A/N:Sorry for the long wait you guys! I was super busy during the holiday season, and was also involved with writing my Christmas collection. I'm back now though, and I finally found the muse for this chapter. Enjoy!
Jake and Cassandra were hand in hand, walking through the barn in Oklahoma where all of Jake's siblings had been married.
"Well the dance floor would be right here in the center" the owner said. "And we'd set tables all around the space. We could string lights all around the beams up there. I know it looks plain now, but the room illuminates quite beautifully. I'm sure you remember Mr. Stone"
"Yeah" Jake agreed. To his dismay, the venue was right in the middle of the town where he grew up. In that little town, everyone knew everyone. He'd seen over a dozen weddings in this space. He was only looking here to appease his family.
Cassandra looked around the space, trying to imagine what the woman was describing. She could picture it, at least somewhat, but something didn't feel exactly right.
"And that pretty much sums it up" the owner continued. "Do y'all have any questions for me?"
"Could we have a minute to talk alone?" Jake asked.
"Of course"
The couple turned and watched silently as their host walked out, until the barn door had closed behind her.
"So" Cassandra began "What do we think?"
"Well I can't argue that it's a beautiful space when it's all done up" Jake said. "but I don't know. There's something about getting married in the place where my whole family did that rubs me the wrong way"
"Well I can't say it's ideal, but it doesn't really matter to me where we get married, just that we do."
"Of course not Cassie; I'd marry you at a dingy gas station and be happy. It's just that you were the first part of my life that was different. I'm not the man I was when I lived here, and I don't wanna be that man when we get married."
"Jake" Cassandra turned and grabbed both of his hands in her own. He tried to look at the floor, but she released his hand for a moment to gently lift his chin and force him to meet her gaze.
"No matter where we get married" she said gently. "No matter who or what is surrounding us, you are not that man. You've never been, not really. You know that, and I know that and that's all that matters. You are Doctor Jacob Stone, you're a Librarian, you're my fiancée, and I love you."
Jake smiled gently and leaned in to quickly kiss her on the lips.
"Did I ever tell you how lucky I am to love you?" he sighed.
"A million times" she laughed. She released one of his hands and turned to look around the space again.
"This really would make a beautiful wedding hall" she said. "And besides, you've got a lot of family here. It would be hard to fly them all into New York"
"But you've got people coming from New York Cassie, and our best friends are there too"
"I don't have as many people as you Jake, and our friends can just use the back door."
Jake sighed and looked around, remembering the wedding of all his siblings and his friends. Every time was the same, the barn decked up in lights as all the guests square danced around the floor. Despite his false identity, he always did have a great time, and he never doubted that the happy couple was indeed happy.
"We could make this totally our own Jake" Cassandra explained. "The centerpieces, the music, the lighting, it'll be different than the other weddings you've seen here: I promise."
"You sure you'd be happy having it here?" he asked. He was warming up to the idea, but he still worried about her. She deserved the perfect wedding.
"Jake" she sighed, exasperated at repeating herself so many times. "I've told you. All my dreams will be coming true that night just because I get to spend the rest of my life with you. When we're dancing , I won't notice if we're in a barn or Buckingham Palace. I'll just be focused on you"
"You really mean that?"
"Let me prove it to you" Cassandra smiled and dragged Jake towards the center of the room, yanking him into a dancing position.
The room was completely silent, but they swayed back and forth, staring into each other's eyes. Jake got so caught up in the moment, that he didn't even notice the lack of music. Smiling he turned Cassandra around and listened to the sweet sound of her laugh. Following through, he lifted her up and spun her around in a circle in the air. She squealed until he placed her back gently on the ground.
Suddenly, the barn door opened and the venue owner interrupted the silence.
"Oh I'm sorry" she exclaimed, finding them leaning on each other and laughing. Hearing the third voice, the couple fell back into a normal position and straightened themselves out.
"Have you made your decision"
Jake and Cassandra looked at each other and smiled, their private dance being the final deciding point.
"Yes" Jake said, grabbing Cassandra's hand and pulling her in close next to him. "Let's go sign the papers."
