Sand In My Boots: The Sequel

Chapter 17

The dress was to be shipped to our house a few weeks before the wedding. I had picked a gorgeous 10 foot veil that matched the delicate lace of the dress and I could say with certainty that I had never felt more ready -or excited- to be married to Morgan.

Lesli and I had left the store and gone our separate ways. I had asked that she come home and spend the night with Morgan and I, but she was dead set on going home. She'd insisted she had a lot of stuff to do around the house and that while she had been really happy to see me and share this moment, she had to get back to it. I had given her a warm hug, thanked her for the dress for the millionth time, and we had both driven off in our respective cars.

I pulled into the driveway leading to Morgan and I's Nashville home and noticed that the light above the kitchen sink was on. While it wasn't so apparent during the day, now that I was looking at the layout of the house in the dark, I could easily see the entire kitchen from that one, small, illuminated window. I saw Morgan, his back leaning against the kitchen island, waiting on the Nespresso machine to finish pouring the coffee into his cup. I saw him smile and look at something- or someone, next to him. He said something to -I assumed- Amanda. And then I saw her: her long pastel pink hair swaying against the small of her back as she took a few anxious steps in his direction. She didn't say anything, nor did she stop looking into his eyes. She leaned on the kitchen island next to him. Close to him. Too close. She said something, whispering into his ear. Her lips did not touch his skin, but I could feel her breath brushing against his cheek from here. I couldn't make out the words, but I was unable to stop staring. My heart was pounding in my chest, as if I was the one doing something wrong. As if I was scared that they might see me spying on them. Spying on MY fiancé, in MY kitchen, being whispered sweet nothings into his ear by a woman I had been treating like my own flesh and blood for weeks. He looked at her, his eyes staring her up and down. I felt my heart sink into my stomach as she put a hand on his cheek. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see what came next, but reopened them right away, forcing myself to watch. If this is what's going on behind my back I have to know. I have to be sure before I get married to him. I swallowed, hard. She wrapped her thin fingers around the nape of his neck and tried to pull him in for a kiss but he moved back, pushing her off of him. Did he see me? I squinted my eyes, trying to figure out if he could have noticed me standing in the shadows, watching them as Dr. Finley must have watched us a hundred times before. But his eyes didn't meet mine. He wasn't even looking in my direction. I took a few steps forward, confident I wouldn't be seen and granting myself a better view of the scene. He seemed heated. I could tell by the crease between his eyebrows that he was confused and upset by her attempt.

"What the fuck," I saw his lips move silently around the words. I couldn't hear through the window, but I knew him. I knew his words, his expressions, his body. I knew he wasn't happy about this and I knew there was absolutely no way this was something that had been going on. I took a deep breath in and let my shoulders fall as I exhaled. Thank God. Thank you, Lord. I love this man so much, that would've destroyed me.

I made my way up the front porch steps and swung the door open.

"What the fuck is going on here?" I yelled at Amanda who was still way too close to Morgan for comfort.

"He tried to kiss me, Aubrey. I-"

"What the fuck?!" Morgan cut her off. "You're fucking delusional. This is what I get for trying to help you?!" He spat at her. Her eyes kept nervously going back and forth between Morgan and I and her jaw was loose, her mouth hanging open without a single sound coming out.

"Baby, you have to believe me, I didn't-"

"I saw her," I cut him off. "We really need to get blind for that window," I said, pointing to the window over the sink.

The corner of Morgan's mouth twitched into a faint smile as he looked at me.

"You have five seconds to get the fuck out of my house," I spat.

"I still have stuff in the guest r-"

"We'll mail it to you bitch," I snapped. Morgan bit his cheek to keep in a chuckle.

"Aubrey, I swear I-"

"Four," I counted down, grabbing the same kid sized baseball bat I had threatened her with the night she first showed up on my doorstep. Her eyes widened as I raised the bat threateningly above her head. "Three," I continued.

She made her way to the front of the house quickly and barely had time to grab her wallet before running out of the house and leaving the front door wide open behind her.

"That's right! Run, bitch!" I yelled, watching her sprinting down the drive-way before slamming the door shut.

I threw the baseball bat angrily on the floor and nervously ran my hand through my hair.

"Fuck!" I yelled heatedly.

"Woah, there, Javy Lopez," Morgan chuckled, picking up Indie's little baseball bat and shoving it in the closet.

"I'm sick and tired of people coming into our lives thinking they can drive a wedge between us. If that bitch ever comes near my man again I'll show her that Jesse should be the least of her fucking worries," I snapped.

"Your man, huh?" He cocked an eyebrow playfully.

"Shut up," I mumbled, blushing.

"That was kinda hot, not gonna lie," he said nonchalantly.

"You're annoying."

"Then you're about to be annoyed for the rest of your life," he said, pulling me into his arms roughly. I rolled my eyes but still let my head fall onto his chest. He ran his fingers through my hair softly. "And that girl has nothing on you."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Oh, baby. Have you seen you? No girl could ever compete, and definitely not princess bubblegum over here," he chuckled. I felt bad for laughing but then I remembered that the girl who just tried to make a move on my fiancé didn't deserve my compassion, so I laughed. Shamelessly. And snuggled my face deeper into his chest.

"I love you so much," I whispered. And he didn't answer right away, but the way his heartbeat sped up into his chest and the way his arms closed in around my frame spoke volume.

"I love you too."

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There you go, my darlings!

I know this is short, I've been really busy lately. Hopefully I get to give you a solid update this week! In the meantime, enjoy!

XO

LadyBug