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Cade’s jaw tightened. “I have a job and we will both go to college. You have my word on that.”
“Why can’t you wait until you finish college?”
“Cade wants to be a doctor, Arabella.” Jasmine’s eyes were bright with unshed tears. Apparently, this was harder than she’d hoped. “That takes years.”
“My point exactly. Years. How will you support yourselves if Cade goes to medical school? The cost is in the hundreds of thousands, and he’ll have to study hard. He can’t hold a job and attend medical school.”
Cade’s mouth set in a stubborn line. “We’ll manage. I’m not afraid of hard work.”
“I know you have good intentions now, Cade, and I respect that, but you’re too young to realize how hard it is to get started in life. If you get married now, chances are, you’ll never finish college, much less medical school.” Arabella’s voice filled with emotion. “Look around me. I married at nineteen, had three babies. As much as I love my girls and enjoy my work, I have no other choices. I don’t have an education. I’m living in someone else’s house. God has taken care of me, but life has not been easy.”
“We don’t expect easy, Arabella. But Cade loves me,” Jasmine said with quiet insistence. “He’ll be there for me. I’ll be there for him. We won’t abandon each other when the going gets tough. Together, with our faith, we’ll be happy.”
Brooke was sure the kind-hearted Jasmine had not intended the words as a stab, but Arabella looked stricken. When life had proved hard, her husband had abandoned her and the triplets.
“I hope you’re right.” The doubt in Arabella’s voice hung in the air like a miasma.
With a sigh, Cade rose and drew Jasmine up with him. “I’m going to marry her, Arabella, and I’m going to love her and take care of her for the rest of our lives. If you won’t give your blessing, I hope you’ll give us your prayers.”
With that final, eloquent speech that said volumes about the young man’s maturity, he took his leave.
With a pleading gaze over one shoulder, Jasmine looked from Arabella to Brooke and back again, then followed her fiancé out the door. Brooke got the message. As much as she loved Cade, Jasmine loved Arabella, too. Expecting the conversation to end in this manner, she’d requested Brooke’s company so that Arabella would not be alone when she and Cade departed.
When the door clicked shut, Arabella collapsed heavily onto the vacated couch. “What am I going to do?”
Brooke went to her, sitting close. “There is nothing you can do, Arabella. They’re both of age.”
“I barely know him.” She studied the backs of her hands. “He’s my cousin, and all I know is that Jasmine loves him and he’s from the wrong side of the family.”
Bitterly, Brooke thought of all the mean things Cade’s family had done. “How could she let herself get involved with him in the first place? Didn’t you warn her?”
“I tried.” Arabella pushed at the long, dark hair falling over one shoulder. “And failed miserably, as you can see.”
“Maybe Jasmine was right. Maybe we object more to who Cade is than how old they are.”
“Their ages and lack of education are a huge factor, but of course I object to who he is. Don’t you?”
Brooke had to admit she did. “After last night, I don’t want anything to do with any of Cade’s side of the family. Ever.”
She and Jasmine had told Arabella about the hooded visitor.
“Well, unless we can convince Jasmine to wait, I’m going to be spending more time with Uncle Samuel’s clan than I ever dreamed.”
Brooke put an arm around her cousin’s shoulder. “This has to break your heart.”
“It does, but mostly, I’m afraid for her. For her future. With no birth family to rely on, she has a long, difficult road ahead.” Arabella dragged both hands over her face, blew out a deep breath and sat up straighter. With a determined set to her jaw, she said, “Enough of me fretting over Jasmine. I need a distraction. Talk to me about what happened last night. Are you sure the creepy visitor was Vincent?”
