was it. I was getting married to the most beautiful man I've ever met and known.

Jacob Somersby was mine.

In a few hours I would be Lydia Somersby.

---
A/N: Are you excited for Lydia and Jake?

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