Together

Chapter 31

Connie walked out the door following Jacob down the path towards the car. "So care to tell me where you're taking me tonight?" Jacob smiled as they got into her car, Jacob having persuaded her to let him drive tonight. "I just thought it would be nice to take the opportunity for an evening together while we could."

Jacob smiled as he reversed from the driveway starting along the road. Connie let a hand fall to his lap gently running it up and down his leg. It wasn't far to town and soon enough Jacob was parked across the road from the row of restaurants beside the bay.

Taking her hand they wandered along the bay looking as the sun set over the water. Connie laced her fingers through his as they stopped at the end of the boat docks. "I can't believe that I've been with you almost 4 years." She sighed leaning into his side as they stood beside the water. "Well, depends when you're counting from... 4 years is politically correct but if you think about personally it's been almost 6 Jacob."

He turned to face her with a small smile. "6 years-" "Mmm, since you stormed into my life and caused all hell to break loose in my head." He couldn't help but laugh as he wrapped his arms around her. "And you wouldn't change a second of it... Would you?" He frowned noticing a slight expression on her lips.

Connie took hold of his forearms as she looked up at him. "Truth is I regret so much that we did, I've never said it before but I feel like we need to say it now before we move forwards." Jacob nodded keeping his eyes on her. "I can't say I'm happy how this happened with us, because there's nothing I hate more than what we did... I wish I'd had the strength to leave before I did, I regret not spending more of my life with you. Properly."

Jacob lifted a hand to her cheek as she smiled gradually. "See, it's not all bad when I have things to say muscles so stop assuming-" "I love you." She smiled further as he leant in to kiss her gently. "Lets get to the restaurant." Connie nodded turning taking his hand again as they wandered back up towards where all the restaurants were situated.

Entering the restaurant the warmth hit them as they were walked through to their table. They were sat inside but the windows had been pushed open leaving them to feel the gentle breeze drifting inside. Connie looked up as Jacob took his hand in his running his thumb over her knuckles and engagement ring.

"In 2 weeks I'll be able to call you Mrs Masters, how the hell have I been this lucky?" Connie forced a smile as she looked down to his hand on hers. "I don't know but the feeling is mutual Jacob." She lifted his hand up and focused her eyes on it as she continued to speak.

"I've never had anyone treat me the way you do. I can't understand why you do and I don't think I ever will. Jacob I'm not worthy of the love you give me and I'm never quite sure how to act with you in those moments... You make me feel important and loved, something I never knew how to handle because it was a new feeling."

Jacob's eyes were focused on hers despite her never looking up to him. "I feel special whenever I'm with you and you never fail to make me smile. I'm genuinely happy when I'm around you, something I thought I'd always had but I realised soon after meeting you that it wasn't the same. Jacob you've accepted my baby girl and that is more important to me than any amount of money or time you could spend with me."

Connie looked towards Jacob seeing everything in him that she loved. From the way his eyes reflected her every emotion to the way his smile was enough to convince her that somehow everything would be okay. "I love you with everything I have and I swear that I'll never stop loving you." Jacob glanced to their now entwined fingers before returning his gaze to Connie.

"I suppose you're alright sweet cheeks..." Connie dropped her eyes laughing as she removed her hand from his picking up her glass. "To being happy and spending your life with someone that took you entirely by surprise." "I'll drink to that." Jacob lifted his glass tapping it to hers before finishing what he had left.

Soon after they began tucking into dinner while chatting idly over things. "Just think, in a little over 15 days I'll be on a plane with you jetting off to our perfect paradise." "What?" He smirked watching her eyes widen looking to him. "I thought we agreed to leave the honeymoon, what with everything that happened to Mia-"

"Yeah well I decided that I wanted my wife to have the perfect wedding and that meant the honeymoon too. Con, you do everything for our little girl and never do things for yourself. So I took the liberty of booking us 10 days in the sun, revisiting somewhere special to us both." Connie frowned looking up to him before smiling.

Jacob mimicked the smile knowing she knew where they were going. "Spain?" "Mmm, the first five days in Marbella before finishing in Formentera-" "Where we found out I was having Mia... Jacob you didn't have to do all this. What about Mia? Grace? Work!?" Jacob laughed shaking his head. "All done." He began eating leaving Connie struck. "Seriously-" "Everything." "Everything?"

Connie couldn't believe he'd gone and done this. "I promise you, everything has been arranged-" "How are we getting to the airport?" He looked at her blankly causing her to raise an eyebrow. "Okay almost everything is arranged." Connie couldn't help but roll her eyes with a laugh as Jacob looked to her.

"My parents are having the girls at home for the first 5 days, then Charlie and Elliot offered to look after them." Connie smiled as Jacob poured her another glass of wine. "So Mrs-Masters-To-Be, any complaints?" She took the glass from him with a smirk. "As long as you can impress me over the next few weeks before the wedding, none." He laughed with a nod. "Alright then, prepare to be impressed sweet cheeks."