After Forever & Ever

Chapter 145

Hardin-Present

Holy fuck I'm married. We are married. I can't fucking believe it. I have a wife. Tessa is my wife.

"How does it feel?" She asks me.

"How does what feel?" I ask.

"Being married." She replies.

"Amazing." I reply.

I think I am still in disbelief we actually went through with it. But so fucking happy that we did.

I think I fucked up the vows I know I swore a couple times so I hope I didn't ruin it but I hope she got what I was saying.

We decide to take some pictures and then we ordered in some of our favorite food and desert so we could have our very own wedding meal and cake.

After we eat we spend some time hanging out with Emery before putting her to bed and then Tess and I go and sit out by the pool. She chose to sit up so I laid my head down on her lap so I can look up at her.

She starts running her fingers through my hair. And neither one of us are saying anything we are just staring at each other.

"Tessa Scott" I finally say.

"Yes." She simply replies.

"I love the way that sounds." I tell her.

"Me too." She replies.

I grab her hand and gently kiss it.

"Can I ask you something?" She asks me.

"Sure what is it?" I ask.

"Is it too late to take the other deal and you testify?" She asks me.

I pause and sit up. "Why are you asking me that?" I ask her.

"Because i think that you should." She replies.

"Is that why you pushed for us to be married today?....so I could testify and be legal so they couldn't hold me from coming back...." I question frustrated.

"Hardin no it's not like that. But you could testify and your right they would have to let you come back." She says to me.

I don't question that she did want to marry me but I question the motive for it being right now and it's a shitty fucking feeling.

"Mhm." I simply respond and get up and walk towards the house.

She quickly gets up after me. "Hardin...wait. I'm sorry are you mad at me?" She asks me.

"No." I respond because I don't want to ruin today but I do need a fucking minute because I'm just really not happy with how this is playing out....

I go inside and have a seat at the kitchen island and grab a water off the counter. Tessa sits down next to me and puts her hand on my shoulder and then rests her head on it.

I basically don't acknowledge her. And we both sit in silence.

Vance ends up walking in. "What's wrong with you guys?...." he questions.

"I'm good." I reply.

"He's not." She replies as she moves away from me.

"Care to explain." Vance says.

"Nothing Vance....the timing of this was a little too convenient and now I get why." I reply.

"It's not even like that Hardin, so stop you are ruining today." She says to me.

"It's not?....then why I even bring up me testifying?" I ask her.

"So you don't have to be in jail for 3 months!" She yells raising her voice.