Previously: Hardin didn’t beat up Tessa’s mom, amazing.
—
Marines: Hardin changes the subject from the fact that he stayed out all night beating Zed up. He assumes that since they have their own place now, Tessa doesn’t want to spend the night at Ken’s house after the wedding. Tessa says that’s true, unless Karen insists on them spending the night. She won’t be able to say no, then.
Tessa is nervous to see Ken after Hardin’s story time. Maybe instead she should remember how convenient it was for her to use Ken’s position as chancellor when she needed it.
Hardin has a super special surprise for Tessa: he listened to The Fray! Wow, super cool. I’m so happy we are reading about the exact timeline of when he opened The Fray CD, it’s very interesting. This is all ~significant~, because if you’ll remember (you definitely don’t remember), they first listened to The Fray back when they had their first day at the stream and Hardin fingered Tessa on a t-shirt. They laugh over what a good time that was.
Samantha:
Mari: Hardin skips ahead to his favorite song on the CD, “Never Say Never.” God damn this book for making me look up these freakin’ lyrics:
Some things we don’t talk about
Rather do without
And just hold a smile
Falling in and out of love
Ashamed and proud of
Together all the whileYou can never say never while we don’t know it
Time and time again
Younger now than we were before
Don’t let me go, don’t let me go, don’t let me go
Don’t let me go, don’t let me go, don’t let me goPicture you’re the queen of everything
Far as the eye can see
Under your command
I will be your guardian when all is crumbling
Steady your handYou can never say never while we don’t know it
Time, time and time again
Younger now than we were before
Don’t let me go, don’t let me go, don’t let me go
Don’t let me go, don’t let me go, don’t let me goWe’re falling apart,
And we’re coming together,
Again and again
We’re crawling apart,
But we’re falling together,
Falling together
Together again
Tessa grins and grins, but doesn’t make a big deal about it because she can tell Hardin is embarrassed about playing this song for her. Seeing as how this song seems to be a sad song about a tumultuous relationship, I don’t know what the fuck Tessa is grinning about. Fine, I also just played this song and I wasn’t sure at first if I’ve definitely heard it or if all The Fray songs sound the same. By the time we got to the “don’t let me go”s, I realized I’ve definitely heard this song before. Thanks to After, I hope I never hear it again.
Samantha: She’s reading into it that they can’t stay away from each other and they’ll always come back together and no matter how toxic that is isn’t it soooo romantic? Babygirl, no.
Mari: They spend the rest of the drive with Hardin flipping through songs and telling her what he thinks of them. She thinks about how awesome it is that he has all these sides to him like angry, violent, mean, awful and listens to music.
They get to Ken’s house. It’s cold outside and Tessa only wore a thin jacket. Hardin shrugs out of his jacket and lays it over her shoulders.
“Well… look at you being such a gentleman. Who would have thought?” I tease.
“Don’t make me take you back to the car and fuck you,” he says, and I make a noise between a gasp and a squeak, which he finds very amusing.
I just…
It’s like when your dad was like “don’t make me turn this car around!” but it’s a threat of fucking? Because she called him a gentleman? Does Anna Todd think this is sexy? If you just make casual conversation with a man and he responds DON’T MAKE ME FUCK YOU?
I’m PERPLEXED.
Hardin asks Tessa to hold his phone in her purse. She notices that he’s changed his phone background to a picture of her. Instead of thinking it’s a nice ass picture of her, she thinks about how this is his effect on her– he makes her come alive. With his threats of car sex, I guess.
Samantha: Seems like a weird reaction to a picture but okay.
Mari: Inside, Hardin grabs his jacket back. Tessa suggests that they try to find Landon. They find him standing near the new china cabinet, since Hardin broke the entire other one. Landon excuses himself from his current company and comes over to greet them. He says that he didn’t think he’d live to ever see Hardin in a suit.
“If you keep talking about it, you won’t life much longer,” Hardin threatens, but there’s humor behind his words as he smiles.”
He’s joking, because he smiles. I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about, Landon!
Samantha: Ha ha ha remember how he keeps almost murdering people for real? Ha ha…wait.
Mari: Landon says Tessa looks beautiful and tries to hug her, but Hardin doesn’t let go of her hand. Tessa hugs back with one arm. Tessa asks who all these people are. I’m curious who she thinks are at Ken and Karen’s wedding. “Oh, a traveling circus troupe!” Landon answers: family, friends and coworkers. Astounding.
Landon suggests that Hardin find his dad upstairs and let him know that he’s here. Hardin says he’d rather not. Landon just smiles and says he’ll see them later.
Tessa and Hardin exchange more I love yous before heading outside. There are two tents set up and they take seats in the one for the ceremony. They grab seats in the second to last row and admire the decoration. They are interrupted when an elderly woman spots and recognizes Hardin. It’s his grandma. She’s so happy to see him and remarks on how tall he’s gotten and on his face piercings. Hardin introduces Tessa to his “gammy,” who almost starts crying when she hears Hardin has been visiting his father more lately.
The ceremony is about to start so Gammy pulls Hardin so he can sit with the rest of the family. Tessa follows. Ken comes out and lights up when he sees Hardin sitting in the front row. Hardin even smiles back at his dad. Landon is up on the stage with Ken. Karen walks in and she’s beautiful and happy. Ken sobs a bit when he’s reciting his vows, which makes Tessa cry. Hardin wipes her cheeks and calls her a sap.
They next head into the reception tent and it’s also black and white and very beautiful. Hardin says this is the fanciest wedding he’s ever been to. Tessa hasn’t been to a wedding since she was a child. Hardin likes that. Tessa doesn’t understand so he explains that he likes that she never went to a wedding with Noah.
Tessa laughs so she won’t frown and just agrees with him to assure him.
Samantha: That’s so damn gross.
Mari: Hardin and Tessa flirt through dinner and for some reason, the woman sitting across from them is glaring at them. Tessa glares back and then makes a big show of asking if Hardin wants seconds from the buffet. He says sure, so she gets up to grab it. There, she runs into her boss and coworker. Vance asks how she’s enjoying her weekends, which is a weird thing to ask when they are both attending this wedding? I know he’s her boss but idk this is weird. From behind them, Kimberly shouts at Mr. Vance that he shouldn’t get red meat. Tessa is shocked that Kimberly and Mr. Vance are together and I honestly cannot remember who the f Kimberly even is. Mr. Vance heads back to his date. Kimberly waves at Tessa from the table and a little boy sitting on her lap waves as well.
Samantha: I think she’s the office assistant? Who took Tessa out and told her to get a handle on Hardin or something?
Mari: Sure.
Trevor explains that the little boy is Mr. Vance’s son. His wife died five years ago, after their son was born. Kim is the first person he’s dated and he’s head over heels. I’m only half paying attention to this because I am STRESSED about the fact that Tessa is talking to another man when Hardin is right there. I’m also disgusted that this is what the book has built up– we all know that Hardin can snap simply because Tessa happened to be in the serving line with another man she knows.
And here he comes. He doesn’t flip over any tables, but he does but his arm protectively around Tessa’s waist, mostly ignores Trevors, and lies that they have to go because Landon is looking for them.
I don’t know if to be happy that he didn’t punch anyone or upset that I got stressed out for nothing.
Samantha: It’s hard because on the one hand we have to grasp the happy where we can but on the other I’m definitely pissed.
Next time on After: More wedding in Chapter 94.
I'm a 30-something south Floridan who loves the beach but cannot swim. Such is my life, full of small contradictions and little trivialities. My main life goals are never to take life too seriously, but to do everything I attempt seriously well. After that, my life goals devolve into things like not wearing pants and eating all of the Zebra Cakes in the world. THE WORLD.
I'm a 28 year old graduated English major and almost librarian. I can often be found singing too loudly (poorly) in the car or spending some time (hours) on Tumblr. I am a lover of Harry Potter, the Spice Girls, and too many other things.