Page 101 of Under His Control

“A pair of lovable dorks.” I chuckle into my glass as I take another sip of my drink.

Near the south wall, June is laughing at something her husband Malcolm is saying to her. He’s smiling too, watching her with devotion.

I wasn’t sure they’d be able to make it because of their baby, but June insisted that nothing was going to stop her from being my maid of honour.

My smile deepens when I shift my gaze to Aunt Dee next, sitting at a table with her “gentleman friend” as she likes to call him.

My aunt is only in her early fifties. She’s always kept herself sort of plain which made her appear older. For the first time in years, she ditched her loose v-necked shirt, linen pants, and chunky sandals for a form-fitting mauve dress, pearls, and heels.

It’s been hard to believe the transformation in my aunt from plain to gorgeous. Her “friend” has been stuck to her side the whole time, probably afraid that the second he turns his back, someone else will swoop in to take his spot.

Aunt Dee’s support for my relationship with Jacob came easier than I expected. When Jacob and I sat down with her, she was surprised at first but took it in stride. She admitted that Kevin was the result of a forbidden fling between her and her boyfriend’s dad.

“So I don’t have room to judge,” she said.

My religious aunt getting up to such naughty shenanigans in the past was a huge shock. To think I agonized about telling her, afraid the news would stress her out and make her unwell.

“Others will say you two are wrong, but you are right in God’s eyes as long as you make each other happy,” she said. “That’s all that matters.”

Then she scowled at Jacob and told him not to knock me up unless he was planning on marrying me.

Well, we’re married now. The baby-making is on the horizon.

“What’s my wife doing over here, all by herself?”

Jacob’s voice fills my ear as he embraces me from behind. I startle then turn in his arms to smile at him. A pleasant thrill goes through me that he called me his wife. I’m never getting tired of that.

“Your wife is enjoying some much needed peace and quiet from our guests. How did my husband know I was here? And how did you even get over here without me noticing you?”

He squeezes me. “I haven’t been able to take my eyes off you, sweetheart. Every step you make, I’ve been watching you.”

“Every breath I take too?”

He smirks. “Of course. You belong to me.”

“I feel like I should be concerned with this level of obsession from my husband.”

“You were my prisoner once. You shouldn’t be surprised.”

I play with his tie. “I’m one of those too-stupid-to-live kind of girls, huh? Instead of running away from my captor, I married him.”

“Or maybe I’m just that persuasive.”

“Your mouth is pretty good at… persuasion.” I grin when he chuckles at my dirty joke. “What were you and Lewis talking about?”

“Wayne and Sasha. Apparently, Wayne’s testifying against Sasha in a plea deal and Sasha tried to escape custody. She made it three blocks before they caught her and hauled her back to the courthouse.”

My eyes widen. I cover my mouth in shock and also to suppress my amusement. Jacob gives me a knowing look.

“You want to laugh, don’t you?”

“I don’t want to.” I fight harder to hold back the laugh. “It’s not funny.”

“It is funny.”

“OK, it is, but it’s also terrible she tried to run again.”

After Sasha fled Lewis’ party, she tried to run away from Wenora. She took Officer Brent and a few other cops on a short car chase, only to end up in a ditch when she swerved to avoid hitting a deer. Yet another instance of Wenora wildlife causing chaos for the greater good.