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I draw a steadying breath. He smiles in that very confident Jace way, but his eyes are full of raw, vulnerable earnestness. This is the most important moment in his life. In my life as well. And this time I’m ready. This time, I’m not overwhelmed with everything else. This time… “I say yes.”
I’ve never heard a man exhale with such relief as Jace does. He scampers to his feet and threads the ring onto my finger, and we’re laughing and hugging again and kissing.
“That’s good,” Gabe says out of nowhere. “Stay as you are and look at me for a second.”
I turn to him and find myself facing the black eye of a camera lens. Juliette pops up next to him. She dabs a paper tissue under my eyes and swipes my bangs to the side. “Ready, Dad.”
The lens blinkschick-chick-chick.
“Okay, last one,” Gabe promises. “Look at each other or kiss, and your hand will be right here.” He lifts my ringed hand and places it on Jace’s shoulder in such a way that the ring is on full display.
Pressing his forehead against mine, Jace laughs as if this is normal and expected.
Gabe takes his photos, checks the tiny screen on the camera, and nods. “Wonderful. I’ll get them all ready later today. You can use them for your engagement announcements.”
Juliette peeks at the screen. “So sweet,” she gushes. “Good idea to catch them in the moment.”
Her father grumbles a thanks, and they go inside, leaving us to breathe out and absorb.
Jace caresses my face with his fingers and kisses my forehead. “We are engaged, but we can stay this way for as long as you need to. No rush, okay?”
“Okay.” But my mind is already in high gear. “Fancy wedding or a quiet affair?”
“Up to you.”
“Will I move in there?” I point at his house. “Or will we get a new place?”
“Your choice.” He trails breezy kisses over the side of my face, starting at the temple and ending with my chin.
I lock our lips in a deep kiss and let him throw me into a dizzy spell with his eager response. I sink my fingers into his hair. His mouth is hot, delicious bliss spiced with cinnamon. It takes all of me to stop and surface for air. “What about the honeymoon? Domestic or abroad?”
“Honeymoon?” Jace moves away and smooths out his shirt. “I have an idea. Can I make it a surprise?”
“Okay.” I adjust my hair and take him in and start laughing hard.
He’s so down-to-earth in his cheesy pajamas, and his hair is wild from us making out, but the image of our wedding invitations won’t leave my mind alone.
“What’s gotten into you?” Jace asks.
I take a deep breath. “Imagine. Swoopy letters embossed with gold, announcing my marriage to Jacewell Edward Blackmore—” The laughing fit takes over. I’m too full of happiness and joy and everything along those lines.
“You’re a troublemaker.” He takes my hand and guides me back inside. “No, you’re worse than that.”
“And you love me.” I wiggle my fingers in front of his face, showing him the diamond. “You can’t live without me. You can’t breathe without me.”
“And you?”
I hold his face in my hands as I say, “I love you too. I hope to never find out what it’s like to be without you again because when you were gone, I only pretended to breathe and live and exist.”
“Even when I do this?” He pulls out a marker out of his pocket and draws a kitten nose and whiskers on my face.
I let him, loving every second of us together, every brush of his fingers on my skin, every challenging kiss we steal from each other. I love that it was Jace who acknowledged my fears while holding my hand as he coaxed me to shed their cloak. I want to be me and be fearless and independent and strong on my own, but he’s my fire. He’s my inspiration. I broke up with the world, and Jace rebuilt my courage. He asked me to be his rebound, but truth be told, he was my rebound first.
Bonus Track
Jace
(6 months later, late June)
