35
Jackie insisted we do formal for the first family dinner at my new house. Everyone’s coming. I wear the grey dress Leigh made for me, and it feels even better than the first time I wore it. Probably has something to do with who I’m wearing it for.
Jackie and Chase come early to help me set up. She brings two bags of candles, and we need it. My new table is in the middle of the room, and the light doesn’t reach that far when it’s dark out.
The candlelight is stunning, casting a soft glow that reflects off the walls. She sticks her iPod in my speakers, and music begins to float through the room.
I’m nervous to see Michael dressed like this. It feels like too much. Jackie can’t help but mess with my hair just a bit, making sure it’s up, and the perfect amount of messy. Michael started working with his dad again, and they’re running late. They also have to pick up Heidi and dinner on the way.
There’s shuffling and voices on the stairs, which has to be them. I open the door to look down, and Michael stops, eyes wide, mouth open. I wish I could capture this look and keep it. Nothing makes me feel more beautiful. He sprints up the rest of the way to put his hands low on my waist.
“You are absolutely breathtaking,” he whispers in my ear, just before kissing my cheek.
“Come on you two. We’re starving.” Clint laughs behind us.
Michael holds me close as we step inside.
Heidi hands over the weighted bags of dinner for Jackie and I to spread over the table. I can feel Michael’s eyes on me as I tuck bags away and open boxes of catered food. He pulls me onto his lap before I can sit. I laugh in nerves at his very public display of affection.
“You’re still…”
“Very much in love with you.” I smile. I don’t know if that’s what he’s asking, but it makes him smile back.
“You’re sure?” he teases.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“You look like an absolute goddess in that.”
“She got it from Leigh. Seriously, that couldn’t have gone better for her. The amount of freebies she has in her closet from that designer…” Jackie shakes her head.
“Well, you look amazing.” Michael’s eyes haven’t left mine. “So.” He smirks.
I’m waiting for him to tease me again.
“Since I already know how much I love you, and you’ve already said how much you still love me, should we make it official?”
“What are you talking about?” I like this confident Michael, the one who isn’t afraid to touch me or to say how he feels. I’m getting used to him. I wrap my arm around his neck, still sideways on his lap.
“Well, think about how much we’ve been through together.” His eyebrows rise. “You telling me about the baby.”
I nod.
“Everyone at our school thinking I was the father because your brother punched me in the face.”
I laugh a little, but I’m also sad. I miss Daniel.
“Don’t worry. I love your brother for it, and I think he’d be very satisfied knowing that’s the only picture of him I can easily bring to the surface.”
“Me too.” I swallow the lump in my throat.
“We survived moving here together while I did everything I could think of to try and not fall in love with you… and completely failing. Only to wait too long and take away what could have been a great summer.” He kisses me on the cheek. I nod at that too. We’ve been through a lot.
“You kiss, how many boys when I was gone?”
“Four,” Jackie says.
“I didn’t kiss two of them back!” I insist. Lucas kissed me. I didn’t kiss him. Same with Sean.
Jackie knows this, but loves to tease.
“Four?” He taps his chin pretending to think. “Lucas, and now you’re kind of friends?”
I just shrug, but have to defend myself a little bit. “I didn’t kiss him back.”
Michael’s on a roll, and I’m having fun.
“Hank.”
I’m embarrassed about that one. Heidi and Clint didn’t know and fortunately they kind of laugh.
“And Justin. I remember that one specifically because I was missing you desperately, and I believe you mentioned at some point that my rule-breaking letter prompted you to break up with him.”
“Yes. It did.” I sigh in mock satisfaction. “And he was so good at arcade games too…”
“Okay, okay…” Michael brushes a stray strand of hair off my face. “And if I hadn’t sent that email you might be Mrs…”
I don’t remember. I have no idea what Justin’s last name is. I must look lost because Jackie answers for me.
“Tremaine.” Jackie laughs.
“Yeah, thanks Jackie.” She better catch my sarcasm.
“No problem,” she chimes back in sweetly.
“So we have three. Who’s the fourth?” He pulls back.
“Sean Kimball…but I didn’t kiss him back either. That was totally one-sided.”
“Sean Kimball? Sean Kimball?” He looks over at Jackie. “I blame you for that one. I know that guy. He’s not that great looking. That couldn’t have been long ago. You’ve washed your mouth out since then?”
“Yes.” I laugh. I wonder how many times we’ve kissed in the short time he’s been home.
“You don’t want him.”
“No.” I shake my head. I want you. But I don’t say it. It seems too personal in a room full of people.
“I on the other hand kissed no one.” His nose touches my cheek. “I didn’t even want to kiss anyone. I did, on occasion, sneak to the roof of our apartment building so that I wouldn’t have a total farmer’s tan when I came home.” Everyone laughs at that. “And… I wrote to a certain girl more than I should have. And thought about her more than I should have…”
I swallow. I don’t care who’s in the room with us.
“I’m looking at you now, Dani, and I don’t know how I ever left you. I feel like I don’t deserve this. I got to serve my mission, and I still ended up with the most precious girl in the world. I love you, Danielle.”
I lean my fore head against his. “I love you, too.”
“Just do it,” Jackie says.
“Do what?” I lean back.
He sighs. “I was going to wait, you know, so this doesn’t all seem a little sudden and ridiculous. Because I’ve only been home a week.”
He reaches into his suit pocket and pulls out the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. It’s simple and beautiful and too incredible to touch.
“It’s a pearl, because you’re mine.” He holds the ring between us.
I don’t think. I just feel. My Pearl. It should be so over the top, but it’s so perfect that I soak it up.
“Marry me, Danielle. I know I just got back, and I know you might want to take some time, but I know you, and you know me better than anyone. Marry me.”
I’m shaking my head in disbelief, and I don’t even realize it. But it all feels good. I feel it everywhere, and I know it’s the right thing. Michael’s the right thing.
“Okay.” I take his face in my hands and kiss him.
The moment I pull away he takes my hand. As I watch him slide that ring onto my finger, it was all worth it. Everything I’d been through. Everything I’d learned. As much as I want to erase my mistakes, they all made me who I am, and brought me to this place, and this place is exactly where I want to be.
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
Copyright 2012
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without prior written permission of the author except where permitted by law.
Published by
Jolene Perry
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First off, I feel like I need to make a small note in that I know that Dani’s story worked out so completely ideal, when so often, it doesn’t work out so well.
My husband was adopted through the LDS church, and he and I put paperwork together several times, but it never felt like the right time. And then I got pregnant just after he started law school, which just proved that the Lord’s time is the right time, and we were blessed with our little Emma, and then a few years later, with our little Jack.
Kaylee Baldwin was my first reader for this book, and she’d written a pregnancy book, Meg’s Melody, and her help was SO appreciated. Christina Tarbet was a huge help when I was nearing publication, and Mindy Holt, book reviewer for LDSWBR, has become a fabulous friend and support.
A special thanks to my husband for allowing me to base Michael off of the way I remember him in high school. No one else in this story is based in reality, but EVERYONE needs a “Jackie”
Other titles by Jolene
The Next Door Boys
Left to Love
Spill Over
Night Sky
Knee Deep
My Heart For Yours
You can find Jolene at
Jolenebperry.com
Or on her blog at
Jolenesbeenwriting.blogspot.com
My Forever (The Next Door Boys) Page 26