If he didn’t, then who…? I became aware of the body next to me, now motionless—
“You?”My gaze darted to Jack’s in astonishment.
He arched a dark eyebrow. “Yes,me. I wanted to do something for you, and I knew you’d never allow it if I asked, so I just did.”
“B-but you didn’t even know me then.”
“Ray, I’ve known you for three years. If you’ll excuse us,” he told my parents, “Ray and I are going for a walk.”
With that, he pulled me up from my seat and headed for the gate leading down to the beach. I knew better than to say,I’ll pay him back. He’d nearly blown a gasket when I wanted to settle the doctor’s bill.
“Thank you,” I murmured as we strolled down the cement path.
He smirked. “Good to see you accept something without an argument.” He slipped his hand into his jeans’ pocket as if searching.
“Left the condom upstairs again?” I teased, my heart still pounding at his considerate gesture. “You should know we can’t do any hanky-panky down there. It’s clearly visible from the terrace.”
“And just soyouknow, there are spots I found where we can. I grew up here. But, torment me again, and we’ll end up with a baby sooner than we planned—” He retrieved a small, black box from his pocket and opened it, revealing an engagement ring inside. A marquise-cut diamond flanked by two baguettes. “This is for you.”
My eyes widened in shock. “What is this?”
“It’s called an engagement ring,” he said drily. “But we appear to be doing things the other way around. So…” A wry twist of his lips. He grasped my hand and slipped the glittering ring on to join my wedding band. “I brought the band with me to Vegas since I needed it, but this I had made for you. I’m glad it fits.”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I whispered, “It’s beautiful.”
He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my fingers. “No, you are, my adorable wife. Now, tell me what Pops meant.”
I tore my focus away from my rings to look at Jack, and couldn’t stop my smile. “Only that Nigel knew I was the one for you…” After I’d finished explaining, Jack shook his head and laughed. “I should have known.”
“See? You were jealous for nothing.”
“Hardly. Pops knows me, knew how to get my attention. But I’m damn grateful. I now have you in my life.” He kissed me hard and quick. Then he leaped down the ten-meter drop to the beach below, scaring the heck out of me.
He held up his arms. “Jump, wife. I will catch you.”
I huffed out a laugh. Yes, Jack would. He will never let me fall…
Epilogue
Jack
“What do you mean,she’s not there?” I frowned, listening to the receptionist at Woods and Woods tell me that Ray had left for the day.
Normally, she called or text me if she was going home early.
I had no idea what to think. And she wasn’t answering her cell.
Dammit. She’d seemed distracted this morning, and she’d been that way for several days now. I attributed it to her demanding job as an up-and-coming architect because she remained the same sharp-tongued, gorgeous woman I’d fallen for five years ago—and married twice.
My gaze settled on the framed, angled headshot of her, where she’d just turned back and looked at me. Her veil covered her upswept hair, and a wide smile graced her mouth, one that made her dimples pop, and a hint of her off-the-shoulder wedding gown showed. My heart still skipped a beat that she was mine—loved me…warts and all.
I trailed a finger over her stubborn little chin, my beaten silver wedding ring catching my gaze. The one Ray had slipped onto my finger in that little chapel in Vegas was now on my right hand because she’d given me another, a platinum one, at our second marriage a year later.
My cell rang. At her name, my gut loosened. I answered. “Kitten—”
She laughed, the deep, belly-rolling laugh I adored, especially when she was happy. Relief spread through me.
“You only use that name when you want something or are worried. Jack,”—her tone quieted—“is something wrong?”
