Page 66 of It's Complicated

I give him another playful scowl. “What time did you get up, you annoying morning person?”

“It’s almost noon, Lola.”

“What?” I stare out the window. The sun is shining, the sky is clear, and the birds are chirping happily from the trees. It really looks like full-blown daylight. “I haven’t slept in so late since forever.”

Jace raises a cocky eyebrow. “Well, when was the last time you stayed out dancing all night?”

“Good point. You think Aiden is still wasted? They kept making him drink last night.”

“Yep, Dr. Collymore is sporting a pretty terrible hangover. But don’t worry, I stopped at the pharmacy and dropped a recovery pack in his room.”

“You had a busy morning. Any more impulse buys?”

Jace’s gaze shifts to the side, shyly almost. “As a matter of fact, yes.” He rummages in his hoodie front pocket and takes out a small box. “I saw this in a shop window and thought of you.”

I stare at the box, torn between elated and terrified.

“What’s in it?”

“Open it.”

I open the box to reveal the most gorgeous antique band. White gold inlaid with a sophisticated floral design accentuated by tiny diamonds.

I stare up at him, my heart beating in my chest at a thousand beats per minute.

“Don’t worry.” Jace smirks. “I’m not proposing.”

“You aren’t?”

He shakes his head, taking the ring out of its case. “It’s a promise ring.”

I frown. “What’s a promise ring?”

Jace full-on smiles, making my heart drop to my stomach. “From what I gathered, it’s a way for dudes who aren’t ready to propose to gain a little extra time… or, like in this case, a way for me to give you something without completely scaring you off.”

“Jace, I—”

“Nuh-uh, shush, it’s my turn to talk.”

He gently grabs my hand and slips the band on my ring finger. “I promise to wait for you for as long as it takes for you to be sure. And to love you, your four cats, six hens, and thousand rescue books for as long as my heart shall beat. I promise to love you even when you finish all the hot water in the shower and sing Taylor Swift at the top of your lungs for half an hour non-stop.”

My heart melts a little with each new promise.

“I promise to love you even when you kick me under the covers at night and hog all the blankets.”

“That’s not true,” I protest. “I’m a very still sleeper. The cats would never let me kick around the bed.”

“And that might be true when you’re sleeping withthem, but when you sleep withme, it’s like you have to make up for all the nights of stillness. I could get motion sick for how much you thrash.”

He’s looking at me with those big light-blue eyes and the heart-melting smile, and I know he’s not lying.

Jace leans closer, his nose brushing against my cheek. “I promise to always be there when you need me and be strong when you’re vulnerable. I promise to never lie to you, to always tell you the truth, even when it hurts.”

Jace trails light kisses along my cheek, making me shudder. I wish he would stop being so sweet and so serious. My head is spinning and I can hardly breathe, and it’s not just because he’s so close I can feel his heat against my skin.

“I promise to keep on loving you every day, until my last breath, even when you get gray hair or when you lose your teeth, because you are the love of my life, Lola Archibald, and I will never stop loving you.”

“Jace, I—” I croak, clearing my throat. I’m saying it, I’m going to tell him I love him. “I—”

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