“Tayla has it and your jeep.” She says, and I swear I heard her wrong.
“Tayla Livingston?” I ask for clarification.
“Yes, and just so you have all the facts before you flip out on everyone. She was with Axe so that your parents, Mya and Jace could be here.”
“Jen, that is going to mess Axe up…” I am pissed, but not at Jen. I get that everyone was in a panic and of course my folks should have been here… “Why not ask one of the girls or Ral?”
She nods calmly, but it’s a trick. “Well, because they have all been camping out here waiting on word about you. Nobody has gone home or slept and when they have they are exhausted. Believe it or not, Tay was on point last night and has been working with Brian all day to make sure this nightmare has some order to it.”
I try to process what she says, but right now I don’t care. “Who has Axe now?” I ask as I try to raise the bed so I can shift.
“Jace and Krissy.” She says and I calm down knowing my brother and his wife are solid with Axe. “Mya is in the waiting room with Sully, Chad, Noah and Shame. I need to go tell them you’re up.”
“Text them.” I say, holding her closer to me. I don’t want her to leave yet.
She looks at me like I am the inconsiderate one and I look at the marred beauty before me. “I thought I lost you Jen.” I say, pulling her pained lips to mine.
“I thought I lost you.” She says with shiny tears in her eyes.
“I told you last night, but I had planned this whole thing to sweep you off your feet before it went to shit. I love you Jenny, so much. I’m talking the forever kind. More babies, better house, marriage. I want you with me forever.”
I realize as I say it, that the ring is at our house in my safe and that I just threw a lame proposal out there with no ring. “I have a ring for you…” I say, but it sounds lame.
Her hands go to her mouth as tears fill her eyes. “Seriously?” She asks as she jumps from the bed. “Caly…”
“I am serious. Have been for a while Jen. I don’t throw I love you around or promise shit, but you’re it for me. I knew it at Christmas and through this whole thing. I told you I wouldn’t fight for you like I did with Tayla. I fought for you, on your side no matter how bad shit got, but with you I didn’t lose sight of who I am. I do it because I love you. Madly, Jen.”
“Do I say yes?” She asks, and I look at her confused and a little scared by the question.
“I fuckin hope so.”
“I just didn’t know if you were asking or planning to ask. The ring… and you didn’t really ask…” She is fumbling over her words.
“Will you marry me Jen? Knowing I have a ring in the safe I bought for you?” I ask her deadpan knowing this is us. Too damn real to be fake.
“Well yeah I will marry you!” She squeals and plops beside me on the bed. I try to hide the pain it shot through my body, but she caught it.
“Shit, sorry.” She says, flinching at the pain in her arm from the bounce.
“Kiss me firefly...”
