For All The Right Reasons

by Brownell, Rachael

"What did you do to my sweet princess?"

  Make that two problems on their hands. I have a feeling Uncle Quinn is going to be present when we meet these future boyfriends.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  JADE

  If one more person asked me when Nathan and I were planning on getting married, I was going to end up in jail. I almost throat-punched Quinn's grandmother.

  Not that I would hit an old lady, but I was that close to losing my shit when she asked.

  She was sweet about it, wanting to hear our story. How we came to be a couple. She asked about Jenny. Doted on her while Nathan and I gave short speeches.

  As a woman who’s been married for more than fifty years, she had plenty of advice to give too. I listened, captivated by the details of her life she was sharing. By all the things that marriage had taught her about not only relationships but also about herself.

  Never go to bed angry, she said.

  Always tell the other person you love them, even when you're not sure you mean it at the moment.

  Accept that there will be tough times. Push through them together. Lean on each other for strength.

  Most importantly, live in the moment.

  I was enjoying our conversation. Then she asked the one question I'd already been asked by everyone else at the party.

  "When are you two going to make it official?"

  Maybe it's the fact I didn't have an answer that bothered me. I mean, we've been together for two years. Living together for more than a year. We brought a child into this world that we're raising together.

  Together.

  Everything we do, we do it together.

  It already feels like we're married sometimes. The only thing missing is the piece of paper that makes it more than just a feeling.

  Because the feeling is killing me. I'm getting antsy. Impatient. I feel like everything is in limbo.

  Yes, things are great between us. Nothing is going to change that.

  Sure, the ring he carries around everywhere would look beautiful on my hand.

  What I'm starting to notice more and more every day is how much work we both put into our relationship. We're both trying. We have a great give and take. We talk through things, make decisions together. It's balanced. There's a lot of compromising.

  A marriage takes hard work. So does whatever you want to call what we're doing.

  In a moment of weakness, I tried to propose to him.

  Was the moment perfect? Damn near.

  He stopped me. Thinking back on it, I'm glad he did, but that doesn't mean I don't wish he had let me finish.

  Hell, we could already be married if he had. I don't want a big, fancy wedding like Gabby is planning. She keeps telling me how low-key it is. She has no idea.

  They're getting married on the island for fuck’s sake. At the hotel. It's costing her parents a pretty penny, I'm sure. They love Quinn, so I doubt they're concerned with the price tag. They have plenty of money, and their only child, their little girl, is happy.

  Money can't buy happiness.

  So here we are, at Gabby and Quinn's engagement party. Everyone is celebrating their upcoming union, and I'm pouting in the corner with a sleeping baby resting against my chest. Pouting because I'm jealous.

  I'll admit it.

  I'm jealous of Gabby and Quinn. Of the fact they're not afraid to take the next step in their relationship, whereas I feel stuck at the bottom of the stairs most days.

  I tried to explain what I was feeling to Gabby at her final dress fitting a few weeks ago, but she wasn't getting it. She's living on a cloud of bliss, so I can't really blame her. She said I was overthinking things. Which I probably am. In my head, though, it all makes sense.

  Nathan and I started out standing at the bottom of the staircase together. Instead of taking them one at a time, letting our relationship naturally progress, we sprinted up the stairs and slid down the banister only to run back up them again. Meeting, dating, falling in love, getting engaged and then married, moving in together, children...

  We skipped the dating part, jumped past falling in love, moved in together, and landed on having a baby.

  Of course, we've backtracked since then.

  Fall in love… check.

  Move in together… check.

  We’re currently 'dating' if it can be called that. We go out on date night once a week, and he's planned a weekend getaway later this month. It'll be nice to spend time together, just the two of us. Not that I don't love our family nights at home, but we need a little one-on-one time too.

  To decompress.

  What I really mean is we need private time to have as much crazy sex as we want. Nathan promised me plenty of that. He even said I didn't have to bring more than a toothbrush if I didn't want. The fact I won't need clothing tells me all I need to know about our plans for the weekend.

  I can see it now, his body hovering over mine. We're on a bearskin rug, because of course the cabin he rented has one of those. Cheesy, I know. There's a fire cracking somewhere close, warming our naked bodies.

  The thought brings a smile to my face. It slowly fades when I realize I still have to wait two more weeks to be alone with him. Two weeks before Nathan and I are alone, in the woods.

  "Stop pouting," Nathan says, carefully sitting down on the swing next to me.

  "I'm not pouting," I whisper.

  "Yes, you are. I've been watching you for the last ten minutes. You've been angry, sad, excited, and now you're back to pouting." When I don't protest this observation, he continues. "What's on your mind, beautiful?"

  "Nothing really.” It’s not a complete lie. My mind isn’t focused on one thing. It’s focused on everything and nothing all at once.

  "Does it have anything to do with what Nana said?"

  Um, yes. And no. Now that he mentions it, that’s where my focus is drawn again. To the woman with a huge heart who inserted herself into our relationship and gave me more advice than I asked for. Advice I’d like to be able to put to the test one day.

  "Nana is precious.” It’s all I can think to say because it’s the truth.

  "That she is, but I also know she has an agenda. I've met the woman three times in my life, and she's always forced me to make her the same promise every time. Not to take this life for granted."

  "And you shouldn't."

  "I don't think I do, but today, after she had a nice little chat with you, she had a not-so-nice one with me. She's not happy that we aren't married. She's very old-fashioned when it comes to marriage and children. She thinks we should have gotten married when we found out you were pregnant."

  Huh? I didn't get that impression from her at all, though this was the first time I'd met her. I assumed she was giving me solid advice for when we do get married.

  "It doesn't matter what other people think," I find myself saying.

  He's said those exact words to me on multiple occasions. I didn't realize how much truth was in them until just now. Because even though Nana was probably judging us for not being married, we weren't about to run out and do it to please her or anyone else.

  "I'm glad you think that because Nana was ready to pull the ring off her finger and give it to me so I could propose earlier. I had to show her the one I already bought to get her to shut up."

  Rolling my eyes, I shift Jenny in my arms and stand. "You really shouldn't carry it with you everywhere we go. You're bound to lose it one of these days."

  "I'll just buy another one," he retorts quickly. Too quickly. It makes me wonder if he's bought me a new ring since I confessed to finding it.

  "That's not the point, Nathan."

  "I know, but I want to be prepared."

  Of course he does. He seems to think the perfect moment is going to sneak up on us the one time he leaves the ring at home. Maybe he's right. What he doesn't realize is that he doesn't need a ring to ask me to marry him. All I need is to hear him say the words.

  "Are you ready to go? She's going to wake up any minute and
probably start crying."

  "Should we leave her with Quinn then?" Nathan jokes.

  It's not a horrible idea. Quinn can still calm her down faster than anyone else. And she loves him dearly. I was afraid she would say his name before she said mama at one point. He would practice with her every time they came to visit.

  Nope. First she said dada, then mama, then kin. She still calls him Kin instead of Quinn. It's adorable. The day she can enunciate his name properly, Quinn will probably cry.

  We say our goodbyes to Kin and Bee, Jenny's favorite aunt and uncle, and head home. It's a two-hour drive, and after socializing all day, I could fall asleep in the car.

  I might have if Jenny hadn't woken up and started crying the second we hit the highway. My little spitfire has horrible timing. Always.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  NATHAN

  She knows. She has to. Why else would she make that comment?

  I can't believe it.

  My moment was gone. I had worked it all out. Tonight was when I was going to make my grand gesture. It couldn't be more perfect. Love was in the air. The backyard was strung with white twinkle lights. Soft music was going to play in the background.

  And I was going to propose.

  Quinn and I had been planning this for weeks. Gabby was even on board with us stealing a little bit of the attention away from them.

  Then I went to pull out the ring to show Nana, and it wasn't there. I remember putting it in my pocket this morning. It's habitual now. Wallet, ring, phone, keys. Tap each pocket to make sure I have everything and then I leave the house.

  I went through the same routine this morning.

  It was there.

  And now it's not.

  Quinn and I snuck out front to check the car. The path to the car. Every room in Gabby's parents’ house.

  We looked everywhere except the backyard, where over fifty people were celebrating Gabby and Quinn's engagement. Why? Because Jade was also in the backyard. If she saw us combing the ground, she'd realize I lost her ring.

  Still, we had a plan. Quinn, Gabby, and I would make our rounds, talking to people, and keeping our eyes open. If we didn't find it, Gabby would ask her parents to look after everything was cleaned up.

  There was no sign of the engagement ring I bought Jade almost two years ago. The ring that spoke to me, that drew me in when I first laid eyes on it, just like the woman I wanted to give it to.

  All I can do now is pray.

  And if for some reason it isn't found, I'll search like hell to find another one just like it.

  Not because I'm scared Jade will realize it's a different ring when I finally find the right moment to propose, though that thought does cross my mind. It's more about the ring itself. It was exactly what I pictured Jade would pick for herself if given the choice.

  And now it's missing.

  I'm hoping it fell out of my pocket at our house. That it's sitting in the middle of the hallway, waiting to be picked back up. Wouldn't that be crazy after the hour Quinn and I spent searching earlier.

  As annoying as it would be that I worried all day for nothing, I'd also be relieved.

  So as soon as we walk in the house, I casually begin the search. Jade carries a once again sleeping Jenny to her room and tucks her in, allotting me a few minutes to cover as much ground as I can. I'm bent over, looking under the dining room table when she reappears, catching me in the act.

  "What are you doing down there?"

  Startled by her presence, I bump my head on the table.

  Fuck me!

  "I thought I saw something under the chair."

  "What was it?"

  Not your ring.

  "Nothing. I must be seeing things."

  I wish I were seeing things. Things I needed to see.

  "Well, I'm going to shower and jump in bed. Are you coming?"

  My body is exhausted. We've been up since five o'clock this morning, and between driving and entertaining people, I could fall asleep and not wake up for ten to twelve solid hours.

  But there's no time for sleep right now. I need to find Jade's ring.

  "I think I'm going to watch a little TV, and then I'll be in."

  Our house is a bust. I've searched every nook and cranny. Under furniture. I've even opened cupboards and drawers just in case.

  It's nowhere to be found, and as I crawl in next to my beautiful, soon-to-be wife someday, my heart breaks a little. For her. For the moment we lost this evening.

  Today was supposed to be it. The day she would never forget. The one we would tell our grandchildren about because the moment was perfect. It was the moment I'd been waiting for, and I screwed it up.

  All because of a tiny hole in the pocket of my pants I wasn't even aware was there. Pants that I've worn twice in the last few weeks. That I've carried that ring around in, same pocket and everything.

  I guess I'm lucky I didn't lose it earlier.

  Maybe Jade was right. Maybe I shouldn't carry it around with me everywhere we go. Not that I have an option anymore. If Gabby's parents don't find it in their yard, I won't have a ring to keep in my pocket.

  The cabin is gorgeous. The pictures online don't do it any justice. Modern decor with a true rustic feel. There's even the traditional deer head hanging on the wall.

  It creeps me out. I know it’s dead, but its eyes seem to follow me everywhere I go.

  "This is perfect," Jade says, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and pressing her lips to mine.

  She's right. It is perfect. The cabin. The atmosphere. The fact that we're getting some alone time together.

  It's all perfect.

  Except one thing.

  I still haven't found her ring. I've been looking for a replacement, but nothing has caught my eye.

  Maybe because I'm still comparing every ring to the one I already bought. The one that has vanished without a trace.

  Or it could be I'm disappointed at how I was stripped of my opportunity to claim her as mine forever. Hell, I'm still being denied that opportunity.

  If I had her ring, I'd drop to one knee right here and now. I'm sick of waiting. There have been more perfect moments in the last two weeks since that damn ring went missing than there have been since the night I originally planned to propose.

  It's like the universe is trying to prove to me that we're right for each other. That it's time to take the next step.

  Well, fuck you, universe. I'm well aware that it's time. It's past fucking time. And if I hadn't been such a fucking moron, I wouldn't have carried that damn ring with me everywhere I went. I'm fairly certain it's the reason there was a hole in my pocket. I've found two other pockets with small holes in them since. The diamond must have been ripping the material.

  "I'm glad you like it,” I say as she pulls away, her eyes filled with passion.

  "There are other things I like as well," she replies, slowly feeling her way down to my body and cupping me over my jeans.

  "Oh, yeah? Tell me about these other things."

  All thoughts of her missing engagement ring are lost as Jade slowly strips me of my clothes. Piece by piece. Dragging out the process before giving me a show as she does the same to herself.

  This woman is amazing. She's perfect for me in every way. She knows exactly what I want, can read my mind even when I wish she couldn't, and delivers on every promise she's ever made me.

  Most recently, promises she made in the car on the drive up here.

  To seduce me slowly and show me exactly how much she loves me.

  Because that's what she's doing right now. With her eyes, her body, and the dirty words coming out of her mouth.

  The weekend's just begun, and I can't wait to see what else she has in store for us. I have a few plans of my own. I plan to make sure this is a weekend permanently ingrained in her mind for the rest of her life.

  We move to the couch, and Jade straddles me, grinding herself against me. I'm already teetering on the edge after the amazing show she
put on for me. I've seen her naked a thousand times, and yet even the thought of it gets me hard. She's all curves and creamy skin. Her breasts fit in my hands like they were made just for me. And that ass... dear God, I love it when she grinds it against me.

  Retrieving my pants from the floor, Jade pulls out the condom I keep in my wallet for easy access. I almost come undone as I watch her rip it open with her teeth. She's on a mission to drive me crazy, and it’s working.

  She slowly begins rolling it over my engorged tip when she stops suddenly, removing it, and tossing it over her shoulder.

  "What are you doing?"

  "It ripped."

  Fuck! At least she noticed.

  "There are more in my bag."

  I hear her rummaging around behind me as I slowly stroke myself, missing her body against mine. Eyes closed, I rest my head against the back of the couch. It's not until her hand’s on mine, guiding my cock toward her heat, that I regain my focus.

  "Um... do you really think that's a good idea?" I ask, the idea of being inside her without any barrier exciting me more than it should. We've always used protection, and yet I still managed to get her pregnant.

  Slowly taking me in until she's fully seated, Jade doesn't answer my question with words. She knows were risking it. She has to. It's not like she's trying to trap me for the next eighteen years. She already has me. And I plan to hold on to her for a lot longer than that.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  JADE

  The weekend away was exactly what Nathan and I needed. Time alone. Tons of sex. No responsibilities for a few days.

  We needed to reconnect.

  And we did. We connected a lot.

  On the couch. In the shower. The king-size bed. The kitchen counter.

  Anywhere we could physically make it work, we did. That included the yard under the stars our last night there.

  That first night was the most amazing, though. With nothing between us. The one and only condom he packed tore, and I wasn't about to stop in the middle of what we had going on.