by Emily Minton
“If you quit crying and be good for Aunt Bethany, I’ll take you to Dairy Queen for breakfast.”
Her eyes brighten, and a mischievous smile crosses her face. “If you promise to take me to Subway for lunch too, you’ve got a deal.”
Oh shit, our little girl is turning into a spoiled brat. Being home, she has an entire family to dote on her, and she is using it to her full advantage. I thought that was a good thing, but I’m not so sure anymore.
“Jenny…” I start but shut up quickly when Jase’s eyes fly to mine. They are both angry and amused, not a good combination for a parent.
When he looks back at her, he crosses his arms over his chest. “How about this? If you keep acting out, I’ll not take you to Pop’s after school tomorrow.”
Jenny’s face falls, and her lower lip starts to wobble. “But, Pop is gonna teach me how to flush out a radiator.”
Jase’s eyes move to mine as he stifles a laugh. We must be the only parents in the world who have a nine year old daughter that dreams of being a mechanic. He shakes off his humor and looks back at her. “Well, then I guess you better be good for Aunt Bethany.”
“Okay, Daddy,” she says as she runs up and gives him a hug.
After a quick round of goodbyes, we walk outside. Jase leads me to his truck, helps me get in, and we head out. The ride is really quiet, unusually so. He always has something to say, either about his work or talk of his family. Tonight, he is nearly silent. I can tell he’s nervous, and I have no idea why. It’s freaking me out a bit. He fidgets in his seat, tapping on the steering wheel. He keeps stealing looks at me, but turns back to the road every time I look at him. Shit, he’s making me nervous too.
Instead of going to a restaurant, like I assumed we would, he drives to the opposite side of town. Past his Pop’s house and the old park before finally pulling into the high school parking lot. It’s completely deserted; only the lights surrounding the field break through the darkness.
“What are we doing here?”
Jase smiles at me, but doesn’t answer. He gets out, walks around the truck, opens my door, and helps me out. Holding my hand, we walk toward the football field. “I’ve got a surprise.”
There’s a blanket and a cooler sitting beside the field, in the exact same spot he had asked me out for the first time all those years ago. He leads me right to it and sits down. He pulls me onto his lap and kisses me softly.
“I’ve been wanting to do that since I saw you in that dress.” His voice is a whisper against my mouth.
“What took you so long?”
“I was too fucking nervous,” he says with a laugh.
I’ve never seen Jase like this before. He’s always so confident, so self-assured. He’s been all jumpy since the ultrasound. I can’t stand not knowing what’s going through his head. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
He gives me a small smile and places me on the ground beside him. I can feel my heart quicken as he starts to stand. He goes to one knee and pulls a small box from his pocket.
Oh my God!
Jase
As soon as I pull out the ring, Julie starts to cry. “Julie, what’s wrong?” She doesn’t answer, just continues to sob. Shit, what the hell have I done? I sit down again and pull her into my lap. “Why are you crying?”
“You’re going to ask me to marry you,” she says between sobs. “You’re going to ask me right here, where you first asked me out.”
Okay, this I can handle. “I didn’t ask you out. I told you that you were going out with me. I wasn’t taking the chance that you would say no,” I say with a smile, trying to lighten her mood.
Julie laughs as she wipes the tears from her face. “This time, you have to ask.”
“I plan to,” I reply before opening up the box and pulling the ring out. I take a deep breath before looking into her eyes. “Do you remember this ring?”
She nods her head. “It was your mom’s,” she whispers.
“Yeah, it was, but it was my gram’s first. Grandpa gave it to her the day he came home from Germany. She wore it for twenty-nine years before she gave it to Pop. Then, my mom wore it until she died. I want you to wear it until our son meets the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with.” I take another deep breath. “Julie Anne Walker, will you marry me?”
Julie wraps her arms around me and starts to cry again. She doesn’t answer. I hold her close and wait for her to say the word. It seems like it takes forever. Finally, she leans away and looks into my eyes. “Yes, Jason Andrew Gibson, I will marry you.”
I pull her back to me and kiss her. I’m so happy I could nearly shout as I slide the ring on her finger. It fits perfectly, just like I knew it would. I remember seeing it on my mom’s hand a million times, but it has never looked as beautiful as it does now.
“We have to wait though.” I jerk my head and look at her. She’s smiling from ear to ear as she places her hand on her belly. “I don’t want to be fat on my wedding day. We’ll do it six weeks after the baby is born.”
I nod. I’ll agree to anything as long as she’ll marry me. “That’s fine, but why six weeks?”
“Because we won’t be able to have sex for six weeks after he’s born. I wouldn’t want to go on our honeymoon and not be able to give you a little, or a lot,” she answers with a sexy smile.
I throw back my head and laugh before pulling her mouth to mine. Fuck! I love this woman.
We spend an hour making out on the football field. I have never felt happier in my entire life; everything is finally feeling complete. After making out like teenagers, we load into my truck and run to get take-out before heading home. I had a whole big night planned, but Julie wants to tell Jenny our big news. The idea of Jenny’s reaction makes me chuckle. Yeah, Sweet Pea is going to be excited.
Chapter 26
Julie
I’m walking through the Piggly Wiggly when my phone rings. Dean has already called twice today, so I get nervous every time I hear it go off. My stomach is in knots as I pull it from my purse, but the tension fades when I see Bethany’s name flash across the screen. I slide it on and put it to my ear. “Hello?”
“Guess what I figured out today?” she says, excitement in her voice.
“What?”
“You’re off work the same week Jenny and I are out for Spring break!” she shouts.
“I thought you were off the week after I was?” I know that’s what she told me.
Mr. Friedman is shutting the office down in two weeks for his annual hunting trip in Colorado. It’s mandatory vacation time for both Becca and I, so I was disappointed when I realized I wouldn’t be able to take off during Jenny’s Spring break from school.
“I did too, but I was looking over the school calendar this morning and realized that I had the dates mixed up.”
This is wonderful news! I’ve wanted to take them to Chattanooga ever since we moved back to Cromwell. “We can go to the mountains!”
“That’s what I was thinking. I even looked for cabins online. I found one with three bedrooms and a Jacuzzi on the deck, so you and Jase can have some fun after me and Jenny go to bed,” she says with a laugh.
“Oh crap. I didn’t even think about Jase.” He’s not going to like this idea at all.
“What about Jase? Please don’t tell me that you don’t want him to go with us?” she asks and blows out a frustrated breath.
Leave it to Bethany to always think the worst. “Of course I want him to go with us. I just don’t think he’ll like the idea of me being away from home. By that time, I’ll be nearly eight-months pregnant. You know how protective he is.”
“Oh, I never thought about that,” she says.
I hear sadness in her voice and immediately feel guilty. I know she needs to get away. Dean’s phone calls have been really getting to her, and she seems to have retreated into herself over the last few weeks. The only time she seems interested in anything is when I get a letter from Brandon. Sometimes, I think she looks forward to them
more than I do.
I have to think of a way to make this happen for her. “I’ll call the doctor and see what he thinks before we even mention the trip to Jase.”
“Yeah!” she shouts, sounding more like a ten-year-old kid than the twenty-eight-year-old woman she is. “If he gives you the go ahead, Jase will let us go.”
As soon as we hang up, I call the doctor’s office. Luckily, his receptionist is one of Jenny’s friends’ moms. I explain what my plan is, and she lets me talk to the doctor right away. He gives me the all clear. Of course, I have to spend twenty minutes listening to what I could and could not do.
After we finish talking, I go back to shopping. I start to pick up some chicken, but then have a better idea. Meatloaf. Yes, definitely my bacon wrapped meatloaf. I grin to myself. It’s what I always cooked in the past whenever I wanted Jase to do something for me. Today’s the perfect occasion. I reach over and grab a package of hamburger meat then head for the bacon.
Jase
“I’m heading out,” I shout to Pop as I walk out the door.
I’ve always loved my job, but now the days seem to be getting longer and longer. I never used to mind working until six every day, but I used to be alone. Now, I want to be at home by four. I know my girls will be there, and I want to be there too. Now when the day’s finally over, I’m virtually running out the door.
I’m home in less than ten minutes, but it seems to take forever. As I walk into the house, I hear some crappy pop music coming from the living room. I also hear the shrieks of female laughter. Closing the door quietly, I walk toward the sound.
Julie, Jenny, and Bethany are doing some sort of fucked-up dancing. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. Bethany is moving her arms in a swimming motion while shaking her whole body. Jenny is bent at the middle, booty in the air, swinging it from side to side. Julie is attempting the moonwalk while twirling her arms like a windmill. It’s the funniest shit I’ve ever seen. I shout out in laughter, holding my stomach.
All three girls freeze and look at me. Then Jenny starts to laugh. “Come dance with us, Daddy.”
After a few minutes of grumbling, I join in. Before long, I’m dancing just as crazy as they are. I even throw in my own version of the electric slide, making the girls laugh their asses off. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had.
After our dancing marathon is over, we head to the kitchen for dinner. Julie made her bacon wrapped meatloaf and mashed potatoes. She’s always hated making meatloaf because she said using her hands to mix it all together is gross. I’ve only had it twice since she’s been back, even though I have asked her to make it a hundred times. She knows it’s my favorite meal, so her making it after working all day makes me wonder. Back in the day, she only made it when she wanted something, so when I see what she’s made, I give her a ‘what do you want’ look.
“Bethany and I were talking today. The school’s spring break is coming up in two weeks, so Bethany and Jenny are out. Mr. Friedman is going to be out of town, and the office will be closed the entire week, so I’m off too.”
Ahh, here we go. “Yeah, that’s good.”
“Well, she and Jenny have never been to the Smoky Mountains. I thought maybe we could go to Chattanooga. We could visit the aquarium and take them up to Ruby Falls. I already talked to the doctor, and he said it was fine.”
I look around, and all three of the girls are wearing huge grins. Shit! I hate to ruin this for them. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. You guys don’t need to be off on your own until we figure out what your ex is doing.”
I try to keep my response as simple as possible. Jenny is at the table, and the last thing she needs is to know Dean has been causing problems. We’ve done our best to hide the calls from her, but she’s smart enough to know something is going on.
“What do you mean, on our own?” asks Bethany.
I motion to my girls, all three of them. “You three in Chattanooga, alone... It could be dangerous.”
Bethany may have started out as Dean’s sister, but she has quickly become a member of my family. I’d lay my life on the line for her any day.
“You don’t think Pop will give you the time off?” she asks, wearing a frown.
“What?”
Julie reaches across the table and lays her hand on mine. “We want you to go with us.”
They want me to go on vacation with them, like we’re a real family. I stare at Julie for a moment, and she’s still smiling at me. I look around the table. Jenny and Bethany are smiling too. That’s when it hits me. We are a real family, the family I always wanted.
“I’ll talk to Pop in the mornin’. He’ll give me the time off.” I look around the table at my girls and smile. “We’ll have a ball.”
Chapter 27
Julie
I toss another of Jenny’s shirts in the suitcase before turning to look at Jase. “Do you think I should take her some warmer pajamas? I only packed her nightgowns, since it’s been so warm lately. It may be cooler in the mountains, though.”
“I’m sure the nightgowns will be fine. If she gets cool, she can cover up.”
I roll my eyes at his suggestion and rush to her room to grab some flannel PJs. Stepping back into our room, I hold them up. “Jenny never stays under the covers.”
He blows out a frustrated breath as he closes one of the three suitcases lying on the bed. “Do you really need all this stuff for a six-day trip?”
“I’m a woman. I need a lot of things,” I explain with a smile.
Jase just shakes his head and smiles. He picks up Jenny’s princess shoes that are lying beside the only empty suitcase. “Remind me again why Jenny has to take fake shoes with her. Do you really think she’s going to wear these while we’re in the mountains?”
“I doubt it, but she loves them. They’re her favorites.” I walk over and place my arms around his waist. “This is our first family vacation. I want it to be perfect for Jenny. If she wants her princess shoes, I want her to have them.”
Jase smiles down at me. “I understand, baby.” He kisses the top of my head. “I’ll just run over to the apartment and grab my suitcase.”
He backs out of my arms and places his hand on my bulging stomach. “Don’t move those suitcases. I’ll get them myself as soon as I get home. I’ll be right back,” he says and walks out of the room. A few minutes later, I hear his truck pulling out of the driveway.
I’m so busy packing that time seems to fly by. I look at the clock; it’s nearly nine. That’s strange. Jase went to his place over an hour ago... He should be back by now. I’m trying not to worry, but it just doesn’t make sense. I need to check on him.
I walk down the stairs and see Bethany on the couch. “Can you watch Jenny for a few minutes?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll be right back. I’m going to Jase’s.”
“Is something wrong?” she asks.
“I don’t think so,” I say as I walk out the door.
It only takes ten minutes to get to Jase’s. I pull up and freeze. There’s a car parked beside Jase’s truck. It’s Becca’s car. I jump out of the car as fast as my swollen body will allow. My heart is racing as I make my way into the apartment. My stomach rolls as I hear voices coming from the bedroom.
Jase
The girls and I are leaving for the Smokey Mountains tomorrow, and I cannot fucking wait. I’ve been planning shit all week. I want to make sure my girls have the best time ever. We’re all getting packed tonight. Most of my clothes are at Julie’s, but I need my suitcase from home. I head over to my house. I’m in my room grabbing the suitcase out of the closet when I hear the door open and footsteps down the hall.
As I look around my old bedroom, I realize I need to let this place go. I’m never coming back here, so there’s no reason to keep paying rent for it. As much as I love Julie’s house, I hate to lose this place. It was the first home Julie and I shared. Even though it holds a lot of bad memories, it holds a hell of a lot of good o
nes too.
“Jase?” a voice calls from the hallway, breaking me away from my thoughts.
“Are you here?” It’s Becca. What the fuck is she doing here? She pokes her head into the room. “We need to talk,” she says, leaning against the doorframe.
“Did you just waltz into my place without knocking?” How fucking dare she; who did she think she was? “You need to get the hell out.”
“Jase…” she starts but I cut her off.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I wait for an answer, but she looks down to her feet. “Like I said, you need to leave. We don’t need to talk. I need to get back to my family,” I say as I start to walk past her.
“Please, it’s important,” she says, pleading.
She’s been popping up for weeks, always wanting to talk. I’ve blown her off time and time again, but I know she’s going to keep coming at me if I don’t listen, so I set the suitcase down and cross my arms across my chest. “You have five minutes.”
She walks across the room and sits on the bed. “I did something wrong, so very wrong.” She takes a breath. “We didn’t sleep together, Jase, at least not until that one time at the shop. That’s it. All the other times, we’d just drink together. After you passed out, I would take off my clothes and lay down beside you.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
She shakes her head as she hugs herself. “I let you believe we did. I did everything I could to make you think you had been with me.”
Her words make no sense, not at fucking all. “What the fuck?”
“I knew it was wrong, but I wanted what you and Julie had. I’m sorry.”
My heart is hammering in my chest as I stumble onto the bed beside her and place my head in my hands. “I cannot believe this.”
“It gets worse.”
I jerk my eyes to her. “How the hell can it get any worse than that?”
“The time we were together at the garage, I set you up to be caught. I knew Julie was going to be there and when. I made sure to be there at the same time, and I did everything I could to make sure she caught us having sex.”
