"Are you sure you're up to this?" Jeff asked. It was the first week of summer school and once again, he and Annie were standing in front of a lecture theatre waiting for the students to arrive. It wasn't the first time they'd stood together in front of a Greendale lecture theatre, but it was the first time that Annie was the lecturer and Jeff would be in the audience.
"Oh please, Jeff." She rolled her eyes at him. "We re-established contact because I was giving the case for the prosecution at a conference attended by some of the best defence lawyers in the country. And you."
"Ouch, Annie." Jeff winced good naturedly.
She grinned back at him. "I think I can handle guest lecturing at a Greendale Summer school class as a favour for my old forensics professor."
"Well, I'm going to be in the front row, watching you do almost as well as me -"
"You wish."
"-I'd say break a leg, but…"
Annie shuddered slightly. "Yeah - been there, done that."
"Knock 'em dead, babe." Jeff closed in for a hug - a relatively chaste one, as students were starting to filter in - and took a seat in the front row to watch and offer moral support.
As the students settled down, a middle-aged man walked to the front. "Good afternoon students," Professor Dawson, who had taken over teaching forensics after Buzz Hickey's death, addressed them. "Today we have a special treat for you, a guest lecture from this programme's most successful graduate and one of the FBI's most promising young officers. Allow me to present Special Agent Annie Edison…".
XXXXXX
As Spring Semester came to an end and Summer School started, Jeff watched Annie close in remorselessly on the metrics she needed to pass the physical fitness test that would likely take her away from Greendale, and if he had mixed feelings about it he didn't let them show. He didn't ask her how the therapy sessions the FBI had arranged to assess if she was mentally fit to return were going either, but he knew Annie - that would not hold her back.
Other parts of Annie's life fell into place. Her agent returned from New York with a deal for her to consider.
("What do you think?" she asked her lawyer when she showed him the contract.
"There are bits of it I'm very impressed by," Jeff had said.
"Oh really, which?"
"The zeroes, for starters. It might be an idea to seek to keep the film rights though, even if it means a smaller advance."
Annie looked puzzled for a moment, then realised what he was getting at. "Ah, Abed."
Jeff nodded in agreement.)
Which meant that more and more of Annie's time not taken up by appointments was spent working on her book, interviewing her friends for the period that was a blank to her and watching the video footage Abed had taken to support her memory book.
("I remember none of this." Annie had just re-watched for the third time a short episode showing Troy pushing her in a wheelchair at full speed down a hospital corridor. She was screaming with laughter and the camera was shaking as Abed sprinted to keep up - it had come to an abrupt end when Troy had almost crashed her into a doctor and only escaped serious embarrassment when he offered to perform a free gig for the student body. There were tears in the corners of her eyes, Jeff held for for a very long time until she felt better.)
XXXXXX
One Thursday, two weeks after the start of Summer School, Jeff was getting ready to leave for work when he noticed something different about Annie.
"You're wearing your uniform. What gives, babe?" Annie had on her black, knee-length skirt suit, white blouse and medium heels.
"I've been called in for an interview at the Denver office," she said.
Jeff felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"It's probably nothing." Annie noticed and was attempting to reassure him. "They probably just want to talk about the bits of my book where I discuss the case."
"I thought you'd already sent those chapters off?"
"I have, but I haven't had any feedback yet, so…" She walked over and kissed him. "You go to school, we'll talk about it over dinner tonight. Love you, Jeff."
"Love you too, Annie. Best of luck."
XXXXXX
(That evening.)
"Hi Annie, Sorry I'm -" Jeff had been held back slightly late with a staff meeting - his greeting as he walked through the door came to an abrupt halt as he saw what awaited him. Annie had set the table for a formal dinner, the smells of a meal filled the apartment and she was standing next to the table wearing the dress and heels he'd bought her for their first proper date. Something bad has happened. She's softening me up.
He put a smile on his face. "How did your day go? What did Denver have to say?"
Annie poured a glass of wine. Jeff noticed her hand seemed to be shaking slightly. "Why don't we sit down, have a drink and some dinner first -"
"Annie. What is it?" Jeff took the offered wine.
She poured a glass for herself. "They offered me a job," she said, taking a big sip.
Jeff sagged with relief - he hadn't expected her visit to the Denver office to result in a job offer. "Denver? That's great -"
Annie shook her head. "Not in Denver."
Jeff suddenly realised why Annie had gone to so much trouble. A feeling of dread came over him. She's leaving me.
"Where, Annie?"
"Lewiston, Idaho."
"Where?"
"It's a big promotion Jeff, I'll be running a resident agency, making me the most senior federal agent in about a fifth of the state."
Jeff fought the urge to throw his glass across the room. Instead he put it on the table and, to his surprise, managed to reply almost calmly. "It sounds like you've decided to take the job."
She nodded. "I want to, yes. If I turn this down it might be years before I get another opportunity like this." Annie had a nervous, slightly too large smile on her face as though she thought if she projected enough positivity she could carry Jeff along with her. It wasn't working.
"Idaho, Annie! What about us?" I've accepted in the past that she has to move on and if I want to keep her in my life then I have to go with her – but it wasn't real then, it is now.
Annie's face went pale as her mood changed. "Don't do this, Jeff - we talked about this. I want us to be together, but this is also important to me."
"Is it more important to you than I am Annie?" Jeff's voice was trembling with anguish.
"I want you to come with me Jeff, unless Greendale is more important to you than I am anyway," she snapped back.
Jeff was silenced for a moment by what Annie said. He had long since accepted that he would be at Greendale indefinitely, and had resolved to make his life there as worthwhile as possible. But he had also long since accepted that Annie had gone, and now she was back, and…
"I guess I was hoping that, with your writing and lecturing, you were getting used to the idea of staying," he said with a sigh.
"They're good ways of keeping me busy until I'm fit enough to go back to work Jeff – but that's all they are, you know this!" Annie had walked up to him, her eyes begging him to understand and accept it. "You promised to support me, Jeff – together, whatever happens remember?"
"And what about you, Annie?" Jeff sounded like he was fighting to hold in his temper. "While I'm abandoning my job, my friends, my students, everything I've built since the last time you left –" Annie went pale at that "-to show how important you are to me, what will you be doing to show how important I am to you?"
Annie threw her arms up in exasperation. "I'm standing here in a dress you bought me begging you to come with me, Jeff! What else can I do?"
"Marry me." The words seemed to shock him as much as her.
"What? Mister 'nut up and die alone'? You can't be serious!" Annie was utterly bemused at the sudden change in direction the conversation had taken and was finding it increasingly difficult to hold onto her temper, and increasingly wondering why she wanted to.
Jeff still seemed to be partly stunned by what he said. "What's the matter, Annie – do you find it easier to demand commitment than to give it?" Jeff had picked up on Annie's changing mood and was not prepared to back down in front of it.
"Jeff Winger commit to something? You wouldn't dare you overinflated egomaniac!" Annie was practically snarling with rage now.
"You really want to test me, you prissy little teacher's pet?!" Their faces were barely inches apart as they screamed at each other now.
"Yes!"
"Yes what?"
"Yes I'll marry you!" Now it was Annie's turn to look stunned at what she'd said.
"Yes, I'll marry you." She said it again, much more quietly, as though seeking to reassure herself she had actually said it out loud. A soft smile spread across her face as she registered the stunned expression on Jeff's. "It's too late to back out now, mis- oof!" Annie had been abruptly silenced by Jeff hauling her off her feet and crushing his lips to hers.
The kiss started out angry, but they melted into each other's arms and as it came to an end and Jeff lowered Annie so she was standing on her own feet again there was an expression of awed wonder on both their faces as they looked into each other's eyes. "So, are we really going to do this?" Jeff whispered.
Annie nodded, with a smile that was huge even for her. "I think we are, yes." She suddenly wriggled loose from his embrace. "Oh my gosh - there's so much planning to do! We've got to set a date!"
"Tomorrow."
Annie was already in a world of her own. "We've got to draw up a guest list!"
"We won't need to if we do it tomorrow."
"We've got to find a venue and caterers, maybe Shirley would..." Annie had dug out a notebook and a pen and started to scribble down notes.
"Not if we do it tomorrow we don't have to."
"We need to decide what sort of service to have - Jewish, or whatever you are, or do we just get a Justice of the Peace?"
"Not if we do it tomorrow we don't have to."
"I've got to get a dress and shoes, and we'll need a ring -"
"You've got plenty of dresses and shoes, and I've got a ring."
This finally seemed to get through to Annie where nothing else Jeff had said had managed to. "What are you talking about, Jeff?" But Jeff didn't answer - he was already diving into the bedroom. Annie heard shouting and swearing, accompanied by the sound of drawers being pulled open and slammed shut again, then he reappeared.
"I didn't really know my grandparents very well," he said, somewhat to Annie's confusion. "My dad's parents were never around, and my mom's father died before I was born. Which left Nana Fitzgerald, mom's mom. Her husband gave her this, and she gave it to me a few weeks before she died." Jeff showed her the ring box he'd been hiding behind his back. "She told me to hold on to it until I met the girl I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, and give it to her." He took the ring out of the box and held it out to her.
Annie crossed her arms across her chest and shook her head slightly. "You've got to do it right Jeff," she said. The words were stern, but her eyes were shining and she was fighting to keep a smile off her face.
Jeff gaped slightly in disbelief. "What?" he said, then he seemed to register what she was saying. With the long suffering sigh of the righteous martyr, he lowered himself to the ground until he was down on one knee. He held the ring out in front of him. "Annie Edison, will you do me the very great honour of becoming my wife?"
Annie's face changed from stern to radiant as though a switch had been flipped. She jumped into the air squealing, "yes of course I will!" and thrust out her left hand, allowing him to slide the ring onto her third finger. Then she gathered him into a happy embrace - he was still on his knees, so his face was swiftly enveloped in softness and warmth - before pulling away with a suddenly serious expression on her face.
"Why did you keep talking about tomorrow, Jeff?"
"This is Colorado Annie - sure, you can do all that stuff if you really want to, but all you need to do is go down to the County Clerk's office, pay the registration fee, sign the licence form and marriage certificate. You don't even need an officiant if you don't want one!"
"But I've always dreamed of a big wedding!" Annie sounded sceptical.
Jeff looked at her with amused fondness. "Don't tell me you've still got that massive fluffy binder of wedding ideas!"
Annie actually blushed. "It's in a box in storage somewhere, but - yes." She straightened up and looked him in the eyes. "But this isn't about that Jeff - you can't just rush into getting married! There are things to organise, people to talk to! You know me Jeff - I can't just jump into something like this." She stopped and picked up her notebook again. "I've got to start working on a list -"
Jeff was afraid he was losing her again. "Don't forget, you've dreamed about being married to me for years too - at least that one will come true!"
Annie turned back to look at him again, but didn't put her notebook down. "It has to be organised, Jeff! I can't risk anything going wrong because I didn't plan it properly!"
" But think Annie -" Jeff was practically begging now "- do you really think a Greendale wedding will be less crazy and chaotic than the two of us going down to City Hall and fleeing town afterwards?" He grinned suddenly at a fond memory. "All you really need to do is remember not to throw a drink over me."
"Oh god, Jeff -" Annie buried her head in her hands "-I was so young then!"
"Well, unless you're still holding out for Zack Efron…"
"Not since he put on all that weight to play Marlon Brando," Annie shuddered. "But our friends will kill us!" She said with the tone of someone fast running out of objections.
"Then we don't tell them until it's over - you know I love them, but if there's one thing that's guaranteed to make this crazy it's giving them advanced warning." Jeff had the excited tone of someone who sensed he was winning the argument. Annie had a conflicted expression that said she didn't want to agree with him but knew he was right.
"I'll go into college as normal," Jeff continued. "Do my morning classes then meet you at City Hall at lunchtime. We'll fill out the forms, update our status pages and flee town for the weekend."
Annie considered for a moment, then came to a decision. "There's so much we still need to do - but first, you need to get out of here, mister."
Jeff looked stunned. "But we haven't even eaten the dinner you made! Never mind -"
"Dinner doesn't matter any more." Annie said firmly. "As for the rest - it's bad luck for the groom even to see the bride the night before the wedding, sleeping together is completely out of the question. You can book into a motel or something."
Jeff saw the expression on her face and realised it was pointless to argue. "At least let me pack an overnight bag," he sighed.
"And don't forget to take your tablet," Annie said. "If I'm only going to get a weekend for my honeymoon, it needs to be spectacular and it needs to be a surprise. You've basically got tonight to organise it."
"Yes, Annie."
"And I'll need the Jag. You'll have to get a bus." Annie's face had the same mixture of excitement and resolve Jeff remembered from their days when a particularly absurd caper was the highlight of a semester. She grabbed him suddenly and kissed him soundly. "Now leave, before I give in to temptation and nothing gets arranged."
Jeff grinned suddenly. "Yes, Annie."
XXXXXX
(Next morning, Greendale Mall)
Annie looked at the sign over the door of the designer boutique - Tout Pour Elle - took a deep breath, stepped through and made a beeline for the formalwear section.
"May I help you miss?" A flawlessly dressed assistant blocked her way with a professional smile on her face. Annie smiled back.
"I'm getting married this afternoon and I don't have a dress, shoes or lingerie. I do have-" she glanced at her phone "-forty-eight minutes and a Visa Gold Card. Can you help me?"
The assistant's smile turned genuine. "Of course, come this way." She snapped her fingers in the air and a couple of more junior assistants who had been hanging back scurried over.
XXXXXX
(Greendale Community College - Jeff Winger's office)
There was a knock on the door. "Come in," Jeff called. In the end he'd slept in the office overnight - one of the couches opened out into a guest bed - and he'd already been up for a couple of hours and was attending to a few personal matters before heading off to give his first class. Gemma and Hayley walked in - the girls had finished classes at the end of Spring Semester, but were spending the summer interning for Jeff on the Justice Project.
"Good morning, professor." They both said. "Annie dropped this off." Gemma said, holding up Jeff's suit carrier - Jeff remembered she'd got to know the students when she interviewed them for their memories of the conference for her book - "she said something about you needing to be dressed properly for the special date you're having later today?" Hayley continued.
Both girls were clearly bursting with curiosity, but Jeff had no intention of satisfying it. "Thank you ladies, I'll see you later." He gently but firmly closed the door in their faces.
Jeff opened the suit carrier - he wasn't in the least bit surprised to see his sharpest charcoal grey three piece suit, a pristine white shirt and Annie's favorite tie inside. A separate compartment in the bottom contained his most expensive dress shoes. I should have realised, he thought to himself. However hard I try to play it simple, Annie will always make it special. He smiled fondly as he took the suit and shirt out to allow them to hang, then went back to his desk where his tablet was open on a florist's web page.
XXXXXX
Annie left the fashion store carrying three bags. She walked precisely four doors and stepped into a small jewellery store where she was greeted courteously by a smartly dressed man in his early sixties. Annie smiled in acknowledgement.
"I need two gold bands,at least 18 carat. One my size –" she held up her left hand "-and one that will fit a six foot four, 200lb man." She showed him a picture of herself and Jeff on her phone. "and I only have ten minutes."
"Of course, madam. Please come this way and I'll show you a selection of sizes."
XXXXXX
(Law department, main lecture theatre)
"The professor's in a good mood today." Gemma said - Jeff had just cheerfully dismissed his ConLaw class at the end of the lecture and told them because it was so sunny outside he wouldn't be setting homework that weekend. The class had cheered him, then sprinted for the door before he could change his mind.
"Yeah," Hayley said. "I wonder what Annie's up to?"
Gemma shrugged. "Whatever it is, she asked us to keep an eye on him." They discreetly followed him down the corridor until he stopped at the reception desk where the receptionist handed him a bunch of flowers that had been delivered while he was lecturing. Gemma and Hayley were too far away to hear what was said, but they got the gist of it when the receptionist showed Jeff the bucket she'd stood the flowers in, he stood the bouquet back in it, extracted a single rose and presented it to her with an exaggerated bow. The receptionist - a sixty year old grandmother called Leonora - blushed and giggled like a teenager.
"That's a nice bouquet," Gemma said.
"Yes, If that's for Annie she must be doing something big for him today," Hayley said in a thoughtful tone of voice.
"Either that or he's been a spectacular jerk again and those are apology flowers," Gemma said cynically.
XXXXXX
(Les Fleurs d'Amour Beauty Spa)
"Thank you so much for fitting me in at such short notice, Eloise." Annie said somewhat indistinctly, trying to move her lips as little as possible so as to avoid disturbing the full face mask she had on.
You offered double our usual rate to clear a ninety-minute slot, of course we'd squeeze you in. "It was a pleasure Miss Edison, we thoroughly enjoyed taking care of you and your friend last time."
In addition to Eloise, who was working on Annie's hair, there was another beautician working on her manicure, a third on her pedicure and a fourth who had applied the facial mask but was now working on waxing Annie's arms - not something she usually bothered with, but she was determined to be flawless. After all, the dress may have been exquisite but it was also sleeveless.
"Not that it isn't incredibly romantic, but why the rush to get married?" Eloise was babbling cheerfully. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "You're not expecting are you?"
"What?" Annie squeaked. "No! We were having a big blow-out fight, then he asked me to marry him, we screamed a bit more, then he went down on one knee and gave me his grandmother's ring." She held up her left hand.
"Aaaaww!" All four women working on Annie said at once.
XXXXXX
(Greendale Community College)
"… clear off, before I change my mind." Jeff grinned as he dismissed his last class of the day, again without setting homework. He fished his phone, which had vibrated a couple of minutes earlier, out of his pocket. He smiled when he saw the message was from Annie. It simply said –
City Hall, 13:30hrs. If you're late I'll marry the first single guy to walk through the door after that.
Jeff put his phone away. That's an hour to get changed and half an hour to get to City Hall. It's going to be tight. Jeff starting jogging back to his office to get his bags and the bouquet, and then off to the gym to shower and change. He didn't notice he was being followed.
XXXXXX
Annie was having her makeup finalised at the end of her spa session when her phone vibrated. She smiled when she saw it was Gemma's number – she hadn't expected to make friends with the students who had accompanied Jeff to the conference, but they'd bonded when what had meant to be one interview to fill in some background to the conference visit had turned into several sessions of gossip and swapping scandalous tales over a bottle of wine. She was especially touched that they had turned out to be so willing to help despite not knowing what all the secrecy and stalking was about.
He's gone to the gym with his bags. Knowing him he'll be at least an hour making himself pretty.
Annie nodded, amused – she'd had the exact same thought.
Thanks guys – make sure he's on the road in plenty of time, okay?
The reply was immediate.
Are you ready to tell us what's going on yet?
Sorry{sadface} you'll find out soon enough.{happyface} Annie replied.
XXXXXX
An hour later, Jeff had showered, shaved – again, moisturised, got dressed and teased his hair into the effortlessly casual effect that always took at least ten minutes to achieve. As he walked out of the gym he fished out his phone to call for an Uber, but stopped when he saw two familiar figures waiting for him.
"What are you two doing here?" Jeff said to Gemma and Hayley.
"Annie asked us to make sure you were on the road in plenty of time for wherever it was you were supposed to go." Gemma said.
"And we thought the easiest way of making sure – and finding out what has been going on – was by giving you a lift." Hayley added.
Jeff thought for a moment, put his phone away, put on his sunglasses, handed the bouquet he was carrying to Hayley and shrugged. It's not as if the secret needs to hold for much longer anyway.
"Lead on, ladies." He stepped between them, his cocky smile firmly in place.
XXXXXX
"I'm sitting in the front." Jeff said firmly. "There's no way I'm risking creasing this suit." They had reached the car park and he was staring rather dubiously at Gemma's battered Hyundai.
"Get in, professor." Jeff and Gemma sat in the front, Hayley the back – behind Gemma, as her legs would have been crushed behind Jeff.
"Now you have to tell us where we're going." Gemma said as she started the car.
"City Hall." Jeff said a moment later, as they were leaving the parking lot.
Almost immediately afterwards Hayley started hyperventilating.
"OHMIGOD!" She squealed. "I know what's going on! The fancy suit, Annie disappearing for the morning, City Hall!"
Jeff braced himself. Here we go – it couldn't last forever…
"You're going to run for mayor!" Hayley squealed again.
"What?" Jeff could barely believe what he was hearing.
"It makes sense – you've spent a whole semester of ConLaw classes telling us that law doesn't exist in a vacuum, it's part of society – and nominations close next week! Annie's been processing your nomination papers, hasn't she? And these flowers are to thank her for doing all the work!"
Jeff debated for a moment letting Hayley's misconception run, but reluctantly decided honesty was the best policy.
"It's not that, Hayley – we're getting married and that's a bridal bouquet."
"Oh, is that all?" She sounded disappointed.
"About time." Gemma added. "The way you guys kept looking at each other it was bound to happen."
XXXXXX
Annie was waiting in the parking lot off to one side of City Hall. She watched as the clock on the Jag's dashboard turn over to 13:30, then took a deep breath, grabbed her bag and stepped out of the car. This is crazy! I can't believe I'm going to marry Jeff Winger! He only proposed to me eighteen hours ago - what on earth am I doing? Annie almost turned around and ran away there and then, but then she had another thought - I've spent over a thousand dollars in a single morning that'll go to waste if I back out now. Thus fortified, she stood up straight, threw back her shoulders and started walking to the front entrance.
XXXXXX
Jeff had arrived some ten minutes earlier and was standing in front of the building nervously chatting to Gemma and Hayley - as it happened, his back was to Annie and his first hint that she was arriving was the click of heels on concrete. He turned and -
"Wow." Annie was wearing an ivory sheath dress, conservative in cut but still flattering to her figure, and matching shoes. Her slightly nervous smile was turning into a broad beam as she noticed the frankly stunned expression on Jeff's face. "These are for you," he handed over the bouquet. Annie aaaww-ed with delight as she took them off his hands.
"Are you ready to do this?" Jeff asked softly, offering her his arm.
"Just a minute - can you take this please, Gemma?" Annie passed over Jeff's expensive camera. "I'll want some pictures when this is done." She turned to Jeff. "And you take this -" Jeff looked down in surprises as she handed him a small gold ring, then she hooked her arm through his and they walked into the building.
XXXXXX
In truth, the marriage itself lived down to expectations - they waited a few minutes in the clerk's office, then when their turn came they answered a few questions, showed their driver's licences to prove who they were and when they told the clerk they intended to complete the process immediately, she simply said "Sign here -" pointing at the licence "-with your names as they are now, and here -" pointing at the marriage certificate "-with your married names. If you wish it to be formally witnessed, your witnesses sign here -" Gemma and Hayley stepped forward, the clerk took the completed paperwork, stamped it, recorded the details on her computer and returned the certificate.
"Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Winger." Jeff looked at the certificate - Annie had indeed signed it 'Annie E. Winger'. He looked at her with surprise, she simply smiled softly at him. "Ring, Jeff."
"What? oh, yeah." He took the ring she'd given him outside the building and reached for her left hand. Annie stopped him. "Vows first, Jeff." She said with a determined expression on her face as she reached for her bag.
Jeff took hold of Annie's hand before she could reach into her purse. She's probably got a three page script in there, he thought as he smiled at her. "I know you've got something written – you're always prepared – but can I do this my own way?"
Surprised, Annie nodded. Jeff paused for a brief moment. Time for the most important Winger Speech of my life.
"I promise to love you eternally. Honour you unreservedly. Desire you constantly – " Jeff's eyes were shining, Annie suppressed a giggle "-fight with you furiously and always make up afterwards. And unconditionally and without limit and for the rest of my life remember how lucky I am that you chose to love me and strive to be someone worthy of your love and never, ever allow anyone or anything to come between us." Jeff gently slid the gold band onto the third finger of Annie's left hand as her face glowed.
"Now I have to top a Winger Speech," She said, beaming. She paused for a moment – her carefully drafted words had quite vanished from her mind – and started to speak.
"Jeff Winger - you're not as bad a man as you think you are, and I'm not as good a woman as you think I am - I think that makes us a pretty even match. I have always loved you, and will love you for the rest of my life, however impossible you are being. I won't promise never to give you reason to be angry with me –" they both smiled at that "-but I do promise that I will never give you reason to be unhappy with me, and most of all I promise to spend the rest of my life with you and never, ever, give you reason to regret it." Annie slid the gold band she was holding onto Jeff's ring finger.
"You're supposed to kiss her, you know." Hayley said.
"Mrs Winger," He practically whispered the words as though he could barely believe them.
She returned the gesture with the rather larger second ring and was pleased to see it fit perfectly. "Mr Winger," she was barely any louder.
"Yeah," Jeff said with a grin as he pulled Annie gently towards him.
XXXXXX
"Thanks guys, for everything." Annie hugged Gemma and Hayley in turn - they were outside, and had spent five minutes taking pictures on Jeff's camera and everybody's phones, including group pictures that an unfortunate passerby had been roped into taking, and now Annie and Jeff were ready to go. "I should throw this thing -" Annie was looking at her bouquet "- but it seems silly as there's only two of you, so - will you take it as a thank you present instead?"
"Of course we will," they both said at the same time.
"It's probably against all sorts of rules for a professor to hug his interns -" Jeff said as he moved next to Annie.
"Don't be silly, Jeff." Hayley said, closing in for a hug, followed by Gemma. "You two have an amazing weekend, we'll make sure everybody's prepped for your return."
"Bye girls, and thanks for everything."
"Bye guys."
"Goodbye the pair of you, now go!"
With a final wave, Annie dragged Jeff off by the hand to where the Jaguar was parked.
XXXXXX
"One last thing before we set off…" Jeff and Annie were sitting in the front seats of the Jag, phones in hand. Jeff's had a picture of the two of them outside City Hall with the simple caption 'Mr and Mrs Winger'. He started counting down.
"Three - Two - One -" the two of them pressed the buttons to upload at the same time, Jeff waited a second for the upload to confirm and then - "phones off until Monday, and let's get out of here!"
He switched his phone off, turned the ignition and eased the car out of the parking space onto the open road.
"Wait - do we need to go home and pack?" He suddenly thought.
"Jeff…" Annie said in an amused tone of voice as though he'd overlooking something that should be obvious. "Oh, right." He grinned. "I thought the trunk was riding slightly low."
"Where are we going?"
"I thought you wanted it to be a surprise."
Annie looked at him with a contented expression on her face. "We're married now, Jeff. It's okay to tell me."
"I've booked a suite at the best spa hotel in Vail," he said.
"How soon can we get there?"
"According to the GPS app on my phone, just under two hours."
"Can you get us there any quicker?" Jeff looked at the -frankly smouldering - expression on Annie's face and grinned. "In this car? You bet." The Jaguar surged with acceleration as it hit the open road.
XXXXXX
(Two hours later - Edelweiss Resort Hotel and Spa, Vail)
"Thanks, but that won't be necessary." The porter was attempting to show Jeff and Annie the features of their suite - Jeff shoved a ten dollar bill in his hand and ushered him out of the door without taking his eyes off Annie, who hadn't said a word.
"Well," said Jeff, his eyes sparkling. "We've got a couple of hours until dinner time. What do you want to do?"
"You really can be an idiot at times, Jeff." Annie flashed him a smile that made his spine tingle then turned her back on him and started walking - sashaying, rather - to the bedroom door, unzipping her dress as she went. She'd barely got halfway before it was little more than a puddle of expensive fabric on the floor. Jeff's eyes widened as he drank in the view, then he grinned with delight, took off his tie and followed her.