**NYSYNC song mentioned later in the chapter in the media!**
God Must Have Spent
Laurel's POV
Tuesday Morning
12 Days Until The Wedding
The alarm from my phone blasts at full volume and I get out of bed to turn it off. I'm dead to the world tired, but awake. Steph, on the other hand, looks to be dead to the world asleep with no immediate plans to wake up anytime soon.
I smile down at her and contemplate letting her sleep in but decide against it.
"Steph." I rub her back.
No answer.
"Steph." I shake her a little.
Still no answer.
"Stephanie Elizabeth!" I shout.
She doesn't answer but turns over to face me with a deep scowl on her face.
"You sound like my mother."
"It made you wake up, didn't it." I grin, getting out of the bed.
"I'm soooo tired," Steph complains, turning back over.
"I know you are." I laugh. "How does it feel now that the shoe's on the other foot?"
"I'll never make fun of you again." Steph mumbles, still laying in bed.
"I bet you won't." I chuckle. "But you still have to get up." I reach over and hit her butt since she's still face down on the bed.
"Fine." she pouts, rolling off the bed. "I would just like to say that I do faintly remember last night despite your pessimistic predictions."
"Faintly being the keyword." I smile, pulling some tights out the dresser drawer.
"Faintly is enough." Steph frowns as she trudges into the bathroom for a shower.
It takes Steph three times as long to get ready today but she only puts on some dark skinny jeans, a UPenn alumni T-shirt, and some black converses.
"Ready?" I ask as she comes out the bathroom from putting perfume on.
"Yep." she says, grabbing her sunglasses off the dresser.
I laugh to myself at her dramatics and we start for the dining room.
When we walk into the room, I immediately sense something is up. The room isn't as chatty as it usually is and there's this aura of tension I'm sure I can cut with a knife. Steph and I take our seats and wait for the kitchen staff to come with breakfast.
I look at Julia as I get situated in my seat and I can tell who's causing all this tension.
"What's wrong?" I ask her.
"Nothing, why?" she replies.
"You seem awfully quiet, that's all."
"Nothing's wrong. I guess I'm just feeling quiet today."
"Since when do you ever feel quiet?"
"Since today." Julia snaps impatiently.
"We'll talk later," I tell her. "Away from everyone else."
"I don't want to talk," Julia states, avoiding eye contact.
"You may not want to but you're going to," I say, a bit offended by her tone. "You're not going to shut me out, too."
She doesn't answer, she just picks up her water glass, takes a sip and turns her attention to Janet.
For the rest of breakfast, the same weird vibe hangs over us like a heavy cloud. After barely eating, Julia excuses herself and gets up to leave the room.
I glance down at Grace as Julia is getting up and she's staring down at the table, her expression telling me all I need to know. She's on the receiving end of Julia's wicked cold shoulder.
Breakfast ends eventually and everyone leaves the dining room but me and Grace, giving me a chance to see what's going on between her and Julia.
"It was pretty intense this morning," I say, sitting down in the seat next to hers.
"Yes, I know." Grace sighs, putting her head in her hands.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"There really isn't much to talk about. Julia's so upset with me. She has not said 2 words to me since last night."
"What happened last night? You two seemed fine at the club."
"It was after the club. When we got home..." Grace starts.
I wait for her to finish but she seems so distressed that she can't even hold up her end of the conversation.
"Did you guys get into a fight or something?" I press.
She nods.
"About what?"
"About Jason." she admits, looking ashamed.
"You asked her about Jason," I say, already knowing the answer before she even replies.
"Yes."
"Why? I thought we agreed you were going to wait." I say, confused.
"I was!" Grace exclaims. "We were talking last night and slipped up then she insisted that I tell her! And I cannot lie to her. She knows me too well."
I can see the panic written all over Grace's face and anxiety is the only emotion she's expressing.
"Don't worry." I reach over and take her hand. "It's going to be okay."
"Maybe I should go find her." Grace jumps up from her seat.
"No." I gently push her back down. "Give her some space. She'll come to you when she's ready."
"Are you sure?" Grace pleads with wide, desperate eyes.
"Yes. I'm sure. Julia can't hold onto anger for more than a day or two anyway." I assure her.
"I do not know. She is barely talking to me." Grace chews her bottom lip nervously.
"It'll blow over soon. Trust me." I rub the back of her hand with my thumb soothingly.
After a very long moment of hesitance, she nods.
"Alright." she exhales shakily.
"Ok. Let's go find something to do to get your mind off this." I say, pulling her up from the chair.
I lead Grace out the dining room, praying Julia doesn't pick this time to be mad for too long because honestly, I don't think Grace will be able to take it. Talk about lost puppy.
3 DAYS LATER
Thursday Morning
9 Days Until The Wedding
Third Person POV
It's been three days since Grace and Julia's fight and Grace is trying hard to take Laurel's advice. To let Julia come to her when she's ready, but it's been more than a day or two and Julia still seems angry.
They live in the same house. In the same room. They sleep in the same bed! And Julia has still found a way to say as little to her fiance as possible.
"Enough is enough." Grace proclaims, turning to look at Julia.
It's early Thursday morning and the couple had been getting ready for the day in dead silence.
"You cannot keep ignoring me, Julia."
"I'm not ignoring you," Julia replies dryly as she pulls her hair into a ponytail.
"Do not lie." Grace frowns. "You are giving me the silent treatment."
"I'm too old to give anyone the silent treatment." Julia chuckles humorlessly, walking around the bed to where Grace is standing.
For a second, Grace actually thought Julia might go back and forth with her. It's definitely better than silence. Instead, she bends down and gets her shoes from underneath the bed.
"My point exactly! So talk to me! Let's work this out." Grace begs.
"What is there to work out?" Julia slips her shoes on.
"Do not do this." Grace sighs. "I said I was sorry."
"I'm not mad," Julia says indifferently, looking at her reflection in the mirror above the dresser on the north facing wall of the room.
"Okay. I am done. I will not let you string me along like this." Grace throws her hands up in the air as she makes her way to the bedroom door.
Julia watches her fiance grab her things in preparation to leave the room. Maybe she had waited long enough to start back speaking to Grace. She really wasn't even mad anymore. She was just being stubborn.
"Wait," Julia says, catching Grace's arm as she's storming pass her.
"What?" Grace demands angrily.
"I know you're sorry. I'm not mad anymore. I was just being an ass." Julia admits.
"You really need to stop doing that." Grace folds her arms defiantly. "It agonizes me."
"That's kind of the point." Julia smiles slightly.
"You are just...incorrigible." Grace glares, turning to walk away.
Julia chuckles, grabbing her waist pulling Grace up against her.
"Don't be mad. I was just teasing you."
Grace's face sets into a deep pout but Julia ignores it and presses her lips to Grace's. Grace feels her irritation towards Julia dissolve more and more every second their lips are connected. After about 10 seconds, her arms unfold and they're wrapped around Julia's neck as she arches her body against Julia's, trying to bring their bodies closer together.
Eventually, Julia breaks the kiss so they can both catch their breath.
"I missed you." Grace smiles.
"I missed you too." Julia smiles back, gently pecking the tip of Grace's nose.
Grace giggles and sighs in relief.
"Can we please get back to planning our wedding now? It is in 9 days, you know."
"9 days, huh?"
"Um hmm, 9 days. And then you will be tied to me forever. Think you're ready?" Grace beams.
"The question isn't if I'm ready." Julia grins mischievously. "It's if you're ready."
In one swift motion, Julia swoops Grace off her feet, carrying her to their bed. Grace shrieks in shock.
"What are you doing?" Grace wonders as Julia lays her on the bed.
"Making up for lost time," Julia responds, climbing onto the bed between Grace's legs.
Grace quickly realizes what Julia meant as Julia begins showering her neck with kisses.
"We'll be late for breakfast." Grace utters in between pleasured gasps.
"They can wait," Julia mumbles against Grace's blazing skin.
Grace starts to object but when Julia's lips find her sweet spot she quickly loses every reason as to why she could possibly want to.
*~*
THURSDAY AFTERNOON
Laurel's POV
The air conditioner kicks on and I pull the quilt off the back of the recliner and drape it over my legs as I wait for the receptionist of the Coral Sand Hotel in Harbour Island, Bahamas to come back to the phone.
"Okay ma'am." the perky voice says through my phone that's sitting on the arm of the recliner on speaker. " I just have a few questions then I'll be able to book your reservation."
"Ask away." I sigh, tapping my pens on the touchpad of my laptop keyboard.
She starts off by asking my arrival and departure date from the hotel then how many people would be staying at the resort and what staying area I'd like to reserve. It takes me all of 25 minutes to answer all her question, book a room, and get an estimated total of stay.
"Thank you for choosing Coral Sands Hotel. We look forward to seeing you on the 14th." the receptionist chirps as our conversation is coming to an end.
"No, thank you," I reply politely before hanging up the phone.
I jot down the details for the hotel and cap my pen, letting my head rest on the top of the recliner.
"Hey."
I lift my head and see Grace walking into the TV Room.
"How are things going?" she asks.
"I'm done. I booked your hotel and had your plane tickets bought and set aside at the airport. All the information is on this paper." I say, ripping the piece of legal paper from the pad to hand it to her.
Grace takes the paper from me and looks it over.
"Thank you, Laurel. You are an angel." she compliments as she sits down on the loveseat opposite of me.
"That's what maid of honors are for." I close my laptop and yawn.
Grace smiles in response and Julia walks in and sits down next to Grace and kissing her lightly on the cheek.
"I see you two are on good terms again." I grin, glad everything is back to normal.
"We are," Grace says, her eyes twinkling with a fresh wave of happiness.
"How did you know we were arguing?" Julia inquires, wrapping her arm around Grace's waist.
"Everyone knew." I chuckle. "When you decide to give someone the cold shoulder even innocent bystanders can die of frostbite."
"I am not that bad." Julia objects.
"You are, babe." Grace agrees with me. "But I am just glad that it is over," she says, kissing Julia's lips softly.
They both smile into the kiss and I admire how cute they are
"I'd love to stay and chat but I have a few things to handle before dinner," Julia tells us, getting up from the couch.
"Okay, but hurry back," Grace says, touching Julia's leg.
"I'll be back before you know it," Julia vows to her fiance.
Grace stands up to kiss Julia one more time before sending her off.
"Bye Laur." Julia calls to me on her way out.
I wave and she smiles. I wait a few seconds before I strike up a conversation with Grace.
"So are you still doing that music thing for Julia's wedding gift?"
"Yes." Grace answers. "I actually have an idea, but it involves Janet."
"Alright." I nod. "What's your idea?"
Grace launches into her grand idea, spilling out to me all the details.
"Well, it could definitely be touching...if it doesn't backfire."
"I know." Grace fiddles with her fingers.
"Now all you have to do is get Janet on board. Let's hope she does it."
"Yes. Let's hope."
***
About three hours later, Grace and I are lounged out the 2 plush love seats trying to compile a list of required songs for the DJ to play at the wedding and the reception.
"I asked Emily yesterday to find us a good DJ but I still would like a list of love-themed songs to give to him or her so the music selection is balanced between party and love. You know what I mean?"
"I get it. How many songs?" I inquire, writing 'Wedding Playlist' at the top of my legal pad.
"Maybe 20."
"I'll find 10 and you find 10." I say, opening my laptop, pulling up Google Chrome.
Grace nods and opens her own laptop. 20 minutes later I have a list of wedding reception appropriate love songs.
"All done." I cap my pen in satisfaction.
"Let's hear them." Grace encourages.
I pick up the legal pad and begin to read the songs I have.
" 'At Last' by Etta James but the Beyonce cover. It's more modern. 'Love Never Felt So Good' by Michael Jackson, 'Marry You' by Bruno Mars, 'Love on Top' by Beyonce, 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' by Whitney Houston, 'Thinking Out Loud' by Ed Sheeran, 'Like I'm Gonna Lose You' by Meghan Trainor and John Legend, 'Just The Way You Are' by Bruno Mars, 'I Gotta Feeling' by the Black Eyed Peas, and 'The Way You Make Me Feel' by Michael Jackson."
"I like them." Grace nods in approval.
"What are yours?"
"Well, so far I have: 'Crazy In Love' by Beyonce, 'Bless the Broken Road' by Rascal Flatts, 'I Have Nothing' by Whitney Houston, and 'Back At One' by Brian McKnight. Those are the only ones I have so far."
"If you think of any other ones you can always write them down later." I tell her.
"I will be laying in bed later and the perfect song will come to me just as I am falling asleep." Grace shakes her head at herself.
"I do the exact same thing." I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.
Grace dismisses the issue with a wave of her hand: "It will come to me."
I nod in understanding.
"So, for the ceremony, are you going to have the traditional music playing or are you specific songs?" I ask Grace.
"Julia and I were thinking of having the Piano Guys cover of 'A Thousand Years' play as you and the other bridesmaids come in."
"I think I've heard it before." I mumble. "What about you when you and Julia come down the aisle?"
"We have not decided yet. We cannot seem to find a song good enough." Grace sighs.
"A song good enough for what?" Steph interjects as her and Janet walk into the TV Room.
"For when she and Jules walk down the aisle." I say as Steph walks over to me. "Any ideas?"
"Hmm," Steph thinks.
Picking my laptop up off my legs, she puts it in her lap and takes it place.
"What about '(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time On You' by NSYNC." Steph suggests.
"I have never heard it before." Grace says.
"Let me play it for you." Steph offers, pulling out her phone.
She pulls up Youtube and types in 'God Must Have Spent' and the whole title of the song and artist pop up in the suggestions area. She clicks it and chooses the video closes to the top of results and the song begins to play.
Can this be true?
Tell me, can this be real?
How can I put into words what I feel?
My life was complete
I thought I was whole
Why do I feel like I'm losing control?
I never thought that love could feel like this
And you've changed my world with just one kiss
How can it be that right here with me
There's an angel?
It's a miracle
Your love is like a river
Peaceful and deep
Your soul is like a secret
That I never could keep
When I look into your eyes
I know that it's true
God must have spent
A little more time
On you
(A little more time, yes he did baby)
In all of creation, all things great and small
You are the one that surpasses them all
More precious than any diamond or pearl
They broke the mold when you came in this world
And I'm trying hard to figure out
Just how I ever did without
The warmth of your smile
The heart of a child
That's deep inside
Leaves me purified
Your love is like a river
Peaceful and deep
Your soul is like a secret
That I never could keep
When I look into your eyes
I know that it's true
God must have spent
A little more time
On you
Never thought that love could feel like this
And you've changed my world with just one kiss
How can it be that right here with me
There's an angel?
It's a miracle...
Steph pauses the song.
"It just keeps repeating the chorus and the bridge after that." she says. "But it fits the occasion, right?"
"Yes! I love it!" Grace exclaims. "I will have to play it later for Julia but I know she will love it. It is absolutely perfect."
"It's beautiful, babe." I kiss the top of Steph's shoulder.
She turns around and smiles at me.
"Oh!" Grace exclaims. "Janet, while I have you here, I need to ask a favor of you."
"What's up?" Janet looks up from the phone.
"It is about Julia's wedding gift. If I tell you, you cannot breathe a word to Julia." Grace warns Janet.
"Won't say anything." Janet zips her lips and throws the imaginary keys across the room.
"Okay." Grace clasps her hands together. "I was talking to Julia earlier and I think for her wedding gift we should have a special musical performance. The artist would just have to cover a few specific songs but other than that they would have free reign. There is also another part to the gift that would accompany the specific songs the artist will cover but I will handle that part on my own."
I know the part she's speaking of that she wants to handle herself. I guess she doesn't want to tell everyone. I wouldn't want to tell people either if everyone knew I'd just gotten back on my fiance's good side.
"So, where do I come in?" Janet wonders.
"I figured since you were into music producing you might able to get in contact with an artist willing to perform." Grace explains.
"Does it matter what artist?" Janet asks.
"You would know best who your sister would enjoy most. I am leaving that decision to you."
"Alright. I'll go make some calls right now. 9 days is a short time period to prepare a good set." Janet gets up from her seat and walks out the room.
"Thank you, Janet!" Grace calls out to her future sister-in-law.
"You owe me!" Janet shouts back.
Grace smiles then turns to me and Steph.
"Well, I will not hold you any longer, Laurel. You can leave if you wish." Grace exhales, shifting all her long black hair to the right side of her neck.
"Are you sure? You don't want us to wait until Julia gets back?"
"No, no. I will be fine. You two go ahead. Roam. Have fun." Grace smiles.
"Okay. If you're sure..." Steph and I stand up from the couch.
"I am sure. Go." Grace encourages, getting up to shoo us out of the TV Room.
Steph and I hastily make our way back to our chamber and flop down on the couch in the sitting room to relax.
"Wanna watch a movie?" I ask Steph.
"Sure."
I grab the remote off the coffee table and pull Steph into my side as I turn on the TV and begin going through the movie channels. I see a familiar movie title and I click on the channel.
"Do you remember this movie?" I look down at Steph.
"Yeah." she chuckles. "We put it on one of those nights when you first came home. We barely watched it though."
"Right." I nod, remembering that night like it was yesterday. "It was that day I almost kissed you."
"I barely slept that night." Steph recalls as she drags her fingers up and down my thigh.
"Me too." I laugh. "I guess we have that effect on each other."
"We do." Steph smiles slightly.
"I missed you so much today." she says after a few minutes of watching the movie, climbing onto my lap to straddle me.
"Oh yeah?" I grin.
"Um hmm." she nods. "More than usual."
"I wonder why that was." I tease, my hands finding her waist.
"I suppose it doesn't." I smile, just before she touches her lips to mine.
Her tongue slides sexily under my bottom lip and I automatically grant her the access she'd been asking for.
"Wait." I breathe, breaking the kiss. "What about the movie?"
"It wouldn't be the first time we didn't make it to the end." she whispers against my lips seductively.
"True." I shrug lightly, bringing her lips back to mine.
I guess we'll finish the movie one of those days.
********************
Hi, guys! I don't know how many days it's been since I updated but I've had the chapter completed for at least 2 days. But unfortunately for my clumsy ass, I cut my finger Sunday while I was trying to cook and it's been a struggle to type without my pointer finger. Lol But pulled through and finished typing the chapter so you guys didn't have to wait any longer.
Steph had a wicked hangover Tuesday morning (Ouch). Grace and Julia made up. (Awww) Grace is getting someone to perform at her and Julia's wedding reception! (YAY!) I actually have no idea who I want the special guest to be sure to drop me some ideas in the comment section. It can be anyone because this is a book and I can make anyone appear that I want. That's power of being an author. :)
Tell me what you thought of the chapter over all or details I didn't mention above. Whatever you want. Talk to me. ;)
So, guys, I had the craziest dream a couple of nights ago. Though I vaguely remembered the whole dream when I woke up, one part really stuck out to me. My dreams are so crazy and so vivid that I can date or have sex with someone in a dream and wake up head over heels in love with them the next day. KMSL. And then it takes me like a week to get over it even though nothing really happened. The point of me saying all this is so I can say the one part of my dream that stuck in my mind so vividly had me wondering all morning what in the hell I was going to do with these feelings I had developed. I was riding in the car and it hit me. I can turn it into a book! I know some of you are thinking: "How are you going to make a whole book out of part of a dream?" But trust me. I can and I have already started the process. Once I had the idea to turn my dream into a book, I got home and started a detailed outline for the story on Google Docs. Now I know many of you are going to say: "What about the When I Met Her sequel?" I'm still doing the sequel guys. Since the storyline of my dream book will be so different from the When I Met Her sequel, I figured I could give writing 2 books at the same time a try because I really want to get this dream book out there in the world while I still have the fire of determination in me. I'm not going to say exactly what my dream was about yet. Just know it was so...unique that for a second I was worried about the backlash of writing a book about something like it. But I decided, it's different. Take a risk. So that's what I'm going to do. The day I release the first few chapters of the When I Met Her sequel is also the day I'll release the first few chapters of my dream book. Then all this rambling will make sense. Lol
Ok, that's it, guys.
Remember to VOTE & COMMENT!
Until next time,
~Musix Prodigy