Jake

"So who is this Ophelia Henry woman Gem was telling me about?" I ask Cassian as we jog along with the shore in the Gellatly area.

He throws me a jaded smile. "She's the head of the management team at Utterly Uncorked, that new winery that's just opened down the road. It's the winery Penelope thinks we'll benefit from. She knows it's a risk, but tourists are generally compelled by the lake here. Pen thinks we'll make a fortune." He pauses and wipes some of the sweat from his brow. "Ophelia's really hot, too."

As much as I want to drop this subject, I know there's more to the story between Cassian and Ophelia. He wouldn't just start pining over someone because they're hot. Cassian may come across as easy-going and open to anything, but he's really picky about who he lets in his life, let alone who he dates. "What aren't you telling me?" I ask.

Cassian sighs and jerks his head in the direction of a nearby outcrop in the path. It's a mini dock that juts out over the water, complete with waist-high railing and a prime view of the lake and the surrounding mountains. I follow him onto it, earning dirty looks from the people that were jogging behind us. I suppress an eye roll. If they thought we were going too slow, then why didn't they jog around us? The path is definitely big enough.

Shaking my head, I turn my attention back to Cassian. He's leaning over the railing, his elbows supporting him. "What's going on, man?" I ask, taking my place beside him. I stare out at the view while I wait for his answer.

He sighs again, running his hands through his sweaty hair. "Do you remember Sarah Anderson from sixth grade?"

My eyebrows knit together as I try to comb back through my memories. Personally, I've never been good with names. Unless I see that person on a regular basis, I usually end up referring to them via what they're wearing or what colour hair they have. "Give me a hint. You know I'm shit with names."

"Remember that trip to Thetis Lake? The one where you, me, and Gemma managed to flip the kayaks that were rented for the students?"

Memories begin to flash in my mind. I can feel the cold water soaking through my life jacket, taste the gooey goodness of s'mores on my tongue, see the billions of stars in the night sky. Another memory comes to me: Sitting around the campfire and telling ghost stories. Gemma was terrified and I felt like the hero that evening, holding her hand and comforting her. I also remember a black-haired girl with purple-framed glasses that were way too big for her face. "Wait," I say. "Was Sarah Anderson the one who told all the ghost stories? She had the glasses, right?"

"Purple ones," Cassian smirks.

"Okay," I nod, a little more comfortable with this conversation now that I know what he's talking about. "But what does this have to do with Ophelia?"

Cassian's gaze focuses on the wooden railing beneath his elbows, tracing the initials of a couple that took their time to engrave them there forever. It's a cliché concept, but I find it cute. Especially when it happens in public areas. It makes you think about what happened to this couple, who they were, how they met, et cetera. "She was in our class, Jake," he murmurs. "Ophelia was Sarah's best friend – the shy one with the mousy brown hair. She always had a book in her hands, no matter where she went. She loved those little applesauce cups, too. Every day at lunch, she had one with her sandwich."

I blink, surprised by the fact that I actually do remember her. Not very well, I'll admit, but I know who he's talking about. Ophelia was Sarah's best friend and I always thought it was a very unfair duo. Sarah seemed to take most of the spotlight and attention from the people who would socialize with them. Honestly, I think Ophelia was just a tag-along type of girl at the time. She stuck around Saanich for a few more years but moved before we started high school. I feel like an ass when I say this, but I totally forgot about her until now.

"I had the biggest crush on her," Cassian continues. He begins to trace the lines of his palm with his finger. "And I never thought I was going to see her again after she moved away. Yet here we are." He drops his head forward, giving it a good shake. "Man, why are feelings so complicated? Y'know? You're scared of becoming a father and I'm scared, but also excited to talk to a girl I had a crush on almost twenty years ago. What the fuck is wrong with us?"

I stare out at the water, unsure about how to answer that question. The truth is, ever since the chat Gemma and I had about becoming parents, I've been internally mulling over the topic. I'll be standing there, utterly useless, as she pushes a baby out of her body, but I'm beginning to think I'm overthinking everything. I know Gemma has gone over this situation a million times in her head. Hell, she's probably researched the hell out of pregnancies. She wouldn't go into something like this unless she was absolutely sure she wanted to.

"I think I want to be a dad," I blurt.

Cassian's posture snaps into a ramrod straight position as he turns to face me. The look of shock on his face is somewhat offensive, but I don't let it get to me too much. "Are you serious?" he asks. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

I lean against the railing, contemplating my response. What it really boils down to is the fact that I want Gemma to be happy. And if having a kid makes her happy, then it's going to make me happy, too. I also want our connection to be stronger. However, there's also a part of me that longs to complete a job that was taken away from my parents. I want to show them, wherever they are, that they did a good job of raising me. That they did a good job of teaching me the difference between right and wrong, and all the other little lessons we learn in life. I also want to be there, for every moment and every minute while our kid grows up. "Because I love Gemma," I finally reply. "And I want her to be happy. But I also want a family. Don't get me wrong, I've loved having you, Gemma, and everyone else come together for Hanna and I to represent a family. I...I want a biological family again, Cassian." Shakily, I chuckle to myself. "I'll probably make my kids walk to school dressed in bubble wrap and never let them drive a vehicle, but, uh, yeah."

Cassian stares at me, blinking rapidly. "Fuck, man," he says, tearing his gaze away from me. "Stop it with that emotional shit. You're going to make me cry."

Laughing, I punch Cassian in the shoulder. "You're such a baby. Maybe Gemma and I can just adopt you. God knows we would have our hands full."

Cassian snorts. "You two couldn't handle me. Though, I do have to admit I would love to be pampered all day. Maybe I'll take you up on that offer. I can judge whether or not you two will be good parents."

"Yeah, no thanks," I reply. Sighing, I run a hand through my hair. "So, what are you going to do about Ophelia?"

I know it's wrong to not support my best friend, but it's difficult to when he's been completely oblivious since the company trip to Cape Scott Provincial Park. Just like Gemma, I've been hoping that Cassian would come to his senses and realize that Penelope is potentially more than a friend. I like it when the two of them hang out, and I also think that Penelope brings out a very straightforward side of Cassian. She manages to joke around with him and healthily stroke his ego, but she also keeps a firm view on what needs to be done. She makes him act productive. And I find that Cassian coaxes Penelope out of her shell. When she's one-on-one with someone, in a social aspect, she's very quiet. But when Cassian is near, she's more like business Penelope, just a little more relaxed.

"I don't know, man," he shrugs. "I don't know if she even remembers me or not. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens with this meeting." He glances at me, a cocky smirk on his lips. "Are you sure you're going to be able to run the shops on the Island and in Vancouver without me?"

"Yes," I reply, rolling my eyes. Personally, I think he's trying to worm his way out of this. We don't know how long he and Penelope are going to be here while they work the deal out and set up shop, but I don't think I'll be seeing Cassian until Christmas.

"I'm just bugging you."

"I know," I reply. "I know."

Chuckling, Cassian shakes his head. "Can you believe the wedding is tomorrow? Where did the time go?"

"I don't know," I murmur. It's hard to believe that Gemma and I are going to be married tomorrow by the end of the day. The rings on our fingers will no longer symbolize our engagement. We'll officially be married. Her last name will change to Swift. I'll have the girl of my dreams to live out the rest of my life with. We'll have a family. "I'm nervous, but I'm excited, too. I can't wait to see Gemma in her wedding dress again."

"Is it easy to take off?" Cassian teases.

I roll my eyes but keep my mouth shut. I have no comment. I believe that the bed is exactly where we're going to go once the celebration is over. Once I tell Gemma that I'm ready to raise a kid. But I'm not admitting that to Cassian."I don't have the authority to answer that question."

Cassian wrinkles his nose. "For the love of God, if you two want to start acting like horny teenagers, at least promise me you're going to wait until the rest of us are asleep."

With nothing to say, I punch him in the arm again.