THAT RING

by Dodd, Jillian

  Danny

  When the locker room celebration is over, we all go back to the team hotel and celebrate some more. Eventually, the kids and Jadyn get tired, so Phillip takes them back to the house.

  Jennifer stays by my side, having a ball, partying with my teammates until the wee hours of the morning. It isn’t until the last bottle of champagne has been drunk that we get driven back to her house as the sun is rising.

  She’s holding my hand tightly as I lead her through the house and to her backyard. Even though it faces west, the colors of the sky are beautiful.

  I take her into my arms on her deck with the view and say, “I know we’ll plan a wedding, and I know we’ll say our vows, but I want to do that thing you talked about. I want to recite our promises to each other.”

  “Now?” she asks.

  “Yes.”

  “But I didn’t plan anything.”

  “That’s the point,” I tell her. “They are supposed to be raw and come from your heart.”

  She nods, leans in, kisses me, and then takes a step back, grabbing both of my hands and looking into my eyes. “We’re easy, Danny. Wonderfully, amazingly easy. You taught me that real love, true love, is nearly effortless. It’s a state of being, not a decision. Call it fate, if you will. But accept it. Accept that it’s beyond our control. That our being together is just plain right. Like the world is now correctly aligned for us. You. Me. Destiny. That rhymes.”

  “So do we,” I say. “Your name is poetry on my lips. Your touch glistens over me like the sun on the waves. Your hand in mine both arouses and comforts me. Our bodies mold seamlessly, a perfect fit.”

  “Oh, I agree with that one. I think it’s quite possible that you were literally made for me. And I promise you that I will never again let anyone or anything stop us from finally experiencing the kind of life and love we have with each other. But I also have expectations. I expect to be loved. Completely and fully by a man who loves himself and won’t self-destruct the second I look away. I expect to be treated with respect by you, your children, and your ex-wife.”

  “Hmm,” I say with a grin, taking her hips in my hands and bringing her in closer. “I appreciate your understanding that I’m a package deal. I expect for us to have fun, to laugh together every single day, and to be reckless in love always. I’m ready to share my life with someone who deserves my love and who will love me back forever.”

  “I’ll take your forever and raise the ante with a couple of kids.” There’s a lightness in her voice, but I know she’s quite serious about this. “You’re going to be needing a few more tattoos. Not just another championship one, but at least two of the Roman numeral birthdates, too.”

  “I’m not sure I can top that.” I kiss her. “My love for you, um, it rises from the ocean, its depth unfathomable.”

  “Now, you’re just being silly,” she says, kissing me again. “My love for you is hotter than the sun.”

  “That’s almost as hot as you,” I tell her as I let my hands glide suggestively across her hips.

  “Oh, Danny Diamond, what am I going to do with you now?” she repeats the words she said to me that night on the beach, letting out a wholehearted laugh.

  “I bet I can come up with a few ideas,” I tell her, leading her back to the house and into the bedroom.

  EPILOGUE

  June 20th

  Jennifer

  The wedding preparations are in full swing. I’m standing on the rooftop of the newly renovated hotel that Jadyn is almost ready to reopen—ahead of schedule, I might add.

  Celebrity event planner Ariela Ross is here along with her team, and there are so many details that it makes my head hurt. Ariela tells me not to worry, that it will all be perfect, but she wants to make sure we are on the same page.

  Mostly because of the crazy decor I asked for.

  I gave her a photo of the Halloween bouquet Danny had given me and told her to use it as inspiration for the wedding. While she understood that orange has always been my favorite color, she didn’t think pairing it with black and neon green would look good for a summer wedding.

  She walks me around the rooftop, pointing out the deep green topiaries decorated with orange and fuchsia floral that line the perimeter, the intricate macramé altar backdrop topped with vertically hung garlands, the colored ribbons flowing down the sides of the overhead canopy, which will not only keep paparazzi from taking photos from above, but also protect our guests from the sun.

  “What do you think, Jennifer?” she asks. “Is it crazy enough?”

  “It’s beautiful,” I say, getting teary-eyed, imagining marrying Danny in a few short hours.

  “Perfect. As we discussed, we’ll have the ceremony here and then move to the hotel bar for cocktail hour. Our decor there, as per your request, is minimal. Reception in the Grand Ballroom and then back up here for dancing. We’ll remove the canopy, putting millions of twinkle lights overhead. They will reflect beautifully on the glass dance floor. There will be cream linen furniture pieces for lounging with just a few pops of color, most of which are these,” she says, taking my hand, leading me to a staging area, and showing me an ornately carved chandelier that is painted bright orange.

  “Ariela, really, this is going to be the wedding of my dreams. Thank you so much.”

  “Wait until you see the ballroom. It looks like it’s raining flowers in there. But you might want to wait and see it for the first time with Danny.” She checks her watch. “Speaking of Danny, you’d better get to the suite. Your bridal party should be about finished with the glam squad, which means it’s about your turn.”

  Although our wedding party only consists of Devaney as my maid of honor and Damon as the best man, I invited Jadyn and her daughter, Haley, to the bridal suite. When I get back down there, Devaney’s hair is still being curled, and Haley is just finishing up with her pedicure.

  I plop down on the sofa next to Jadyn, rubbing my hand across my face. I’m worried I’m getting sick. The last few days, I’ve felt tired and achy and bloated. And that’s the last thing I want to be during our honeymoon in the Maldives.

  “You look a little peaked,” Jadyn says. “Are you stressed about the wedding?”

  “No, it’s not that,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck, which feels a little feverish. “I think I might be getting the flu.”

  Jadyn stares at me for a beat and then grins. “Let me guess; you’ve felt this way for a few days, but the flu you think is coming still hasn’t?”

  My eyes brighten. That’s exactly how I’ve felt. “Uh, yeah. Is that going around?”

  “And do your boobs sort of ache?”

  “Ohmigawd, how did you know that? Did you have it?”

  “Yeah. I actually have it now,” she says, running her hand across her very pregnant belly. “Any chance you’re late?”

  “Late? Wait. What are you suggesting? Like, that it’s not the flu? That I could be—oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!” I start to bounce. “Oh. My. Gosh. Oh. My. Gosh. I have to get a test. Now.”

  “Hang on,” she says. “Does that mean, you’re late?”

  “Only a few days. I was literally just thinking this morning how it would be just my luck that it would wait to show up while we’re on the honeymoon.”

  She raises an eyebrow at me and grins. “If you’re pregnant, you won’t have that issue.”

  “Can we leave? Can I leave? Will you come with me? Can we go buy a test? Like, now. Like, seriously, right now.”

  “Of course we can leave. But you have to get ready for your wedding. And lunch is on its way up. I am also thinking maybe you shouldn’t be the one to go into a pharmacy near Rodeo Drive to buy a pregnancy test.”

  “Oh shit, I didn’t even think of that.”

  “Let me call down to the concierge. He can have someone go get it while we eat.”

  “Okay. Ohmigawd.”

  “Does that mean you will be excited if you are?”

  “Yes! I’ve been dreaming of filling up tha
t space on Danny’s arm with our children since our first date. And he’s definitely on board with having more children. Especially now that he’s retired.” I put my hand on her arm. “And I promise I will be so deliriously happy that I won’t have a single bitchy moment.”

  “Yeah, I’m not sure you can promise that. Pregnancy isn’t easy.”

  “Although,” I say with a laugh, “since I can’t control what comes out of my mouth on a normal basis, maybe I shouldn’t promise that.”

  “What comes out of your mouth is usually really funny. So, what did you think of the decor you saw?”

  “The wedding decor is amazing, but the hotel, Jadyn, it’s been resurrected. Just think, this is where you saved me.”

  “I didn’t save you,” she scoffs. “Just gave you an option you hadn’t thought of. The rest is on you. It’s really good to see you happy. And I can’t even express my gratitude about how wonderful it is to see my best friend so happy. Whether you are pregnant or not this time, it doesn’t matter. I know it will happen for the two of you eventually.”

  “That’s the story of our lives, isn’t it? Danny and I got together … eventually.”

  Once upon a time, a girl named Jadyn was best friends with two cute boys. And on a sunny day in Southern California on the rooftop of an iconic Beverly Hills hotel she’d helped to restore, she cries happy tears as she witnesses one of them finally get the happily ever after he deserves.

  A few moments later, she laughs her ass off when his new bride blurts out to all in attendance that she just found out she’s pregnant.

  Thank you for reading THAT RING!

  Want to know more about Jennifer’s old friends, Keatyn and Aiden, Riley and Ariela, and Knox and Katie? The entire KEATYN CHRONICLES series in FREE on Kindle Unlimited. Keep flipping to read an excerpt of the first book in the series Like Me.

  Never miss a Jillian Dodd release! Text “Jillian” to 77222 and be notified on release day. (Message/data rates may apply.) You can also sign up for my NEWSLETTER.

  Hang out with me on social media: Website Instagram Facebook Facebook Reader Group

  Love the other side characters in this book?

  Didn’t Cash and Ashlyn’s crazy Vegas wedding sound fun?

  Keep flipping to read an excerpt of Vegas Love.

  Follow that up with Cade and Palmer’s second-chance love story in Broken Love.

  Because That Divorce and That Ring are a stand-alone duet,

  you might not have read Phillip and Jadyn’s story.

  You’ll definitely want to read That Boy.

  Never miss a Jillian Dodd release! Text “Jillian” to 77222 and be notified on release day. (Message/data rates may apply.) You can also sign up for my NEWSLETTER.

  Hang out with me on social media: Website Instagram Facebook Facebook Reader Group

  That Boy Series (FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED)

  Small-town contemporary romance series about falling in love with the boy next door.

  That Boy

  That Wedding

  That Baby

  That Divorce

  That Ring

  The Keatyn Chronicles® (FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED)

  Discover a breathless fairy-tale romance with swoon-worthy characters, suspense, and a glittering celebrity world. Fans of Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and reality TV will devour this pulse-pounding, sexy teen drama set against the backdrop of Hollywood and an East Coast boarding school. A USA TODAY BEST-SELLING SERIES.

  Like Me

  Kiss Me

  Date Me

  Love Me

  Adore Me

  Hate Me

  Get Me

  Fame

  Power

  Money

  Sex

  Love

  Keatyn Unscripted

  Aiden

  Spy Girl® Series

  A sizzling romance series filled with action and adventure. Fans of The Selection and The Hunger Games will discover a heart-pounding thrill ride of espionage and suspense set in glittering high society. (And there’s a really handsome prince.)

  The Prince

  The Eagle

  The Society

  The Valiant

  The Dauntless

  The Phoenix

  The Echelon

  The Love Series (FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED)

  Vegas Love

  Caught up in a firestorm of tabloid gossip, actress Ashlyn Roberts doesn’t expect to end up in Vegas — or to wake up married to the sexy Cash Crawford. A USA TODAY BEST SELLER.

  Broken Love

  Does catching the garter and bouquet at a wedding really mean you belong together? For Palmer and Cade it could be the second chance they’re looking for in this sexy romance.

  Books by my daughter, Kenzie Hart (ALL FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED!)

  Girl off the Grid

  When fashion blogger Camille and eco-photographer Adam meet, their feelings are mutual—they hate each other. Can these two stop fighting long enough to complete their magazine assignment? Or will Camille give up and go home when she discovers there’s nowhere to plug in her hair straightener? Or will they both realize that sometimes you have to go off the grid to find yourself? A sweet travel romance suitable for ages 13 and up.

  The Curious Swan

  A sweet, whimsical romance set in the English countryside with a Jane Austen/Alice in Wonderland vibe.

  I Fall Apart

  This beautiful love story told in verse will take you an emotional journey—from the happiness of falling in love to the sadness of heartbreak.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Jillian Dodd is the USA Today best-selling author of more than twenty-five novels.

  She writes fun romances with characters her readers fall in love with—from the boy next door in the That Boy trilogy to the daughter of a famous actress in The Keatyn Chronicles to a spy who might save the world in the Spy Girl series.

  She adores writing big fat happily ever afters, wears a lot of pink, buys too many shoes, loves to travel, and is a distracted by anything covered in glitter.

  EXCERPT OF LIKE ME

  Friday, May 6th

  Come play with Cush.

  3am

  “Keatyn baby, come see The Cushman,” a tipsy Brandon Cushman says to me.

  I stay where I am.

  He walks over, slings his arm around my shoulder, and surveys the mess that is his house.

  “Another epic party delivered. Saw your bff was hooking up in the guest room. Watched a little before they kicked me out."

  “Would that be Vanessa or RiAnne?”

  “Vanessa. I don’t know why she got so pissed. It’s not like I haven’t seen it all before.”

  I nod my head. Vanessa has been with pretty much everyone.

  “So where's your boyfriend?"

  “Bathroom.” I roll my eyes. “Puking.”

  “Sander’s the man. You crashing here?"

  “No, I’m taking him home. I’m supposed to go surfing in, like, three hours.”

  Cush flashes me a grin so sexy it ought to be trademarked. “You looked hot dancing on the bar tonight. When you gonna dump The Sandman? Come play with Cush?”

  Cush is a total player, and he doesn’t try to hide it. He’s good looking and popular, so his standard pickup line of Let’s hook up works on most girls. And why wouldn’t it? He’s six feet tall, has a soccer-toned body, and bright blue eyes. During soccer season, his dark blond hair gets buzzed, and he rarely shaves. Tonight there is a fair amount of stubble on his cute face.

  He puts his face close to mine, like he’s going to kiss me, but instead he scratches his scruffiness up the side of my cheek and laughs.

  I rub my cheek. “Gee, thanks. Now I have Cushburn.”

  Cush gently pushes my hair behind my ear and studies my cheek. “It is a little red. Why don’t you come up to my room? I’ll kiss it and make it feel better.”

  I roll my eyes at him again and point toward the bathroom. “You wanna make me fee
l better, go check on The Sandman.”

  On cue, Sander, my boyfriend of over a year, stumbles out of the bathroom. He drank too much tonight, as usual.

  Cush grabs a bottle of water out of the mini fridge and tosses it to him.

  Of course, Sander misses, and it goes skittering across the tile.

  Cush and I try to hide our giggles as we watch him drunkenly chase it.

  “Fuck you, Cush," Sander says, after he finally corrals the bottle. The guys do the drunken guy hug but skip the I love you, man. Cush isn’t drunk enough for that.

  I survey the room littered with all the popular kids from my school and think back to how I imagined my life just a few years ago. How I begged my mom to let me stay in Malibu. How, for the first time in my life, I was going to put down roots. How I dreamed of being popular. I dreamed high school would be like what I'd seen in the movies. I wanted to live out one big high school musical.

  I can honestly say, I never imagined a scene like this.

  My best friend, Vanessa, is drunk, high, and hooking up with some guy she just met, but thought was hot.

  RiAnne was making out on the couch with a guy from the lacrosse team, but a few minutes ago they headed into one of the bedrooms.

  Cush's parties used to be fun back when there were about ten of us. Spin the bottle, beer pong, movies, some mild hooking up, all of us thinking we were so cool to be topless in the hot tub.

  The more fun we had, the more people came, and the more wild the parties got. Tonight there were close to a hundred people.