Our Wedding

Chapter Eighteen

We were now in Maine for the wedding weekend. Nathan and I had decided to have our wedding in my hometown which just so happens to be the exact place we met all those years ago at his sister's wedding. Nathan loved Maine. It was something he had never told me. We would have moved to Maine sooner if he had told me. Maine would be the perfect location to buy Nathan a house. He had told me a few years back that he would much rather live in a house than his New York apartment. I had been looking for the best place for us to settle into and now I knew exactly what to do. Nathan and I will be moving to Maine permanently. This decision was equally as easy as it was hard for me. Moving back to Maine was the last thing I had ever imagined happening. I loved Maine, it is a beautiful state but I had always tried to escape it. I had dreaded coming back for Michael's wedding the first time. I left Maine when I was thirteen. I had left for a boarding school and had never wished to return. I never wanted to see my father again. I had stayed away from Maine for most of my life but I was ready to come back. The truth about my family had changed things. I no longer had the same reasons to dislike my father. He was no longer the selfish workaholic I had once thought. The secret was much worst than what I had always thought but it was no longer a reason to avoid my father. I had invited him to my wedding and he and my mother had accepted. Nathan and I decided it was good to make peace with my parents. I was glad I made peace with them and I was glad Celia was trying to make peace with them. This secret had destroyed years but I would no longer let it control our lives. Nathan and I had landed in Maine and quickly went over to our wedding venue to make sure everything was in order. The last thing we wish is for something to go wrong. I won't let anything go wrong with this wedding. I had waited too long to finally marry the love of my life. Nothing was going to ruin this.

Everything was in order for the wedding. The flowers were blooming beautifully this time of year. The caterers were ready with all the food for everyone. The tables were in place, the chairs were in place. Everything was in order. I was glad everything was set for tomorrow. I was excited. Tomorrow Nathan and I are getting married! I could not believe it was finally here. After making sure everything was in order for the wedding, Nathan and I parted ways. We had decided that we would spend the night away from each other and only meet back up down the aisle. Nathan was going to be staying in our hotel room with his sister while I was staying at home. I had asked my parents prior if it was good with them and they were happy to have me back in the house. My sister was also staying with us. It was good to have the entire family back together. I was surprised that Celia wanted to come back. I had expected her to stay in her hotel room. I was glad my sister was being so pleasant this weekend. I was afraid she wouldn't completely be okay with our father but she was being nice at least. I never expected her to be friendly to him after what he did but at least she was tolerating them. It was a good night in the Baker house.

***

I woke up early the next morning. I had big plans today before the wedding. Nathan and I were set to get married in the afternoon and I needed to meet Travis and Eli around lunchtime so we can get ready. I had things to do beforehand. Today I was going house hunting. I decided that I was going out to buy a house for Nathan and me today. I wanted to surprise him with it. It was a wedding present. I quickly got dressed before making my way to the kitchen to get my parent's car keys since I did not have my own when my sister suddenly appeared in front of me.

"Are you sneaking out?" She asked me while crossing her arms and I rolled my eyes. I was not sneaking out. I was calmly leaving the house before anyone woke up. I'm not a teen sneaking out of his parent's house.

"I'm not sneaking out. I have important things to do today. I am getting married after all" I explained to the girl who was not buying it for some reason.

"You don't need to meet your groomsmen until noon and the wedding isn't until this afternoon. Where are you going?" She asked me once again and I sighed. I used to be so good at pulling things without Celia finding out, what happened?

"Fine. I'm going to see a realtor" I explained simply and her eyes widened with delight.

"Omg you and Nathan and moving to Maine! Does this mean you aren't doing the tour for the international restaurants?" She asked me and I raised an eyebrow at her. What tour?

"What international tour? You've never told me anything about a tour" I asked her and she chuckled nervously while scratching her arm.

"I thought I told you, my bad. I have furthered the plan for the Europe restaurants. The company has been accepted to France, Italy, and even Germany" She explained and my eyes widened. This is huge! I never thought the European takeover would happen this soon. I could see it now, my restaurants in France and Italy would be amazing. It had always been a dream. I sighed.

"I guess you'll have to do it without me, Celia," I told her, and her smile widened before she frowned.

"Maybe you could still do it" She tried to make me feel better and I smiled softly at her.

"I'll talk to Nathan about it but I don't really want to leave my husband for this. Now that's for later. I got to get going" I told her before trying to walk around her toward the door but she once again stopped me.

"I'm coming with you!" She exclaimed before taking the keys away from me and rushing outside the house. I guess she is coming with me.

***

Celia and I arrived at the first house my realtor asked us to meet them at after the longest ride I have taken. I have decided that I will never get in a car with my sister ever again. She did not stop talking about random topics before asking me if we were there yet. She reminded me so much of Eli and I could only imagine this was a trait they both got from dads side of the family. We finally arrived at the lovely house in the center of town. The house was nice. It was a blue house with a lovely fence in the front with the most lovely windows I had ever seen. It reminded me a lot of my childhood and when we visited my grandmother. She had a house just like this. Celia and I exited the car once I saw who I assumed was the realtor and made our way over. The man turned around when he heard us approaching and my eyes widened. I could recognize that face anywhere. It had matured over the years but it was still the same eyes I had fallen for before when I was in middle school. Oliver White is my realtor, what are the odds?

Sooo I did intend to add some more drama to this story originally but then decided that I am not a basic writer. I chose to take the drama toward Owen's family instead of the whole 'Ex-crush shows up at the wedding and complicates things'. Owen mentioned his old crush many chapters back and originally Oliver White was going to play a bigger character but the love between Owen and Nathan can't get broken by a stupid old crush so instead, Oliver was forgotten until now. He's Owen's realtor and besides being a really annoying man, he does not cause any problems for the couple, thankfully. Anyways, the wedding is almost here, Owen and Nathan are moving to Maine and everything is going well for once. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter despite Oliver showing up, it's still a good chapter.

~Jess