Savior
Chapter 67
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"Am I absolutely insane?" Cate asked as she rested back in her chair at the island.
"Well," Jackie began from her seat next to her. "You asked, and they delivered."
Cate shrugged as she reached for her bottle of water. Jackie had stopped by the apartment on her way home from the salon after Cate called her in a panic regarding Shelby's e-mail. "But October, Jackie. That's only two months away!"
"You have two options, Cate. Say yes and we get started on planning, or say no and keep waiting until June."
The younger brunette rolled her eyes at her sister. She was getting exactly what she wanted, but it seemed so soon. Was she going to be able to make it a dream event in just two months?
"And besides, Shelby said that you're going to get a great price and almost everything is planned."
Cate scoffed. "I am not using everything that that other couple was going to use! They ended up breaking up!"
Jackie sighed as she reached for her own water bottle. "Uh, yeah, they broke up because the bride-to-be cheated on her fiancé, Cate. I'd call off the wedding, too!"
Cate could not contain her laughter at the way her sister delivered the line. Her eyes shot up to the front door of the apartment when she heard the lock unlock. She could not help the smile crossing her face when Derek stepped through the threshold. "Ladies," he offered as he slipped his bag down next to the front door.
"My future brother-in-law," Jackie said with a grin as he took the few steps into the kitchen. Derek chuckled as he gave the older brunette's shoulder a squeeze.
"Hi," Cate said softly as he greeted her with a kiss. "How was work?"
He shrugged as he moved around the kitchen to reheat a piece of pizza from the pie Jackie brought over. "It was work," he replied. "Did your mother say anything about the closing yet?"
Cate shook her head. "Not yet. They're finalizing the sale on their new house first. Soon enough," she answered with a smile.
"Is anybody going to address the elephant in the room?" Jackie asked as she sat back and crossed her arms over her chest. Derek turned from the counter with an eyebrow lifted and Cate tried to shrug it off. "Okay, so give me your phone and I'll call Shelby myself to confirm June?"
Cate sighed and leant forward on to the countertop. "What do you think?" Her words were directed at Derek.
He wiped at his lips with a napkin. "I'm in if you are, Catie. I told you – whatever you want."
"You're lucky, Cate," Jackie added from next to her. "Steve wanted to 1000% involved in our planning. You're getting to do whatever you want."
Cate turned to her sister with her eyes narrowed at the older Johnson. "Shut up," she scolded. "This is for both of us. I don't want to be making every decision."
Derek crossed his arms over his chest as he rested back against the counter. "I am all in if you want October. But I can't promise with my work schedule that I can be at everything before then."
"Can you promise to be there on October 20th? 'Cause that's really all we need," Jackie said with a laugh.
Cate rolled her eyes and swatted at her sister. "I don't mind doing all of the planning, but I want your honest opinions on things."
Derek smirked. "I promise, Catie." He met her halfway across the island and sealed his promise with another kiss. "I'm on board for whatever you want. Just let me have my cigar bar that Shelby mentioned, and I'll be fine."
"You don't even smoke," Cate retorted.
"It's a celebratory cigar, baby. I get to celebrate making you my wife."
"He really is perfect," Jackie added. She turned to her sister and winked. "You did good with this one."
Cate closed her eyes, wishing to tune out her sister. "I am going to call Shelby and tell her that we would love to take the October date. And then I need to get to work on those boxes."
"What boxes?" Jackie asked.
Cate stood from the island and winked in Derek's direction. She stepped out of the kitchen and sauntered down the hall towards the office. She walked back moments later with a silver box in her hands and placed it on the counter. "I figure since you're here, and I can save on shipping."
Derek chuckled from his spot against the counter. Jackie lifted an eyebrow as Cate placed the box in front of her. "Cate, what is this?"
The younger brunette pursed her lips into a smile as her sister lifted the cover off. Cate stepped around the island to stand in front of Derek, and leant on the island in front of her sister. "I put this together to ask you to be my Maid of Honor, Jacks."
Jackie beamed from her seat across from her sister as she lifted the stemless wine glass out of the box. "This is so sweet, Cate."
Cate could only smile as she watched her sister go through the box. "I can't tie the knot without you next to me. So what do you say?"
"Of course," she answered as she stood from the counter to give her sister a hug.
"Tuck that in your car for a few days. I want to give Maddy hers in person."
"The best flower girl," Jackie answered as she dabbed at the corners of her eyes.
"I promised her," Cate answered. "And she is my goddaughter, after all."
Jackie started tucking everything back into the box. "So who else?"
Cate licked her lips and stood back up to lean on the counter next to Derek. "We're keeping it small, so it'll be you, Maddy and Derek's two sisters."
"I'll have my best friend Brendan as my best man – after I ask him, of course," the ladies chuckled. "And I was going to ask your brothers to stand up there with me. I don't have my own brothers, but they've definitely treated me like one of their own since we started dating."
Cate eased into Derek's side as he wrapped an arm around her. "We went over our list last night, and we're around ninety people. We're keeping it small and intimate; close friends and family only."
Jackie grinned as she stood from her seat. "Well, I am here to help with anything you need, sis. Though I probably should get started on the bridal shower since you're moving your wedding date up!"
Cate laughed. "You talked me in to it," she answered with a wink.
Jackie pulled her younger sister into a tight hug. "You're lucky I love you," she joked.
"And we don't need a bridal shower," Cate replied.
Jackie scoffed as she stepped over to give Derek a hug. "Yeah, good luck telling Mom that."
Cate rolled her eyes. "I will."
Jackie laughed. "Let me know when you plan to do that."
"So you can not be in the room?" Derek asked.
She nodded. "This is part of getting married, Catherine. Get over it," she mimicked in her mother's voice.
"Skip it all," Cate added with a sigh. "We'll just run away to get married and we won't have to worry about anything!"
"Except planning your funeral," Jackie added. "It'll be hard enough telling her that she can't invite the entire family!"
Jackie picked up her box and started towards the door. "She'll get over it," Cate said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "We don't even talk to half of them!"
"This is true," her sister agreed as she reached the front door. "Go call Shelby and confirm October. I will talk to you tomorrow!"
"Bye Jacks," Cate said as she closed the door behind her. She squealed in delight as she turned around and bounded towards Derek's open arms. "Two months! I get to call you my husband in two months!"
Derek kissed her. "Not if you don't call Shelby," he said against her lips.
Her eyes lit up as she reached across the counter for her cell phone. "Catherine Morgan," she said out loud, "I like the sound of that."
"Me too," he agreed.
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