Free Always (Bold as Love) by Lindsay Paige Page B

Shutting myself inside, fury blazes within me. As if in slow motion, Jake follows me. Once he is in the car, tires squeal as I head back to his house. I can't be there.
    Everything pours out once I plop onto Jake's bed. Tears stream like a flood and Jake holds me tight. I don't understand. I begin to pour my little heart out. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and he thinks you are poison for me. I don't get it. Why can't he be happy for me? I mean, I just...”
    “ Sweetness, calm down.”
    Squeezing my eyes closed, I do as he says.
    “Listen. Your dad sort of has a point. Marriage is a huge commitment.”
    “ But I want that.”
    “ I know you do, Sweetness. Just hear me out. You are his baby girl, and you have been through so much. Some of that is my fault. He's worried about you.”
    “ He doesn't want us to get married, Jake.”
    “ No, Sweetness. He wants us to wait. I told you that. Why are you surprised by this?”
    I think hard about it, and I'm ashamed by my answer. “He always lets me do what I want.” Snuggling closer to Jake, I continue. “I'm a spoiled brat, aren't I? I just threw a tantrum because he wouldn't let me do what I wanted when I wanted.”
    “You are not a spoiled brat. I don't call you Sweetness for kicks. Let's let him cool down a bit, and then we'll talk about it. Don't worry just yet.”
    “ I have an idea.” The crazy thought now runs rampant in my head.
    “ What's that, Sweetness?”
    “ Let's elope.”
     

 
    20
     
    Jake
     
    What?
    “Let me tell you something right now, Sweetness. If I'm going to marry you, it will be done just as it should be. With family and friends. If I'm going to marry you, we are going to have more than an eloped ceremony. I'm not marrying you unless we have a proper ceremony and your father's full approval.”
    Emily pouts and rolls away from me. I let her think about it for a minute before I say anything else. “Is eloping your dream wedding?”
    “Who cares about the wedding? Shouldn't it be about us?”
    Good point, but not good enough. “That doesn't answer my question.”
    “No,” she growls.
    “ Tell me about it,” I say softly.
    “ Honestly, I don't have a dream wedding, Jake. It's always been about the person I was going to marry than the wedding itself. I've never given those details much thought.”
    “ I thought every girl dreams about her wedding day.”
    “ I do. I dream about the man I'm going to marry that day. Not what my dress will look like or what flowers I'm going to hold.”
    “ God, I love you.” I begin kissing her neck and soon, we're tangled together and the day's events are forgotten. We are content, until there's a knock on my door. Emily throws the covers up over her head, and I chuckle at her.
    “ Come in,” I call out.
    Drake walks in. He goes to jump into bed with us, but I stop him by holding up a hand.
    “What do you need?”
    “ I wanted to hang out with my future sister-in-law. That's what it's called, isn't it?”
    Emily sneaks a glance from under the covers and nods.
    “I told him yesterday and I think he was more excited than you,” I tease before turning my attention to Drake. “We'll be in your room in a minute.”
    Drake lets out a little sigh, swivels on his heel, and leaves the room. I pull Sweetness, who is still mostly hiding under the blankets, atop of me. She finds my neck and kisses it softly. Her lips brush across my neck as she says, “I'm still scared.”
    Just now, Sweetness' words burn into my skin. Quickly, I search my brain for the right words. They come easily.
    “ Sweetness, do you trust me?”
    “ Of course.”
    “ Then believe me. No. I want you to know it in your heart that I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I'm not going to let anything happen to us. I've never wanted someone to be so happy before I met you. Don't be scared. Everything will work out as it should.”
    “ What if that means choosing between you or Dad?”
    “ That won't