He pursed his lips and nodded. “Nice save.” He stopped tending to his coffee and put his empty cup away. “I’ll take one of those with you outside.”
I gulped. “Okay.”
We stepped through the sliding glass doors onto the balcony with its potted plants and flowers hanging from ceiling hooks, nice touches that I’m sure were all Ava.
Taking the first sip of steaming coffee, Jacob rested his back against the wooden railing and raised an eyebrow. “So,” he said. “You and my sister.”
I drank to replenish the moisture in my throat. Here came the older brother lecture. “Yeah?”
He squared his body on mine…probably for intimidation purposes. He’d housed his heartbroken sister for six days because of me. I didn’t blame him. I would have done the same to Liam’s girlfriend if the roles were reversed.
“I’m ready for the grilling, Jacob. Lay it on me.”
His smile grew, but it was one of those smiles that came right before someone was about to lecture you and point out how wrong you were. “She’s been really upset, you know.”
“I can only imagine.”
“A lot of crying.”
I closed my eyes at the sudden pang in my chest. “I’m sorry, Jake. I never wanted to do that.”
“You know how much she loves you, right? She’d do anything for you.”
“I know. I can feel it.”
He took another sip, looked skyward as if debating telling me whatever he was thinking, and then let out a deep sigh. “You’re different, you know that?”
“What do you mean?”
“Ken isn’t an open book.”
“Oh, I’m well aware of that.”
“I gave up years ago trying to find out how her dating life was going because I couldn’t get as far as the name of the person. And with Brielle, all I got from her was, ‘Oh she’s good. We’re fine. I saw her last weekend.’ I couldn’t tell you one thing about the girl besides the fact that she was in law school. But with you, I don’t even have to ask. She’s been bringing you up all the time. Like, I know you still cry when you watch The Lion King, and you can recite a whole scene from Angels in the Outfield, and it takes you, like, two hours to find a restaurant to go to when you want to eat out because you want to make sure it’s perfect.”
“No one wants a crappy restaurant. I’ve watched Kitchen Nightmares.”
“I can go on,” he continued without missing a beat, “but I think I made my point. She’s an open book when it comes to you, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why she’s like that about you and not anyone else she’s dated.”
“I’m sorry you have to constantly hear about me,” I said, half-joking. He smiled and took another drink. “Just know that I love her. I’ve known that since high school, as crazy as it sounds.”
“It doesn’t sound too crazy. Makes sense…because she told us the whole story. Beginning to end. No detail left behind.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”
“I mean, granted, the only way for Ava and me to crack her was by giving her a couple glasses of wine and boom, open book. Guts and feelings spilled all over the table. She completely adores you, Quinn. Lesson I learned from all that wine. She’s absolutely head over heels for you.”
My face turned hot. I looked at my coffee because I couldn’t look him in the eye, too embarrassed to admit the truth to my girlfriend’s brother. “Well, the feelings are pretty mutual.”
When I glanced at him, a content grin thinned his lips. “Even though she was annoying, part of me was relieved that she’s found someone who makes her so comfortable opening up to us when she’s never been like that. That’s how I know you have this immense power to hurt her, so I can’t help but be protective.”
“Jake, I’m really sorry. I already promised her—and I’ll promise you right now—that’s not going to happen again because she’s, like, the greatest thing that’s happened to me.”
“Greater than all your gold medals?”
“The medals are a consolation prize.” My answer forced a smile out of him, and he shed his protective, older brother persona. “I really love her, Jake.”
“I can see that. She loves you too.”
I glanced at the patio, feeling the truth that hummed through my chest ready to burst into the open. “Can I tell you something?”
“Sure. Go ahead.”
I’d never said the words before, not even to Liam or Lillian or Talia. I didn’t share with anyone the secret that I’d kept locked up for the past month, but if anything, everything we’d gone through reassured me that it was the right thing to do. Kennedy Renee Reed was the only girl for me and the only girl I wanted to be with. I knew it the moment I saw her before Tokyo. Once she reentered my life, I never wanted her to leave again. I had zero doubts that anyone would ever come close to her.
“I bought a ring.”
His mouth fell open. “What?”
I nodded as my heart sprinted in my chest. Nervousness mixed with fresh excitement and adrenaline. “I want to marry her.”
“Holy shit,” he said and covered his mouth. “You have the…” He struggled to say “ring,” but I nodded to fill its absence. “Oh my G…when? When did you get it?”
“A month ago.” It was a few days after our first bath together, the night we said we loved each other. I knew it then. “I haven’t been more confident about anything in my life.”
“When are you going to do it?”
“I don’t know. We’re still so new. I mean, she just moved out here three months ago, so it kinda seems crazy, but then it doesn’t at the same time. We’ve known each other since we were seven. We’ve had feelings for each other for ten freakin’ years. I mean, am I really crazy?”
“I don’t…I have no idea. If you feel it in your gut, who am I to say it’s wrong? I knew Ava was the one two months into us dating. You and Ken have more history. It makes complete sense to me.”
“I have no doubts about Kennedy, and I know she feels the same way.”
“Do it, Quinn. Go ask my sister to marry you.”
My stomach swelled with so much joy, I couldn’t contain my smile. I had this overwhelming urge to cry when I got his approval. The reality of what was happening quickly set in. I’d bought Kennedy a ring, and I was going to ask her to marry me.
I wanted to fast-forward to the perfect moment and ask her. I was ready for the rest of our lives together.
“When I have an inkling of the perfect time to ask, trust me, you’ll be the first to know. I might even ask for help.”
He clasped his hands on his scruffy cheeks. “Holy shit. I can’t believe this. You’re going to be my sister-in-law.”
“Don’t tell anyone. Not your parents. Maybe Ava, as long as you two sit on the secret until I figure out the right time. I haven’t told anyone yet, not even my brother.”
He zipped his lips. “I promise, I won’t say anything, sis.”
Chapter Sixteen