EPILOGUE #2
“I’m headed back to the hotel now. But it’s so fucking gorgeous out, I almost want to spend the whole night walking around.
” Reese held her breath. This whole thing only went according to plan if Jette actually made it to the hotel room.
Preferably now, since Reese was beginning to feel a sheen of sweat gathering on her lower back.
“The show was okay, I guess. The crowd was amazing, but Nat was a total nightmare all day. I swear, she’s wound so tight, she’s gonna snap one day.
It honestly won’t take much.” Reese laughed a little too hard at that.
If only Jette knew that Reese was part of the reason for Natalie’s behavior.
Jette lightened considerably at the sound.
“What about you, baby? What’s your plan for tonight? ”
“Nothing much,” Reese lied coolly. She was a terrible liar, but she fervently hoped that she would be able to pull it off.
And if not, distraction was her next safest bet.
Reese changed the subject seamlessly. “What about you? Dinner with the gang?” She chewed on her lower lip as she waited for an answer she already knew.
“Probably, yeah.” Jette agreed. “We’re going to meet up in another hour or so. Finley wanted to make sure we all had time to get checked in and grab a shower.” Reese nodded in triumph. Finley’s ruse had pulled through perfectly. She made a mental note to thank her directly, again, afterwards.
“Hold on, love, I have to put my phone down. I gotta check in. I’ll be right back.
” Reese listened to the muffled sounds of Jette’s pocket in her leather jacket.
She lit the handful of candles laid out on the counter and jogged across the room to quickly turn off the overhead lights.
The room was bathed in a warm glow from a combination of the candles and the neon lights of the strip.
The phone sounded loud and staticy as Jette shuffled back and forth.
It was so jarring that Reese jumped and had to pull the phone away from her ear for a moment.
“Sorry about that.” Jette’s voice came back cheerfully.
“You’ll never believe this. We’re staying at the same hotel as last time, and get this…
I’m staying in the exact same room!” The chime of the elevator was barely audible in the background.
“What room?” Reese asked breathily. The words came out sounding fake and rehearsed and she immediately felt a surge of nerves.
She only needed to keep it together for a little bit longer.
The call went completely silent for a beat.
Then two. Then ten. And it was around then that Reese’s heart stopped beating in solidarity.
“Sorry, I was in the elevator. I think I lost you for a minute. But did I hear you correctly? ‘What room?’” Jette teased. “What do you mean, ‘What room?’” Reese’s heart rate spiked. Jette saw right through her lie. She tried to cover it up with a giggle.
“I—no, no, of course I remember the hotel room.” Reese loudly whispered. Jette’s footsteps were muffled by the carpeting in the hallway, meaning that Reese couldn’t be sure where she was on the short walk from the elevator to the door.
“I thought so,” Jette replied smugly. Reese didn’t even need to see her to know there was a satisfied smirk settling on her lips.
“And why are you whispering?” Reese swallowed and watched a small shadow flicker in the crack under the door.
She could just barely hear Jette shuffling her belongings from arm to arm as she undoubtedly reached for her room key.
“Are you and Emery having another movie night without me?” The door let out a mechanical click and light flooded the room as it swung open, silhouetting Jette’s figure.
Her eyes snapped up and Reese grinned as a look of shock settled on her features.
Her dark eyes were round with surprise and her lips were open in the cutest little shape.
Reese remained silent as the door closed, sending the room back into near darkness.
The light from the candles was enough to make out the range of emotions filtering across Jette’s expression.
Confusion, surprise, amusement, joy, and back to confusion again.
Reese gripped the tiny box behind her back.
Her fingers ached from holding onto it so tightly.
The phone call ended as Jette dropped her bag on the ground.
She started towards Reese as though she was worried she’d been dreaming. “That was—”
“I know.” Reese finished with a smile. Jette threw her tattooed arms around Reese’s neck and pressed their lips together.
Her lips were so soft as they broke into a smile against Reese’s mouth.
Wrapping her arms around Jette’s waist and squeezing, Reese breathed in the comforting smell of her perfume and tucked the box into the palm of her hand.
“I missed you,” Reese murmured against Jette’s damp curls.
Jette chuckled and kissed her cheek. “I mean, I missed you too.” She looked around the room for a moment before locking her eyes onto the flowers and champagne flutes.
A single dark eyebrow raised when she opened her mouth again.
She paused, carefully choosing her words.
“What’re you doing here? What is this…?” Before she could lose her nerve entirely, Reese dropped onto one knee.
Jette watched her like she couldn’t believe what was happening.
Her jaw slackened and a silent gasp slipped through her dark and full parted lips.
“I know that I wouldn’t be the same person if it weren’t for you,” Reese admitted quietly.
Her voice shook with emotion but she pressed on.
“I didn’t even realize how wonderful life could be until you came into my life.
You absolutely turned my world upside down and I’m forever grateful for that.
” Jette’s eyes sparkled in the dim light and she brought her hands up to cover her mouth.
“You’re the love of my life, Jette. It’s like something inside me changed forever the moment you looked at me.
I’m hopelessly in love with you. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.
” Reese’s voice broke and the sound made both of them giggle.
“I’m yours. Completely.” She opened the tiny velvet box and tilted the sleek black teardrop diamond engagement ring towards Jette.
A tear slipped down her cheek. “Jette, will you marry me?”
Jette was on her knees and pulling Reese in for a kiss before she had the chance to react.
Her cheeks were warm and wet with tears as Reese cupped her face.
Her heart was still racing uncontrollably as they kissed.
The box in her hand was completely forgotten as Jette wrapped around her.
“Yes, yes, a million times yes.” The words were mumbled against Reese’s lips and she swore that nothing could ever compare to the perfection of this moment.
“But um, can you wait here for a second?” Jette asked quietly, a trill of laughter audible in her voice.
Reese nodded and tilted her head, waiting for an explanation.
Jette flew to the suitcase she’d abandoned by the door.
It unzipped noisily and Jette rifled through the contents for a few seconds before returning with a small vintage-looking box in hand.
Reese froze. Her heart felt like it was threatening to explode in her chest. She stood slowly as Jette reached a hand out to pull their lips together again.
Up close, her dark eyes were brimming with tears.
“I guess it’s my turn,” she offered with a teary smile.
Reese couldn’t catch her breath, instead it lodged firmly in her throat.
“I’ve been carrying this around with me for months, just waiting for the right time.
” Jette opened the box to show Reese a delicate gold ring with a rectangular emerald flanked by two tiny champagne-colored diamonds on either side.
Reese had never been able to picture what her future ring would look like, but the ring in the box took her breath away.
She couldn’t have imagined anything more perfect.
“I love you.” She said the words plainly, the same way she’d said them a thousand times before.
But this was different. “I’m in love with you.
Something inside me knew the moment I met you.
Matter of fact, I might as well have bought a ring that night.
” The beauty and raw honesty in her smile made the tears roll down Reese’s cheeks all over again.
“I’ve always been yours. And I want to be yours forever, if you’ll have me?
” She held Reese’s hands so delicately close to her chest. Overcome with emotion, Reese couldn’t find the words.
Instead, she nodded and crushed their lips together, putting every ounce of love she contained into the kiss.
They held each other in the dim light for what felt like hours and an instant simultaneously.
It was as though time had ceased to exist. Eventually, Reese slipped the tiny silver ring onto Jette’s finger and kissed each of her fingertips.
Jette’s giggle went straight to her chest. She couldn’t wait to spend the rest of her life making Jette laugh like that.
“So,” she began. Reese held out her hand and tilted the ring on her own finger in the light, admiring the way it sparkled.
“You knew you wanted to marry me the night we met?” Lovingly, she watched the way Jette broke into laughter.
She nodded in agreement, her dark curls bouncing around Reese’s hands holding her face.
Reese grinned and couldn’t resist the urge to tease her even further.
“Oh my god, you were obsessed with me.” Her voice was full of affection.
“Baby, that’s so embarrassing.” Her voice was cut off by her own high-pitched squeal as Jette playfully poked her in the ribs before wrapping her arms around Reese’s waist. She squeezed tight, keeping Reese still as she squirmed.
Even in jest, Jette couldn’t hold back her own laughter.
“How on earth is that embarrassing?” She quipped back and swiftly silenced Reese with a kiss.
“You literally just asked me to marry you.” Jette trailed her lips over Reese’s jaw, peppering her skin with kisses.
The love in her voice made Reese feel weak in the knees.
As though it was the first time they’d ever kissed like this.
It didn’t matter how long they’d been together; it always felt like this.
The overwhelming spark in her chest, the dizzy feeling in her head as though she was clouded by love and lust and everything else she couldn’t put a name to.
Reese tilted Jette’s chin towards her so their eyes could meet. “Damn right I did,” she accepted victoriously.
Jette pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and grinned back before tugging Reese impossibly close.
Reese’s breath caught in her throat as Jette leaned in and brushed their lips together, just enough to feel the warm breath on her cheeks and the heat radiating from the flush in both of their faces.
“Took you long enough,” she whispered and finally pulled her in for another kiss.