Epilogue
Lane
Nerves have me ready to crawl out of my own skin. I don’t know why. I’m ninety-nine percent certain how things will turn out. It’s that measly one percent I’m hung up on.
Maybe it’s my plan to ask Jackson for permission. We’ve developed a great relationship, and I truly admire and respect the man who helped raise the woman I love.
Hell, he’s almost become a father figure to me as well at this point. It doesn’t mean that he won’t bust my balls and put me through the wringer though. Hell, knowing him like I now do, I expect it.
Or maybe it’s just that I’m excited to take this next step with Jessa. To officially become each other’s family, maybe even expand it. I actually can’t fucking wait for all of that.
I shove clothes into my duffel before zipping the small velvet box into an interior pocket for safekeeping.
The ring isn’t anything flashy. It’s not like I could afford a big sparkler, but that’s not Jessa’s style anyway.
Besides, she won’t be wearing it when she’s working anyhow.
Instead, I got her a silicone ring she can wear in its place if she wants.
It’s my hope that she wants to let every man she meets from now on know she’s a taken woman, but I won’t be a caveman and insist upon it. I learned my lesson too well the first time. There’s no way I’m going through that again.
“Are you about ready?”
“SHIT!” I jump at Jessa’s question. I didn’t even hear her walk into our bedroom. “Uh, yeah, I’m just finishing up. Need to grab my shit from the bathroom.”
She cocks her head, narrowing her eyes at me. I scurry into the other room to hide from her scrutiny, but she follows me.
“What’s going on? Why are you so jumpy? You’ve been acting weird the last few days,” she grills me, her voice laced with suspicion.
I keep my head down but give it a shake. “I’m not. Well, maybe I’m just antsy about seeing Alana and Carter. I mean I was almost responsible for breaking them up before they even got going.”
“Hmm.” I glance over my shoulder to see her standing with her arms crossed, leaning against the door frame. “I thought you apologized and made up and all that?”
I shuffle past her with my deodorant, toothbrush, and toothpaste. Dropping the items into my bag, I shrug. “We did, but this is also the first time I’ll see them in person since they got together, so it’s just going to take some getting used to.”
“I suppose I can understand that.”
My shoulders slump with relief when she buys it. Not that it’s all just a cover, because damn, is it going to be weird seeing Carter kiss my sister. Something I never in a million years would’ve considered happening.
But I’ve got Jessa now, and maybe by the time we get to Coyote Creek we’ll have some good news to share with them. I don’t have any specific plans for when I’ll pop the question, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be some time during our road trip to visit Alana and Carter.
But first, we’re stopping to have brunch with Jackson and Jessa’s mom before heading out of state. Hopefully, I’ll get the answer I’m hoping for from him, and then when the moment’s right, I’m going to ask her to marry me.
A smile breaks across my face just thinking about making her mine permanently. To imagine we got here from just a few months ago when she left me in a cloud of dust with my jaw hanging open, turned on as all get out, and in a daze.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever see her again, but now she’s my future and I get to spend the rest of my life with her.
I hope. If everything goes right.
Which it fucking will, because I’m not accepting anything less. I will go to the ends of the earth for this woman, with a smile on my face if needed, and die a happy man.