Page 76 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 1
I fist pumped the air and wiggled in my seat. “I know, right? It’s going to be amazing. My babies are going to love a perfectly cooled and heated space. Pair that with the hydroponic system we set up last quarter, and we’ll have some incredible new products to offer.”
“Your babies?” Jack leaned over, a hunk of bread dangling between his fingers.
“My plant babies. I’ll introduce you tomorrow.” I grinned and scooped up a spoonful of Dad’s homemade soy and vegetable stew. When the delicious, familiar taste of the broth hit my tastebuds, I sighed dreamily. “Sure is good to be home,” I hummed.
“Okay, about that, when are we going to talk about the ceremony?” Jack announced.
“The ceremony?” I blinked, uncertain of what he was referring to.
“For the wedding. We have a month to get married, or the contract is null and void.” Jack’s tone was all business.
I waved my hand in the air. “Oh,thatceremony. Pish posh. A month is plenty of time. No worries.”
“A month is no time at all,” he countered. “And if it’s okay with you, I’d prefer we plan accordingly. I can have my assistant find us a wedding planner who can handle all the details on our behalf.”
I shrugged. “Cool. Whatever you want works for me.”
Jack reached over and covered my hand with his and squeezed. He was openly smiling from ear to ear, obviously pleased with my carefree approach to our impending nuptials. Which boded well for our future. I often let the chips fall where they may. The universe always provided the best course of action. Most people just ignored the signs.
“Sunny,” Mom cut in, her tone one of concern. “Honey, this may have started as a business transaction, but no daughter of mine is going to have a haphazard wedding. We need to involve the town, the coven, Jack’s family and friends. You can’t start wedded bliss on a ‘whatever works’ mentality,” Mom insisted. “We can have the wedding here on the property. Your sister and I can plan it while you, your father, and Jack evaluate the future of Humble Buds.”
“Humble Buds?” Jack interrupted. “What is that?”
“The name of our company. Isn’t it clever? It’s kind of a play off of humble beginnings, and being humble in life, and of course the plants…buds. Get it?” I bit my bottom lip as Jack chuckled.
“I do. Very clever indeed.” His warm, jovial gaze turned my heart into mush.
As I stared into his handsome face, I realized Jack had a sweet side. I looked forward to bringing that trait out more often. Every interaction with him to date had been so serious. Loosening up my future husband would be one of my goals.Alongside climbing the hunk like a tree. It had been too long since my last sexual encounter. Even though my sister was trying to get under my skin with the “she needs dick” comment, she wasn’t wrong. It has been close to a year since my last romp.
I turned my hand over and interlaced our fingers. I was about to suggest we take this little party to my house when Mom started shuffling her tarot cards again. Once she got the bug to do a reading, there was no stopping her.
Jack’s gaze flitted from me to my mother.
“So Jack, tell me about your family. Big? Small?” Mom asked.
“Uh very small, seeing as I have no biological family to speak of,” he answered briskly.
I immediately lifted his hand up to my face and rubbed my cheek on the back. “What do you mean? Did they pass?” I whispered, my entire focus on him. Even Mom stopped shuffling her cards, and Dad and Autumn put down their spoons to give Jack their attention. The tension swirled in the air around us.
He shook his head. “I was orphaned as a baby. Lived in a variety of foster homes as a small boy. Then was placed in an institution for boys at the age of ten. Which is when I attended the same school as Erik Johansen, my best friend. His family practically took care of me as Erik and I were glued to one another’s side. He owns Johansen Brewing, which is the company I run.”
“Johansen Brewing!” Dad breathed. “That’s the top performing alcoholic beverage company in the world.”
Jack grinned. “I know. We’ve worked hard to make it the success it is today.”
“But, you have no parents? No aunts, uncles, no one to call your own?” My eyes filled with tears as I took in his solemn expression.
“Hey, now. Don’t cry for me,solskinn. I live a very charmed life. My upbringing wasn’t ideal, but I turned all of that around. And the Johansens are the family I chose. And so are you.” He cupped my face and wiped away a tear as it fell down my cheek.
I cupped his jaw and pressed my forehead to his. “I choose you, too,” I whispered and then pecked him on the lips.
His hand tunneled into my hair, and he deepened the kiss. The moment our lips touched, we both forgot the world around us. For a few beautiful seconds, there was only Jack and Summer. Everything and everyone else just slipped away.
“Um, hello? Still eating dinner here,” Autumn teased.
Jack’s fist tightened in my hair when Autumn spoke and then loosened as he gently pulled away. He cleared his throat and adjusted his jacket. “I’m sorry. That was inappropriate.”
I grinned stupidly. “I like that you forget where you are when you kiss me.” I admitted, not giving two figs that my parents and sister were present.