Page 105 of Forever Fascinating

“I love you,” he smiled, stepping up on the benches where they’d just been sitting, like everyone else. There were small ladders on each side of the boat mounted in four places to allow everyone to climb back in quickly.

“Omigosh I cannot believe…” she began nervously, looking at the dark lagoon waters as a large chunk of ice floated past. “Unnnghhh!Becoming a Jana-cicle doesn’t sound appealing anymore.”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” he said gently, releasing her hand. “You can wait this out and I’ll be right back in a few…”

“You’re doing this?” she questioned flatly, looking at him.

“Yes.”

“Unnnghhh!…” she whined again painfully, stomping her feet emphatically – and leapt off the boat, pulling him into the water with her.

She heard his wild crazy yell beside her as her body was swallowed instantly. The painful shock was almost too much to bear, causing a ripple of awareness to race down every fiber in horrific protest. Her body instantly began to ache as she surfaced… only to see Matthew’s proud gaze.

He held out his shaking hand to her in order to help her back into the boat.

“Y-You f-first, b-babe…” he chattered, his lips already turning blue.

She was cramping wildly, feeling like her body was moving through mud to pull herself upwards. She forced herself along, hurrying as much as possible, and not bothering with her robe but turning immediately to help Matthew up since he’d put her on the ladder first.

Sure enough, his teeth were chattering audibly as he shivered… but his smile was incredible.

“Y-You’re in-insane, you k-know that?” she laughed, listening to her own voice stutter.

“G-Get y-your robe on, h-honey…” he urged, yanking one of them off the seat and holding it up for her.

“Y-You g-get your r-robe on…”

“I w-will – as s-soon as y-you are c-c-covered, and then I s-seriously w-want t-to s-snuggle until w-we get b-back to shore,” he stammered, yanking her robe up her arms as she struggled to tie it.

Matthew was already thrusting his arms into his own robe, unable to stop smiling, pulling her to him. They held each other in a massive bear hug, needing the warmth, and smiling because they’d literally taking the craziest ‘plunge’together… right before they took the best one.

Getting back to the shore, they were led up to a gift shop where they had found the changing rooms… and Jana immediately bought their photograph. It was her and Matthew, mid-air, in their jump right before they hit the water.

It wasn’t flattering.

You couldn’t see their faces… but she wanted this photograph instantly – because she was going to put one of their wedding photos right next to it on the mantle back home.

CHAPTER28

JANA

She awokethe next morning to Matthew’s smiling face close to hers as he kissed her cheek. The sunlight was streaming into the glass cottage, and they had watched the clouds pass overhead for hours last night, talking, and holding each other beneath the blankets after the polar plunge.

“Good morning, my beautiful bride,” he whispered lovingly. “I brought you some coffee.”

She sat up grumpily against the headboard and looked at him, trying to pretend to be stern.

“This is probably the happiest I will ever be in the mornings,” she groused. “It’s all downhill from here, mister.”

“I’ll take it,” he smiled, sitting down beside her, taking a sip from his own cup. “This place is so beautiful, isn’t it?”

It was hard to be grumpy when someone so handsome, so gentle, and so grateful for how life was turning out was sitting before you. She admired his profile, watching him swallow his coffee, and couldn’t believe that today was the day that he became hers.

“Are you happy?” he said softly, turning to look at her. “I don’t want you feeling nervous, scared, or feel like I’m pushing you. I’m just so happy to be a part of your world and…”

“I’m thrilled,” she admitted. “This all feels so surreal, like I might wake up any moment and it will suddenly be gone. If this is a dream, then I never want to wake again.”

“It’s the same for me.”

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