“That’s where I know that smell from! That’s Gran’s sauce!” I raced into the kitchen, reaching for a spoon before dipping it into the saucepan on the stove. I blew on it lightly before tasting it. “Oh my God. So good. Did you make it?”
Jack wrapped his arms around my waist. “I had her freeze some sauce and then overnight it to us. She’s been freaking out the whole time.”
“That is awesome.” I dipped my spoon in again and Jack swatted my hand.
“Get outta there. Wait for dinner.”
I turned to eye him. “What are you up to, mister?”
“Nothing.” He let out a breath. “Can’t a guy just cook dinner for his girlfriend?”
“Sure.” I nodded. “Can I do anything?” I glanced around, noticing a vase of red roses on the table.
“Nope.” He smiled and kissed me on the cheek.
Jack
I wanted to do this right. That’s why I reached out to her father and asked for his blessing days ago.
I knew I didn’t have to do that. Cassie would have insisted it wasn’t necessary, but Gran would probably have me killed if she found out I hadn’t. I figured it was the right thing to do, which should have pointed me in the opposite direction given my past, but I followed my gut anyway.
The phone rang as my heart thumped in my ears. “Hello,” a soft voice answered.
“Mrs. Andrews?”
“Yes.”
“Hi, it’s Jack Carter. I was wondering if your husband was home, and if I could speak to him,” I asked as politely as I could.
“Oh hi, Jack. Is everything OK? Is Cassie alright?” she asked nervously.
“Cassie’s fine. Everything is OK.”
“Oh, OK. That’s good to hear. Hold on a second and I’ll grab her father.”
“Thank you,” I exhaled, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible.
The phone clanked on the other end and a male throat cleared. “Hello? Jack?”
“Hi, Mr. Andrews. How are you, sir?” I hated being respectful when he’d let Cassie down so many times over the years.
“I can’t complain. What can I do for you?”
“Well, sir,” I stalled, clearing my throat before continuing. “First of all, I want you to know how much I love your daughter. She’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met in my life.”
“Uh-huh,” he said.
I knew I was supposed to ask for permission to marry his daughter, but I didn’t want it. And I knew damn well I wouldn’t need it. He couldn’t stop me from marrying her if he tried. So I worded it a different way. “I just wanted you to know that I plan on asking her to marry me, and I wanted to ask for your blessing.”
“Do you think she’ll say yes?”
What the hell kind of question was that? I gripped my hair with my free hand. “Yes sir, I do.”
“Well, alright then!” he said happily into the receiver. “You have my blessing.”
“Thank you.” I smiled, and hearing shouting in the background I asked, “May I speak to your wife again quickly?”
“Oh sure, sure. Congrats! And let us know what we can do. We’ll pay for anything you need and handle anything you kids want.”
I hesitated before realizing that he’d never follow through on those offers. Cassie was right about how easy it was to get sucked in by his charisma and enthusiasm.
“Jack? Tell me you asked him what I think you asked him!”
I laughed into the phone. “I did.”
She squealed with delight. “When are you asking her?”
“I’m not sure, so please don’t say anything to her if you two talk.”
“I won’t say a word. We’ll wait for her to call us with the big news!”
I exhaled with relief. “Great, thanks. I’ll talk to you later, OK?”
“Alright, Jack. And hey.” She paused before continuing in a hushed tone. “Thank you for calling. I know you didn’t have to, but it was nice that you did.”
I smiled to myself, finally convinced that I’d actually done the right thing for once.
Nerves rarely raced through my body, but they were having a field day as I waited to pop the question. I loved this girl more than anything in the world and we’d been through a lot.
I longed to make this girl my wife, and I hated sitting here at dinner, waiting to ask. Why couldn’t I just ask her now, while her mouth was filled with pasta? Should I get down on one knee? I wondered if she sensed what was coming. I’d never cooked dinner for her before and here I just went all Gourmet Chef on her ass.
What if she says no?
She won’t say no.
Fuck.
She’d better not say no.
Cassie
After dinner, Jack carried all the dishes into the kitchen and loaded them into the washer. He refused to let me help at all. I stared out the window at the skyline. I really did love living in New York.
Suddenly, Jack was kneeling next to my chair. As he placed my hand in his and started speaking, my heart began to race. “I don’t know any other couple who has been to hell and back more than the two of us. I feel like everything we’ve been through has only made us stronger. We’ve had to learn to work together. To be a team. To support each other and stand by each other.”
I started to shake. Nervous energy consumed me, and I could barely hear half the words he said. My brain started to spin, and I couldn’t concentrate on anything other than the fact that Jack was kneeling next to me.
Jack
Her eyes glazed over, and knowing Cass the way I do, I wasn’t sure she could even hear me anymore, but I kept talking. “I promise to stand by you, to hold you up when you’re about to fall, and to always keep you safe. I never believed there was a girl out there for me. Until I met you. You changed everything. And I never want to live without you. I love you more than I ever thought possible.”
I closed my eyes before taking a deep breath. All my confidence wavered in this moment as I realized Cassie held my future in the palm of her hands.
“Kitten. Be my wife. Marry me.” I opened the black velvet Tiffany’s ring box.
Cassie
Seeing the diamond inside caused me to gasp. It sparkled and danced in the light. The center diamond was huge and was surrounded by smaller diamonds. It looked too pretty to touch.
“Kitten?” Jack’s voice cut through my sparkle coma as I realized I hadn’t answered him yet.
My gaze moved to meet his. “Yes. Of course I’ll marry you. Who the hell else would I marry?” I smiled, still not reaching for the gorgeous ring.
He grinned and his dimples appeared as he reached inside the box and pulled out the ring. I held out my left hand, and he pushed that gorgeous piece of jewelry into place. My eyes were transfixed on the diamonds lighting up my finger. “It’s huge,” I said breathlessly.
“You don’t like it? We can take it back.”
I pulled my hand away from his, clutching it against my chest. “No way. It’s amazing.”
“We’re going to be very happy.”
“I already am.”
Epilogue
SIXTEEN MONTHS LATER, JANUARY 12
Jack
I stood at the end of a makeshift aisle in Gran and Gramps’s lush backyard. It had been transformed into a light-filled wonderland. Every tree, bush, and branch was covered with tiny bright white lights. I waited underneath the large tree where lanterns flickering with candlelight hung from the branches. Oversized Mason jars were lined up in two rows, forming the aisle, and each jar was filled with a few inches of quarters to hold up the white candle burning inside. I glanced at the few round tables decorated all in white and smiled. My eyes grazed past my old teammates from Fullton State, Melissa’s parents, Cassie’s parents, Gran, Nora, and, finally, Matteo and Trina, who started dating pretty soon after Trina and Kyle broke up. I found myself smiling at our group of friends and family filling the small space, excited to share our intimate moment with us.
I loved the fact that Kitten and I shared the same views when it came to today. Thankfully, neither one of us needed a large formal wedding to mark the special occasion. Although in all honesty, I would have given her anything she wanted, we both craved the privacy and security that only our close friends and family could provide. So we opted for a more casual setting and dress code. I looked down at my charcoal gray suit and adjusted my black tie.
Where the hell is Dean?
I smiled at Gran, who was already holding a tissue to her eyes, as I stepped away from the altar. She dropped her hand and asked, “Jack? Where are you going?”
“I’m going to find Dean.”
I stormed into the house, trying not to accidentally see Cassie while I looked for my brother, who just happened to disappear minutes before I was supposed to get married. I peered into the empty kitchen. Glancing in the front yard and the living room and finding them empty, I made my way back toward our bedrooms.
Both of our bedroom doors were closed. I knew Cassie was in my room, so I knocked on Dean’s before turning the handle. I didn’t wait for a response before I opened the door and barged inside.
“Shit. Really?” I eyed my brother, lying on top of a partially clothed Melissa, his tongue down her throat and his hands who knows where.
“Get out, Jack. Jesus,” Dean shouted, covering Melissa’s body protectively.
“Do you think you two could figure your shit out after the vows? I’d like to get married sometime today,” I shouted, my patience wavering.
I slammed the door and knocked on the door to my old bedroom. “Kitten?”
“Don’t come in here, Jack!” she yelled, and I laughed.
“I’m not. I just wanted to say I can’t wait to see you. Make sure those two actually leave the bedroom, please. Tell them they can fuck after the vows.”
“Oh my God,” she called out through the door. “Is that where Melissa is? I’ve been waiting for her to come back for like half an hour!”
“Well you’re going to be waiting forever if you don’t go drag her out of there. I’ll see you soon,” I said, leaning my cheek against the door.
With another hasty knock on Dean’s door, I yelled, “Today little brother! Let’s go!” Since he obviously couldn’t be trusted alone with Melissa, I waited for him to come out of his room before I walked back outside. I nudged him as we headed down the aisle toward the tree. “Really couldn’t wait until later?” I whispered.
“You kidding me? With her, later might mean never. I gotta take what I can get.”
I shook my head. “I do not envy you, brother.”
“Yeah?” He gave me a look. “Well, I sure as shit envy you.”
“You should,” I told him and I meant it.
If I weren’t me, I’d envy me. I shifted my weight between my legs as I waited for the best day of my life to begin. People always talk about being nervous on their wedding day, but I wasn’t. If any emotion surged through my body, it was excitement. I couldn’t wait to make this girl my wife and spend the rest of my life making her smile.
