Chapter Six
Jamison: What time are you taking your lunch break tonight?
Kace: Around nine.
Jamison: I’ll be there with food in tow.
Kace: Nice. I can’t wait.
Jamison: See you soon.
Kace: What are your plans for Thanksgiving?
Jamison: Haven invited me to dinner, but I haven’t said if I’d go yet. I was kind of waiting to see what you have planned.
Kace: Would you like to meet my mom? She always cooks.
Jamison: I’d love that.
Kace: Mom wants you to come for Christmas.
Jamison: You sure? I think she immediately hated me at Thanksgiving.
Kace: LOL! Maybe. Once she realized you were in the military, that changed her mind. She doesn’t think anyone is good enough for me. Don’t worry. I like you.
Jamison: Picture me grumbling under my breath because I am, but it’s good. I’m in. Also, maybe we could start a tradition for us. You know I don’t have anywhere to go other than Haven’s house. Maybe we can do a Christmas Eve or Christmas day thing on the regular—just us.
Kace: I love that idea.
Jamison: Do you want to go Christmas shopping? I need help to pick out presents.
Kace: I’d love to.
Jamison: You get off at four, right?
Kace: Yep .
Jamison: I’ll pick you up at five thirty. We can find someplace to eat afterward.
Kace: Can’t wait.
Every time Jamison thought about it, he couldn’t believe they had been strong and steady for five months.
It had been the best months of his life.
Even fighting through the packed store with rabid Christmas shoppers didn’t dim the happiness he felt simply being with Kace.
Kace seemed a little distracted, though.
“Are you good?”
Kace looked his way at the question and flashed a small smile. “Of course. I’m with you.”
Jamison wasn’t appeased. “Are you sure? You don’t sound like you’re good.”
Kace’s smile grew. He shook his head. “Seriously, it’s nothing.”
It was definitely something. Jamison didn’t know if he should keep pushing. Unfortunately, his anxiety wouldn’t let it go. “You can talk to me about anything. You know that, right?”
Kace had been hugging his arm for ten minutes while Jamison shopped. He squeezed it harder. “I’m not trying to ruin a nice night out.”
Damn. “You have to tell me now. Otherwise, I’ll get in my head and convince myself you plan to dump me.”
The sweetest expression Jamison has ever seen crossed Kace’s features. “Why would you think that? I love you.”
Jamison stopped walking, forcing people to flood past them like a boulder in the center of a river. “What? Wait. You’ve never said that before.”
Jamison wished he hadn’t had such an over-the-top reaction when Kace looked uncomfortable. “You can forget I said it, if you want. I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s okay if you don’t feel the same. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Kace. Stop talking.”
Kace visibly snapped his mouth closed at Jamison’s command. He looked crestfallen and Jamison was an idiot. Jamison had to fix things. “I’m a huge dumbass. You just caught me off guard. Of course, I love you too. I don’t know why I haven’t said it.”
A smile exploded across Kace’s face. “Probably for the same reason I haven’t—because you hadn’t.”
All Jamison could do was shake his head while he beamed like a fool. “We always have to do things the hard way, don’t we?”
“It seems so.”
He kissed Kace’s forehead and resumed walking. “Don’t think you’ve distracted me, though. What has you in a bad mood?”
“It’s ridiculous, and I’d rather not say.”
Jamison released a loud and put-upon sigh. “There’s not a single thing you can’t talk to me about. Even if you think it’s idiotic, it’s obviously bothering you. I want to hear it.”
“All right. Just remember, I already said it’s dumb for me to be bothered.
My mom called today to tell me we’re invited to my cousin’s wedding.
He’s twenty-seven. I’m forty-two and watching everyone tie the knot and settle down.
I guess I just thought I’d be in a different place by this age.
Everything else I set out to do, I’ve done, so feeling down about this doesn’t make sense.
I have a great career. It’s one I worked damn hard to get.
Obviously, I’m dating an amazing guy. Forget it.
Saying everything out loud now makes me sound like a fool. ”
“No. I get it.” He really did. “I’m forty and I feel the same way.
When I left the military, I genuinely thought I would walk straight into a picture-perfect life.
” He flashed Kace a sad smile. “Instead, I came home a PTSD-ridden mess who can’t work a normal job or keep anyone because of my job or my crazy.
Honestly, every time I see you, I expect you to tell me it’s over.
If roles were reversed, I don’t know that I could handle knowing you’re cuddling other people. ”
Kace leaned his way and kissed his shoulder. “It’s not sexual. I know that. Plus, I trust you.”
He was wonderful. Jamison spotted a small red teddy bear in green Christmas-themed overalls. He grabbed it and made a show of giving it to Kace. “You should marry me.”
Kace’s fingers had just closed around the bear when Jamison’s impulsive statement landed. He froze. They both still held the bear. Kace blinked like Jamison had snapped his brain.
“Are you being serious?”
Was he? “Yeah.” His mouth just kept saying things.
“We’ve only been together five months.”
“Yeah. They’ve been the best months of my life.”
“We literally just admitted to loving each other.”
Jamison shrugged. “I’ve known for a while. Are you saying no?”
“No. I’m not saying no. I’m just waiting for you to realize what you just did.”
That was fair. Jamison definitely hadn’t expected this. “No need. I did what I did and said what I said.”
“Then, yes.”
A smile slowly stretched Jamison’s lips as the truth sank in. Kace had agreed to marry him. Never in a million years would he have seen that coming. It might have been a surprise, even to him, but Jamison couldn’t be happier.
Kace stayed locked in a state of shock through shopping and dinner.
He still couldn’t decide if Jamison had proposed out of a desire to marry him or because Kace complained about not being married.
Kace might have continued his downward spiral of overthinking if Jamison didn’t drive straight to the mall after they ate.
“Do you have more gifts to buy?”
“I guess, technically, yeah. They have a jewelry store. Let’s get an engagement ring.” Jamison climbed from the truck without waiting for Kace to respond.
Kace was right behind him.
Jamison waited with his hand held out for Kace to hold.
Kace didn’t say a word. If Jamison was serious, then Kace was too.
His parents had gotten married after a month of dating and stayed married until his dad passed away from lung cancer.
So far, his mom showed no interest in remarrying.
He wanted that. Obviously not the passing away part.
But he desperately craved the love and confidence in that love that it took to be bold.
If he took a chance on anyone, it would be Jamison.
“Maybe I should wait and get you something nicer than a ring from a chain store. Don’t they say one month’s salary or some shit? I could probably save that.”
Kace heard the embarrassment in Jamison’s tone.
Neither of them were rich, especially in the terrible economy.
He could make real bank if he went into plastic surgery, which he had thought about.
That was neither here nor there, though.
He had a good job with above average pay, but he also understood living paycheck to paycheck.
He had definitely done that throughout college.
“That’s not what I want. I want you. It’s not the ring. It’s what it stands for.”
Jamison kissed their joined hands. Then life turned surreal again as they moved from case to case while a salesperson made suggestions based on Kace’s skin tone.
Jamison made sure he never saw a price tag.
He was adorable in how seriously he took the matter.
Kace couldn’t stop staring at him with stars in his eyes.
He had no clue how he had gotten so lucky.
Kace narrowed his selection down to three. Jamison shooed him away so he could make the final choice. Kace wandered around the store, eyeing the jewelry. He should get Jamison a necklace for Christmas.
“Are you ready?”
Kace tore his gaze away from the display. “Yeah.”
Again, they linked fingers and headed out. “Since you don’t work tomorrow, would you like to stay at my place tonight? I could make you breakfast for once.”
“You could do that at my place anytime you want, but sure.”
Jamison smiled.
Kace tried not to focus on the fact that Jamison hadn’t given him the ring. The negative thoughts tried creeping in again. Maybe he had changed his mind.
They rode to Jamison’s house with the music loud.
They sang along and Kace tried to push all the destructive thoughts from his head.
No matter what, he had a great life. He couldn’t and wouldn’t complain.
Jamison was every bit as goofy as him. Neither of them could sing, but they tried and didn’t laugh at each other.
Since they started dating, Kace’s life had been…
easy. He didn’t know how else to describe the way Jamison’s calm demeanor just soothed something in his soul that made everything feel so damn simple.
At Jamison’s place—a small rental at the edge of town—Jamison rushed to help him from the truck before grabbing all their shopping bags.
Kace shook his head at the way Jamison acted, like he was helpless.
While Jamison stuffed gifts in the closet, Kace hit the bathroom.
Since they were always at each other’s houses, Kace had a toothbrush, and a pair of pajamas pants stashed in there.
Kace ran through his nightly routine, getting ready for bed.
They probably still had a couple of hours of unwinding, but he wanted to be comfortable.
When he came out, he found white Christmas lights tossed everywhere in an obvious rush, creating a romantic glow in the darkness. Jamison waited on one knee.
A smile exploded across Kace’s face.
“Will you marry me?”
“I’ve already said yes, but it’s still yes.”
With a laugh, Jamison pushed to his feet. He put the ring on Kace’s finger. “I wanted to propose properly and give you another chance to change your mind.”
Kace didn’t bother arguing about how the answer would always be yes. He dove straight into the kiss he wanted to seal the deal. They would always be happy. Kace would make damn sure of that.