Page 1 of When You Were Mine

Prologue

THIRTY YEARS AGO

Is this real?

Am I actually marrying the love of my life?

Jessica Elsworth wanted to remember every single detail of this moment. The cozy white chapel and the plaster cherubs lifting bouquets of roses on either side of the altar. The officiant in a white rayon suit and a turquoise bolo tie, and his wife’s bright yellow sundress and white terry cloth flip-flops, her long fingernails painted a brilliant red.

Jess would imprint this setting, these colors, and the fragrant scent of roses on her mind forever. Not only because she was eloping, but because it was so them. They were wild, reckless, free.

They were outlaws.

They were twenty years old, on their way home after a spectacular failure, but they were fiercely, fully together.

Forever.

As she faced her soon-to-be-husband in the Las Vegas chapel, she grinned at the crazy situation. She might not have grown up dreaming about weddings, but she’d always known she’d love Trevor Montgomery with all her heart for the rest of her life.

Her gorgeous, funny, smart, big-hearted groom began his vows. “I never told you this, but my first memory of us goes back even before kindergarten. My dad backed his truck up to the loading dock at the feedstore. I was kicking my mom’s seat just to piss her off, and I looked out the window and saw this little girl doing a monster dance.”

Overflowing with happiness and so full of love for this man, Jess cracked up. “Monster dance?” She had no recollection.

“Yep.” He took a step back to show her. Lowering his head, he stomped his feet and lifted his arms like he was working a pulley. When he bent over and shook his ass, even the officiant broke out laughing.

“Eh.” She waved a hand to dismiss the memory. “No proof it was me. Could’ve been anybody.” Of course, she was teasing, and the glint in Trevor’s eyes told her he knew it. Her dad owned the store, and that was exactly the kind of weird thing she’d have done while hanging around.

“You know that expressiondance like no one’s watching?” Fire glinted in her groom’s eyes.

She nodded. He was such a passionate man. She loved that about him.

“Well, that’s you. You dance like no one’s watching, sing like no one’s listening, and love like you’ve never been hurt. Elzy, I admire the hell out of you. You’re strong and smart, you love hard, and you’re the best person I know.” Color flooded his cheeks, and his voice broke. “You caught my attention when I was four, and you continue to dazzle me to this day.”

Jess blinked back tears. Two days ago, their world had come crashing down. The bad news had them quitting their server jobs, giving their landlord notice, and packing up the truck to head back home.

But he’d turned it all around by driving them straight to this Vegas chapel.

They might’ve given up one dream, but he’d fulfilled another, more important one: sealing their future as a couple.

“I love you.” His voice was thick with emotion. “That first day of kindergarten when I saw you, I swear to God, the world cracked open. It was the first time I’d ever been away from home, and I didn’t know what to make of it, but the moment I laid eyes on you, all the confusion in my mind went quiet. I knew back then, and I know now, you’re my best friend, my lover, my peace, my motivation, my inspiration, my North Star, and the love of my life.”

“Trevor.” His name came out on a gust of breath. She needed to be alone with him, skin to skin. She needed her hands in his hair, her mouth on his. The endless quest to get closer, to merge, to breach the physical separation never, ever went away. If they got lost on a deserted island, she wouldn’t care. He was all she needed. Now and forever.

He reached for her hands. “Elzy, you were my reason when I was four, and you’re my reason for the rest of my life.” He slipped the plastic band on her finger. “With this ring, I pledge my life to yours. I know wherever life takes me, with you is where I’m meant to be.”

Now, it was her turn, but she was so full of love and affection, she couldn’t think straight. He wasn’t just movie-star handsome and built to haul bales of hay. He was the kindest, most generous man she’d ever known. “You’ve had more time to think about it?—”

“Elz, I’ve been thinking about marrying you my whole life.”

Well, when he put it that way, so had she. “I love you.” She said it plainly, simply. “You’re my best friend, my playmate, my confidante, and my greatest challenge.” She blew out a shaky breath. “Not a day goes by when I don’t think how grateful I am to have you in my life. I mean, we were eight when my mom died. I don’t know how you knew what I needed, but you did. You sat with me, and we didn’t say a word. You let me be quiet. You’ve always known exactly what I need. You see me. You always have.”

She slipped the ring on his finger. “Trevor, I vow to love you, take care of you, and walk this life by your side through every storm and battle. And you know what? Forget pledging anything because it’s my absolute privilege to spend my life with you. Thank you for loving me. I don’tvowto love and cherish you—Igetto.”

He hauled her to his chest and kissed her, and with the volatile cocktail of excitement and passion, she knew their connection could light up a night sky.

“Uh, well.” The officiant laughed. “Guess I don’t need to say it, but you may kiss the bride.”

Trevor clutched her bottom and drew her tightly to him. His warmth seeped into her. As they clung to each other, she got lost in the soft, wet, heat of his mouth, the clean, masculine scent of him and the urgent dig of his fingers.

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