British Accents Are Sexy 12

"Oh, Jana! Congratulations!" Tears were in Tracy's eyes as she embraced her friend. "So when are you getting married?"

"We haven't set a date yet. Oh, Tracy, it was so romantic! He took me out to this fancy restaurant to ask me. He wanted to get married right there and then at Caesars Palace, but I told him I didn't want to get married without you and Nick being there. This ring was his grandmother's. His grandfather gave it to her before he went away to war." Jana turned the ring around and around on her finger, admiring the way it sparkled.

"A family heirloom - that's even more special!" Tracy enthused.

Nick arrived a few minutes later. "Whew, what a day!" he exclaimed. He saw that both girls were sitting on the sofa, smiling at him. "Hey, what's up?"

"Jana has something important to tell you," said Tracy.

Unable to restrain herself any longer, Jana held the finger with the ring on it up. "Well." Nick frowned. "When did this happen?"

"Last night, in Las Vegas," Jana told him.

"So you're definitely gonna marry the tea sipper, then."

"Oh, Nick, don't talk about Colin like that! He's a wonderful man!"

"And you think he can support you on a ventriloquist's salary?"

Jana snorted. "You sound so nineteen fifties! In case you haven't noticed, I have a job, too!"

Nick propped his chin on one hand and stared into her eyes. "Yeah, and what's gonna happen when you have a baby? Child care's expensive, you know!"

"That's way down the road! We haven't even talked about having a family yet, but when that day comes, I'm sure we'll be able to work something out."

"I just wanted to make sure you'd thought it all out first."

"I appreciate your concern, Nick, I really do, but I am a big girl now, you know."

He fake pouted, so she hugged him and kissed his cheek.

That weekend, Jana and Tracy went shopping for dresses. "Oh, I love this!" Jana exclaimed when she saw a floor-length white dress with tiers of white lace and a red ribbon belt about the waist.

Tracy raised and eyebrow. "Off the shoulders?"

Jana shrugged. "Sure, why not? Colin will love it!"

Jana's parents and younger sister Julie flew in from Wisconsin several days before the wedding was scheduled to take place, and Colin and Jana went to the airport together to meet them.

"It's so nice to see you again, darling!" Rachel Wilson exclaimed as she embraced her daughter.

"You must be Colin." Robert's eyes gave Colin a quick appraisal.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." Colin smiled as he shook the older man's hand.

"It's good to know my daughter's marrying a man who knows how to speak the language properly," Robert remarked.

"The proper version of it, anyway," Colin quipped. They both laughed.

"Oh, Jana, I could just listen to him talk all day!" Rachel exclaimed.

"So could I!" Jana replied.

"Do you have any younger brothers?" Julie asked.

"I've two of them, one here and one back in London," Colin told her.

"Could you please introduce me to the one who lives here?"

Colin laughed. "Sorry, but there's already someone he fancies."

"Aw," Julie pouted.

Colin and Jana accompanied Jana's family to the motel and helped them get settled in, then returned to the apartment.

"Just imagine," Colin said as he gave Jana a hug and kiss outside the door. "In less than a week's time, we won't have to bid one another good-bye at the end of the day anymore."

"I can hardly wait!" Jana replied. "There's only one thing about it that I think is kind of sad."

Colin frowned. "What's that?"

"That your family can't be here too."

"Ah, Jana, it's so sweet of you to think of them, but Mum and Dad understand. They send us their best wishes, and I promised to send them plenty of photographs."

The day of the wedding finally arrived. Reverend Smith had graciously agreed to perform the ceremony, and Christy and Shelly were both in attendance. Tracy and Nigel sat happily holding hands. The sofa and coffee table had been temporarily moved to make room for several rows of folding chairs, and Reverend Smith stood facing them, with Colin standing across from him.

Organ music began to play, and Robert escorted Jana down the aisle to stand beside Colin, who was clad in a black tuxedo. She wore the dress she'd admired, and Colin's eyes nearly popped out when he saw her. He couldn't believe how lovely she was.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony," Reverend Smith began. "If anyone has reason to object to this union, let him speak now, or forever hold his peace."

He paused for a moment, then continued. "Do you, Colin Edward Townsend, take this woman, Jana Marie Wilson, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, honor, and cherish her, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and cleaving only to her, until death do you part?"

"I do," said Colin.

"Do you, Jana Marie Wilson, take this man, Colin Edward Townsend, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, honor, and cherish him, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and cleaving only to him, until death do you part?"

"I do," said Jana.

"May I please have the ring?" asked Reverend Smith.

"The ring?" A look of panic appeared on Nick's face as he searched his pockets, then began to pat his clothing in desperation. "Oh my God, the ring!"