“Is it okay? Do you think I could get in?”
“Yes, to both questions. What would you study?”
Dylan ducked his head, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I thought I’d like to go into education. Maybe become a special education teacher. Like Mia.”
“She’d be thrilled. And so would I.” Jackson slung an arm around his brother’s shoulders and gave him a quick squeeze that ended in a knuckled head rub, just to keep it from seeming too emotional.
Dylan laughed and backed away. “I’m going to get my shoes on.”
“I’ll wait for you outside.”
Jackson waited in his truck, impatiently tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. Every few minutes, he checked his pocket to make sure the ring remained in place. He silently rehearsed what he planned to say. Should he propose before dinner, or after?
What if she said no?
He shuddered. He knew she loved him. She’d said so. And they’d talked about marriage, in a roundabout way. They’d both expressed the desire to be permanently exclusive. The past nine months had cemented the commitment they’d made during that awful time when Dylan had been missing.
“God, keep me steady.” He’d followed God’s lead during the entire courtship. He and Mia prayed together frequently, and they attended church together with Dylan. The last two weeks, Dylan had brought Wynne along.
The passenger door opened, and Jackson jumped.
Dylan hopped in, laughing. “Dude, are you nervous? There’s no way she won’t say yes.”
“Let’s hope you’re right.”
The conversation came to a quick end once Wynne ran out of her apartment, waving to her mom. “Hi, Jackson. Thanks for inviting me.”
Jackson chuckled. He got a real kick out of her. She was smart and a little sassy but always respectful. Just the girl for his kid brother.
The rest of the ride to Mia’s house was punctuated with laughter and lively conversation. Before he knew it, Jackson was pulling into Mia’s driveway. She’d recently moved into her own place since her mother and Gus had each other.
Dylan opened the door and hopped out, then held it for Wynne. Jackson was always pleased to see his brother display such excellent manners. He’d once commented on it to Dylan, to which Dylan had replied, “Just been watching my big brother, that’s all.” Touched, Jackson had patted his brother’s shoulder, unable to speak for a moment.
By the time they reached the front door, Mia was already waiting for them. Her smile beamed straight into Jackson’s heart. How did he get so lucky? Ever since his dad had died, all he’d wanted was family. Wealth didn’t matter to him. Social status meant nothing either. But family that would stand by you and love you unconditionally—he hadn’t truly had that since he was a kid.
Now, God had blessed him with his brother and Mia. And hopefully, after tonight, he’d be able to call her his fiancée, and they could start planning their wedding.
“Come in! Everything’s all in the oven. I’m so glad you guys were able to come.” Mia was practically bouncing on her toes in her excitement.
Jackson leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. It was swift and chaste, but he meant it with his whole being. “Congratulations, sweetheart.”
“Congratulations on what?” Dylan perked up, his head swiveling between them.
Mia’s cheeks pinked. “Well, Jackson knows, but I haven’t told anyone else yet. You guys were at my graduation ceremony, so you know that I have my master’s degree. But what you don’t know is that I received my certificate in the mail already, and yesterday I accepted a job offer. I will officially be able to move into the role of counselor.”
Dylan’s shoulders drooped a little. “Oh. So you won’t be my teacher anymore? I mean, don’t get me wrong—I’m really, really happy for you if you can be a counselor like you wanted. I’ll just miss you.”
Her grin widened. “You can’t get rid of me that easy,” she told him. “My job will be at the school. And”—she hooked an arm around Jackson’s waist—“my student teacher will be taking my position. So anytime you need me, I’ll be there.”
Dylan opened his mouth as if to speak, then suddenly snapped his lips shut. Jackson had a feeling he’d been going to add something about her being his brother’s fiancée or future sister-in-law, but he caught himself just in time.
“What about your dream, honey?” Jackson murmured. “About starting a pregnancy center?”
She nodded. “I haven’t forgotten. It’s in the works, but it will be at least a year before I can open it.”
“Whatever you need, you know I’m here for you.”
“I know.” She ushered them farther into the living room. Dylan and Wynne went off to talk quietly near the sliding glass door that led to the outdoor deck. “I can’t believe the difference in Dylan since you gained custody.”
