His blue eyes glimmered with emotion, and I rolled a hand through the air, smiling into his handsome face as candlelight flickered in the dimly lit room. “Go on. What else are you sorry for?”
“I’m sorry for lying. For letting you leave when all I wanted was to ask you to stay. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you get the store ready…”
“Go on…” I stepped out of his arms. “What else are you sorry for…”
Confusion dampened his smile. “I’m sorry…for…making a big spectacle about my apology? Maybe bringing the kids with me made you feel pressured, like you had to accept…”
“I loved the spectacle, you big goof. There’s only one more thing you have to be sorry for. And it’s kind of a big thing.”
His gaze darted around my face as thoughts ticked behind his eyes. “I’m sorry that I don’t know what else to be sorry for?” He bit his lip and looked so helpless I had to take mercy on him.
“That’s a shame, Jackalicious. It really is.” I put my hands on my hips and shifted my weight. “Because the thing you should be most sorry about is the fact that you haven’t followed that trail of rose petals, thrown me on your bed, and apologized with your tongue.”
A slow grin lifted his lips and he caught me by the waist. “Have I told you how much I love you?”
“Not enough recently.”
“I fucking love you, Amelia Brown.” A wicked thought danced through his eyes as he brushed my hair away from my face. With a manly roar, he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder, then stalked down the hallway and deposited me on the bed, where he promptly apologized over and over…
…and over.
Part of me was afraid the interest in my store was solely because of Jack and Greta’s intervention and that my first day would be the only day I sold anything. My fears proved unfounded. Again, with the doubting. When would I ever learn that when I put my trust in the universe, things worked out?
While lines at the door didn’t become a regular occurrence, customers wandering my shop did. Even though foot traffic was strong, I decided to nurture an online presence as well, which turned into a solid decision. After finding me on the internet, people drove in from all over the state for the Woo-Woo experience. The kids came to the shop after school and did their homework in the back. Garrett proved to be a huge help around the store and kept Charlie and Connor entertained until their dad got off work.
As September faded into October and the maple leaves burned fiery red then fell to the ground, Jack and I decided living apart was ridiculous. After all, I spent every waking hour at his house…and most of every sleeping hour as well. Evie offered to sell us Sugar Maple Hill and I was sure Jack wouldn’t be a fan of the idea. We weren’t married. We weren’t even engaged. Why would he want to sell his house and move his kids in with someone he’d only been dating for a few months? That was a lot of upheaval for a relationship that might not be permanent.
He surprised me though, just like he always did. “I have a good feeling about this,” he said as we signed the mortgage.
“A good feeling? Isn’t that my line?”
“It’s my line now too. You’ve taught me that I have to have faith in things working out. Combine that with a smidgen of practicality, and I think we have quite a future, Miss Brown.”
I smiled. I saw a future for us too. A damn good one.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Jack
Amelia’s bridesmaid dress hugged every inch of her delicious curves. I spent the wedding mentally reciting my clients’ financial numbers to keep from showing everyone exactly how much I approved of the way she looked. In fact, I missed most of the ceremony because I only had eyes for her, though that shouldn’t have been a surprise.
It was just the way I lived nowadays. Amelia was my everything.
While the wedding was small and private to suit Evie’s personality, the reception was open to all of Wildrose to suit Alex’s. The music was on point. The bar was open. The energy was great. The kids were well behaved, and Amelia and I had the time of our lives.
We snuck kisses in dark corners and slow danced out in the open.
Sometimes, all five of us jived together, laughing, joking, and egging each other on.
But always, I was aware that I’d found my perfect match. That Amelia was my forever. She was wonderful with the kids. The more they opened up to her, the more their overall wellbeing improved. Garrett and Connor were able to start karate again and no one in town so much as batted an eye.
“Can’t believe they’re married.” Austin gestured to Evie and Alex, grinning at each other across the room.
I tore my eyes off Amelia on the dancefloor with the kids. “It’s crazy.”
“You know, I told her you always do things the hard way.”
“Told who?”
“Amelia.”
“You told her this when?” To my knowledge, Austin and Amelia had never spent much time together.
“The day you broke up with her.” He told me about the flat tire and finding her tear-stained and stressed out on the side of the road. “I told her how you turned down my offer to move in after Nat died. How you turned down everyone’s offer of help.”
I bobbed my head. “I am pretty stubborn when it comes to doing things right.”
“I also told Amelia I didn’t expect her to back down and just let you make such a boneheaded mistake.” He cocked his head. “But you surprised me, my friend. You saw the mistake and fixed it.” Austin leaned back in his chair, a smug smile on his face.
“Like I just said, I’m pretty stubborn about doing things right. Amelia? She’s right.” I took a quick look around, making sure no one was listening. “I’m gonna ask her to marry me.”
Austin didn’t look the least bit surprised. “You don’t say.”
“I’ve had the ring in my pocket for weeks. I didn’t want to take attention away from Alex’s wedding, but now that it’s over, I just need to find the right time. The right way.”
“I hate to break it to you, Jack, but anyone who knows you knew that was your plan as soon as you bought that house with her.”
“Oh come on now. I’m not that predictable.”
Austin lifted his brows. “You might as well be a German made car. You run on efficiency and precision. There’s no room for ‘doing it wrong’ in your genes. And in your books, buying a house with someone you didn’t see a future with would be the wrongest of wrongs. No doubt.”
I sat back, crossing my ankle over my knee. “You think Amelia suspects?”
Austin flared his hands and started to speak, but his focus went to something over my shoulder. “Holy shit. Would you get a look at that.”
I turned to find Jude leading an extremely hesitant Izzy onto the dancefloor. He was all smiles and she looked scared to death, especially when the DJ switched to a sultry love song. Jude pulled Izzy close, swaying gently.
“That right there’s gonna blow up in his face.” Austin shook his head. “Or hers.”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’ll work out?”