Love You Moore Page 12

“Well I guess congrats is in order.” he said while rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

  “I guess so.” Abby replied apologetically although she didn’t know why.

  “Ok then.” Billy said and walked away.

  “Wow, ok then.” Abby said to herself and turn to see Jimmy standing behind her.

  “Everything ok?” he asked skeptically.

  “Yes, everything is perfect.” she replied putting her arms around his neck.

  They spent the night dancing and having a wonderful time. Jimmy had treated the crowd to an impromptu concert. Ben and Mikey had come up with Jimmy, they were also in on the secret. They told her they were very happy and couldn’t wait till she was part of their family. After things had died down and her friends had left, Abby’s parents hugged her goodnight and left for home. Holly soon followed leaving Abby and Jimmy alone. He walked her back to the section of rooms he had blocked off and opened one of the doors. Inside there was a lit fireplace, dim lighting and a rose pedaled covered bed. He turned her to face him. He took her face him his hands and began to kiss her. She pointed to the bed with a bewildered look on her face.

  “How else should it be the first time we spend the night together.” He gently kissed her and caressed her body with tender hands.

  Slowly undressing her and holding her tight. He picked her up and placed her on the bed. He laid with her, their bodies formed into one perfectly. As he held her tighter and tighter, moving their bodies in sync, she knew at that moment, she was loved more than she had ever been in her life.

  In the morning they ordered room service for breakfast. They didn’t leave the room all day, they ordered in lunch and dinner. That night after their bodies were exhausted of all energy, they snuggled together in the bed.

  “How did you pull all of this off” Abby asked stroking her fingers across his bare chest.

  “Oh that’s a secret, I‘ll never tell, torture me if you will, I will never tell.” he teased.

  She thumped him on the chest. “Ok, ok you win, I give.” He cried. “When I came to see you at Christmas, before I called you, I had asked him and your mother for their blessing. I then called Holly, it took me awhile to calm her down I filled them all in on the plan to ask you on your birthday. You were upstairs and had no idea I was there until your dad called you to come downstairs.”

  “Everyone knew for three months and didn’t even hint to me there was something going on? Who are these people?” Abby shook her head smiling in jest.

  “They, My Dear, are the people that love you the most including me.” He said as he kissed her on the forehead and got out of bed.

  Abby sat up, “Where are you going?

  “To call my parents.” Jimmy replied with a smile and he went to get his cell phone.

  Abby’s hand flew to her mouth, “Oh my gosh, I haven’t even met your parents yet and we’re engaged. This is wrong.”

  Jimmy came back with his phone. “It’s ok, they know all about you. They’re very excited, in spite of the last time.”

  “The last time? What?” Abby asked as Jimmy started talking to his mother.

  “Hi Mom, yes…she said yes, it was great…I was sorry you and Dad weren’t able to make it to the party, how is Dad feeling…good to hear, yes she’s right here hold on….It’s my mom she wants to talk to you” he handed the phone to Abby.

  “Hello…Mrs. Riley yes this is Abby, how are you? Yes I am very excited. I’m sorry we weren’t able to meet in person before this became official…I look forward to meeting you as well…April? Ok I will see you in April then…Good-bye, here’s Jimmy” She passed the phone back to Jimmy and mouthed, “We’re going to Mississippi in April?” Jimmy shrugged his shoulder and mouthed back with a surprised look on his face “I don’t know."

  He continued to talk to his mother for a few more moments and then hung up the phone. Abby looked at him with surprise and wonder on her face.

  “What is going on?” Abby asked.

  “Well my dad isn’t feeling well, I don’t think it is anything serious but he wasn’t up to flying in from Mississippi. Mom says he’s ok but I’m not 100% convinced. So her thought is that we go to visit them in April when you are on vacation from school, if you want too no pressure.” He added

  “No of course I want to meet them, if that’s the easiest way for them then we do it their way. What if they don’t like me?” Abby suddenly thought getting very nervous.

  Jimmy reached out for her and took her in his arms. “Nonsense, they are going to love you, almost as much as I do.”

  Abby sat back against the headboard. She hoped they would like her, but what would happen if they didn’t?

  * * * * *

  Chapter 15

  Jimmy had been right, once people knew about her they acted different around her. She was now a celebrity in a small town. The girls at school who were always too good to even acknowledge Abby’s existence, were now trying to be her best friend and the boys with rock star ambition, were trying to get her to introduce them to Jimmy, no doubt so that jimmy could tap into their potential and make them famous. Abby got tired of the fakes pretty quickly. She avoided most of them as best she could and just tried to get through the day. The local news caught wind early on and tried to interview her a couple of times. The fakers got their faces on the TV pretty regularly in the beginning claiming to be Abby’s closest and dearest but that soon died down as well. Jimmy would apologize for bringing her into the limelight but told her she deserved nothing less. He was back in LA promoting the album and would now answer out right the questions the interviewers would ask about her. She still feared that the news about her accident would come out and this fairy tale would all be over. They made plans to fly down to see his parents as soon as she got out for spring vacation. He told her he would fly into Owls Head the coming Friday and they would fly out the next day. Time seem to speed up when she was waiting to do something she was nervous about. Jimmy had come in that Friday as promised and taken Abby and her parents out to dinner at Amalfi a local restaurant on the water.

  “Honey I am sure they will welcome you into their family just as Dad and I have welcomed Jimmy, relax." Her mother tried to assure her.

  Jimmy reached out to take her hand and gave her a reassuring wink. She wanted to be sure it would all be ok but she wasn’t convinced. The whole plane ride there she was nervously twisting her hair, wringing her hands or biting her lip.

  “Abby, relax, they are not going to bite, why are you so nervous?” Jimmy asked trying to calm her down.

  “I don’t know” Abby replied, but she did know, sort of. What if they did like her, they invited her into their family with open arms and then her past came back to haunt her. Not only did she have to worry about Jimmy’s feelings towards her, she now had his parents too. She wanted to be accepted, but would it be better if she weren’t so that if the past did come up they wouldn’t be as surprised and ashamed.

  “We knew there was something off about that girl from the very beginning, she acted all sweet and innocent but deep down she was really a lying murderer, making someone else pay for her crime. Terrible!” she could hear his parents telling him.

  Maybe she should spare all of them and call off the engagement. Yes, she would be devastated but it would all work out in the end right. Not all fairy tales have a happy ending, do they? She was brought out of her mental ranting with the sound of the landing gear getting ready for touchdown.

  “Here we go” Jimmy said excitedly rubbing his hands together.

  Yes, Abby thought, here we go. Jimmy had rented a car for the dive to his parent’s house in Magee. It was about an hour and a half from the Jackson Airport. The ride was silent. She was nervous and he didn’t want to push her to relax because, it seemed, that only made it worse. They drove in the driveway up to the one level brick house and parked under the carport. That appeared to be the style of all the homes in that area of the South. Jimmy said it was because of tornados and hot weather. She wasn’t
sure she believed him or not. Once she met his family, all of her fears and hopes were realized. They were awesome. Welcoming and kind, made her feel at home instantly. His mother reminded Abby of Paula Deen from the FoodTV channel and his dad was a mix between Kenny Rogers and Santa Claus. His mother had every burner on the stove going and something baking in the oven. Abby was introduced to Southern Cooking at its finest, fried okra, black eye peas, cornbread, fried chicken and homemade sweet tea to drink.

  “Mrs. Riley everything looks delicious” Abby said once they were all seated at the table.

  “Abby Sweetheart, call me Rebecca everyone does, Mrs. Riley is so formal.” Rebecca stated.

  “Or Ms. Rebecca as she is known in social circles.” Jimmy teased his mother.

  “Jimmy hush. Don’t scare the poor girl, Rebecca is just fine.” His mother retorted.

  “No it’s more polite and respectful to call you Ms Rebecca, so that’s what I’ll do, please pass the cornbread Ms Rebecca.” Abby smiled at her.

  Ms. Rebecca looked at her son with approving eyes. “This one is a keeper Jimmy I am sure of that this time, don’t you think so Paul?”

  “Absolutely right” Jimmy’s father or Mr. Paul responded.

  That was the second time a reference to a former girlfriend was brought up. Abby didn’t ask any questions, she had her past she didn’t want brought up, who was she to question his? Abby and Jimmy were given separate bedrooms, it wasn’t proper for a young man and woman to share a bed before wedlock. Abby was already expecting this, not really anything different than the rules at her house. They spent the few days there sightseeing and visiting friends Jimmy hadn’t really seen since moving to LA five years ago. Their last night, they had a huge barbeque in Jimmy’s parents backyard inviting everyone they knew, family and friends. Abby met so many people she couldn’t keep them all straight. The one thing they all had in common had been, they all wanted to know how she and Jimmy had met. She had told the story so many times that evening, she felt as though she should have written it down and past it out as she was introduced. No one was rude or impolite but it did get daunting repeating the same thing over and over.

  As the crowd thinned out and people we leaving, Abby felt relief and sadness. She was glad this part was over but also sad that she had to go home and leave all the southern hospitality. She promised them all an invite to the wedding but not sure exactly how many of them would actually show up. Abby was trying to think of a venue that could hold all of his Mississippi friends and family as well as his LA friends and pseudo family. Mr. Paul and Ms. Rebecca were sitting in a porch swing out on the back veranda, sipping sweet tea as Abby came out to say good night.

  “Miss Abby, it sure has been a pleasure to meet you, I look forward to meeting your parents at the wedding. By the way, when is the wedding?” Mr. Paul asked Jimmy curiously.

  “I don’t know Pop, Abby and I haven’t discussed it.” Jimmy replied to his father looking at Abby.

  “Well I bet Maine is just beautiful in the fall with all the foliage turning colors.” Ms. Rebecca pointed out.

  “Oh it is” replied Abby, “it is actually my favorite time of the year. The trees with all their vibrant reds, oranges and yellows, the crisp air, apple picking, it is an amazing time of the year.”

  “Well, sounds to me like a perfect time of the year to have a wedding, don’t you agree Mother?” Mr. Paul said with a smile to his wife but directed at Jimmy and Abby.

  Ms. Rebecca took a sip of her tea but gave another approving look to her son.

  “Ok then, we have to be up early in the morning to get to the airport. Good night Momma” Jimmy bent down to kiss his mother goodnight on the cheek. “Pop” and he leaned in to hug his father.

  “Love you baby” his mother replied, “I’ll fix ya’ll breakfast in the morning before you go.”

  Abby looked forward to another southern breakfast. She grew fond of grits and biscuits.

  After they had eaten their full and they bother felt like they were going to explode, they packed the car and headed back to Jackson.

  “See, now that wasn’t so bad was it, I told you they would love you.” Jimmy kissed the back of her hand he was holding.

  “No, not bad at all.” Abby thought, which again, brought up the fear she had initially. She looked at Jimmy and smiled, she leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.

  “What was that for?”

  “For being right” Abby told him. She leaned back in the seat and started to picture in her mind a fall wedding.

  The flight had been fine, no turbulence, there was actually a tailwind that was pushing them and they were going to land about 30 minutes early. Abby had mixed feeling about this. She wanted to be home to see her parents and Holly, let them all know they were right and Jimmy’s parents were great, but this also meant Jimmy had to head back out to LA and she couldn’t see him every day. She was getting teary eyed when Jimmy spoke up.

  “You know, I was thinking about something. Something my father said.”

  Abby quickly wiped a tear away and turned to look at him.

  “A fall wedding would be nice.” He admitted to her.

  “I think so too.” Abby concurred.

  “So it’s settled then, we will get married this fall.” Jimmy sat back and smiled.

  “This fall?! I wasn’t thinking this fall.” Abby shrieked. “I can’t plan a wedding in five months. Not one to fit your southern and LA families, Oh my God Jimmy, really?”

  “We can get anything done in six months. I have a staff of people just waiting for me to give them something to do. Holly is a terrific planner and will be a huge asset. Your mom I am sure can get the ball rolling on this too. Think of it Abby, only six months and we can be together every day. You will be with me in LA and I can come home to you every night. We never have to be apart again.” Jimmy was convincing. This also meant if she were in LA then she would have to leave her family and Holly behind. She would only get to see them on vacations and holidays. Her head was spinning when they landed in Owls Head. Before they got up to leave the plane Jimmy knelt in front of Abby while she was still seated

  “Abby, if I could rush you off to Vegas and marry you today I would, but I know that would not go over well with anyone and you deserve a princess wedding, but I think I can compromise and wait till fall, this fall. What do you say? I know we can do it.”

  She couldn’t refuse him anything. “Ok Jimmy, we can get married this fall.”

  “Really?” Jimmy yelled and grabbed her to hug her. “This is great Abby you’ll see, everything will work out. Let’s go tell your parents.”

  Abby’s parents took the news about as well as she thought they would. Shock and disbelief. Her mother had the same argument Abby did. How will they get it all done in the small timeframe? Abby’s dad had other concerns.

  “What’s wrong Daddy?” Abby asked as her father sat silently while Jimmy convinced her mom that they can pull off a dream wedding in six months.

  “It’s just hard to believe that I have to give away my baby in a very short time.” Everyone stopped talking and looked at Tom Moore.

  Jimmy had thought about how much it would benefit he and Abby to get married as soon as possible but didn’t take the time to consider how her parents would feel.

  “Mr. Moore,” Jimmy started apologetically, “I am so sorry, I clearly didn’t take your feelings into consideration when asking Abby to do this so suddenly. Although I would love to marry Abby as soon as I could, if you need more time, I totally understand.

  Abby reached for Jimmy’s hand while still holding onto her father’s.

  “No, it’s fine. It’s my own selfish reasons to want to wait as long as I can, but I know it’s time, I need to let my baby girl grow into a young woman.” He tried to hide wiping a tear away but Abby saw it and hugged her Dad.

  “I love you Daddy.” she whispered into her father’s ear while hugging him tight around the neck. Abby’s mother had also started to tear up.


  “Ok enough of my blubbering, where will we be having this shin ding? Who do I need to write out the check too?”

  “Well, I took the liberties to make some inquiries when Abby agreed to be my wife.” Jimmy interjected. “I had my assistant Karma make some calls. The castle inn, Norembega in Camden is an option but it will only hold about 30 people inside and 100 outside. The ski lodge, The Snow Bowl also in Camden is also a possibility, but still I don’t think it will hold the capacity of people that will be invited. The Samoset is available and I think with what they can arrange it will accommodate the number of people that are potentially coming. Plus, since I have agreed to rent out the west wing for the summer they are being very accommodating.”

  ”You rented out a wing for the summer, why?” Abby asked in shock.

  “Well, I figured since we have to plan a wedding in a very short period of time it would be better to be available to them 24/7 to answer any questions or concerns they may have. You can have your own room and my staff can have room to work as well.”

  “Where will you be?” Abby asked still trying to absorb everything.

  “I will be there when I can. I have studio time, personal appearances and some meetings I can’t miss but I can schedule to be there with you as much as I can. You’ll have my staff at your disposal, you won’t be doing this all alone.” Jimmy promised.

  “Um, Mom what do you think?” Abby asked.

  “I think they Samoset is perfect Honey. Your Dad and I have put money away for your wedding and we can put a down payment to hold the date.” Her mother reassured her.

  “It would be my honor to pay for the venue, Mr. and Mrs. Moore. Since I took the liberty of finding the place I couldn’t expect you to pay for it.” Jimmy stated.

  “We have saved her entire life to give her a dream wedding, money isn’t a concern.” Mr. Moore said defensively to Jimmy.

  “No Sir, I wasn’t implying anything, I just didn’t want you to feel it was your obligation. I‘m sorry if I insulted you, that was not my intent.” Jimmy was clearly embarrassed.