“Nora.” Jack stops and turns to face me. “You are my light and my love, and there is no one in the world I’d rather free fall with for the rest of my life.”
He steps back, pulling a box from his pocket. My hand flies to my mouth, and my heart speeds up. Jack opens the black box and gets down on one knee.
“Will you marry me?”
I look into his eyes, unable to form a sentence. Tears blur my vision, and I feel like I’ve lived my whole life waiting for this moment. My eyes go to the sparkling diamond ring. It’s Mimi’s. There’s only one way he could have gotten it, and now I know why he was talking to Doug. He asked for his blessing to propose to me tonight.
“Yes.” The tears fall free. “Yes, Jack, yes.”
He slides the ring on my finger and gets up, cradling me to his chest.
“You are sure you want to do that, right?”
I laugh and lean back just enough to look him in the eyes. “Positive. This is how it’s supposed to be. Just me and you.”
Chapter 47
Jack
“I feel like the luckiest girl in the room and I’m not the bride.” Nora turns to me, smiling.
“I know without a doubt I am the luckiest guy in the room.” I put my hand on the small of her back as we walk forward into the reception hall for cocktails before dinner. “Do you want something?”
“Might as well have a glass of free Champagne, right? We do have something to celebrate.”
“We so do.” I go to the bar and return with two glasses. It’s been three days since I proposed to Nora, and we’ve yet to tell anyone besides Stephanie and Doug. They knew I was asking, after all, since I had to get the ring from Doug. It was Nora’s idea to keep our news quiet until after Alice’s wedding.
Even though Alice is a ridiculous bridezilla, I agreed with Nora on not wanting to rain on her parade. I hadn’t even thought of it—the wedding was the farthest thing on my mind when proposing—and her selflessness makes me love her more and more. We didn’t go so far as to not wear the ring tonight. Nora did spin the ring around and conceal the diamonds against her palm when my parents stopped by, though.
We take our drinks to the outdoor terrace of the reception hall and sit together on a cast iron bench.
“Maybe I’m just not used to Champagne,” Nora starts, “but this is really gross.”
“I thought the same thing.”
“I feel bad wasting it though.” Nora takes another drink and grimaces, making me laugh.
“If we spot my mom, we can give it to her. She never turns down alcohol.”
“Veronica doesn’t either. She takes after your mom.”
“Lucky,” I say sarcastically.
“Hey, I like your mom.”
I set my drink down and slip my arm around Nora. “Good. Because you’re going to become part of the family soon. At least you get the chance to meet most everyone today.”
Nora takes a tiny sip, looking at the wedding guests. “Do you want a big wedding like this?”
“I don’t really care,” I say honestly as it occurs to me how a large wedding might be awkward or uncomfortable for Nora. I have a large family on both my father and mother’s side. And Nora, well, doesn’t.
I know she’s met Stephanie and Doug’s extended families before because she told me she has, but she’s not at all close with them. Having them there wouldn’t mean much to her or to them.
“Do you?” I ask her.
“I used to want one. Obviously, things have changed, and all this stuff doesn’t seem important anymore. I don’t want to elope, but I’d be happy inviting no more than fifty people.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do. I’ll marry you tomorrow at the courthouse if that’s what you wanted.”
Nora’s smile broadens. “Same here. Though I do want to do a little bit of wedding planning.”
I playfully nudge her with my elbow. “I knew you would.”
“I’m guessing you have no suggestions as to when to get married, right?”
“No, and I don’t know how much time you need to plan everything. How soon can you pull a wedding off?”
Nora laughs. “Usually a few months in order to book everything you need, though if we do go with a smaller guest list, we can probably squeeze in somewhere sooner than later. A fall wedding would be pretty.”
She brings her Champagne to her lips and takes a big drink, shuddering. “So would winter.”
“I like the idea of winter, though it’s farther away.” I look at Nora. The sun is setting behind her, casting her in a golden glow. She’s wearing a multicolored print dress and has her hair up in a loose bun at the nape of her neck.
“December is six months away. That’s the perfect amount of time because I probably will order my dress.” She finishes the rest of her Champagne. “Now I won’t feel bad for wasting it.”
I take her hand, twisting the ring so the diamonds face up to the sun. The ring is pretty—a vintage style according to Nora—and way bigger than anything I could afford. Nora told me Mimi upgraded it over the years, and her grandpa replaced the center stone for one twice its size as a birthday surprise the year before he died.
The ring means a lot to her.
“I’m starving. When does dinner start again?”
Nora checks the time on her phone. “We have forty more minutes.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. There might be hors d’oeuvres near the bar. Want to check?”
“If there is a chance for food, yes.” I stand, grab my glass, and offer a hand to help Nora to her feet.
“I’m a little drunk,” she says and loops her arm through mine. “And kind of horny. Do you think there’s a place around here to sneak off to and have sex?”
“I will find a place. Are you completely against fucking in the parking lot?”
Nora laughs. “Where we are currently parked, yes. But move to a spot in the back and we’re in business.” She bites her lip and hooks her arms around my neck. “I want you to do what you did to me last night.”
“Your hair might get messed up.”
“I’d be disappointed it if didn’t.”
“You are killing me, Nora.”
She inches forward, rubbing her hips on mine. “What are you gonna do about it?”
“I’m moving the damn Jeep.” I take her hand and start forward, only to run into my parents. Dammit.
“Hey, kids!” Mom’s holding a glass of wine. An empty glass of wine, that is. “Lovely service, wasn’t it? Though I thought it was a tad long for not being a church service.”
“Yeah, I was bored,” I say.
Nora laughs. “He kept trying to play games on his phone. I threatened to take the phone away.”
Dad leans in, whispering. “I did the same, but with sports updates.”
“They’re such children,” Mom says to Nora.
“I know, right?” She shakes her head and looks at me, unable to resist smiling. “And now this one is starving to death. Though I will admit I am hungry too.”
“There are a few fast food places down the street,” Mom suggests. “Grandma Harrington just told us the photos will take longer than expected and they won’t start dinner without the wedding party.”
I look at Nora, hopeful. Going to get something to eat would give us a reason to come back and park among the trees. The intense need to hold her, touch her, and fuck her hasn’t faded. She’s awakened every part of me, and I don’t want that feeling to ever fade. I promise myself, right then and there, I won’t let it. The crazy passion settles down over time, I know, and life gets in the way, but I’ll be damned we get complacent. I want Nora to always feel like my queen, to know she has this powerful hold over me that turns me into the eighteen-year-old boy I was when we met, unable to keep my hands off her.
“We can go if you want,” Nora says. “I won’t order anything, but I will steal some of your fries.
“That’s fine with me.” I hold up the Champagne. “Do you want
this?” I ask my mom.
“Sure.” She gives my dad her empty wine glass and takes the Champagne. “That’s a pretty necklace, Nora.”
“Thanks. Jack gave it to me for my birthday years ago,” Nora says and reaches up to touch it.
With her left hand.
Mom chokes on her drink, gasping. “What—Jack—is that—James, look!” She takes Nora’s hand. “Is this what I think it is?”
“If you think it’s an engagement ring, then yes,” I say.
Mom is thoroughly confused, not that I blame her. She laughs and looks up. “No, you’re joking.”
Nora takes her hand back and puts it on my chest, stepping in. I think she’s feeling the same crazy attraction right now too. “Jack proposed.”
Mom looks at Dad, who’s just as stunned. “This ring is huge. No offense Jack but how? I mean, it has to be worth thousands!”
“It was my grandma’s ring,” Nora answers. “And it is. It was appraised for nearly twenty-five thousand.”
I knew the ring was worth a ridiculous amount of money, but each time I hear it out loud, it shocks me.
My parents stand there, stunned to silence for a minute. Dad speaks first.
“When did this happen? Why haven’t we heard the good news?”
I wrap my arm around Nora’s waist. “We didn’t want to take any attention away from Alice and Jay. We planned on announcing it tomorrow.”
Mom smiles. “That’s very thoughtful of you. Their wedding is almost over. Now I can start planning yours! Have you picked a date or anything?”
“We were thinking December,” Nora tells her.
“This December?” Mom’s eyes widen when Nora nods. “That’s not much time at all! Oh my God!” She leans in. “Are you pregnant?”
“Mom!” I shake my head. “Nora’s not pregnant, and if she was we’d get married sooner than December.”
“What’s the rush?”
Nora’s eyes meet mine. “We’ve been apart long enough,” she says. “We don’t want to wait any longer than we have to.”
“Oh, Jackie, you couldn’t have found a better girl.” She pulls us both into a hug, and then takes Nora’s hand again, bringing it to her face. “Your grandma had amazing taste.”
“She always did.” Nora carefully takes the ring off and hands it to my mother. Mom turns it over and over, then starts asking Nora about wedding plans.
“Where is your sister?” Mom asks. “She’s going to be so happy!”
“Mom,” I say gently. I don’t want to crush her excitement, but I don’t want her to make a big deal out of this at someone else’s wedding. “We want to wait until tomorrow at least.”
“Right, right.” Mom shakes her head then wipes tears from her eyes. “I didn’t cry during the ceremony but look at me now,” she laughs. She hugs Nora again.
Dad claps me on the back. “Congratulations, son.”
“Thanks. I’m still a little stunned she said yes.”
Dad laughs. “She’s always been out of your league,” he jokes. “We like seeing you happy,” he says softly. “Nora is perfect for you.”
“Yeah,” I say, looking at her. “She is.”
After everything we went through together, I know there will never be another. My heart was made to beat along with hers. She’s the light and I’m the dark, and together we shine.
Epilogue
Jack
A year and a half later…
“That was nice,” Nora says, putting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher.
“It was.” I wipe crumbs off the counter and toss the rag in the sink. “I’m glad you talked me into it.”
Nora smiles. “If I show you my boobs I can talk you into pretty much anything.”
I laugh and go to her, grabbing her by the waist. “That is true.”
She spins and hooks her arms around my neck. “I’m proud of you, you know.”
I shrug off the compliment and kiss her. The sun is starting to set, and the guys from my PTSD support group just left. After filling in a few times after Wyatt’s death, I was asked to be the new—and permanent—leader. I didn’t want to do it at first. Taking on the responsibly of helping others get through the dark seemed hypocritical when I still had moments when I couldn’t see the light.
Nora helped me realize that’s exactly why I should do it.
There is no cure for PTSD. There’s often not a reason a flashback hits, and no telling how intense it will be. The darkness circles you, pounces, and holds you down. But you don’t surrender. You get up and keep going because there is always light if you keep looking for it.
It was Nora’s idea to host a Christmas party. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it or not; I’m used to being around the guys, but not their family members who have to deal with the aftermath of the shit we’ve all been through. But as soon as everyone got here, I’m glad I listened to my wife. Sometimes she knows me better than I know myself.
“We have an hour before the second round of guests arrive,” I say, raising my eyebrows. “Want to go upstairs?”
Nora shakes her head.
“Not feeling up to it?”
“Oh, I am.” She moves in, rubbing her hips against mine. “I just don’t want to go upstairs. We have a really nice fire going. It would be a shame not to have sex in front of it.”
I pick her up, and Nora laughs, protesting I put her down. She holds me tight as I spin her around, then rush into the living room, playfully throwing her on the couch. Nora reaches up and kisses me once, then gets up and grabs a faux fur throw from the couch, spreading it on the floor in front of the fireplace. Binx immediately comes over and lays down on it.
“Sorry, buddy.” I scoop up the fat cat and put him on the couch before sitting down with Nora. She rests her head against my shoulder and I wrap my arms around her, bringing her down with me. She cuddles up against me, head on my chest.
Her eyes are closed and I run my hand through her hair. Nora’s been tired lately, with good reason. The desire to have my hands all over her all the time never subsided, and I don’t think it even will, but if she wants to rest, then we will.
Then she opens her eyes, tipping her head up so her lips brush against mine. “Make me come, Jack.”
I move over top of her, gladly accepting her challenge.
* * *
“I can’t stop staring at it.” Nora runs her hands through her hair, trying to rid the evidence of just having sex, and stares up at the twelve-foot Christmas tree. “It’s so pretty. I think it’s going to win again.”
I toss another log on the fire and look around the house. The entire thing has been carefully decorated from the start, and Nora transformed it into a winter wonderland. This is our second Christmas in the house together, and it’s bound to be our best one yet.
We got married last December, surrounded by our closest friends and a fresh blanket of snow. We vowed the rest of our lives to each other under the twinkling stars and the soft glow of the moon off the mountains. It was perfect. Though marrying Nora anywhere would have been perfect.
Because any place is a good place if she’s there.
“It tops last year’s,” I tell her, standing behind her. I move her hair to the side and kiss the back of her neck. “Everything does. It’s perfect, babe.”
“Thanks. The house is perfect now.”
It took a while, but the large renovations are complete, including the addition we had put onto the cabin. We have a never-ending list of little projects to do to completely make this place our dream house, but even now, it’s perfect.
“And it got done not a moment too soon.” I put my lips to her neck again and rest my hands on her belly. She’s nine weeks along, and we’ve been waiting to announce the pregnancy until Christmas. Both of our parents and Veronica know, but they’ve been sworn to secrecy.
It’s our turn to host Christmas, and my dad’s family in Reno is coming up to the mountains. We’re having Christmas dinner at the cabin, and that’s w
hen we’ll tell my grandparents they’ll be great-grandparents. Nora made ornaments with the baby’s first ultrasound picture, and she’s been dying to give them to everyone since the moment she made them.
The timer goes off on the oven, and Nora moves out of my arms to take out cookies. Our house is the last stop on the holiday house tour, and then the votes will be cast. Nora’s tree won last year, and the one she styled for Stephanie got second place. It’s hard not to like Nora, but I’m fairly certain she made quite a few enemies last holiday season.
Dale Hollow’s Christmas competitors show no mercy.
She comes back into the living room with a plateful of cookies.
“I know these are for our guests, but the baby wants cookies,” she says with a smile.
“You have to give the baby what she wants.”
We sit on the couch, and Nora props her feet up on the coffee table. Charlie comes over, resting his head on her lap and giving her his best puppy-dog eyes.
“Fine,” she says, breaking off a tiny piece of her sugar cookie for him. “That’s it though.”
Nora yawns and set the empty plate down, letting Charlie lick the crumbs. I put my arm around her shoulders and her head falls on my shoulder.
“Tired?”
“Yeah. I’m looking forward to bedtime already.”
Nora’s been dealing with extreme fatigue pretty much since conception. Her iron levels are low, and growing a person is a lot of work. No wonder she’s tired.
“Do you want to go upstairs and lay down? I’ll come get you when people start arriving.”
“That is tempting. I think I just need to get up and move around.”
She grabs her plate and takes it to the kitchen, putting it in the dishwasher. I stand in front of the floor to ceiling windows in the living room, watching snow fall. Nora joins me, and my arms go around her. It’s automatic when she’s near.
“It’s so pretty,” she whispers.
“It is.”
Christmas music softly plays from her phone in the kitchen, and I twirl her around to dance. Nora’s arms fasten around my neck. I move my hands to her waist, heart so full it could burst. We fell in love when we were just kids and standing here with my beautiful wife in my arms, I feel like a kid in love all over again.
Small town romance boxed set Page 68
