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Jareth was always by my side in an instant. Unless he wasn’t already curled around my body, cursing the fact that he hadn’t killed the man responsible. Terri, we learned, had been in the back pocket of the Sultans for the past thirty years. He hated that he grew up poor, and when the awful couple offered him a cut of what they were embezzling, he jumped at the chance to become wealthy.
He tried to play the death of Jareth’s father off as self-defense, which seemed like a long shot, but we knew he would go down swinging. I did my best to keep Jareth from obsessing over every little detail, but I also didn’t want him to completely disregard everything that had happened. He had to learn to deal with it without letting it consume him. It was a delicate balance he was still figuring out.
His next exhale ruffled the hair on my head and the tender kiss he placed on my temple gave me the warm fuzzies that settled low in my belly. I was excited for this trip for more than one reason. This morning we’d been in negotiations with V&S Productions about how they wanted to handle my contract. After singing at The Wooden Nickel, and with Trixie’s glowing recommendation, Lance and Jareth had discussed the label representing me. I still hadn’t decided what I wanted to do, especially since we had a lot to discuss during this trip that might take precedence.
I had something big to share with Jareth tonight, and the timing felt right. As the stars slowly emerged, lighting up the night sky I turned in his arms. My hands skimmed up his biceps to settle on his broad shoulders. I tried to settle my shaky hands as nervousness took over. It’s not that I was afraid to tell him, I just wasn’t sure how to break news like this.
“Sunshine, there’s something I want to talk with you about,” his voice rumbled softly.
“I wanted to tell you something,” I said at the same time. The two of us laughed as we spoke over each other.
“Me first.” He pulled back the tiniest bit.
I nodded. What I had to say could wait.
“You are everything to me,” he started, and then cleared his throat. “I was a fool to keep you at a distance for so long. I didn’t know what to do with the feelings you stirred up inside of me. If it wasn’t for your determination to hold on and to fight for us with everything you had, I might never have come to my senses.”
I ran a hand over his cheek to wipe at the tears that silently fell from his eyes. Tonight, and the night he rescued me, were the only two times I’d ever seen him cry. “Oh, my love.”
“While I still believe you are far too good for me, I also know that I can never let you go. I crave everything that is you—your touch, your voice, your compassion and kindness, and most of all, your love.”
The tears that had teased their arrival now spilled down my cheeks. With each word he uttered, I felt more content in my news. Our relationship, while relatively new, had been building for years. The friendship we’d established well before the physical side of our relationship had helped pave the way for our future.
Jareth pressed his forehead to mine. “I will love you until the end of time. Even longer, if it’s possible.” He slid from my grasp, downward, settling himself on one knee.
My breath caught in my throat and my hands flew to cover my mouth. Holy schnikes! Was he going to—Oh my God, he was!
Jareth pulled out a small velvet box from his back pocket and flicked it open in the middle of his palm. Inside was the most stunning ring I’d ever laid my eyes on. The large cushion-cut yellow diamond, flanked by a ring of smaller diamonds, sparkled up at me. “Hazel, I—You would make me the luckiest man in the world if you agreed to marry me.”
I sniffled, my voice tight from the tears I was trying to stifle.
“Sunshine… ” he said, and ran his thumb across my lips and let his hand settle on the curve of my cheek. “You’re killing me here with your silence.”
I gave him a watery smile. “I didn’t hear a question.”
He laughed. “You are absolutely right. Hazel my love. The light of my life. Will you marry me?”
“Of course I will. I love you so much.” I held out my hand.
As Jareth let go of my face and reached down to pluck the ring from the box, cheers erupted behind us. Our friends had witnessed the proposal! Were they in on it? Jareth slid the ring on my finger and returned to his full height, taking me in his arms and twirling me around.
My stomach heaved with the spin and I tapped his shoulder. “I need you to put me down.”
He quickly set me on my feet, a worried frown tugging down the corners of his lips. “Sunshine, are you okay?”
“I am.”
When he didn’t look convinced, I patted his chest. “I’m more than okay.” Another wave of nausea hit and my hand flew to my mouth.
“If you’re not feeling well I can send for the ship’s doctor.” He pulled out his phone, ready to call for help.
My stomach had already begun to settle. “I promise I’m all right.”
“Sunshine—”
I cut him off. “Just before we left yesterday I found out why I haven’t been feeling so great the last few days.”
His body stiffened, and a stricken look passed through his eyes. I needed to speed up what I wanted to tell him because with the various emotions crossing his face I figured he’d come to a more dire conclusion than I wanted him to.
