Cold Kisses and Hot Nights-Chapter 2

"And do you, James Michael Bates take Emily Roselyn Beckett to be your lawful wedded wife? To have and to hold till death do you part?" You stand there, watching this beautiful scene unfold, pride filling your heart and tears filling your eyes. You love your friends deeply, and wish every happiness for them, even if she is making you wear Orange. Actually, at this point you are beyond caring, as your emotions overtake you and escape through your gleaming smile and joy-filled tears, now silently falling down your cheeks. Jamie stares at his bride, nothing but love glistening in his eyes "I do" and he leans into Emily's ear and whispers "and I will a few days after that." So quietly as if to keep it a secret from God himself. And with that, Sophie beside you let out a happy sigh while grasping your hand. "So, by the powers vested in me by the almighty God and the state of New-York, I now pronounce you Man and Wife." Everyone ceased their crying and bottled their cheers as they waited with bated breath for, let's face it, everybody's favourite bit. "You may kiss the bride." And the hall exploded with elated emotions as Jamie gleefully obeyed and took his new wife by the waist and forced their lips to meet. The kiss was so quick and passionate that Emily's mind went blank and the both of them had forgotten where they were. Hector taps Jamie on the shoulder and leans into his ear "hey buddy, might wanna save some for tonight."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry Hec, kinda forgot where I was then." And so did Emily by the look on her face. That's when you, Sophie and the other bridesmaids rushed over to congratulate them "oh Emily, you guys were amazing up there. (Name) and I were just saying how we'd love for it to happen to us." Sophie says a little over excited, flinging her arms over Emily. "Oh don't worry girls, I know that it will happen to the both of you one day." She says, giving you both a confident and reassuring smile. "Yeah, and you never know Soph, that day could be a lot closer than you think..." You turn your head to the tall man behind you "eh Alex?" His head shoots at you with an almighty WTF-ARE-YOU-TRYING-TO-DO-TO-ME? look on his face, to which you simply reply with a sarcastic eyebrow lift. "How the hell am I supposed to know..." He says through gritted teeth, trying to draw your attention to the fact that her brother is right there. "It's not like I'm going out with her or anything." Enjoying your big brothers cold-sweat panic you turn to Sophie and whisper "Right, now you lead Emily, Jamie and everyone else out into the court yard for the parents-gift giving thing.  Meanwhile I'll help change all of this into the wedding breakfast/reception area, ok?" You tap your lips with your finger, silently telling her not to say a word to either of them, or anyone else. "Got it" she replies. Then turning to the crowd she bellows "ok everyone, can you all please make your way to the courtyard as there is a small thing that the parents' of the Bride and Groom have planned." As she and everyone else files out of the hall, you notice someone in the doorway just watching everybody else in their merriment. "Excuse me," you place your hand softly on his shoulder "are you ok?" The white haired man turns around to you and reveals hypnotic blue eyes. "Yes, I'm fine thanks, and you?" To your ear his words are like velvet, and leave you slightly spellbound. "Uh, y-yes, I am good thank you for asking" after staring at him for a bit longer you shake your head 'pull it together girl' your inner-self scolds. "Why aren't you joining the others outside?"

"I'm not much one for presents." He says, though you barely listen "oh why's that?" You ask, pretending to be scratching your ankle as your eyes search the length and breadth of him; each glance making out traces of a toned physic underneath his white shirt. "Because I happen to think the best things in life are free." This catches your attention and you whip your head back up to look at him. With that He strides past you, hands in pockets, oozing confidence and sex appeal. You turn to follow his movements. He then stops a few feet ahead of you, looks over his shoulder and adds, with an enticing smile "Well, when I say free, I mean without any wealth value anyway." Your heart races at his words and your body gives an involuntary twitch in your lower-stomach. "So," he suddenly exclaims, turning on his heels to face you "need any help?" His sudden question snaps you out of your trance "Help? Oh yes please, that would be fantastic." You say marching up to him, "Ok, well everything is more or less organised we now just need to lay them out." You clap your hands together and start to walk. "The staff are laying out the tables and chairs as we speak so," you turn to him, skirt flowing out in a fairy fashion "can you please help me get the bows on the chairs and Centre pieces sorted?" He nods at you "of course." You both help out the staff, laying out tables, setting up place cards and transforming the hall from the elegant ceremony structure to a summer sizzler reception. "So what's your name then?" He calls to you from behind a flowered centre-piece. "(Name), what about you?" You're currently untying the sacks of helium balloons. "Jack," he shouts, then he steps back and looks at the centre-piece "ok I've finished with this one, what else do you want me to do?"

"Oh, everything's more or less done now, you can come over and help me with these if you want." You say, pretending to be cool, but really wanting him to say yes. "Sure." He saunters over, sits beside you and takes a bag. "So, how long have you known Jamie?" You ask casually, trying to calm your nerves. "Since he was about 10, you?" He doesn't look at you. "His sister, Sophie, and I went to University together and I met him when she invited me to spend New Years with her family my first year there." You say happily. "What are you smiling about?" He asks in an amused tone "sorry, I was just thinking how much I loved those days; the 5 of us really were, and thankfully are, the best friends that anybody could wish for." You continue to smile in tune to the thoughts occupying your mind. After a while you feel his staring at you and your cheeks flush red "sorry, didn't mean to keep smiling like that." You try to hide your face away from his gaze. "Why?" He asks. Your curiosity brings you to look at him again. Your face obviously gives away your curiosity, "I think you have a lovely smile, you shouldn't apologise for showing it to people." Great, now your face has gone even more red. The fumbling of your embarrassed hands leads to one of the balloons escaping to the ceiling. "Uh oh, you've let one go." As his gaze follows the escapee to the ceiling, you notice that his cheeks have a slightly pinker colour too, this makes you feel better. "It's ok, it's alright up there." You say a little more confidently, turning back to the task at hand. "So what are you gonna do with these anyway?" He picks up the bag and give it a light shake. "Well, when everyone walks back in, they're going to be released so they can float up to the ceiling. If everything goes to plan, it will give a rather dazzling effect." He stares at you while you explain the idea to him. "And you see inside the balloons," you pick one out and shake it "inside each balloon there is glitter, so if it pops for some reason, like it gets too hot because of the lights, the glitter will fall and look like fairy dust." He holds one of the peach-coloured balloons in his big hands and tries to look inside it, "that is amazing, who came up with that?"

"I did." You look at him, happy to see the wonder in his eyes. "My goal is to own my own wedding planning business, so Emily and Jamie asked me if I would plan theirs. Also they wouldn't be able to organise a piss-up in a brewery, so they would have needed help anyway." This makes Jack laugh "Oh really? To be honest, that does sound like Jamie, haha." You laugh with him as you continue to untie the balloons. At that point a blonde sprite in a pink dress runs into the hall and up to you, "Hey guys um... Ooh, Jack when did you get here?" She asks, going off topic "I got here this morning, watched the ceremony too." He smiles at her "aww really? Wasn't it lovely? I cried, what was your favou..." You interrupt "Sophie, what did you come in to say?" You stare up at her jiggling little body with your 'big-sister' face on. "Oh yeah, everybody is ready to come in now." You stand up "oh ok then, can you stall them for 2 minutes while Jack, the staff and I get into position with our balloons please?" With that she nods and darts back to the hall doors. "Ok," you project out to the staff, "can everybody please grab a bag of balloons and stand in the positions that we rehearsed this morning?" Everyone agreed and began to move. Then you turn to Jack "you and I will be on the opposite sides of the door. When the doors fling open, release your balloons as fast as you can, ok?" He gives you a sexy look and salutes you with two fingers, "Yes Ma'am." This makes you laugh and you lightly hit him on the arm, "you're a cheeky sod aren't ya?" He laughs but then adds "what's a sod?" You look at him as you run to your place "you! Now get over there." He smiles and obediently moves to where you're pointing. You move to your own post and, once in position and waiting for Sophie to open the doors, under your breath you mutter "Githead." You then knock on the door telling Sophie you're ready. You hear her on the other side "Ok everybody, we are now ready if you would like to follow me." As the doors swung open you shout "Now!". Once set free, the balloons danced and bounced around the attendees and each other creating a dazzling and mesmerising effect. The light beams from the DJ's booth popping some of the darker ones on contact, showering the guests in artificial dream dust. Gasps and whispers of "Oh my God" and "wow, look at this" filled your heart with so much pleasure and relief you couldn't help but join Emily, Sophie and others in their excitement and joy.

(Jack's POV)

As the balloons are released and put on their dazzling show for the guests he looks across the hall to you. You're smiling and dancing, obviously happy that your idea worked, and that, much to his surprise, makes him feel good and smile in retaliation to the thought. His arms crossed and all attention captured by you; your hair whirling around you as you danced, catching bits of glitter as they fell; that dress hugging your body perfectly with every movement and especially how your smile radiated your face when you realised Emily and the guests loved it. "Jack! There you are, was looking all over for you." A happy and familiar voice rips him from his daze, "hey Jamie, you alright?" his attention diverted, Jack's hands return to their default, pocketed, position. "Yeah, I'm good now thanks, you? Here, got you a beer. You do drink beer right?" Jack nods "Oh thanks Jamie, appreciate it." Jamie passes him the cold bottle and he takes a swig. "I'm a Guardian Jamie, not dead, and yeah I'm good thanks bud. Got over your nerves I see." Jack says as the friends clink their glasses together. "It's not that," Jamie started "more like... just, when I was up there with Hec I was sweating bullets, I was ready to scarper." Jamie confessed to Jack "but when the music started, all these gasps came from behind me, and I turned around to see what everyone was gasping for." Jamie tilted his head and stuck his hands out in front of him "Then I saw her. Coming up the aisle in that beautiful dress. Jack, I thought she was a Angel for a second; all white and heavenly, so that was the end of it." he said, shrugging and taking another sip of his beer "What?" Jack said, staring at his friend, drink an inch from his lips. "Well I could hardly be scared of marrying an Angel now could I?" He said matter-of-factly and gave Jack a side-glance, to which Jack pounced on him and started giving him a noogie, "Aww Jamie boy, you're such a girl!" They laugh and play for a bit then Jamie gives in "Ok, Ok, Uncle! I give up!" Jamie stumbles back and rubs his head "And what's up with you and my hair, geez" he once again tries to fix his hair. Suddenly a loud giggle comes from the other side of the room. It's you. He watches and smiles as you suddenly clasp your face with an awkward face as you realise that laugh was too loud, which makes you laugh even more. "Say Jamie," Jack leans back and says to his friend, while keeping his eyes focused on you. "Mmhhmm?" He's still trying to fix his hair. "Who's that girl over there?" Jamie looks up at the corner "That's Sophie, you know Sophie."

"No not Sophie, god I'd recognise you two anywhere. No, that one next to her in the Orange dress?" Jamie follows Jack's finger "oh her, well that's (Name), she's the wedding planner, Soph and her have been best friends since college. You met her this morning, remember?" Jamie asks. "But Jamie that's my point." Jack sharply moves to look his friend in the face "How come she can see me?" Jamie looks at his friend with confusion ready to answer, when he remembers that Jack is Jack Frost; Guardian and can only been seen by children who believe in him and the magic of the world. Then he thought 'wait, hold on, I'm 26 and can see him, Soph and Emily are also adults and can see him so...' "She must believe in you then." Jamie suggests. "What? at... How old is she?" he tries to retaliate "She's 20, but I'm 26, Soph is 22 and Ems is 25 and we all see you and believe in ya." Jamie explains "and Emily didn't do all the stuff we did when we were kids, she saw you when you came with me to see my college dorm remember?" Jack looked at him, then accepted his reasoning. "Yeah, I guess that could be it." he looks back and watches you as you move from place to place. This catches Jamie's attention. "Oh my god." he looks at Jack and begins to chuckle "What? What you laughing at?" Jack asks. Jamie's head starts to shake from side to side "You don't?" he stops, looks at you and then back to Jack "You don't... like her do you?" Jack looks at Jamie "what? No... no, of course not. I mean she's quite pretty... and yeah that dress looks quite nice on her, but no..." his denial goes on a long time, a bit too long to be convincing. "Besides, she's a friend of yours, that's just not aloud," he says, then he gazes back at you, then, slowly, back to Jamie "would it?" a note of a real question Jamie detects in his voice. "Jack, if you did, I really wouldn't blame you." Jamie puts his arm round Jack "(Name) is a lovely, pretty and smart girl. Who can SEE YOU, and is already really good friends with Soph and I. So, as far as I'm concerned go ahead." Jamie let's go and starts to walk away, but then turns back "there are only two things I would be careful of; one, she is Sophie's best friend, so you might want to take it up with her first, and two, her 27 year old big brother Alex. But only if he can see you, which I doubt very likely." Jamie walks away from his friend muttering "mainly because he finds it hard to see anything that doesn't have a girl or mirror attached to it."

"Thanks for telling me that Jamie, Ass-hat." Jack huffs, tugging at his jacket. "Ok." he steadies himself as he makes his way over to Sophie, but before he gets there an announcement is made. "Ladies and Gentlemen, may you please make your way to your seats as the speeches are about to take place. Thank you." With that everyone filed to their allocated seats, some taking a detour to the seating plan. Jack finds one of the spare seats and watches as everyone takes their turn to congratulate, embarrass and toast the 'Happy/Perfect' couple. Everything seemed to go smoothly, the speeches first, 5 course meal second, then the photos. As everyone was herded around for the photos, the table and chairs were moved and the buffet and chocolate fountains were revealed as the hall was recycled once again from the elegant reception area into a family-member only nightclub. Once you were finished with your photos, you began to help the staff with their moving and tidying. "The girl does know what to do, I'll give her that." Jack says, watching you impressed at your bright ideas and determination for everything to go as smooth as possible. Once everything was neatly away and the transformation was successfully completed, he finds Sophie "hey Soph, can I talk to you about something?"

(Your POV)

"Yes, Mrs Beckett, of course. I'd love to do your Wedding Anniversary. I am so happy you liked the balloon thing. Was a little scared it wasn't going to work actually." Emily's mum has come over to say about what a great job you've done with the event and how impressed she was. "You are very welcome dear, you deserve applauding for doing all of this, and at such a young age. It's nothing short of impressive." This fills you with immense pride and happiness "also, I love all the little personal things you did; like the glitter in the balloons because of Emily's fairy wedding fantasy when she was a girl." The lady put a hand to her heart and gave you a look of heartfelt joy. "Well, being their friend for so long, I learnt a couple of things about them along the way. And, though I was their wedding planner, I am also their friend and want them to have everything they deserve and to know I love and cherish them too." You smile as the obviously loving mother uses her handkerchief to wipe away the slight tears in her eyes, she rubs your arm encouragingly and walks away. You're alone by the presents so you continue to sort them out in piles of what's going with them on the honeymoon so they can open tomorrow in the hotel room, and what can wait for them to come back and open so can be taken to their new house by Alex and yourself. "Uh, Auntie Miriam, what did she get them?" you consult the gift list in your hand "Ooh, a gravy boat, well that can go with the other two. They can look at them and see what ones they want to keep." You pick up the well decorated gift "though this is from Miriam, so I bet it's Wedgwood or something, coar, this thing sure is heavy... WOAH!" As your hands give way underneath the weight a pair of hands rush from behind you and grab the gift before it came crashing down. You quickly take the present and put it on the table with the others. "Bloody hell, that was close, thanks Alex." You tap the hands around your waist in a thank you, but you get a shock as you turn around and face your saviour "Jack! Oh it was you, sorry I thought you were,"

"Your brother?" the young man asks you in a husky voice, sending slight shivers up your spine. "Um, y-yeah." you look up at him "why did you think that?" he asks silkily "Well, he has really big and strong hands and... oh...um... I really shouldn't have said that."  Your gaze finds the floor and your head stays there a while as you say "sorry, I tend to say what's in my head at times, especially times like this." He moves inches closer to you "times like what?" Your breathing was getting a little erratic, but as he says those words, your inner goddess comes into play; your head shoots up and you place a finger on his chest. Adrenaline, masked as confidence, flooding your veins like morphine you say "Hey honey, not so close, I've just met you." You hit him with a sexy but deadly look as you walk past him, he catches your arm softly "well maybe I want to get to know you better." His thumb strokes your skin slowly "well," you tug your arm out of his grip and flirtatiously walk away from him, heart thumping "Let's just see how lucky you are shall we?" With that you walk away, feeling rather triumphant and full of your self.