He digs around in his pocket and holds something up that he pulls out of it. “Oh, then I guess you wouldn’t be interested in something like this, then.”
I back up really fast, focusing on his hand. “Something like what?”
He shrugs, acting like he’s going to put the jewelry box back into his pocket. “Oh, nothing.”
“Nothing, my butt.” I jump toward him, reaching for his pants.
He holds the velvet box high above his head. “Easy now. Don’t get grabby.”
I calm down immediately and stare at him, giving him my evil-eye. “Give me that box.”
He laughs. “And here I thought I was going to have to convince you to say yes.”
“Say yes to what?” My heart feels like it’s burning a hole in my chest. If that box has earrings in it, I’m going to use the nail gun on him, I swear to God.
He lowers the box until it’s between us and slowly pries the top off. “Say yes to my proposal.”
I stare at the glittering monstrosity of a ring buried in black velvet.
“What proposal?” I whisper, mesmerized by my life, by what’s happening in it, by the craziness that’s obviously taken over my reality.
When he lowers himself down onto one knee, my hands fly to my mouth. It’s not so much a reaction of shock as it is the fact that I’m afraid I’m going to vomit on him. This can’t possibly be happening, can it? I’ve dreamed of this moment since I was so little I was still wearing princess costumes on halloween. He was my dream prom date, even though he was a grown man not interested in high school dances. His was the face I saw whenever I pictured my Prince Charming.
“Jana Oliver … would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
I start to cry, and those cries quickly turn to sobs.
He frowns, his face falling. “Please tell me that’s a yes.”
I drop to my knees in front of him and grab him into a hug. Or maybe I’m just trying not to drown in the emotions, and he’s my life raft, keeping me afloat.
Amidst my loud and sloppy blubbering, I manage to finally answer. “Yes! Yes! Of course it’s a yes, you idiot! I’ve been waiting for this my whole damn life!”
He laughs, holding me close. “You have the strangest way of expressing yourself sometimes.”
I pull away and hold out a trembling hand. “Just put that thing on me before I change my mind.” As if that would ever happen. Ha!
He grabs the ring out, throws the box over his shoulder, and shoves the ring onto my finger. Then he sits back on his heels and wipes his hand over his forehead. “Phew! That was close. Almost lost you there.”
I tackle his gorgeous self to the kitchen floor and quickly go about showing him just how not lost I am to him.
Chapter Forty-One
I HAVE TO HAND IT to Leah; she sure knows how to put together a wedding. And the fact that she did it with a newborn in her arms the entire time is pretty damn impressive.
I’m looking out Brian’s bedroom window the white folding chairs on the lawn, arranged to face the arbor erected just this morning for the big event. Our family and a few close friends are milling around, waiting for the announcement that I’m ready. My cell phone rings, and I look down at the number on the screen. Smiling, I press the green button and put it to my ear.
“Hello, Rose. So nice to hear from you.” I can’t stop smiling. Today is the perfect day.
“Hello, Jana. I didn’t want to bother you; I was just calling to say congratulations. I wish I could be there with you.”
“You are in spirit,” I say, looking at the amazing flower arrangements adorning the arbor in my yard. “The flowers are gorgeous. It’s like Spring all over again in my backyard.”
“Oh, wonderful. Please tell Robinson I send him my love, would you?”
I smile at how well she and Rob get along. They’ve spent countless hours discussing Rose’s past and her career as an archeologist, something he studied in college but never pursued. It makes me just the tiniest bit sad we’ll be living here and not across the hall from her. “I will, I promise.”
“And don’t be a stranger. My door is always open and my teapot always ready to be warmed up with some nice Earl Grey.”
“I’ll be there Sunday, after my honeymoon. You’re going to give me a knitting lesson, remember?”
“Oh yes! Of course. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me too. Bye, Rose, and thanks again.”
“It was my pleasure. ‘Bye, Dear.”
My heart feels like it’s going to burst with love coming at me from all sides. I can’t believe this is really happening to me.
The bedroom door opens and closes behind me, distracting me from counting my blessings, and I turn to look at my visitor.
“Hey, Val,” I say, smiling at her. I look back out the window and see Brian in his wheelchair, a nurse standing nearby to keep an eye on him. He’s wearing a tux specially made for his big day as Rob’s best man.
“Hey there. Nervous?” She stops next to me, looking out the window at the pretty scene in front of us.
“Not really. Just standing here thinking about how lucky I am.”
“You are lucky. Blessed. And Rob’s lucky to have you in his life. We all are.”
I hug her, my eyes tearing up. “Thank you so much. You have no idea how much it means to hear you say that.”
She clears her throat as she pulls out of the hug. “I have something for you.” She pulls something out of her purse and hands it to me. “I wasn’t sure if you had something borrowed or blue, so I brought you this.”
I take the lovely hair comb from her hand and smile. “I didn’t. Thank you so much.”
She walks over to the mirror above the dresser. “Come on, I’ll help you put it in.”
My hair is already up, and the comb with sapphires and diamonds matches my necklace perfectly as it slides into place
“Gorgeous,” she says.
“It’s perfect.” I kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you for loaning it to me. I’ll take good care of it.”
She waves her hand. “Keep it. It’s my wedding gift to you. Rob gave it to me several years ago, but I’ve never worn it.”
“Are you sure?” I feel bad taking a gift from the father of her son. Is it wrong to love it so much anyway?
“Absolutely. I’m not much for bejeweled hair combs. I don’t go anywhere but to see Brian and the grocery store.” She gestures out to the yard. “This is as fancy as it gets for me, and I’m not much for standing out with shiny things.”
I turn around and catch Jake standing off in the corner, looking at a sprinkler head. I bite my lip, wondering if I should get involved.
“How would you feel about a date in the park? All of us. To watch a dog play frisbee.”
She shrugs, oblivious to my machinations. “Sure. I guess. Sounds like fun.”
“With Brian of course.”
She brightens. “Yes, that would be nice. I think he’d like that.”
“Awesome.” I put my hand on her shoulder and point to Jake. “See that guy out there?”
“The tall one?”
I grin at her. “Yes, and you can go ahead and say what you’re really thinking. The tall devastatingly hot guy in the blue shirt.”
She grins and looks at the floor, her face going pink. “Okay.”
“Anyway, he has this amazing dog who can catch frisbees, and he’s invited all of us out to watch.”
“Not all of us,” she says, sounding embarrassed.
“Yes, all of us. I told him about you and Brian, and he said you should come along.”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Come on,” I say, taking her by the hand, acting like she’s not giving me the blow off. “I need to get married.” I’m not going to give her time to say no to me. I’ll just let her marinate in the idea of watching this guy in action while I tie the knot with Mister Fixit. She’ll come around eventually. How could she not? Jake’s amazing.
> Leah sees me through the back door, coming closer with Val by my side, and shouts loud enough for the entire block to hear her.
“Here she comes, everyone! Get in your seats! Come on, chop, chop!”
Everyone scrambles to follow her orders as she walks over and turns on a portable CD player. The wedding march comes out over the speakers set up in the tiny yard.
Jeremy and James assemble themselves near the end of the narrow aisle, each one holding his child in his arms. Brian is next to his father, who waits for me just in front of the arbor. Sarah and Leah are at the back door, grinning hugely.
Val breaks away and goes through the door. “Good luck,” she whispers as she goes down the stairs and finds a chair at the front, near her son.
I pause at the back door and smile at my man — the guy who was the star of every dream I’ve had for the past almost twenty years. The ring on my finger, the cream-colored lace dress, and the bouquet in my hand say I’m getting married today, but I almost can’t believe it’s true. It’s too good to be true. Is this just a dream? If it is, it’s a hell of a cruel one. To get this close and find out it’s all make-believe? No way. I’d never make it. Too much of my heart and soul are wrapped up in this affair.
Rob breaks away from his best men and comes striding down the aisle toward me.
“What are you doing?” Leah demands. “That’s not how this is supposed to work.”
Rob grabs the door, pulls it open, and fixes me in a powerful stare.
“What are you doing?” I ask, grinning from ear to ear.
“I can’t wait anymore.” He points behind him. “Get your butt down that aisle before I lose my mind.”
I close my eyes, hold my arms out, and fall forward. The cool summer breeze whistles past my ears just before he catches me in his arms and holds me close, squeezing me so hard I lose my breath for a moment.
“I love you, Jana Oliver,” he says in my ear, inhaling deeply and then kissing my neck.
“I love you too, Rob. Thank you so much.” My eyes remain closed as he slowly turns me around and sets me on my feet in the grass.
When I’m on the ground again, I open my eyes.
Rob is staring down at me. “What are you thanking me for?”
I have to swallow my emotions down before I can speak, worried the happy tears will drown my voice out before I can say what I have to say.
“I’m thanking you for fixing things. For fixing things with Jeremy and Sarah and Cassie. With James. With me. With us.”
He leans down and kisses me very gently on the lips before backing away. “It’s me who should be thanking you for being so damn patient with me. It took me way too long to do this.” He glances at the aisle.
“Better late than never.”
He grabs both my hands and kisses the back of them. “Hurry up. I’ll be waiting for you.” And then he jogs back up the aisle and stops when he reaches his brothers from another mother.
I link my arms with Leah’s and Sarah’s and take my first step toward the rest of my life. As I reach the edge of the white runner, I swear I can see the vague outline of a girl who looks just like Laura standing in the place where my maid of honor would be.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elle Casey is a prolific, New York Times and USA Today bestselling American writer who lives in Southern France with her husband, three kids, and several furry friends. She writes in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.
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OTHER BOOKS BY ELLE CASEY
ROMANCE
Shine Not Burn (2-book series)
Don’t Make Me Beautiful
By Degrees
Rebel (3-book series)
Full Measure (written as Kat Lee)
Just One Night (romantic serial)
Just One Week (romantic serial)
Love in New York (3-book series)
Mismatched (with Amanda McKeon)
PARANORMAL
Duality (2-book series)
Pocket Full of Sunshine (short story & screenplay)
URBAN FANTASY
War of the Fae (7-book series)
My Vampire Summer
Aces High (with Jason Brant)
DYSTOPIAN
Apocalypsis (4-book series)
ACTION ADVENTURE
Wrecked (2-book series)
Elle Casey, Mister Fixit
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