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“Becca!” That stern tone sent shivers down her spine, but for once he wasn’t smiling when he used it. He was shaking his head. “You deserve the world, and I’m going to do my best to give it to you.”
“I don’t want that, though. I don’t want you to give me anything – just your love, and your friendship. I love the idea of what you said – of you being my best friend, forever.”
His expression softened and he cupped his hand around the back of her neck. “That’s what I want.” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “There are a few more things I want to give you, though.”
He looked so playful now that she gave him a stern look. “Dare I ask?”
He chuckled. “You can ask, but only if you’re prepared to hear my answer.”
“It feels like you’re going to say something shocking – the kind of shocking that will make me want to tell all your friends not to come and take you upstairs to see what you mean instead.”
Jacob laughed. “Does that mean you’re prepared to hear what I want to give you – or not?”
She laughed with him. “I think I am. We might have to wait a while before I take you up on the offer but … go on.”
He looked much more serious as he looked into her eyes. “I want to give you a ring, and I want to give you my last name, and I want to give you a family.”
Becca’s hand came up to cover her mouth, and tears pricked behind her eyes.
He hugged her close to his chest and added, “And I’ll wait as long as you need me to – if you need me to. But I’d give you all those things tomorrow if you wanted them.”
She heard herself suck in a deep breath as the tears started to roll down her cheeks. Jacob brushed them away with his thumbs, but he didn’t drop her gaze.
“I want them,” she breathed when she could finally make her voice work.
The way he smiled so big made her laugh. “You do? Tomorrow?”
She had to laugh. “Maybe not tomorrow.”
“The day after?”
“I …”
He kissed her forehead. “You don’t need to answer. I’m teasing you. I’m teasing because I’m so happy. I wouldn’t rush you through it. It’s a big deal – getting married.” He frowned. “And I need to ask you properly first anyway. But now that I know that you want it …” He winked at her. “And I know that I don’t have to take my time. I want to make it a big deal, Becca. If that’s what you want?”
She nodded, finding it hard to take it all in – that he’d just told her that he wanted to marry her, and have children with her and … everything.
He cocked an eyebrow. “Would I be right if I guessed that you’re the kind of girl who’s always dreamed of a big wedding?”
“Yeah.” She dropped her head. She knew it was dumb, but she had always loved the idea of a big wedding. She loved looking at dresses and flowers and locations in the bridal magazines, but … “But I’m practical, too. I don’t need that. I just want … you.”
His smile was bigger than she’d ever seen it. “What if I say thatIwant a big wedding?”
She laughed. “Then I might think – for the very first time since we met – that you were lying to me.”
“No! I won’t ever lie. Not even as a joke.”
She raised her eyebrows. “You seriously expect me to believe that you want a big wedding?”
He chuckled. “I want you to have exactly what you want – and I know that you’ll play it down, but turnabout is fair play; can you honestly tell me that you wouldn’t love a big wedding?”
She felt the heat in her cheeks as she shook her head.
“Becca.”
She had to laugh. “That’s not fair!”
He laughed with her. “I don’t remember ever claiming that I’d always play fair – especially not when it comes to getting what you want. Was that shake of your head an attempt to deny that you’d like a big wedding?”
