Fallen Woman(72)

He took a step back and dropped his hands to his sides. “Are you kidding me? Surely you know that?”

Jase laughed as I shook my head and the tears fell again.

“Let’s go to Vegas.” His eyes sparkled as the kitchen lights bounced off them, the gray showing just a hint of blue. “Today. We’ll get Allison to watch the kids.”

“You want to elope?” My eyes widened and my brows rose.

“Absolutely. Just the two of us. We can come back Monday.”

“Is that a proposal?” I laughed at his eagerness.

“No,” he said as he got down on one knee. “This is.” He took my hands before he continued. “Gia, I never imagined I’d meet a woman like you, much less fall in love and have a ready-made family, but from the moment I stumbled into your world, I knew you fit me perfectly. I never want to live a day without you or the kids. Will you marry me?”

At a complete loss for words, I stood there like a daft duck, not responding, not moving. My mouth hung open when I finally had the wherewithal to nod my acceptance.

“Yes?” he asked as he stood and kissed my knuckles.

“Yes, Jase. A thousand times, yes.” The smile adorning my face was so robust my cheeks almost closed my eyes. Between that and the tears, I couldn’t see him before me, but I could feel his energy and his arms as they embraced me, and his lips on mine as he took them.

When he finally let me go, I was out of breath, completely turned on, and dumbfounded.

I was engaged to Jase Lane.

“Let me call Allison and Hart. You go start packing.” I turned to leave and follow his instructions when he grabbed my hand. “The first thing we’re doing when we get there is picking out a ring.”

“You don’t have to do that. But you’re going to regardless of what I say, aren’t you?” It was more of a rhetorical question, but he nodded in answer anyway. “I love you, Jase.”

“I love you too, babe. Go get the kids’ stuff packed, and I’ll meet you downstairs.”

Somehow, he managed to take a horrible day and make it wonderful. I giggled, wondering how he’d ever top this, and if he’d always try to fix everything by outrageous displays of love.

I overheard Jase talking to Hart, who was apparently unhappy with our choice, although I couldn’t tell if it was our choice to get married or the decision to be out publicly. Just as I finished packing all four kids’ bags, he called out to me to meet him downstairs. I dragged the bags to the kitchen and left them to find him.

As much as I’d hoped to find him naked and waiting for me, he was packing a bag and had another out for me to fill with my own things.

“Allison’s going to pick the kids up in a bit. Where are they?”

“Up in your man cave watching cartoons.”

“Have you told them anything?” He stopped what he was doing to come to me, kissing me softly before allowing me to answer.

“Not a word. I wanted to do it together.”

And that’s what we did. Jase and I turned the TV off when we got upstairs and got the kids’ attention. The twins and Emmy were ecstatic, but Derrick was distant. I nudged Jase and indicated his need to see about his little boy. I continued answering questions from my little ones, who were over the moon, while I listened to Jase console his son. My heart tore into pieces when Derrick’s tears took over, and he choked on his words, asking if he would get to stay or have to go away since he wasn’t part of our family.

“Buddy, come Tuesday morning I hope that all changes.” He cuddled Derrick in his lap and continued to talk to him father to son. “Unless something happens on Tuesday, all the paperwork will be final, and you’ll legally become mine. You and me—we’re a team, right?”

Derrick gave him a high five and seemed to be back to his normal self. He’d adjusted far faster and better than I ever dreamed he would when Miss Pearl died. Every once in a while, I’d catch him wrapped up in her blanket or staring at her picture, but when I’d sat with him or given him a hug, he just gave me a meek smile and told me he missed her. We all did. He’d never survive losing Jase.

“So here’s the plan.” I loved hearing him talk to them in daddy mode. His voice changed, his face lit up, and he was the coach of their team. I was relegated to waterboy. “Miss Allison is going to come pick you guys up in a little while, and you’re going to stay with her. Mommy and I are going to fly to Las Vegas and get married, and we’ll be home in a couple of days.”

They clamored around us with hugs and kisses. Emmy was happy, but the moment the doorbell rang and Jase tried to untangle himself from her, the deluge of tears started. She struggled to be away from either of us. She’d been doing much better healthwise, but those same issues are the reason she was so clingy. And Jase catered to her when she wasn’t feeling well. I was waiting for the day she started creating symptoms to manipulate him. She hadn’t done it yet, but she would soon.

With three happy children and one in tears, Allison pulled out of the driveway after giving me a huge hug and telling me how happy she was for both of us. It felt genuine. I liked thinking I had a friend. Even if Jase was paying her, I trusted her with my children, and I would trust her around my husband. I wished she had someone to love her the way Jase loved me.

I stood on the curb and waved until I couldn’t see them anymore. As the last of the car disappeared, I was thrown over Jase’s shoulder and hauled back into the house where he proceeded to show me one more time just how much he loved me before we left for Vegas.