Wanted

“You look so beautiful Ellie; you take my breath away sweetheart. I love you.”

She looked at me and her eyes filled with tears as she smiled at me.

“Drew, I love you too.” Her voice was cracking and I knew she was having a hard time talking. I squeezed her hand and we both turned to Preacher Roberts. I smiled as the thought occurred to me for the first time that day.

Another first………

CHAPTE R SIXTY ONE

E llie……

“The ceremony was beautiful darling. Just beautiful! And you……you are the most precious thing I have ever seen!” Aunt Lacy said to me as she kept pulling me in for a hug and then pushing me out again to do a once over. I was starting to feel sick from the constant pushing and pulling.

I was finally able to break free from her and tried to sneak over to grab some sweet tea.

“ELLIE!”

SHIT! Dammit! I was just five feet from my sweet tea! I turned around to see Sha

Sha

I smiled as she pulled away and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

“Have you met my sisters yet?” Sha

Then I spotted him. He was playing horse shoes with a few of the younger kids. He looked up at me and we smiled at each other. I just wanted to leave…...start our lives together, that and I really wanted some fucking sweet tea! If I had to talk to another person and thank them for coming I think I was going to hurl.

Sha

Just as I was about to reach for a mason jar and fill it up with nice cold sweet ice tea that only Emma can make…...I was stopped again by someone saying my name. Mother fucker…...now I was going to go off on someone.

“Ellie?”

“Mom?”

Wait….what?

I turned around to see a woman standing in front of me. I instantly recognized her from the pictures in Gu

“DREW! Oh Drew! I’ve missed you so much. I’m so sorry baby boy, so sorry!”

OH. MY. GOD…...I looked around for Gu

“Mom……why didn’t you let me know you were coming? Did you just get here?”

“No Drew, I was here for the ceremony. It was beautiful. You look so handsome Drew and look at you such a man now; you’re not my little boy……. Oh my…...” She started to cry as Gu

My heart was hurting. To think of all the time she missed out because of Gu

“Mom please don’t cry. You don’t know how happy you made me by coming. Thank you so much.”

“Drew, your father would not come I’m sorry. He did tell me to congratulate you though.” She said with such sadness in her voice.

Gu

I sucked in a breath of air. Oh god I loved hearing him say that!

“Mom, may I introduce to you my wife, Mrs. Ellie Mathews. Ellie sweetheart this is my mother Grace Mathews.”

I reached my hand out to shake hers but she came up to me and hugged me. More like squeezed the shit out of me. She pulled back and looked me up and down.

“So beautiful! You’re such a beautiful girl!”

“Thank you Mrs. Mathews.”

“No, please Ellie sweetheart, call me Grace. Thank you so much Ellie for making my Drew so happy. I can see by the way he looks at you how happy and in love he is with you.” She said to me with a smile.

I smiled back at her. She really was a beautiful woman and I could see so much of her in Gu

“Thank you Grace. I feel the same way about him. He’s the most amazing man I’ve ever met.”

Gu

“Do you want some sweet tea baby?”

I had to let out a giggle. I wonder if he had seen my many failed attempts to get that tea!

“God yes!”

Gu

“Mom, you remember how good Grams tea is, you want some?”

Grace laughed and shook her head no. “Drew I just spent nearly an hour in Emma’s kitchen with her. She filled me up with three glasses of tea! I’m good honey thank you.”

Grace and I took a seat at one of the tables and talked for ever. She told me stories about Gu

Je

Gu

“Will you please do me the honor Mrs. Mathews?” Gu

As he pulled me into his arms he leaned down and whispered against my ear. His warm breath sent the butterflies into flight in my stomach and I felt a shiver run through my entire body.

“Don’t ever forget how I feel about you; never, ever forget sweetheart. I will always want you and only you. I would be lost without you Ellie; I love you more than life itself…..”

Then he leaned down and kissed me so passionately I felt the love pouring from his body straight into mine.

Then the song started. Oh my god…….

“Wanted” by Hunter Hayes.

Gu

“Happy tears baby?”

I couldn’t find my voice. I loved him so much and he just made the most wonderful day so much more special. I didn’t think it could get any better but again he showed me different.

I could barely talk but somehow I managed to speak.

“Yes Gu