Oh that miserable thing called love

 Rachel didn't know what was going on with Jory. All this mix messages of HOT & COLD was making her a little perturbed with him. This was her chance to show him off to her sisters. She was serious about him. She swore she'd never been this serious about any of the other guys.

Her cousin asked her if she knew him well.

"Well, of course, I do." Rachel's thin smile possibly revealed she only knew him physically. He was good in bed or was it she just thought so. She didn't want them to think she was anything more than just a good southern girl, but they knew she was a party animal. 

"I thought you were going to marry a doctor," her older sister reminded her.

Rachel only winced, thinking the many she knew were only full of self-love and every time they saw you they were telling you you should be eating this or that kind of exercise. Really, her sisters didn't know what it was like to be on their own. 

"I'm fine with him being a mailman," she finally stood up for him. "It doesn't matter. I love him." But she knew deep down something was bothering him, and he better be ready to tango at the reception. And he was. It was a show-stopper. Of course, afterward, he was back to being a real bump on a log.

Later, that evening when she actually did find out what was bothering him, she thought she might have set off a volcano. He didn't even want to go back to the room with her.

It was this Alfie fellow he was so upset about.

"He really never liked me," she said about Alfie. "We didn't even have sex. He was so in love with that girl he was tutoring. It was like torture just trying to get to know him."

Of course, she thought Jory was a little drunk when she told him this because he was carrying around a bottle of vodka at the beach in the dark, along with a stagger she could hardly follow.

He said nothing and when she came near he turned away almost letting her fall into the sand. She thought he might stumble, but he ran toward the water.

"What are you trying to do? Kill yourself!" But he didn't listen. Jory went into the ocean in a suit and tie. Rachel ran after him. No way was she going to let him drown. She grabbed him from behind as the waves took him under. She fought the sea and brought him right up to the wet sand. 

"Are you awake now?" She straddled him ready to give him resuscitation. But he said nothing. Laying there like a cold fish ready to die. She rared back to slap him but he grabbed her wrist before she could hit him.

"Do you know that guy got my sister pregnant," he said ever so sadly.

"What?"

"That girl you were talking about is my sister."

"But that was years ago," she winced in a fuss.

"I don't care." It was as if the two of them were out to hurt him yet.

"Stop making it about you." She swelled a frown. Of course, she always heard this about herself from other people, Her sisters, ex-boyfriends even her boss at work. She laid by his side in the moonlight. She held his hand. "We have to let it go. Go on with what's next."

"What is next?" He wanted to know.

"Well, we'll get married. What do you think?" She frowned at the thought that she hadn't meant much to Jory. Maybe she was his summer fling.

"Right." But she knew he didn't have much faith in her. "You used to..to be with Dan. I know."

"Oh God, do we have to talk about that?" This was not going to end well. She knew as she kicked the wet sand.

"What did you do to him?" Jory wanted to know.

"What do  you mean?" Rachel pushed up on her elbows and looked at his sad wet face. How on earth had she picked him. And why, why did she feel she needed to be with him even if he was like this?

"I know he hates you."

"Well, he would. He said I was the one who got him drunk when all along he's the worst. He can't hold his liquor, you know." She admitted they'd had a one-night stand. It wasn't really that successful. He got sick and she stayed up with him the rest of the night. She bet Dan didn't remember that part. "And then he treated me like shit because it was all my fault. I don't remember the sex being that good because I don't really care. It was a mistake."

Of course, after all, she'd said about Dan... she was sure Jory might reach for his phone and call Dan to see if it was true. But he didn't.

"Let's just get married here," he told her.

"Tomorrow?"

"Why not." He said if she loved him she wouldn't have to have a big wedding. After all, her family was here. Why not do it now.