Chapter 29
They spent the day lounging in bed, watching movies, and talking. Around five o’clock, Jeremiah said, “Okay, we have a problem here.”
She looked across the sofa where he was sitting and frowned. “We do?”
“Yeah. I wanted to grill dinner but forgot about that when I issued the no clothing rule. I’m not afraid for people to see me naked, but I don’t want the neighbors calling the cops on me. So, just for dinner, we can wear clothes. Okay?”
Joci scrunched her face. “I don’t know. A rule is a rule.”
He jumped on her and began tickling her. “My rules, so I can change them.”
She squirmed and squealed, “Okay. Okay.”
He kissed her lightly on the lips and stood up. He reached his hand down for her and pulled her to him. “I loved spending the day with you.”
She smiled up at him. “I loved spending the day with you, too. I’ve never, and I mean never, lounged around the house naked before. It’s kind of…freeing. But, now I’m going to get dressed.” He swatted her bare butt, and she giggled as she strode down the hall, happy again after last weekend.
An hour and a half later, Joci walked out of the bathroom, ready for dinner. She wore a white sundress, no shoes. Jeremiah was working at the kitchen counter on a salad. He whistled and walked over to her and spun her around.
“You look so beautiful.”
She hugged him to her and kissed his temple.
“You look pretty hot yourself.”
He was wearing light tan khaki shorts and a light green shirt, which made his eyes look even more amazing than usual.
“Ready?”
She nodded. He held out his arm for her with a grin on his face. She slipped her arm through his, and they walked out the patio doors, where a table had been set with candles all around it and all over the patio. She was mesmerized by the flickering lights.
She looked up at Jeremiah, and her breath caught at the love in his eyes. Walking her to the table, he pulled out a chair for her to sit down. He sat across from her and poured them each a glass of champagne. He handed Joci her glass; then he picked up his.
“I want to toast. Here’s to us, Joci. I love you.”
He tapped his glass to hers.
“I love you, too.”
They sipped their champagne and set their glasses down.
She smiled. “This reminds me of the first night we spent together. You had these candles all over the house. You said you didn’t know anything about being romantic, but you do. Here you are doing it again.”
He looked into her eyes. “Well, you’ll have to pardon me for repeating a good move, but after the no clothing rule was lifted and I came out to start the grill, I realized how nice it is out here, so I thought we could come outside and play.”
He got up and opened the grill, placed two lobster tails on a plate surrounded by vegetables, and set it in the middle of the table. Joci looked up at him as a smile slid across her face. “Lobster? You truly spoil me.”
“Good. I’m glad you feel spoiled.”
They ate their meal and sipped their champagne in comfortable silence. A light breeze blew across the patio, making the candles flicker. Joci sighed loudly and sat back in her chair. “Bliss. This is bliss.”
He stood and walked around the table to her.
He bent down on one knee. “Joci. I’m so sorry things went dark on us last weekend.
Please know that I would never willingly hurt you.
Ever.” He brushed the backs of his fingers along her cheek.
“When I look at you, I see my future. I see my life with you and Gunnar, JT, and Ryder. I see us playing with children and grandchildren. I can’t picture my life without you in it.
I don’t want a future without you. Joci, will you marry me? ”
She stared into his eyes. She had no idea he had planned to propose this weekend. It hadn’t occurred to her with everything else going on.
“Jeremiah.” Her eyes filled with tears, and she had to swallow the emotions riding in her throat. When she could speak, she softly said. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He jumped up and pulled her with him. He hugged her tight and kissed her lips.
When they needed air, he gently set her on her feet and pulled a ring from his pocket.
The candlelight flickered on the stone, making it dance and gleam.
He slid it on her finger, and she gasped.
A three-karat, princess-cut diamond solitaire—the most beautiful ring she’d ever seen in her life. Tears welled up in her eyes.
She whispered, “Jeremiah, it’s so beautiful.”
“Joci, I’m so happy right now I can barely catch my breath. I was so worried you would say no.”
She glanced back up at him, then back to the sparkler on her hand.
“A couple of weeks ago, I might have. But this past weekend, when Gunnar told you he loved you, and you told him you loved him back, something happened inside of me. For the first time, I felt like there was a future for us. You love my son, and it suddenly seemed real for me like nothing ever has. I was so afraid to think long-term about us because I didn’t want my heart to get broken.
I was holding back. But watching you and Gunnar together made me realize you were committed to our family. It isn’t just sex—you love us both.”
He wrapped her in his arms and held her for long moments.
“I’ve been in love with you for so damned long.
It was never about sex. I met you, and I knew you were special.
I worked with you this past year and fell in love with you more and more every day.
In some ways, it was great that you kept me at arm’s length.
We got to know each other slowly, even though I would have given anything for it to have been different.
I wanted you so badly. Waiting was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. ”
She wiped her eyes with shaking fingers and giggled.
“I asked Gunnar’s permission to marry you. The first time we spoke about it was last Friday. He asked me if I was going to marry you. After the fiasco with Deborah, I asked him again yesterday morning. I needed to make sure he was still okay with us.”
“Thank you for that. I bet it meant a lot to him that you asked.” She squeezed his hand.
“I told the boys I was asking you to marry me this weekend, too. They’re excited as hell. They love you, Joci. Ryder especially. It’s been a little harder for him, being so shy. But I’d watch him stare at the door on ride meeting nights, waiting for you. My heart swelled.”
“I love them, too. You’ve raised amazing young men, Jeremiah.”
“Yes, I did.” He held her hand as he pulled her inside. Turning just inside the door, he scooped her up in his arms. “I want to get married soon. Can we get married in the fall? It’ll be beautiful with the trees in full color.”
She laughed at his request. “Clearly, you have no idea about all the planning that needs to happen for a wedding.”