Southern Romance (13 page)

      Sara looked into Jades eyes and a cal
ming feeling came over her.  “Yes, Jade, I do, I love you.”

       “
Ok, here’s what I had in mind.  You see that man over there, wearing the white hat, that’s Judge Blakemore.  I could bribe him with a bottle of that cheap scotch he is drinking and we could get married.”  Jade waited for an answer.  When he didn’t get one and the only response was a single tear, he reached up wiped it away and smiled. 

       “
I tell you what, we play one more game of darts, your game choice.  If I win, we get married, if I lose, then we wait for your answer as long as it takes.”

      Sara couldn
’t do anything but nod her head and force out the word. “Cut Throat.”

      Jade smiled, kissed the bridge of her nose and walked away.  She watched as Jade set up the dart board.
When he returned, he leaned over and whispered, “Are you ready to get married?”  Sara almost found this to be a way of saying, “Let’s see what you really got.” 

       “
Are you ready to wait?”

      Sara grabbed her darts, walked to the board, took a dee
p breath and threw.  She managed with all of the shaking she was doing, to close her 20’s, mark a 17 and a 15.  She withdrew her darts, and walked back to stand next to Jade, “Let’s see what you got big boy!!!!”  Sara said playfully.   This was one bet she wasn’t going to lose.  She had no intentions on losing and yet at the same time, she was hoping he won.  But that was not likely going to happen with the way he had been throwing.  She wanted to marry him.  She did.  But she couldn’t bring herself to say yes. 

       “
Oh, I think you know just how big of a boy I am, but if that’s your way of wanting to find out again, we can take care of that in just a few minutes.  This won’t take long.”  Jade walked away confident and Sara didn’t know why.

      Jade st
ood, repositioned himself, and concentrated.  Triple 20, triple 19, and double bull.  He retrieved his darts and turned to see the expression Sara couldn’t hide on her face.  It sent a weird but pleasant sensation through him.  He went back to stand by her and after a few moments of her not moving, Jade looked at her.

       “
What is it sweet cakes, cat got your tongue?”

       “
You played me didn’t you?  Ok, well then, now you wanna get all serious, ok two can play at that game.”  Sara took her stance and threw.  Jade could of swore he had heard her say damn it as she retrieved her darts.  They weren’t exactly bad darts, but the more nervous she got, the less she was hitting.  Jade smiled and took his stance again. 

      Triple 15, Triple 16 and bull.  Sa
ra again was in shock.  She reached down and grabbed her glass and downed it.  Jade couldn’t help but feel excited and downright pleased.

       “
Grab me another would you?”  Sara was practically shoving her glass at him and walked off to take her turn.  Jade smiled and held up the glass at the waitress gesturing for another.  He sat the glass down and watched as Sara took her serious stance. 

      First dart, bounced off the board and landed on the floor.  Sara cursed again and repositioned herself.  Sec
ond dart, triple 1.  Sara gave a repeat show of before and again took her stance.  Bull.  Sara grabbed her dart, picked up her darts off the floor and turned to see the smirk on Jade’s face.  Sara didn’t know whether to be infuriated with him for playing her all night long, or scared out of her mind.  There were so many emotions running through her body and mind right now she didn’t know what to do.

      Jade took his stance and Triple 17, Triple 18.  The dart board went off.  Winner.  Jade retrieved his d
arts turned around, only to see Sara downing her drink that the waitress had just brought. 

       “
I’ll be right back.” Jade told her as he sat the darts down on the table.

       “
Where you going?”  Sara knew where he was going but hoping he wouldn’t say it.

       “
I got a judge to bribe.”

       “
Really, you’re gonna do this?  You weren’t just playing?”

       “
I don’t play like that, I love you, and you love me.  And I think you want this just as much as I do.”  Jade studied her face and knew he was right.  “I won’t be long.”

      Sara seated herself and began biting her nails as she watched him laugh and cut up with the judge.  Sara raised her glass at the waitress and held up two fingers gesturing for two more.  When the waitress brought her drinks,
Sara was mumbling to herself. 

       “
What was that you were saying?” the waitress asked.

       “
You don’t think he is serious do you?  I mean even if he is, he will give me some time to get everything ready, right?”

       “
Well, I don’t know what you’re talking about but I can tell you this.  Jade is very serious at everything he says and does.  He has a firm belief if you’re gonna do it, then do it right.  So I would say, yes he is serious.  As for the time you asked about, Jade is a patient man, so it is going to depend on how bad he wants whatever it is your talking about.”

      That wasn
’t what Sara was hoping she would hear.  She grabbed the glass and down it.  “I think I am going to need a whole lot of these, will ya keep em coming?”

       “
Absolutely, but if I were you, I wouldn’t get too wasted, I have a feeling you’re gonna wanna remember tonight.”  The waitress had no idea what Jade was up to, but she knew if she ever had the chance, she would want to remember every minute she spent with Jade.

      When Jade returned about thirty minutes later, polluted wasn
’t exactly what he thought he was going to see.  There were multiple glasses on the table.  Sara was smiling up a storm, laughing at nothing, and feeling no pain. 

             
“Is this your way of trying to get out of our little deal?  You can drink until you pass out, but we are getting married.  And that requires you to be awake for a minute.”

       “
Nope, I donnnnn’t bacsssk out on my wordssss.”

Jade laughed and grabbed her up and kissed her. 
“Good, cuz the way I see it, he will be back in about fifteen minutes and then Sara Stevens, you will be Sara Thomas, my beautiful bride.”

       “
Jade your just drunkkkkkkk, aand sure ok.”

       “
That’s funny, I may be drunk, but I know what I want and that is you with me forever.”

      Sara smiled and without any hesitation slurred right back “
I DO!!!!”

      Jade laughed out loud uncontrollably at first.  “
Just remember to say that when he gets back.  Do you think you will be ok while I gather us up some witnesses?”

       “
I got this see.  I got one in my hand and she is keeping em coming.”

       “
Ok, as long as you can stay awake long enough to say I do.”

       “
Are you saying I can’t handle my liquor?”

       “
Darlin, you done asked me that question once.”  Jade smiled and walked away.  It wasn’t very long when Sara heard a man say, “Hey, everyone, I got a , I got a , an announcement..   Jade is getting married.  Judge Blakemore just went over to get the license.  We’re gonna have a wedding here tonight.”  The crowd erupted with clapping and laughter and it wasn’t long when people were lining up and hugging Sara and shaking Jade’s hand. 

      Sara didn
’t know what to expect.  She was beginning to see two of everyone and it appeared as if they had all had way too much to drink because they wouldn’t quit moving around. 

       “
I don’ttt thinks  I’ve sssseen this many twinssss in a long timeeeee.”  Sara’s eyes were squinted and she was almost cute to Jade, as he watched her be so serious and open her eyes wide and then squint them again. 

      When the judge returned he walked up to Jade shook his hands and said “
Are you sure about this?”

       “
Judge I have never been more sure about anything.”

       “
Ok, Ma’am, is this what you want.”

       “
Yyyyyes.”

       “
Ok then, so shall we then.  Dearly Beloved, blah blah blah, Jade you wanna wed this woman?”

       “
Yep sure do.”

       “
What’s your name?”

       “
Saraa”

       “
Sara, do wanna get hitched with this man.”

       “
I do.”

       “
Ok then, by the power invested in meeee, oh what the hell, Jade kiss your bride.”

      Jade grabbed Sara and kissed her with more excitement than he had ever felt.  The crowd went crazy with joy. 

       “Ok you to, excuse me, just sign here and that’s it, your Mr. and Mrs. Thomas now.”

      Jade was the first to reach out and sign.  He held out the pen to Sara and she hesitated for a moment.  Shaking she took it and signed.

       “Ok then it’s legal like.  You’re wed.  Congratulations.”

       “
Thanks Judge.”

      Jade grabbed a hold of Sara
’s hand and began leading her out of the bar.  The crowd went to laughing and clapping.  People were hollering “Get her done”, “Don’t break her yet Jade”, and on and on. 

       “
Where we going?”  She was fighting to keep her eyes open and her head looked more like a bobble head.

     Jade didn
’t look back only said “Where do you think?”

       “
Well if I thoughtttt, then I wouldn’t have asked you Sir.”

      Jade opened the truck door and helped her in.  “
We my bride, are going two blocks over.  That’s twice in one night you have addressed me right.  But you’ll learn real quick.”

       “
What’s two blocks over and what?”

      Jade chuckled, “
You’ll see.”

      Sara was confused.  She had just got married and now her
husband that she didn’t deny she loved, was being mysterious and practically drug her out of the bar she was having so much fun in.  What was he up to now? 

      And then it hit her.  Blood rushed to her cheeks.  When Jade pulled into the motel, he didn
’t say a word, he jumped out and went inside.  It wasn’t long and he returned.  He parked the truck and got out walking very quickly over to Sara’s door.  When he opened it, he could see the lovely shade of red that had flooded Sara’s cheeks.

      This onl
y made Jade burn hotter with desire and heat.  He reached out his hand to offer it to Sara and held it waiting for her to take it.  Just when Jade thought she wasn’t going to take it, she slid her small delicate hand in his.  Relief took over as he locked up the truck and led her into the building. 

      When they reached the room, it was beautiful.  Sara went to look around, but Jade didn
’t give her much time.  He grabbed her waist and spun her around.  Only then when he seen the look on her face did he realize that probably wasn’t the smartest idea in the world. 

      The red left her cheeks and she went pale.  Sara slapped her hand to her mouth and frantically took off running for the bathroom.

Jade stood there running his fingers through his hair.  The thought of what he had just done was killing him.  He knew she might pass out on him, but that was not the reaction he was thinking of.  The laughter he was feeling was trying to come out but he didn’t want her to hear it.  But he couldn’t help it. 

     He started laughing out loud and couldn’t help but to think wow, a drink lead to dancing, dancing lead to darts, darts lead to marriage, and a spin lead to puking.  But the sound he was now hearing was not one he wanted to remember.

      Jade went to
the door that wasn’t closed all the way, but didn’t enter.  “Sara are you ok?”

       “
Don’t come in here.  You don’t nottt wanna see thisss.”

      Jade smiled and walked in.  Grabbed a wash cloth and wet it.  He went to and pulled her hair gently to the
side and dabbed her forehead.  “Sickness and health remember.”

       “
I don’ttt member the Judge saying any of that.”

       “
Well, it kinda goes along with it.  Are you ok now?”

       “
I thinkkk so.  Eww, I need a brush and pasteeee.  Is there any?”

 
     “Yeah, there is.  Do you need some help up?”

       “
No, I think” and about that time Sara went to stand up only to fall thank god in Jade’s direction.  Sara stayed there in his arms for a moment.  Feeling his hard chest against her cheeks.  Loving the way he smelled.  Enjoying the feeling of his hands on the small of her back.  Just when she thought she couldn’t stand not to kiss him, she raised back and made her way to the sink.  Jade gave her some much needed privacy excusing himself and closing the door behind him.