Wanted

“What’s wrong sweetheart? You look like you just saw a ghost.”

“Holy shit Gu

I started to laugh my ass off! Fuck she really was so damn cute.

“Ellie, we’re adults, they knew what I was pla

“But I would never want them to think badly of me for having sex with you before we got married.

I had to smile at how thoughtful her heart was. I pushed a piece of hair that had fallen out from her pony behind her ear.

“Ellie, don’t let those two fool you. They were sneaking around in Grams barn at seventeen having sex! Gramps talks a lot when he gets drunk.”

Ellie threw her hand up to her mouth and started to giggle and woke up the little monster.

Just then I heard Ari and Jeff. I looked up and they were walking hand and hand down to the barn. I was so happy Jeff finally came to his goddamn senses. They both looked so happy. I was not going to tell Ellie but Jeff was pla

Ari took one look at Ellie and she screamed. Ellie screamed back as she jumped out of the jeep, put poor little sleepy and lost looking Gus on the ground and ran over to Ari. Jeff just smiled and stepped out the way of two very excited females. Ari grabbed Ellie’s left hand and screamed again.

Little Gus looked up at me like I knew what the feeling of not being in her arms anymore felt like. Little bastard thought like me already……I was going to love this dog. I reached down and picked him up.

“I know buddy…...she has bewitched me also.” I said as I held Gus in my arms.

“HOLY MOTHER FUCKING SHIT! You did GOOD Gu

Jeff started to make his way over to me. I had already asked Jeff for permission to marry Ellie last week. I knew how much he loved her and she didn’t have a father so I felt like it was the right thing to do.

He reached his hand out to me and shook it along with a slap on the back. A hard fucking slap.

“Jesus…what the fuck did you hit me so hard for.”

“I sure as shit hope you made it special for her or I will kick your fucking ass. And goddamn if the puppy was not a nice touch. Well played dude.”

I had to laugh.

“I sure hope I did also Jeff. From how happy she’s been all morning I would say I did at decent job.”

Jeff smiled at me and then shook his head.

“You know Gu

I just stood there and stared at him. God I loved Jeff like a brother. I shook my head yes and he laughed and pulled me into a head lock and we started to wrestle around before I heard Gramps yell out.

“Knock it the fuck off…..we got some male bonding to do, to the loft boys.”

We had to leave in a few days as Jeff and I had a bowl game the next week. Our last game as college football players…...I couldn’t believe it.

The day after I asked Ellie to marry me I got up the nerve that night to finally talk to her about the wedding. I was so afraid she was going to be upset when I told her I could not stand the thought of her staying in Austin after we got married. I was so worried about it, I was sure she was going to tell me she didn’t want to get married or that we were going to have to wait until she finished school but she just smiled.

“Gu

“Ellie what about school, I thought you would be upset if I asked you to give up school to come with me out here. Are you sure baby this is what you want?”

She threw her arms around my neck. “YES! I already figured it out. I’m going to take classes online and finish up my degree in business. That way I can help you run the ranch when you take it over from Garrett someday.” I was speechless. This girl never ceased to amaze me. I loved her so much.  I leaned in and asked her if she was feeling daring and she smiled and wiggled her eyebrows up and down. We snuck off to the barn and made love. Another first…although I spent more time pushing Gus away than anything, that little bastard was barking at me the whole time. He and I were going to have to have a man to man talk and soon.

Ellie was crying as she was saying goodbye to Grams. They had become so close and had been sneaking off all day yesterday with Ari and the puppy….I’m sure they were already talking about the wedding. Grams whispered something into Ellie’s ear that caused Ellie to blush. She quickly looked over at me and smiled. I don’t think I could ever be so fucking happy. Nothing would ever top this feeling.

JUNE ……

“Gu

Ellie and the girls were at Ari’s parent’s lake house which was actually two miles up the road. All I wanted to do was talk to Ellie. We were getting married in three days and I was a fucking nervous wreck. We were leaving tomorrow for the ranch. Ellie seemed so calm. Ari, Amanda and Heather were amazing friends to Ellie. They were handling so much of the pla

The only real break she took from school was for Brad and Amanda’s wedding on Valentine’s Day and spring break when we all headed to the ranch. Jeff and I spent most of spring break getting his property ready for the horse staples he was having built this summer. He was going to tear the small ranch house down and start from scratch by building something bigger. He thought Ari wanted something big but turns out she is just a simple country girl at heart and wanted a simple ranch style home. They would stay in the existing house until they built their house. Jeff and I had both been putting in a shit ton of hours at the firm where we had been interning for the last two years. I’m still surprised they asked us to stay on as consultants.

Fuck just sitting here and relaxing felt great. Graduation was over and now the wedding. Jeff came walking out and slapped me on the back as he ran his hand through his hair. He sat down and let out a sigh.

“She still pissed?” I asked as Jeff took a drink from his beer.

“Yep……god she has me all tied up in fucking knots!”

Brad and I just laughed. Ari was not speaking to Jeff ever since graduation night when he failed to pop the big question. Little did she know he was asking her the night of our wedding. He had Je