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The old woman who’d tugged at my sleeve smiled at me. “That’s okay, dear. I don’t mind. If he moves, you whack him again!”
I laughed, even though I could feel the tears beginning to run down my cheeks. I almost didn’t notice the loud sound of raucous applause from the passengers.
Chapter 23: Drew
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Please,” Jess said, barely out of the shower and wrapped up in a towel. “You have to stop asking me that. I swear, you’ve asked that same question a thousand times since we checked into our hotel.”
"I know,” I said, shaking my head. “I just can't stop seeing it, you know? I can't get the image of him holding you hostage out of my head. If he had done anything to you, if he had hurt you?" I stopped, unable to finish the thought.
"But he didn't, Drew. He didn't hurt either one of us. And we can't let him get to us like this, okay? If we let him get into our heads, it's kind of like we're letting him win, and I don't want to do that. He didn't win, right? We did. Wanna know how I know?"
“How?” I asked.
"Because he's in jail right now, and we're here. In what is easily the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in, by the way."
That was enough to get me smiling, which made her grin widely in return. Still wearing nothing but her towel, she sat beside me on the lavish king-sized bed and put her hand on my knee. I grabbed her hand, holding onto it so tightly that part of me was worried I might actually hurt her. All the while, she looked at me closely. I could tell she wanted to ask me something. All I had to do was wait.
"Drew? What's really going on here? I mean, I know what happened on that plane was terrifying, but I feel like there's something more than that. I wish you would tell me what it is. I'm only starting to worry more, and after all that drama, my goal is to worry less."
“It’s nothing, really. It’s just that this was supposed to be a special trip.”
"I'm not sure what you mean by that, but we both know this is something we won't ever forget. I bet you didn’t know you were dating a freaking ninja?"
I laughed at her in confusion. “What?”
She shrugged. “Come on, you saw my moves up there. Boom! I knocked his ass out with one hit. And he never even saw me coming, either. Cause I had the reflexes of a cat, the eyes of a hawk, and the, uh, cane of an old lady. Still, I was a total ninja.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at how proud of herself she was. Hell, I was proud of her, too. “I have to admit, that was pretty impressive, Jess. You were really brave.”
“Damn right,” she said. “I’m not letting anyone hurt my man. No way. Especially not some turd like Fred Stevens.”
I laughed. “Well, thank you again for that.”
She beamed with pride. “You’re welcome. Stick with me, buddy. I’ll keep you safe.”
“I believe that,” I said, chuckling. “But like I was saying, I wanted this trip to be special, for reasons other than you saving a plane full of people.”
She looked at me, meeting my gaze. “I don’t understand.”
I took a deep breath, wondering if she could see the way my body was trembling. This was it. Whatever doubts I had about being with somebody again, really being with them, were gone. I would never forget Jess's acts of heroism on that plane, not for as long as I lived. She was better than me and far better than what I deserved, but I was hoping that wouldn't matter. All I knew was that I wanted her. I wanted her forever, and I was willing to do a hell of a lot to make that happen.
“Drew?” she asked hesitantly, her concern radiating off her. “You’re kind of freaking me out.”
“I don’t mean to. It’s just that what happened on the plane, it solidified something for me. It made me sure of something I already knew, made me sure in a way I won’t ever forget.”
“And what was that?”
“That I need you. That I love you.”
“I love you, too. You know that. Or at least I hope you do.”
“I do, Jess, don’t worry about that,” I said. “You’ve never given me any reason to doubt you. That’s kind of what I’m getting at. I want to make you a promise, so that you never have to doubt me again, either.”
It was my moment. I could feel it. Holding tightly to the little velvet box I'd kept hidden beneath the covers at my side, I got off the bed and onto one knee in front of where Jess sat stunned. Both of her hands flew to her mouth, and I opened the box, willing myself not to pass out from the stress of what she might say.
"Jess? You are the best thing that's ever happened to me. You saved me. You brought me back to life, and I want to spend the rest of that life showing you how much I love you and Emma. I know it hasn't been very much time, and I realize you might think I'm crazy, but I have a very important question to ask you. Will you marry me?"
