The Scars That Make Us (Second Generation Book 3)

Chapter 14

CATARINA

The last twenty-hours hours of my life have been a complete whirlwind. It has been life-changing, literally, and figuratively. I had the highest of highs, Jace PROPOSING to me and then us getting MARRIED, but also the low feeling of realizing that I wasn’t sure how we were going to make this work. Jace was so amazing, but he’s been so amazing about everything, he isn’t pushing me to just up and leave my family, he really wants what we do next to be just as much my choice as his.

I was still feeling a bit apprehensive about everything when Nola and I drove back to the ranch to meet up with the gals for dinner. It was our “black tie” dinner as the final celebration before we were going to leave in the morning. Nola and I talked through a lot of things. I explained to her how I felt nervous about telling my parents and how there were so many expectations, especially since it seemed like my dad was always busy and always wanted to show off his “perfect” family.

Nola reminded me that I didn’t owe my parents anything. Sure, they would probably cut me off financially and threaten to disown me, but would that be the worst thing anyway? Harsh, true, but I don’t remember the last time I felt anything from my parents besides guilt and I don’t get love from them, I get expectations. After talking with Nola, I started to feel better about things. I knew that they were never going to approve of my marriage to Jace and I had to make a choice: that life or the life with Jace. I wanted a life with Jace.

After dinner and drinks, I went back to the cabin and packed all my stuff except a small bag that I took over to Jace’s. When I got there, he met me at the door and picked me up, and kissed the life out of me. We left a trail of clothes on our way back to the bedroom and consummated our marriage more than once. Then, we talked a lot. He told me about telling his family, that his step-dad was less than enthused. It made me nervous about meeting them, but Jace swore that they’d love and accept me and our marriage. Before we fell asleep, we made a tentative plan for moving forward. I felt at ease with our future, at least for now.

I set my alarm for seven in the morning so I’d have time to take a shower and get ready before Jace came to pick me up to take me to his parent’s place. I slipped on my cotton sleep shorts and one of Jace’s t-shirts and padded out to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. I was taking my first sip when one of the doors in the hallway opened and his brother, Deacon, appeared. 

“Oh, hi.” Deacon looked like he just rolled out of bed and was wearing wrinkly clothes that I wouldn’t be surprised to find out were something he wore earlier in the week and didn’t wash.

“Hey, sorry I didn’t expect to see anybody here. Jace left for work hours ago.” Deacon grabbed a mug and joined me at the small kitchen table where the pot of coffee was sitting. He poured himself a mug and sat down across from me.

“Yeah, I was out late last night so I decided to play hooky until later. Nice to officially meet you, by the way. I guess we’re related, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess so, brother.” I hold my hand out and he shakes it. “I’m Catarina.”

“Deacon.” He gave a friendly smile and went back to drinking his coffee until he sat back and crossed his hands over his chest. “So, what exactly are the two of you going to do? I don’t mean to come off rude and everything, but aren’t you all supposed to be leaving today? How are you going to be married, but living apart?”

“We talked about it last night. I have to go home today, but I’m going to talk with my parents and tell them that I got married and that I’m going to move here. I don’t know when I’ll be back, I hope no more than a couple of weeks. I have a few things I need to wrap up with my parents, but frankly, I’m not sure they’ll want me around after I tell them.”