“Parker?” Regina said, shocked that Parker was alive.

But Geri, pretending to be shocked because she knew Parker was actually alive, as it was part of her plan to get revenge on Regina. But Parker wanted more from Regina. He needed proof that Regina was cheating on him. That’s why he and his mother faked his death in the fake car crash.

“That’s right, Regina! I’m alive!” Parker said to a still-shocked Regina, who was being comforted by Jaden.

“B-b-b-ut why?”

“I had a suspicion you were cheating, and I needed proof!”

“I never cheated!” Regina said, defending herself.

“You were different!” Parker berated. “You were always missing our dates!”

“I was studying!”

“At the beach! Drinking strawberry wine with this creep!”

“We were friends!” Regina shot out. “And why did you and your mother need to fake your death to proof I was cheating!”

“We wanted to teach you a lesson.”

“Don’t speak for me, Parker!” Geri told her son. “I wanted revenge on you, Regina!”

“Revenge! Why?!”

“I knew you were a gold-digger!”

“A gold-digger!” Regina said, hurt. “I loved Parker!”

“Yeah, right, Regina. You loved me so much; you were stepping out with him!” Parker said, pointing to Jaden.

“I’m sorry you felt you had to go to the trouble to prove I was cheating, Parker.”

“Well, now I know the woman you really are!”

“Just leave you two!’ Jaden said to Parker and Geri. “You’re upsetting my fiancée!”

“Well, you see, Regina, you can’t marry him!”

“And why not?”

“Because you’re married to me?” Parker revealed, to a shocked Regina as well as Geri.

“What?! How?!”

“Remember the trip we took last year?” Parker explained.

“To Paris?” Regina asked confused.

“Yeah! You were drunk from partying too much…drinking too much strawberry wine…no joke!”

“So I was drunk?”

“I was going to rape you then, but I thought better of it. Instead, I married us!”

“You married us?!”

“Yep.” Parker said proudly. “You were mine, Regina, and no one was taking you from me.”

Regina slapped Parker square in the jaw before leaving her and Jaden’s engagement party.

“Parker, you went too far!” Geri scolded him after Regina, Jaden and their guests left.

“Mom, we had to do more than fake my death.” Parker explained.

“But did you have to marry her?”

Regina was blown away when Parker revealed they were married. How could Parker do that to her? she trusted him and he had them married when she was drunk?!

But then he threw blame on her by claiming she cheated on him with Jaden after he was called to duty?!

She was 18 and wanted a summer fling before starting college in the fall! That was all?! What was wrong with that?

Parker was the one who lied about them being married…where was the ring? Why didn’t she have a ring on her finger to show for it? Was Parker too cheap to buy one?!

Jaden interrupted Regina’s thoughts, “Hey, I’m sorry?”

“It’s not your fault.” Regina told him.

“I’ll figure a way out of this mess you’re in.” Jaden promised her.

“You’re such a kind man. No wonder I fell for you.” Regina said.

“We’re in this together. And Parker’s a jerk.”

Regina snuggled up to Jaden on the couch. She felt safe in his arms. Somehow, she knew that Jaden would find a way to fix this mess.

Epilogue

When Jaden finally beats Parker at his game, Regina walks down the aisle to her groom as Jaden and Regina become husband and wife. But don’t count Parker out as she throws Regina a curveball she didn’t expect. Will Jaden stay true to Regina when Parker’s secret comes out, or will the marriage be over?

Find out what’s next for Jaden and Regina in the next installment, “Strawberry Wine Summer: The Wedding.”