Page 93 of It's Complicated

“Gosh,” Lori finally whispers, her voice thick with tears as well. “I’ve missed you so much.”

I can’t help it. I laugh and I kiss her again. Then kiss her some more.

We only pull apart when we’re desperate for air.

“I love you, Lori,” I say.

“I love you, too, Jace.”

I break into the widest, most carefree grin.

This is how I want to spend the rest of my life.

I put my forehead on hers, still afraid to believe I’m not dreaming. I take her hands and ask, “Will you marry me?”

Lori’s eyes bulge. “What?”

“Will you marry me?” I prompt again.

“You want to get married?” she repeats in a daze.

I shrug. “We’ve already made the vows. Plus, getting married is what people do when they love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together, isn’t it?”

Lori laughs, squeezing my hand. “Yes, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes,” she says, her voice full of laughter. “I want to marry you.”

38

LORI

Jace squeezes me into the tightest hug, then pulls back, looking a little manic.

“Okay, we already have the rings, all we need now is a minister. Do you think the pastor from Aiden’s ceremony is still around?”

“You want to get marriednow? Like right at this moment?”

Jace’s determined expression doesn’t waver.

I smile. “You’re not joking, are you?”

He flashes me a radiant grin that pulls all kinds of strings in my chest. “I know it’s only been a month for you, but I’ve waited fifteen years, Lola, and I don’t want to waste another minute.”

“But we don’t even have a marriage license.”

Jace is already busy on his phone. “We can get it online.” He’s tapping furiously on the screen. “Aaaand… We have a virtual appointment in fifteen minutes.”

Excitement bubbles up in my chest. “Are we really doing this?”

“My mother is going to kill me for eloping.”

I pat Jace on the chest. “She’ll forgive you after the first grandbaby.”

Jace leans down and nuzzles my neck. “I can’t wait to make babies with you.”

His words ignite a fire in my belly. My hormones have been raging since the moment he kissed me for the first time. And now they’re shifting into high gear.

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