The 90 Day Rule
Page 14
I couldn’t help myself. “I see you were serious.” He followed my line of sight, not understanding. “About coming for me?”
That earned me a swat on the bottom and round four.
Maybe it was five.
I couldn’t be sure. One thing I did know for certain, I wasn’t going to be making up any grocery lists in the near future.
“You hungry, hon? I have eggs. I think.”
Toweling off, the hot shower a decadent luxury, I slipped into the old fleece robe and padded into the living room. Jack was still outside scraping ice off the deck so we could use the hot tub. I ached in places I didn’t know a body could. A good kind of ache. But not one I wanted to explain to my daughter and her new fiancé. Or the boys.
I smiled to myself. Etty and Chazz made it home without incident but their description of the icy conditions on the roads convinced me that staying put was my best option. Besides, it gave those two lovebirds more time alone.
Damn, I needed to find my own place, now more than ever.
Jack’s lips brushed my hair. “Whatcha thinking about, babe?”
“Hey, I didn’t hear you come in.” I held up the phone. “That was Etty.” I shared the news and wasn’t surprised that Jack already knew, at least about the weekend at the cabin. And the purpose. What was news was the ‘yes’.
“I know you’re happy, darlin’, but there’s a big ‘but’ going on there.”
Dang my face.
“So sit down and tell me.” He moved us to the couch and gathered me in his arms. It felt right. “Come on, spill.”
So I did. Chapter and verse, beginning to end. Explaining my fifth wheel status came easier than I expected. I skirted around the issue of funds but vowed to find a way to make do, even if I had to room with another student.
He was quiet for a long time, stroking my shoulder. I could almost hear the wheels turning.
“Jes.” I tensed, unsure about the tone of voice. “You asked a question and I never answered.”
Pulling away so I could see his face, I waited for the other shoe to drop.
He placed a hand on his chin, going deadly serious on me. “You asked why. I didn’t answer because I thought it was obvious.” He shrugged and smiled wryly. “I’m not always quick on the uptake. The thing is … I love you. I fell for you the first time I saw you.” He worried at his lower lip, avoiding my eyes.
As if he were afraid I might not feel the same.
“I, uh, realize now you didn’t get it when I said I wasn’t waiting, that I was coming for you. That wasn’t me going all Neanderthal on your ass…”
Really, I kinda liked it … but I’d never let him know that.
“Oh. Really?” Hope bloomed, tempered by surprise and then a wisp of gotcha.
Well, so much for keeping secrets.
“I’m going to give you a choice.”
“A choice.”
“Yeah. You’ll be moving in with me.” Period, end of discussion. When my eyebrows shot skyward, he continued, “Now, I can ask nicely and give you all the financial reasons why it makes sense. Or I can hit you over the head with a club and drag you into my man-cave.”
“That’s it? That’s my selection?”
“Um, you can have the girls’ room if you need your own space. They don’t come so much now that they’re grown and I can also put them up at the Inn when they do visit.”
He got up and walked to the sliding glass door. Motioning me over, he pointed to the left and said, “There’s room over there to add on after we’re married. I’ve got a little put away so we won’t be getting ourselves buried in debt.”
“Uh, whoa, Tex…”
He held up a hand. “I know, I know. You have questions. But there’s nothing we can’t work out. We have a couple of years before we have to make a decision about where we go next.”
“I choked out, “Next?”
“Yeah, you’re not alone anymore. Whatever you want to do, wherever you want to go, you’ll have me in your corner.”
For once my inner and outer voice got speechless at the same time.
“I do have one request though, if you won’t mind.”
A request…
“I’d like to have the wedding at the ranch with my brother and sisters and the whole family. They do a BBQ to make the entire county proud.”
Jack pulled me close and said, “I know this is all too fast and you have every right to say no or slow down or go jump off a bridge. I, I just had to get it out. All of it.”
His lips brushed mine, so tenderly I nearly cried. When I pulled away, I looked around the small space and it felt like home. And I knew in my bones, with Jack, I’d never be alone again.
I turned and stared out the window.
“Hon?”
“I dunno, Tex. I’m hearing a whole lotta talking, not much doing.”
He chuckled. “So what do you want me to do?”
“Well, for starters, I’m thinking I’d like to get a look at that club you’re talking about.”
“The club.” He smirked. “And what happens after that?”
My caveman followed me onto the deck and flipped the lid off the hot tub. We settled in, soaking up the warmth.
He persisted, “Well?”
“Oh, you just leave that up to me.”
“And why’s that?”
“Just because…”
“Kinda sounds like another one of your rules to me.”
I thought, I love you, Jack. Without question, without reservation. And from now on … rules? We don’ need no stinkin’ rules.
As I floated over, he drilled me with a penetrating stare, hot enough to curl my toes.
Mercy, I do so admire a man with a big club.
~~~~
About the Author
Diane Nelson has 35 years’ experience in technical and fiction writing. She owns and operates Pfoxmoor Publishing/PfoxChase Imprint with more than 40 titles available in eBook and print. She is also a professional editor, helping writers interested in self-publishing to prepare and format manuscripts for eBook and print.
Diane is the author of Dragon Academy, a contemporary YA fantasy adventure, suitable for the entire family.
Dragon Academy is available in eBook and print from Amazon and other fine retailers.
Diane’s websites:
http://www.idancewithwords.com
http://wwwpfoxmoorpublishing.com
http://www.pubrightms.com/
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