30
"Cricket, I swear to God woman, if you don't move that sexy ass, we are going to be late!"
Bella laughed, her eyes flickering to the doorway of the bathroom just a moment before Jasper skidded to a stop. He was pulling his T-shirt over his head.
"Seriously, sweetheart, we have an hour to get to the business office and pay for class."
"I know, I know," she mumbled, looking back at the mirror. "What's the point of paying for one semester when there's no way I can afford a second? I'm just wasting my time."
"No, you're not." He walked up behind her, sliding his arms around her waist. She moaned as she leaned against him. "Don't start making those sound, or we ain't ever leaving."
Bella laughed. "Tempting."
"Cricket," he growled, pressing his lips against the side of her neck. "We have enough to pay for your first semester. We'll find the money for the following. I promise I will not let you miss out on being a doctor again."
"I wish I had your faith."
"I'll have it for both of us," he snickered, kissing her neck again. "Now, seriously, move your sexy ass."
"I am!" she exclaimed, dropping her eyelash curler into her makeup bag.
He laughed before leaving her alone.
Bella glanced back at the mirror before entering their bedroom and putting on the jeans and white blouse she'd laid out on the bed. They'd found the small two-bedroom, one bathroom apartment two weeks ago, and moved in immediately. They were lucky seeing as the building catered directly to medical students, but it just made it that much harder for Bella to feel like she wasn't setting herself up for failure.
She'd called the Dwyer Foundation daily, yet she hadn't heard back. It was frustrating and annoying, and made it clear. She was not getting her scholarship back. It was expected, she knew. She'd been giving a lucrative scholarship and gave it up without a second thought, but a part of her had hoped for a miracle.
She slipped on her shoes and walked into the living room, finding Jasper waiting for her at the door. He pretended to glare at her, but she could tell he wasn't really pissed. Just anxious to secure their place. He slipped his arm around her as he led her downstairs. However, rather than climb into the jeep, they opted to walk to campus. Just one more perk that came with their apartment.
The line in the business office stretched all the way outside. While they waited, Bella slipped her phone out of her back pocket finding texts from each one of their friends. They all said basically the same thing: they were proud of her, happy that she was finally getting what she wanted. Though, Alice had added several memes and a couple of videos that talked about how her bestie would help her hide the bodies.
It had taken her a while to get used to their constant need to reaffirm their support. Three years of pushing everyone away made it hard for her to understand why they would still be supportive, but they were. They always had been, but she'd refused to believe it.
"Ben says he got to assist in his first surgery," Jasper said, drawing her attention to him. "He held a clamp."
"Bet he's feeling top of the world right now," Bella replied.
"Oh, yeah," Jasper scoffed. "The way he makes it sound they couldn't have done it without him."
Bella laughed. "Probably couldn't."
The line moved slowly, and just shy of an hour later, they were the next two in line. As the person in front of them moved to one of the open windows, the woman called, "Next," and Jasper all but shoved her in the woman's direction.
"Hi. I, um, I need to make a payment on my account," Bella stammered.
"Need your student ID number."
"Oh, yeah, it's 3443629."
The woman nodded and typed in the number. Her eyes shifted from the screen to her. "Name?"
"Bella . . . I mean, Isabella Swan."
Again, she nodded. "Your account has been paid in full."
"I'm sorry?"
"I said —"
"No, I heard you."
"Yet, you made it seem like you hadn't," the woman quipped.
"What do you mean my account has been paid in full?"
"I don't really know how else to say it." She laughed and turned her monitor toward Bella. "See right here?"
"Yes," she said, looking toward the bottom of the page where it did indeed show a zero balance.
"That means you don't owe anything." The woman turned the computer back toward her. "You also have a line of credit in the bookstore, and you are looking to get a bit of money back as a refund when we pay out next week."
"Can you tell me who paid on my account?"
She nodded. "We processed the payment from a foundation. The Dwyer foundation. Congratulations, ma'am, that's quite a lucrative scholarship." The woman smiled. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"No," Bella whispered. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Ms. Swan, and good luck."
Bella pushed her way through the crowd and walked outside before she dug her phone out of her back pocket. Once again, she scrolled through her contacts until she stopped at Phillip Dwyer's name. She closed her eyes for a moment before she pressed the call button.
As she brought the phone up to her ear, she turned and watched Jasper walk out of the building. He raised an eyebrow, causing her to shake her head. The call only rang twice before she heard a click followed by a deep voice saying, "I was expecting to hear from you, Ms. Swan."
"You could have returned one of my many, many, many phone calls over the last month."
Phil laughed. "I was busy. I'm assuming you know why I was busy if you're calling me. Tuition was due today, I believe."
Bella sighed. "That's why you've been avoiding me?"
"Not avoiding, dear, just focused on getting things lined up."
"And you couldn't have taken a minute out of your day to tell me that I was getting my scholarship back."
"I couldn't, not until I was sure it was actually happening." Phil paused. "Not everyone agreed that you deserve a second chance, Bella."
"They didn't?"
"No, dear, they didn't. Some seemed to think you were reckless the first time, that you should have . . . sucked it up I believe they said. It took a lot of . . . Shall I say . . . pressure from myself and Marcus Volturi to convince the board that you are worth taking this chance on."
"Dr. Volturi went to bat for me?"
"He did indeed."
"Oh," she whispered, bringing her hand to her mouth. "I didn't . . . I didn't know that."
"There are a lot of people who want to see you succeed, Bella. A lot of us. We think you're worth fighting for."
"You do?" she whimpered.
"We always have. Now, the terms to the scholarship are . . . fierce."
"What are they?"
"Well, you have to stay fully enrolled. You must keep a three-point-five grade point average, and the board is going to require you to work fifteen hours a week in a clinic, or hospital setting. I have a list of places that are acceptable. I'm working on compiling them into an email for you right now. Should be in your inbox in the next hour."
"Okay, I can do that."
"I know you can, which is why I took the liberty to accept the scholarship for you and made sure your payment got made by the deadline."
"Thank you, Mr. Dwyer. I won't let you down. I promise."
"I know you won't. If you need anything, Ms. Swan, don't hesitate to let me know."
"I will." Bella blew out a deep breath as she ended the call and stowed her phone into her back pocket.
"You got the scholarship?"
She nodded, shifting her eyes to Jasper. "He said it took a lot of convincing, but that I'm worth it, Jay. He . . . I don't have to stress about how I am going to pay for medical school."
"I knew he would come through for you, Cricket." Jasper wrapped his arms around her, pressing his lips against hers. "We're going to do this, sweetheart. We're going to do it together, just we're supposed to."
"I love you."
He grinned. "I love you, too."
—WL—
After fighting the crowd at the bookstore, Bella and Jasper made the walk back to their apartment and stowed their books on their desks. Classes would start in a week, and they were as ready as possible, but Bella couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something wasn't right. Maybe she'd been burned too many times, turned into a pessimist after life had beaten her down for three plus years.
"I'm hungry."
She raised an eyebrow as she looked over her shoulder, finding the love of her life in the doorway of their second bedroom. They'd turned it into an office/study space. "You know where the kitchen is."
He grinned. "I didn't say I wanted food."
She gasped, turning to face him. "What do you want to eat then?"
"I think you know, Cricket. I think you know."
"Do I?"
He nodded, but before he could say anything, someone knocked on their apartment door. They shared a look before they walked into the living room. He yanked the door open, finding Peter standing there with two garment bags draped over his forearm.
"Dad, what are you doing here?"
"Can't a father stop by and visit his son and his fiancé?"
"I mean, you usually call first," Jasper quipped, motioning for Peter to enter.
"Is my mom okay?"
"Renee is fine, Bella. I promise."
Bella bit her lip as she nodded and gestured toward the garment bags. "What's that?"
"Oh, these?" He held one out to Jasper and then the other to her. "You'll need these for tonight."
"What's happening tonight?"
Peter smiled. "Open the bags and find out."
Jasper and Bella shared a look before they laid the bags over the back of the couch and lowered the zippers. His bag had a black suit, white dress shirt, black tie, but her bag had a soft, silky white dress. She slipped it out of the bag and held it up. It was strapless with delicate beading around the top and flowed seamlessly down to her feet.
"Why does this look like a wedding dress?"
"Because it is a wedding dress."
Bella's eyes widened.
"Hear me out!" Peter said, putting his hands up in front of him.
"Okay, Dad," Jasper placed his hand on Bella's back.
"The last few years haven't been easy, for either of you. Partly because of decisions you both made, and because of sacrifices you were forced to make," he added, eyeing Bella. "But if your mom and dad hadn't been in that accident, if you two hadn't split up, you . . . Well, you would have already been married. We — your mom, Ben, Alice, and the others — don't want you to wait any longer. You're getting a second chance to be together, to become doctors, and, well, we want the next part of your lives to start with you as husband and wife."
"So, what? You . . . you planned our wedding for us?"
"No, I didn't." Peter paused. "Renee did, Bella."
"She did?" Bella whispered.
"Yes." He reached into his pocket and pulled out three rings, which only caused the tears welling in her eyes to fall down her face. "She wanted you to have these."
"Oh, my God." Bella's fingers trembled as she plucked them from his palm. Her parents' wedding rings.
"She can't be there, so this is her way of . . . being there, Bella."
Biting the inside of her lip, she looked at Jasper. "So, you want to marry me today?"
"I've wanted to marry you everyday for the last eight years, Cricket." He brought his hand up to her face, using his thumbs to wipe away her tears. "I love you."
She smiled, leaning into his touch. "I love you, too, Jay."
"The address in in the bag." Peter opened the door. "I am so proud of you both."
—WL—
Just before seven that evening, dressed in the suit and wedding dress, Jasper and Bella walked out of their building and found a black limousine parked in front. The driver smiled as he opened the back door and motioned for them to climb inside.
Bella and Jasper couldn't believe their parents had arranged their wedding for them. They'd tossed around dates here and there over the last month, but between school and worrying how she was going to pay for school, they hadn't made any solid plans. Yet, Renee and Peter had.
"You look beautiful," Jasper said, lifting her hand to his lips. He'd slipped the small, diamond engagement ring onto her left hand after his father left. "Are you ready to be my wife? Mine forever?"
"I've always been yours," she whispered, placing her other hand on the side of his face. "This just makes you legally responsible for me."
Jasper laughed, turning and kissing her palm. "I never thought I would get this with you."
"Me either, love."
The limousine rolled to a stop and a moment later, the back door was opened. Jasper exited first, offering Bella his hand. She dragged her fingers across his palm before allowing him to help her out. She smiled when she found them standing in front of the same restaurant they'd had their first date at. Somehow, they'd come full circle.
"They're waiting for you inside," the driver said, waving his hand toward the front door. "And congratulations."
"Thank you," they murmured together.
When they walked inside, they found the entire room lit up with white twinkling Christmas lights, hundreds of white, flickering candles. There were white and blue roses lining the aisle where their friends were gathered.
Alice, Edward, Rosalie, Angela, Heidi, Mike, and Jessica were gathered on the bride's side of the aisle while Ben, Garrett, Emmett, Kate, Carlisle, and Esme were waiting on the groom's side.
Peter walked toward them, stopping and offering Bella his hand. "I know I'm not your father, Bella, but I would be honored to walk you down the aisle."
"Oh, Peter," she whimpered before throwing herself into arms. He laughed softly before he hugged her. "Thank you. Just . . . thank you."
"You're welcome." He kissed the side of her head before offering Jasper his hand. "You'd better get to the other side."
Jasper grinned, his eyes shifting from his father to Bella before he hurried down and took his place next to his brother. Ben reached out and placed his hand on his shoulder, causing Jasper to turn and hug him.
"Are you ready, honey? Are you ready to marry my son?"
"I'm more than ready," Bella whispered, slipping her hand around his forearm. "I wish she were here."
"She does, too, but she's . . . She was scared that she would ruin your wedding. The evenings are still hard for her, Bella."
She nodded. "You love her, don't you?"
"I . . ." Peter smiled. "I do. She's . . . Well, she's my second chance, and I'm hers, I guess."
"She deserves someone to love her, Peter."
"So do you." He covered her hand. "Now, I think we'd better get started before that boy thinks you love me more than him."
Bella laughed. "He knows I don't love anyone more than him."
"Yes, he does."
She held her breath as the two started slowly walking toward Jasper. He was watching with an intensity that scared her. How had she survived three years and sixteen days without him by herself?
When they stopped, Peter unwrapped her hand from around his arm and laid her palm against Jasper. He pulled her into his arms, causing everyone to laugh.
"Not so fast, Jasper," Heidi said before moving so that she was standing on the other side of them.
"You're marrying us?" Bella asked.
She grinned. "Turns out you can get certified online, so I said what the hell." Heidi reached for her hand. "I just want you to be happy, Bella, and he makes you happy."
"He does," she whispered, glancing back at Jasper. He smiled her smile. "He really does."
Heidi took a deep breath. "I'm going to make this short and sweet. We all know how much you two love each other, need each other. We, your friends and family, want you to have the life together you deserve. So, unless there is anyone here with reason that these two should not be married, well . . . you should just leave, because we ain't letting anyone keep them from getting hitched."
Everyone laughed.
"Now, Jasper, do you —"
"I do!" he exclaimed, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, but I don't need you to go through the whole spiel. I've loved her since the moment I saw her. She's my Cricket, and she will always be my Cricket."
Heidi tilted her head toward Bella. "And do you feel the same, Bella?"
"I do," she said, her tone filled with emotions. "I love you, Jay, and I promise to always love you, to always be by your side as your wife."
"Can we have the rings?"
Jasper plucked them out of his coat pocket, holding his out to Bella.
"Jasper, place the ring . . . Well, you know what to do."
Jasper slid the wedding band onto her left hand, nestling it against her mother's engagement ring. "Now you're mine forever."
"I've always been yours." Bella placed her father's wedding band on his left hand, sliding it down to the base of his finger. "Just like you've been mine."
"Always." Jasper leaned toward her, but stopped and looked at Heidi. "Can I kiss her yet?"
"Has anyone ever been able to stop you?"
He smirked. "Nope."
And pulling her flush against his body, Jasper Whitlock kissed her for the first time as her husband.
Thank you for all the AMAZING reviews! That's it for our Jay and his Cricket! They've come a long way since the first chapter, haven't they?