For almost a year, I have been stuck in moments. Most of these moments were moments that changed my life. All because I decided to become a runaway bride.
I got stuck on the side of a godforsaken road.
I got rescued by an incredibly hot as fuck stranger.
I kissed the incredibly hot as fuck stranger.
I fucked the incredibly hot as fuck stranger.
I had sex with the incredibly hot as fuck stranger.
I made love to the incredibly hot as fuck as a stranger.
And then he was not the stranger anymore; he was Tyler.
Tyler, the man I fell in love with.
Tyler, the man I shared a bed with.
Tyler, my lover.
Tyler, my partner.
Tyler, my fiance.
Tyler Moore, the hot as fuck stranger, the man that I love, the only man that I will ever love.
And it is over
The moments are memories, and they are memories I will never forget. Tyler will never be forgotten, and he will always be felt, felt deep in my heart, a heart that will only ever belong to him.
I did not know what I was expecting when I told him I loved him just now. Maybe that he would say it back, mostly I knew that he wouldn’t. Maybe I should have waited for just a little bit longer; maybe he would have said it then, or maybe I would have waited forever.
I love him, and if it means that I have to let him go, then that is what I will. He is hurt, and he is broke. Right now, I don’t think he knows what he is doing. Right now, he does not know which way to go. Right now, he is just living day by day. Right now, he is just protecting his heart. That hurt and pain that you see in his eyes that is all done by me. So if I have to let him go so he can heal, then that is what I will.
Twenty-five minutes, in exactly twenty-five minutes a year and a day ago, is when I first set my eyes on him. Whom was I fooling in coming back here that avoiding him was possible, that I can drive past here and not be reminded of it, of the way we met, of us.
I don’t know why but I pull off on the side of the road in exactly the same place, and I wait. I am not waiting for him, but I am waiting for the moment; I am waiting for a memory. For the next twenty-five minutes, this is where I will sit, and when I am done, I will say my final goodbyes, then.
I need to have my wine, I need to have my disc, and what he did not notice earlier on is that I have the first normal dress he ever saw me in on.
I am so lost in my thoughts, in my moments, in me singing my songs.
“I used to think. I had the answers to everything”. But now I know. That life doesn’t always. Go my way, yeah. Feels like I’m caught in the middle, That’s when I realize. I’m not a girl. Not yet a woman. All I need is time. A moment that is mine. While I’m in between. I’m not a girl.”
That is when it comes flying out of nowhere.
My god damn wedding dress.
“What the fuck!”
“You promised me that you would never leave me again.”
“Where the fuck did you come from?”
“You don’t pay attention when you play that shit music. But I must say I agree with this song.”
“Why are you throwing my wedding dress at me?”
“So I can propose to you properly.”
“You don’t propose in a wedding dress.”
“I do. Do you have a problem putting that thing on?”
“No, but I don’t have underwear on.”
“It never stopped you before.”
“I liked it when you get so bossy, sheriff.”
“Just put that thing on before I change my mind. Do you think you can stay in this town long enough to marry me?”
“Is that your way of asking me to really marry you?”
“For fuck sakes.”
Tyler bends down on one knee in front of me and stares up at me with those deep beautiful brown eyes; that hurt seems to be gone; all I can see his love and a single tear rolling from them
“Jenna Davis, will you please stay and become Jenna Moore?”
“Yes, Tyler Moore, I will stay.”
“And what?”
“And what?”
“You only said you would stay.”
“Is there something else I am supposed to say?”
“Yes, and you know what.”
“No, I don’t know what.”
“You being impossible.”
“I know.”
“I just love to see those puppy eyes.”
“I am waiting.”
“For what?”
“Your answer.”
“What answer.”
“For fuck sakes. I think I am reconsidering my question.”
“Yes, Tyler, I will marry you.”
“See, that was no so hard.”
He nudges my chin with his thumb; his touch sends warm ripples of shock through my body, thinning the air in my lungs. There is a gentleness in his eyes, a vulnerability, and fear all at once. All I want to do is hold him, reassure him that this time it will be different.
His gaze falls down to my lips, parted and full, waiting to be kissed. In slow motion, he bends toward me, closing his eyes to caress my mouth with his own. A weak gasp escapes me. With a fierce hold, he cups the back of my neck and kisses me deeply, gently; he is possessive in his touch. His fingers twine in my hair, desperate to explore.
And then, all at once, my body melts into his with an answering groan. Desire licks through him, searing through his body. With a heated shudder, he takes me in his arms and looks deeper into my eyes than he has ever before.
“I love you, Jenna Davis.”
“See, that was not so hard.”
“Don’t get cheeky with me.”
“What do we do now?”
“Do you want to live here, or do you want to go back to your home?”
“Why would I go back to my home without you?”
“I would go with you.”
“Would you really give up all of this for me?”
“Yes, I am never letting you go again.”
“Your life is here; my life there is still new.”
“What do you mean?”
“I want to stay here, but only if we can go up there sometimes too.”
“And then you can work in the pub.”
“Nice try. I will stay at home.”
“You can work for me. Clara chased my deputy away.”
“‘Oh my god, what the fuck did she do?”
“You don’t want to know.”
Then I get a brilliant idea.
“Follow me to town.”
“Why, what are you up to now?”
“Rub it in Clara’s face that I am your fiance again.”
“You are not even back for ten minutes, and you are already starting shit again.”
“Okay, I want to go tell Sandra.”
“Yes, and then conveniently bump into Clara.”
“I would never do such a thing.”
“Yes, I believe you. I will meet you at the station.”
I quickly take my wedding dress off and shove it in the back. This poor dress has been back and forth so many homes, and I still have not used it what it really is intended for. This time around, I will. I look down at my finger; an hour ago, I thought this would never happen, and now I have Tyler’s ring back on my finger again.