A/N: Happy wedding day! I'm very excited to share this one with you and really hope you enjoy it :) Have a great week, friends!
The morning of the wedding, Hailey couldn't shake the jitters from her hands. She was finally going on a date with Jay, and not just any date: they were going to a wedding. A formal event. They'd probably dance. She'd meet his family.
It was a lot.
"Why'd I say yes?" she asked Vanessa as she searched through her shoes.
Vanessa raised an eyebrow and sat on Hailey's bed. "Because you like him," she said slowly, "And you two have been hardcore flirting for weeks now. I've seen him kiss you-"
"We've never kissed," Hailey corrected, "Not on the lips."
Vanessa rolled her eyes and said, "He kisses your tattoo and you've kissed his cheek every night. I've seen it so don't deny it. Plus, you've taken how many naps together?"
Hailey huffed and turned on the floor to face her. "Like two," she answered.
"Oh, BS," Vanessa laughed, "You've been all cuddled up on the couches lately."
"Because our friend was shot!" Hailey argued, "We're all hanging out playing games, of course I'm gonna…you know…"
"Cuddle?" Vanessa guessed.
Hailey pursed her lips then said quietly, "Yes."
Vanessa laughed and patted the bed. "Come on," she said, "I'll do your hair before Kim comes for your makeup."
Hailey shook her head, but still climbed up onto the bed. As Vanessa's fingers carded through her hair and she talked about braids and buns, her mind drifted back to Jay and the wedding.
She wondered what he'd be wearing. She went out the day before with Vanessa and bought a light green dress. It wasn't tight, but it hugged her in all the right places and had a slit up the side. She was kind of obsessed with it. She hoped Jay would be too.
She hadn't seen him in two days. After shopping, Kim came over and they did their nails and drank wine. Hailey could tell her friends wanted her to relax in preparation for her date, and she appreciated it. Now, though…now she was nervous again.
So much could go wrong. She could step on Jay's feet as they danced or she could spill food on her new dress. Maybe his parents ended up hating her or this ex-girlfriend could stop the wedding and tell Jay she wanted to marry him instead. This could all be a ploy to embarrass Hailey.
"You're tense," Vanessa observed. She ran her hands over Hailey's shoulders and said, "Told you we should have gone out for massages yesterday."
Hailey sighed and said, "That would have been expensive, I'm fine."
Vanessa hummed and pressed her thumbs down Hailey's back. "Then what's going on?" she asked.
Hailey shrugged and chewed her lip.
"Hailey."
She closed her eyes and tried focusing back on Vanessa's fingers returning to her hair. It felt good. Her mom used to do her hair every morning before elementary school. She hated when she stopped. Then Vanessa started doing it when they roomed together in college and everything felt okay again. Getting her hair done meant she was safe. No one would hurt her while her hair was being braided or curled.
Jay liked to play with her hair, and she did like that. He'd tug her ponytail or twirl it around his fingers. Sometimes he ran his hand through it before rubbing her neck. She trusted him when he'd do that, so she supposed she should trust him with tonight.
Everything was going to be fine.
Letting out a low breath, she admitted, "I'm just nervous, but it's going to be okay."
Vanessa smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes. It's going to be great. I'm so excited for you. He's a good guy, Hailey." She gave her shoulders a squeeze then added, "Plus, very hot. I'm excited to see him dressed up."
Hailey laughed and asked, "Do you think he'll wear a suit?"
"I don't know," Vanessa answered, "It's pretty hot outside. Maybe just a button down?"
Hailey nodded and closed her eyes again.
"Maybe."
Whatever he wore, she was looking forward to it.
Jay had said he'd pick her up at 3pm, then they'd meet his family at the church, so Hailey began pacing the apartment at 2:50.
"Maybe I should bring a card," she said a minute later.
"You're the guest, it's implied Jay will have the card," Kim reminded her.
Hailey huffed, but silently agreed.
"Do you think I'm taller than him in these shoes? I should probably change," she asked at 2:54.
"Jay's tall, Hails, and you're rather short," Vanessa said gently, "I think you're good."
It was a good point, and her heels really weren't that tall.
"Okay, he's late, maybe he forgot," she said after what felt like twenty minutes.
Kim rolled her eyes and held up her phone. "2:59, babe," she said with a sigh.
Hailey nodded and crossed her arms just as there was a knock at the door. She froze and glanced at it.
Another knock came a second later.
"Answer it," Vanessa hissed.
"If it was him, he'd just walk in," Hailey whispered.
"It's a date, Hailey, he's not just going to barge in," Kim argued.
A third knock came and Hailey took a deep breath. She shakily stepped forward until her hand was on the doorknob and she was pulling it open.
Jay stood on the other side with a small bouquet of roses in hand. His face instantly lit up and he turned to face her. "Hey," he said, "Everything okay?"
Hailey scanned his khakis and white button down and smiled back. "Absolutely."
Jay chuckled and stepped forward to place a hand on her hip. "You look beautiful," he said softly, "Way prettier than the flowers I got you."
"Thank you," Hailey replied as she accepted the roses, "And you look very handsome."
Jay shook his head and reached out to swirl a loose curl around his finger. His mouth opened like he wanted to say something, but he settled on simply brushing the backs of his knuckles along her cheek.
Kim cleared her throat then stood up from the table. "Want me to put those in some water for you, Hails?" she asked.
Hailey blushed and stepped back. Nodding, she passed over the flowers and said, "Thank you."
"What time do you think you'll be home?" Vanessa asked.
Jay raised an eyebrow and glanced at Hailey.
"Ness," she hissed.
"Um." Jay cleared his throat then said, "Probably midnight? Maybe after?"
Vanessa nodded and said, "Have fun."
Hailey pursed her lips and grabbed her clutch off the counter. "Should we go?" she asked.
Jay nodded and placed a hand on her back. "Have fun at the beach, guys," he said before leading Hailey to the door.
She waved over her shoulder and closed the door behind them. Taking a deep breath, she shot Jay a nervous smile.
He kissed her cheek and whispered, "Wanted to do that in there, but…"
Hailey nodded and wrapped her arms around him.
Jay's hands rubbed down her back, teased along her waist, then he stepped backwards and held his arm out. "Shall we?" he asked.
Hailey laughed and took his arm. "We shall."
They both seemed to calm down as they walked together down the stairs and then out to the car. Jay told her about a bet he'd made with Mouse about getting sunburned, and she told him about the stuffed bagels Vanessa had gotten them for breakfast.
He helped her into his truck, kissing her wrist before letting her hand go, and hurried around to jump in himself. She smiled at him and teased, "I feel like a princess with you helping me get up here."
Jay chuckled and started the car. "Well, I'd appreciate if you weren't Cinderella and could stay past midnight."
"Even though you told my roommate I'd be home by then?" Hailey asked, a smirk teasing her lips.
"I'd spend all night with you if I could," Jay replied as he pulled out of the parking lot, "I don't want to return you."
Hailey hummed and said, "Some might call that creepy, Halstead."
"Then I'm sorry," Jay said, a smile still on his face, "Didn't mean to say I'm kidnapping you."
Hailey shook her head and watched him drive for a minute. Taking a deep breath, she hesitantly put her hand out on the console. Jay glanced down at it and raised an eyebrow, but still set his hand on hers.
"Thank you for inviting me," she said softly, squeezing his hand, "I'm excited."
Jay's face lit up and he squeezed her hand back. "I'm excited too," he said. Looking over at her, he winked and added, "You're way prettier than her too, gonna make her jealous that she gave me up."
Hailey laughed and dropped his hand just to punch his shoulder. "Rude!" she gasped, "For me and her. I was being genuine."
"So was I," Jay chuckled, "You're gorgeous, and I say that with my full chest. I'm lucky to have you tonight. I know it might be a weird way to meet my family, but…it means a lot to me. Really."
Hailey took a deep breath and studied his eyes darting between her and the road. It started as a joke, but she knew he meant it. She trusted him.
He wasn't going to trick her or embarrass her. He truly wanted to be with her.
Just like she really wanted to be with him.
She reached back over for his hand on the steering wheel and stroked her fingers over his wrist. "I believe you," she said simply. No jokes, no laughing - she wanted him to hear her when she said it. She believed him now, and she always will.
Jay smiled back at her and nodded. "Thank you," he said softly.
Hailey breathed in slowly then smiled back at him.
Everything was going to be fine. She felt it.
The truck ride was easy. It was like any other time they hung out together. Nothing felt different despite the heels and fancy dress, but those faded away the second Jay made her laugh. It was good.
And then he pulled into the parking lot and said under his breath, "Cool, spot next to my dad."
Hailey's eyes widened as he parked the car next to a small sedan. She could see a woman with short brown hair waving at Jay from the passenger seat and took a deep breath.
It was now or never, and right now…never seemed like a good idea.
"Stay put, I'll come get you," Jay said before jumping down from the car.
She watched him wave to his dad who'd now stepped out of the car before lightly jogging around the truck to open her door.
"Jay," she whispered, "I…"
"It's okay, it's not a far jump," he said and put a hand out, "I'm right here."
"No, I…" She swallowed the nerves in her throat and looked over her shoulder.
He raised an eyebrow then stepped forward and whispered, "It's okay. I'm absolutely positive they'll like you. You're incredible and beautiful, and you're really special to me. There's no way they can't like you."
She took another deep breath and looked at his eyes – big and green – staring up at her with the most sincere look she'd ever seen. He meant what he was saying.
Slowly, she nodded and took his hand.
He smiled at her and set a hand on her waist to help her jump down from the truck.
"Thank you," she whispered as she placed her hand on his chest, "You…thank you."
He shrugged and said, "What're friends for?"
She laughed softly and stepped closer to him just for him to brush his fingers against her cheek.
They were certainly more than friends, and she hoped tonight would prove just that – as long as she survived meeting his family.
"Jay? Everything okay?"
He quickly stepped backwards at his mom's voice and smiled at her. "Hey," he said.
The short woman pursed her lips for a moment before smiling wide and pulling him into a hug. "You look nice," she said while patting his back.
"Thanks, Mom," he said and stepped back just as his dad walked over.
"Hey," his dad said and shook his hand, "Truck still running well?"
"Yup," Jay answered, nodding. He glanced over at Hailey and his smile widened as he said, "Mom, Dad, this is Hailey Upton. She lives across the hall from me."
"Hi," she said softly and stepped closer to them, "It's really nice to meet you both."
"Very nice to meet you," Jay's dad said, "I'm Pat."
She nodded and waved. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Halstead," she said.
"Call me Cathleen," Jay's mom said, stepping forward to gently hug her, "I'm so glad to meet the famous Hailey."
Hailey blushed and looked at Jay as his mom released her to see his cheeks were also flushed red. "And you too," she finally said, "Jay's told me so many nice stories about you and your family."
"Oh," Cathleen said and laughed softly.
"Hopefully all good things," Pat joked lightly, placing a hand on his wife's back.
Jay glanced at Hailey and shot her a small smile. She smiled back and put a hand out. He relaxed and happily grabbed her hand. "Should we go inside?" he asked, "Is Will here yet?"
"We think we saw him walking in as we pulled into the parking lot," Cathleen answered once she'd pulled her gaze away from Hailey and Jay's hands. She began leading the way toward the church and said, "He brought Natalie, did you know that?"
"He mentioned he was bringing her," Jay replied. He looked at Hailey and said, "Natalie's-"
"Your brother's girlfriend, I remember," she said lightly with a smile, "You said she's nice. Works in the pediatric part of the ED, right?"
"She pays attention," Pat said as they reached the church steps.
Jay chuckled and said, "She does."
"I hope you pay as much attention to her," Pat replied and held the doors open for everyone.
Jay blushed again and said, "I do. She also has a brother – two actually. She has two brothers."
"Hey," Hailey whispered and squeezed his hand, "It's fine. Please."
Jay met her eyes, no longer nervous but harsh and warning. She didn't want to talk about her family at all. Not at a wedding and certainly not with people she was trying to impress or at least leave a good impression on. She needed him to understand that.
And he did.
He squeezed her hand back and nodded before saying, "Mom, Dad, Will's over there. First row after the aisle."
"He needs to cut his hair," Pat mumbled while leading the way.
"He looks fine," Cathleen said.
Jay held back and leaned down to whisper, "I'm sorry. He just pisses me off and I wanted him to know I care."
Hailey shook her head and placed a hand on his chest. "I'm fine, it's okay. Thank you for dropping it, though."
"Well, you looked at me," Jay said, "I got it."
Her lips tipped up and she nodded. "I know," she said softly, "Thank you. And if you need a break from your dad today, just look at me. I'll get it too."
"We can read each other's minds," Jay said with a chuckle.
Hailey laughed and grabbed his hand. "Come on, before they start rumors," she said.
"If they start a rumor about us at someone else's wedding, that could be fun," Jay said while walking her down the aisle toward his family.
Hailey laughed harder and shook her head. "That might be as rude as wearing white to a wedding," she said.
"Where'd that even start?" Jay asked.
"You're kidding, right?" Hailey said, "You don't know?"
"I mean…she's wearing white because she's the bride," Jay said.
"And I can't wear white because I'm not the bride and I don't want to draw attention," Hailey explained, "It's a rule. Brides only."
"Will I get in trouble?" Jay asked, stepping into the pew.
"No, you're a dude," Hailey said.
Jay chuckled and squeezed her hand before turning toward his brother and saying, "Hey. Hi, Nat."
Natalie leaned around Will and said, "Hi, Jay. New friend?"
Will smirked and said, "That's the girl he almost killed."
Hailey blushed, but laughed along with him and said, "He didn't almost kill me. He just…accidentally made my lips and tongue swell up."
"Very funny, you're both hilarious," Jay mumbled and sat down.
"I'm Hailey," Hailey said, sticking her hand out.
"Natalie," Natalie replied and shook her hand.
"Jay, what'd you do?" Pat asked.
"Gave his girlfriend pineapple when she's allergic," Will answered.
"William," Cathleen whispered, "Leave him alone. He didn't know."
"You took her to the hospital?" Pat added before Jay could say anything.
"She's not my girlfriend," Jay said first, his eyes narrowing toward Will, "She's-"
"Just a friend, okay?" Will said, winking.
Jay rolled his eyes then looked at his dad to say, "Obviously I took her to the hospital."
"How'd the truck run when you were going fast?" Pat asked, "You did drive fast, right?"
"Good," Jay answered, "Got her there in one piece."
Hailey smiled at him and lightly touched his side so his family wouldn't see. When she looked close enough, she could see his jaw tense and the way his fingers twitched against his pants. She knew it was just his brother teasing him and his dad taking everything much too seriously, but it was clearly not a joke in his mind.
Almost to her surprise, she noticed that his mom was watching him as well. She was leaning behind her husband to keep her eyes on her son three people down from her. Hailey had figured he had a close relationship with his mom just based on what he'd told her about her, but to see it in front of her kind of warmed her heart and actually broke it at the same time.
She cared about him, and she was sick. It was cruel.
The ceremony began a few minutes later, and Hailey loved it.
It was the first wedding she'd ever been to, but it was definitely setting the bar high. From the varying bridesmaid dresses in a soft lilac to the piano music playing throughout the church, she thought it was beautiful.
She hadn't imagined a wedding since her relationship with Garret, but now she couldn't help but let her mind run wild. She loved the color green and imagined she'd let Kim and Vanessa choose their own dresses as well to wear while they stood next to her. She wouldn't get married in a church, she'd like to get married outside or maybe even in a hall at Christmas time. If it was winter, then she'd change the dresses to navy or a deeper green instead of sage. Instead of the big bouquets filled with wildflowers, she thought hers would all be much smaller with more greenery – again, it depended on the season.
And the groom would be Jay.
When she first pictured him at the end of the aisle watching her walk down to meet him, she blushed and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. The thought had almost shocked her. They hadn't even kissed yet, and she was already imagining marrying him.
She figured it meant nothing. They had this flirting thing happening and were on a date of sorts. It seemed normal to imagine him as the groom in her wedding.
While they sat listening to the ceremony, he kept a hand on her wrist. His thumb slowly rubbed over her tattoo, and she wondered whether it was intentional or something he was absentmindedly doing. Either way, she liked it. She liked how soft his hands were.
They were also pretty big, especially compared to her own. She assumed they'd feel good when her dress was no longer hiding her skin.
No.
She was in church at a wedding for people she didn't know. She couldn't allow her mind to wander, especially not about a guy she'd never even kissed. It was rude and probably a sin…or at least frowned upon.
Shifting in her seat, her thigh brushed against his and she took a deep breath.
Jay glanced down at her and raised an eyebrow. She shrugged and smiled in response to tell him she was okay. He smiled back and squeezed her wrist, rubbing his thumb over her pulse point.
She closed her eyes when he turned back to the front of the church.
She wasn't going to be able to keep those thoughts at bay for much longer.
"She was beautiful," Cathleen said softly as the six of them filed out of the church, "Such a nice girl too."
"Okay, sure," Will mumbled, causing Jay to snort.
Hailey glanced up and raised an eyebrow.
"Bit of a partier," Will whispered, "The three of us used to get in a bit of trouble."
"You? No," Natalie teasingly gasped.
Hailey laughed softly and brushed her hand against Jay's. "What kind of trouble were you getting in to with your brother and girlfriend?" she asked.
"This was after we dated," Jay said, "Dating was more like a freshmen year kind of thing. Nothing intense. Will's talking about our junior and senior years before he went to college."
Hailey stopped dead in her tracks and said, "Are you serious?"
Will and Natalie paused as well as Jay turned to face her. "What?" he asked.
"You told me she was your ex," Hailey said.
"She was," Jay said, "She is."
"Yeah, but…" Hailey trailed off then sighed, "When people talk about a high school girlfriend, typically it's a serious thing. Not two fourteen year-olds holding hands. You had me worried."
"Well, I'm sorry," Jay said, "I didn't think-"
"You never do," Will interrupted, "But in your defense-"
"No, she's right," Natalie said, "If you told me we were going to your high school ex-girlfriend's wedding, I would at least think she took your virginity. That's a thing to worry about - not two kids kissing with tongue for the first time."
"Exactly," Hailey said and resumed walking with the rest of them.
"Again, sorry," Jay said, tossing his arm over her shoulder and tugging her into his side, "I told you it didn't work out."
"You did," Hailey said and nodded along, "Thank you for saying you had an ex." She waited before looking up and smirking at him. He chuckled and shook his head, lightly pulling a lock of her hair.
"Hey, pick up the pace!" Pat called from the parking lot, "Your mom and I thought we could all go to that bakery a couple blocks from here and get a snack before the reception."
"The one with the cannolis?" Will asked.
"No, the one with cheese," Pat said, rolling his eyes, "Yes, Will, the one with the cannolis." He waved them all on before getting in his car.
Hailey laughed softly as Will began mocking his dad. She knew how comments like that could get annoying – she was sure her brothers would have said something similar – but being around it within a family that appears to really love each other despite their difficulties…it made her happy. Even Jay was laughing, and that was a perfect sound.
He'd told her a couple more stories over the past few weeks about his dad and how hard it'd been growing up. It was a lot of little things such as smacks against his head, sarcastic jokes like what he'd said to Will just then, and high standards – not to mention having a strong need for his kids to skip the "expensive education" and just join the workforce like he'd done. It was a different type of pressure and upbringing than Hailey had experienced, but she could tell it had worn on Jay.
There were the good stories too, like the time his dad surprised him with a new set of soccer cleats after he didn't make the middle school travel team. He always smiled during those stories. It was nothing like the way he'd smile when talking about his mom, but it still made her smile in return.
His mom was everything she'd imagined her to be. She was a kind woman who insisted on buying everyone pastries once they reached the bakery. If her husband disagreed with her, he didn't say and simply gave her a fond smile before paying the ridiculously high bill.
The two of them seemed to even each other out. Cathleen's outgoing, optimistic attitude was clearly balanced by Pat's realistic view of the world. Cathleen asked Natalie and Hailey about their interests, Pat asked them about their jobs. Whereas Cathleen ordered a hot chocolate with a pump of caramel, Pat drank a black coffee.
The differences between them made Hailey laugh. She was filled with happiness when she was around Jay's family.
Jay's family that seemed to know more than they were letting on. It wasn't lost on her that Cathleen's question to Natalie about her parents was followed up with a question to Hailey about what made her want to be a forensic scientist. Pat asked Natalie about where she grew up, then turned to Hailey to ask about why she and Vanessa had chosen their apartment building.
So when they left the bakery to drive to the wedding reception, Hailey waited for the truck doors to close to ask, "Did you tell them about my dad?"
Jay glanced at her and tugged his seatbelt on. "What about him?" he countered, starting the truck.
"They know, don't they?" she said quietly, "They know my dad hurt us."
She didn't know how she felt about it or how she'd feel when Jay finally admitted it. She didn't know what she wanted him to say. Earlier, she'd been so worried his family would take the brother question and run with it, but now she realized she had nothing to worry about it. They weren't ever going to ask about her family.
Staring at him as he pulled out of the parking lot, she knew her suspicions were right, but she strangely wasn't mad. She may have actually been relieved. It wasn't going to have to be something she needed to worry about sharing, and that helped her breathe a little easier.
"I just told them not to bring him up," Jay finally admitted after he had turned right in the direction of the reception hall. He took a breath then said, "I didn't want to risk anything making you uncomfortable. I figured you'd be nervous as it was, so I took things in my own hands. If I overstepped, I am really sorry."
Hailey shook her head slightly and said, "You didn't."
Jay's eyes widened and he glanced at her. "I didn't?" he asked.
She softly laughed and shook her head again. "No," she said, "I appreciate it. I-I didn't know at first that's how I'd feel. I felt a little left out when they were asking Natalie all about her family, but then they'd ask me about my job or meeting you, and I realized I didn't want to talk about them. Not today when I'm trying to show them all the good parts about me. I don't want them to see me as a bruised person. I think I'm pretty strong."
"You're very strong," Jay corrected and reached over for her left hand. He squeezed his fingers then rubbed his thumb over her tattoo. "This represents that," he said.
Hailey smiled down at his touch and nodded. "It does," she said softly.
"I'm actually surprised they didn't bring that up yet," Jay said, a slight chuckle in his voice, "Well, more my dad than my mom. He's even more traditional than she is and isn't a huge tattoo fan. Though, yours is classy. It's not like Will's."
Hailey couldn't help but laugh through a gasp and say, "What?"
"Yeah," Jay said, now laughing himself, "Will got a tattoo when he was 19 and my dad was pissed. My mom tried telling him she liked it, but it was clearly fake."
"What is it?" Hailey asked.
"A badger," Jay said. He chuckled and patted his right bicep quickly as he explained, "I don't even really know why he decided he needed it, but he told us it was an Irish thing. I don't know. My dad went into him, though, and then gave him some Harry Potter joke I didn't realize he knew, and I actually peed my pants from laughing so hard. It was one of the best days of my life."
Hailey laughed with him and shook her head. "That's amazing," she said.
"We'll have to get him to show you," Jay said, "Maybe when he's had a few drinks."
"Is there an open bar?" Hailey asked.
"God, I hope so," Jay replied, "I think that's a standard thing, right?"
"I don't know, I've never been to a wedding before this one," Hailey admitted.
"Really?" Jay asked, "Well, glad I could pop your wedding cherry for you."
She laughed again in disbelief, but still promptly punched his arm while saying, "Ass."
He chuckled and shook his head. "Sorry," he said, "Maybe not classy of me to say."
"Don't worry, I don't think you're a super classy person anyways," Hailey teased.
Jay laughed harder. "Hailey Upton, that's an insult," he said.
She smirked and looked out the window. "Maybe," she said, "But maybe I don't need you to be classy."
"Yeah? You want a bad boy?" Jay asked.
Hailey snorted and glanced at him. "You? A bad boy? Okay, Jay Halstead, okay."
He smirked and shrugged. "Maybe."
"Maybe," Hailey softly mocked before reaching over to hold his hand. "Hate to break it to you, Halstead, but I don't think bad boys hold girls' hands a lot, and you, sir, do seem to like to hold my hand," she explained.
Laughing softly, he squeezed her hand and said, "I do like to hold your hand. You're very soft and-"
"Let me guess, pretty?" Hailey joked.
Jay chuckled and nodded. "Pretty," he began, "But I was also going to say beautiful, and you are sexy. I know I said that when you got your tattoo, but I'm saying it again. Seeing you in that dress…" He whistled low then said, "I could stare at you forever. And your confidence just makes it go up by like two hundred percent. I really like how you hold yourself. Not once did you shy away from me and held your own the entire time we got to know each other. That was…that was hot."
Hailey felt her cheeks blush as she stared at him. It was the most forward he'd been since they first met and he said he wanted to take her out on a date, and now here they were – on that date.
It felt full circle.
So taking that confidence he'd just said she had, she took a deep breath and said, "I could stare at you all day too. You're the handsome one, and so damn smart. You're just so kind to everyone and funny…that's what I find sexy. You're a really good man and that makes you someone I want to spend all my time with. I like you, Jay, and somehow we haven't moved past friends, but I want you to know that when we do, I am so ready to be whatever you want me to be."
Jay wet his lips slightly then looked at her with wide eyes and a big smile. "You know who I want you to be when we move past friends?" he asked softly. She shook her head and he replied, "You. Be yourself, Hailey, and that's really all I want. Think you can do that?"
She couldn't help but laugh softly as she said, "Yeah, I think I can. Think you can be yourself when we move past friends?"
"Oh, I'm not going to be myself," Jay answered easily, "I'm going to be the best damn boyfriend you've ever met."
Hailey laughed harder and said, "I think that's just you being you, then, because I can't imagine you being anything else but the best damn boyfriend."
Jay winked at her and kissed her hand, drawing another laugh from her lips.
Smiling, she shook her head at him before resting back against the seat to watch him finish the drive. She liked watching his hand slide along the steering wheel and how his eyes would scan the road when he wasn't staring over at her.
Still, he'd yet to actually kiss her, but she was pretty sure they'd confirmed that it was going to happen.
Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was 5:55pm and took a deep breath. Stuffing her hand under her thigh away from Jay's eyes, she crossed her fingers and silently wished that tonight was the night they'd actually kiss.
When they arrived at the reception hall, Jay held her hand as they walked inside. He waved to people he knew and introduced Hailey to a few of the people he'd grown up with that were also in attendance.
This time, when someone asked if Hailey was his girlfriend, they didn't argue, and just smiled along with it.
There was no point in arguing something that was surely soon to be true.
Eventually, they made their way to Table 11 where Cathleen was sitting alone waiting for them.
She smiled and waved them over. "Your father and brother went to go get drinks," she explained, "Natalie's in the restroom."
"Great," Jay said and dropped Hailey's hand, "I'll go join them, maybe I can skip forward in line a bit."
"Be nice, Jay," Cathleen sighed, "It's a wedding."
"I know, I know," Jay said and began walking backwards, "Hails, whiskey?"
"Um, whiskey sour," she corrected.
"You got it," Jay replied and turned away.
Hailey smiled at him then settled into a seat two down from Cathleen.
"Whiskey, huh?" Cathleen asked with a smile of her own.
"Yeah," Hailey said softly, "You like whiskey too, right? Jay showed me that bottle you gave him for his birthday."
"I do," Cathleen said, laughing softly, "And I'm glad my son shares his alcohol."
Hailey laughed and shrugged. "With me," she said, "He's hiding that bottle in the breadbox above his fridge so his roommate doesn't get it."
Cathleen's smile widened and she said, "You must be special."
Hailey blushed slightly and said, "Maybe."
"I think you are," Cathleen replied, "You make my son happy, which makes me happy. He's a very kind young man, and I like knowing that there's a young woman out there that is just as kind who is willing to take him on."
Hailey glanced over at Jay standing in line with his dad and brother and smiled. "I don't know if I'm taking him on or if he's taking me on," she said softly.
Cathleen studied her for a moment before nodding to herself and moving a seat closer to Hailey. She hesitated before setting a hand on Hailey's and taking a deep breath.
"My son has a big heart," she began, "And I know that he will help you face any challenges that come your way, whether those be in the future or things that come up from the past. I also know that he's going to be facing some challenges soon that may complicate things and affect how he loves, but I can tell you have a bright light within you. I know you're going to help him like he'd help you."
A lump formed in Hailey's throat and she breathed in shakily. Slowly, she nodded her head as tears formed in her eyes. She didn't need Cathleen to say the words to know what she meant – just like when it came to her son.
Cathleen squeezed her hand gently and whispered, "Will you promise me something?"
Hailey nodded again and held her eye contact while trying to stay calm.
"Promise me that you won't let him push you away," she said, "He's going to want to be on his own, but he works best when he's a part of a team. That's why he's going to do so well when he has his own physical therapy office – he's determined to hire people to work with him, not for him. It's probably why he's stuck with Gregory and then Adam and Kevin for so long, too. He needs a support system, even if he doesn't always realize it. I'm not asking you to date him or marry him someday, I'm just asking that you don't give up on him."
Finally, Hailey smiled again at her as she whispered back, "I can promise that."
It was the easiest promise she'd made in a while.
Because Jay was worth it.
This woman in front of her, expressing her fears and welcoming her into her family, was worth it.
Hailey didn't know what was going to happen to this family in the coming months, but she knew she wanted to hold Jay's hand through it all – just like he would do for her.
His mom was right: he was a kind, good man who did work best in a team.
Hailey wanted to be on that team.
Cathleen smiled back and squeezed her hand again before scooting away just as Pat, Will, and Jay walked over.
"Got the drinks," Jay said.
"Let's get this party started!" Will added.
"If you embarrass me tonight, I will cut you out of the will," Pat sighed and sat next to Cathleen, passing her an old-fashioned.
"Patrick Halstead," Cathleen mumbled and took a sip.
"Everything good?" Jay asked as he sat down. He set the whiskey sour in front of Hailey and tossed an arm around her chair.
"Mhmm," she hummed and picked up her drink, "Your mom is nice."
Jay raised an eyebrow and glanced across the table at said woman. "What's that mean?" he whispered, "Did she say something?"
"Of course she said something," Hailey said with a soft laugh, "I genuinely meant that. She is nice. I like her a lot, and I think she likes me too." She took a sip of her drink then held it out to him. "Here, take a drink," she said, "Relax."
"Hailey," he quietly warned.
"Jay," she sighed and turned further in her seat to face him, "I had a nice talk with your mom, and that's the truth. I want you to have tonight, okay? Have fun with your family tonight…and maybe with me too."
At that, Jay smiled and shook his head. He tugged her closer and kissed the side of her head quickly. "I do want to have fun with you," he whispered against her ear before grabbing her glass to take a quick sip.
Hailey hummed at the double meaning behind the words and set a hand on his thigh. Lightly curling her fingers along his khakis, she brought her drink back to her lips then looked at Natalie as she settled into the seat across the table and asked, "So how long have you two been together? I don't think I've heard that story."
Dinner was slow, but still fun. Hailey enjoyed eating the endless food and shifting between conversations with Jay's family and listening to the speeches at the front of the reception hall.
While everything felt rather simple, Hailey thought that's what made it all beautiful. Jay had been right in that the bride had clearly put a lot of thought into each detail – they were never without food or entertainment. Hailey wanted to know the meaning behind it all because there had to be stories behind everything – she knew she was going to make sure everything had a special meaning at her own wedding.
Like Jay had predicted, Pat asked Hailey about her tattoo, but she'd had two drinks by then and was much more relaxed, so she didn't mind opening up a little about her life. She didn't tell every detail of her childhood, but she did admit to growing up in an abusive household, and was okay with the sympathy that was given to her. It helped that Jay was holding her hand under the table and rubbing his thumb over her knuckles as she explained the olive branch tattoo.
It also helped that Natalie then dragged her away to the bar to do shots.
The two of them were giggling and carrying back another round to share with Jay and Will when they noticed that the bride was standing at the table handing out hugs.
"Oh," Natalie breathed and stopped walking, "Do we say anything?"
"I mean, it's her party, right?" Hailey asked, "I guess we say thank you."
"We didn't get her a shot," Natalie said quietly as they began walking forward again.
"I'm sure the bartender will give her one if she asks," Hailey replied.
Upon reaching the table, Natalie cleared her throat and said, "Hi."
"Hey!" Will said and stepped back to pull her closer, "This is Allie."
"Hi, thank you both for coming," Allie said.
"Thank you for having us," Hailey replied, setting the two shots in her hands on the table, "This is a beautiful wedding."
"Thank you," Allie repeated and hugged her quickly. She then turned to hug Natalie as she said, "I'm so glad these two knuckleheads finally found some decent girls."
"What the hell?" Will said.
"I'm not a knucklehead," Jay mumbled.
"Definitely a knucklehead," Pat said.
Allie laughed and looked between Natalie and Hailey. "The three of us were inseparable. They were like my brothers growing up – until the one summer Jay and I promised to be each other's first kiss."
"How adorable," Hailey said, turning to Jay with a bright smile on her face.
"It was," Cathleen agreed, "He bought her flowers and everything."
"Mom," Jay groaned then looked at Allie, "Don't you have places to be?"
"Everyone has places to be, Jay," Allie teased, "And right now I want to be here talking to your new girl – who is gorgeous by the way."
"Well, thank you," Hailey said softly with a smile. She winked at Jay and reached out to rub his arm. "It's fine," she said, "I'm sure she can share some embarrassing Will stories too."
"Gladly!" Allie gasped and looked at Natalie, "Has he told you about the time he got stuck in a tree? It was like two years ago-"
"Hey, babe," the groom said as he walked over, "Grammy was hoping we could get a picture together."
"Saved by the bell," Will mumbled.
"I'll tell you the story," Pat loudly whispered to Natalie who laughed in response.
"Josh, you remember the Halsteads, right?" Allie said, "And these are their girlfriends, Natalie and Hailey."
"Hey, nice to see you all again," Josh said as he shook everyone's hand. He smiled at the girls then placed a hand on Allie's back and whispered, "Mind if I steal you?"
"Of course," Allie said and began stepping away with him. Before she could walk away, she called out, "I better see you all on the dance floor!"
"Why were you in a tree?" Natalie asked as she turned back to the table.
Will rolled his eyes and reached over for a shot glass. "She's always been a pain in my ass," he mumbled.
"William," Cathleen scolded, "You do not speak about a bride like that. You will go say something nice to her later."
"Mom, I'm kidding, I'm kidding," Will said.
"Listen to your mother," Pat said.
Jay cleared his throat in Hailey's ear and said, "It was just one kiss."
She laughed softly and rubbed her hand over his chest. "At – what? – thirteen or fourteen? I'm not jealous, dude. Trust me. I bet it was sloppy."
"I am a good kisser," Jay argued.
"Guess you're gonna have to prove it, huh?" Hailey shot back, smirking as she picked up two shot glasses.
Jay shook his head while holding back a laugh and grabbed a glass. He tapped it to hers and said, "Bottoms up."
"Bottoms up," Hailey repeated and held his eye contact as the alcohol passed her lips. She hummed at the burn in her throat and reached for Jay's glass of Jack and coke. She took a sip then patted his arm and said, "I might need two more before I willingly go out to dance."
"Two more?" Jay asked with a laugh, "How about just the right song?"
"That could do it too," Hailey said, smiling wide up at him.
"And what's the song?" Jay asked, "How will I know when it's time to pull you out on the dance floor?"
"You'll just know," Hailey answered.
"How?" Jay laughed.
Hailey smiled and shrugged. "You'll know," she said simply.
The real answer was that she didn't know either. She loved to dance around the apartment with Vanessa and Kim, and she used to dance a lot at the random parties they'd go to during college, but this was different. Part of her felt like she still needed to impress Jay's parents even if his mom had practically given her her blessing. She didn't want to run out there and start dancing like she was at a frat party when she was at a wedding for a girl she barely knew. She needed to be classy. That was her goal for the night.
Minus every time Jay or Natalie passed her a drink.
She didn't want to be rude and deny them, but she was having fun, and the others were drinking too, so she figured it was acceptable. It wasn't like she was getting sloppy; she was just keeping up with the others and dancing along to the music, laughing as Jay spun her around or held her back to his chest while they finished a drink as they listened to the latest song.
So by the time Allie was standing at the top of the dance floor waving her bouquet around, Hailey was easily pushed out to join all the other girls as "Single Ladies" blared through the speakers. Natalie was clapping and jumping next to her, and she was being nudged by a ton of other girls she'd never met before.
That's when she realized what was happening.
"I'm gonna sit this one out," Hailey tried telling Natalie while searching for an exit.
"What? No," Natalie said and grabbed her hand, "It's the bouquet toss! You'll be the only girl not out here."
"I see a lot of girls sitting it out," Hailey argued.
"They're married, we're not, come on," Natalie said.
"Ready?" Allie yelled into a microphone.
Hailey sighed and tried stepping around Natalie again. "I'm not ready to get married," she added.
"It's a game," Natalie said and gently pulled her back into the crowd.
Hailey groaned and looked up to see Jay watching her. He smiled and took a long sip of his drink, laughing when Will whispered something in his ear. She hesitated and weakly waved at him. He winked and waved back, holding up his beer as he mouthed 'Good luck.' Blushing, Hailey looked back to the front of the dance floor just as Allie tossed the bouquet over her shoulder.
She didn't need to catch it.
She didn't want to catch it.
But she did.
She saw it flying right to the center of the group and felt relief that it wasn't coming anywhere near her. A smile crossed her face and she decided to play along for Natalie's sake, so she put her hands up in the air. The bouquet then hit a girl's hands and shot to the right…right into Hailey's grasp. Instinctively, she gripped her hands around the stems and pulled it to her chest.
"Ah! Told you!" Natalie squealed.
"Oh my god, is that Jay's girl?" Allie asked into the microphone.
Hailey weakly laughed and looked down at the wildflowers in her hands.
"Congrats," a girl said to her before walking away bitterly.
Hailey blushed again and began the slow walk back to the table.
"You are so lucky," Cathleen said, "I actually caught the bouquet at my sister's wedding two months before Pat proposed to me."
"Ma," Will chuckled and shook his head.
Jay's cheeks were as red as Hailey's when he stepped forward to set a hand on her arm. "Nice job," he said softly.
Hailey laughed slightly and held up the bouquet. "It's pretty," she said.
"Jay, Hailey!" Allie called while hurrying over, "Come here, I want a picture of all of us, especially since you caught the bouquet."
"Oh, it's okay," Hailey said and handed the flowers back, "We don't need a picture."
"Shh, yes, we do," Allie argued. She pushed the flowers back to Hailey then grabbed her hand and tugged her to a corner where her husband was waiting. Jay tried standing off to the side, but Allie pulled him in as well.
Several pictures were taken before Hailey handed Allie back her flowers and accepted a glass of wine in exchange. She quickly began drinking it as Jay led her back to their table. Her buzz seemed to fade when her embarrassment arrived, and she desperately wanted it to come back – she wasn't one for being the center of attention.
Thankfully, the table was empty upon their return, so Hailey happily fell into her chair once she got there.
Jay smiled at her and sat to her left. Lightly swinging his foot forward to nudge hers, he asked, "Do you like wildflowers?"
Hailey hummed against her wine glass then nodded. "They're pretty," she said, "But maybe I'm more traditional. I think roses at a wedding could be really nice. Too bad they're so expensive."
"Roses?" Jay asked, "Like the ones I got you earlier?"
Hailey blushed and thought back to the half a dozen red roses he'd given her when he arrived to pick her up. Slowly, she nodded and took another sip of wine.
Jay smiled and looked down at their feet.
It'd be kind of poetic and romantic if Hailey chose red roses to be in her wedding bouquet as a callback to the first flowers Jay ever gave her, but again…they weren't married or even engaged or technically dating. She couldn't think of things like future wedding bouquets right now.
As the fast music played throughout the reception hall, Hailey continued sitting at the table with Jay. She finished her wine and looked out at the other wedding guests enjoying dancing in the crowd. Will and Natalie were spinning around and laughing, and they truly looked like they were having fun. It was cute.
She really liked Natalie and hoped she and Will would work out. It'd probably be fun to go on double-dates with them – that is, if she and Jay worked out as well.
Something in the way Jay's foot continued nudging against her every once in a while told her they would. They just needed to take that final step together.
After a few more of the faster songs, another slow song began throughout the hall, but instead of one just for the bride and groom or them and their parents, everyone was invited out to the dance floor.
"You want to join me?" Jay asked softly.
Hailey glanced over at him. He was staring at her hopefully, but she knew there wasn't any pressure. He would be totally fine if she turned him down even though she had no intention of doing so.
She nodded and smiled. "Yeah," she breathed.
Jay smiled back and stood up to put a hand out that she happily accepted. He led her out to a corner of the dance floor away from his parents and brother.
"You ever dance before?" he asked.
"It's been years," she admitted with a soft laugh, "Like…prom probably."
Jay chuckled and nodded. He placed a hand on her waist and grabbed her own with this other to hold it between them. "You can follow my lead then," he said.
"You can dance?" she asked as she placed her free hand around him.
"My mom taught me a long time ago," he admitted and began slowly swaying with her to the music.
Hailey nodded and looked around until she saw Cathleen staring at them with a smile on her face. She smiled back then looked up at Jay. "She's nice," she said softly, "She really loves you."
Jay's cheeks flushed, but he chuckled and tugged Hailey's waist closer to his own. "I love her too," he said, "She's my mom and…and I know things are about to get rough, but…"
Hailey nodded and slid her hand up to rest against his neck. As he squeezed her hand and slowly turned her in a small circle with the music, she brushed her fingers along his skin. "Whatever you need," she whispered, "I'm not leaving you. No matter what happens in the coming months or even years, I'm here for you. I promise."
"You don't have to do that," Jay said.
Hailey shook her head and said, "I do. I want to. I…I also promised your mom the same thing, and I refuse to break that promise. Your relationship with her is much too important to not take seriously."
Jay weakly laughed and looked down at their feet for a brief moment before taking a deep breath and meeting her eyes again. "Thank you," he said quietly, "I know you talking to her meant a lot to her. She was worried after my last girlfriend, but I can already tell she likes you a lot more. Talking to her also means a lot to me. I wanted you to meet her. You're both really important women in my life."
Hailey smiled at him and decided to drop his hand so she could wrap both arms around his neck and rest her cheek to his shoulder.
His hands came up to slowly rub over the back of her dress while he continued swaying them to the music.
Everyone else seemed to fade away in that moment. They were the only people to exist on that dance floor. Even the music grew quiet in the background. All Hailey could feel and focus on was Jay.
As nervous as she'd been about coming tonight, she was incredibly glad that she had. It'd allowed her to get to know Jay in a new way, as well as the fact that it gave her the opportunity to meet his parents – specifically his mom. She would never regret that.
She didn't think she could ever regret anything that she did with Jay. He really was such a kind, good man that she truly enjoyed spending time with. He made her feel safe and appreciated. He listened to her when she talked. He wanted to hear her story, and his only intent was to support her in whatever way she needed. He was nothing like any guy she'd ever dated before.
He was Jay, and he was hers.
She just needed to make it official.
The music stopped despite Hailey wishing it never would. She closed her eyes and willed the ballad to continue ringing throughout the hall.
"Hey, wanna take a breather?" Jay whispered in her ear.
She opened her eyes and looked up at him, nodding slowly.
He smiled and held her to his side as he began weaving through the crowd that was beginning to return to the dance floor. His hand burned through her dress and their feet almost tripped over each other as they made their way to the entrance of the hall. There were flowers and generic decorations lining the walls, and the music could barely be heard – it felt rather private compared to the wedding that was happening so close.
When Jay stopped walking, he placed his hands on her waist again and began to ask, "Do you want-"
But she cut him off.
She kissed him.
She used his shoulders as leverage to push herself up on her tiptoes in order to press her lips to his. She'd spent all day wondering what a future relationship with him would be like, that she really couldn't wait any longer.
It was everything she hoped it would be.
He easily moved with her despite being caught off guard, and his hands tightened around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned into the kiss as best she could until he was practically lifting her from the ground.
It lit a fire in her heart that was waiting to spark all day.
And it felt really, really good.
A/N: :) Thoughts?