Page 102 of Follow Your Bliss

Mom stared at the card. “I can’t believe you did all this for me after I was so awful to you.” Mom placed the handkerchief back into the box and handed it to Becca. She took Rose’s hand. “I’m sorry, Rose, for the way I acted and for what I said.” Then she took my hand. “And I’m sorry, Jason.” She connected my hand with Rose’s. I held my breath, afraid to grab hers too fast, but she grasped my hand first. I squeezed hers for dear life.

“I’m sorry I didn’t give you a chance, Rose,” Mom said. “I’ll do better.”

“I’m sorry we didn’t tell you about us,” Rose said softly. “We should’ve been honest from the beginning.”

I wasn’t sure where we stood, but I loved hearing “we” and “us” from her mouth.

“Thank you for saying so. And thank you for the handkerchief. It’s perfect. More than I imagined.” Mom put her hands on each of our cheeks. “Be good to each other.” She turned and took Becca’s hand, going back into the restaurant.

Rose’s gaze met mine. She took my other hand. “I saw my crystal shelf. Thank you. It was beautiful, like everything you make. But…aren’t you worried about what StudFinders will think?”

I shook my head. “I already turned them down.”

She gasped, her eyes wide. “Why?”

My heart pounded a desperate rhythm, and I swallowed hard, wanting to throw my arms around her, but also needing her to say it was okay for me to. “Because it’s not enough to follow my bliss. I want to move forward with integrity. And I love you too much to hide it from anyone.”

One side of her smile quirked up as her eyebrows pulled together. “But what about your community room?”

“I’ll figure it out.” I shrugged. “Like you said—if that wasn’t the way, then the right way’s coming.” I licked my lips. “Thank you for doing that for my mom. That was really cool of you.”

“She’s important to you, so she’s important to me,” she said. “I missed you.”

A dam broke in my chest. “I missed you, too. I’m so sorry, Rose. I should never have talked to you the way I did, and I shouldn’t have let my mom talk to you that way, either. I should’ve been honest and told my mom how I feel about you. There’s no excuse for any of it, and I’d undo it if I could. But I promise I’ll do better. If you let me.”

She nodded. “Thank you. And I’m sorry I walked out the way I did. Next time we argue, I’ll stay and work it out. Because we’re everything to me.”

The aching in my chest subsided as warm relief stole through my limbs. “We’re everything to me, too.”

“And I’m also sorry I couldn’t say it before…but Jason?” She bit her lip and studied my eyes. Took a deep breath. “I love you.”

A full smile broke across my face and warmth like sunshine filled my chest. “I love you too. So much. So…does this mean you’re coming home?”

“Um. Just one thing.” She busied herself with straightening my tie. “I overheard what you said to your mom.”

I closed my hand over hers, over my pounding heart. “I meant it all.”

“I know. I want you to know…I’m not sure if I want to get married. I might, someday. But I’m not sure right now. If that’s a dealbreaker, please tell me now.” Tears sprang to her eyes. “Because I don’t want to stand in the way of your happiness, but I selfishly want you to be happy with me.”

I slipped my hand along her face. I’ve always wanted to get married, and even more so, I wanted to marry Rose. But there was something I wanted even more than that.

“I want to be your partner. If I get to do that as your husband or as your boyfriend, either way, I’m thrilled. And I respect your feelings about it. I promise I’ll never hold it over your head, and I’ll never ambush you with a surprise proposal.”

She exhaled and smiled. “Thank you,” she murmured, pulling me closer by my lapels. “Now I’m ready to come home.” She reached her hand along my jaw and brought my face close to hers, looking deeply and seriously into my eyes. “But I have to warn you.” She smiled, her wet eyes starry. “You’re never gonna be able to get rid of me.”

Tears slipped down my face as I pressed my forehead to hers. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” I pulled her closer, breathing in her rosy scent like a parched man who’d finally gotten a drink of water.

She wrapped her arms around my neck. “I’m serious, Deck Daddy,” she murmured against my lips. “You’re gonna be so stuck with me.”

“I want you, I love you, and you can’t threaten me with something I want. Weak sauce, Sweet Rose. Weak…” I kissed her. “Sauce.”

She pulled my ear to her mouth. “So how long does this shindig last? I desperately want to be reunited with Dick Daddy.”

I laughed, squeezing her tight and leaning into her with my hips so she could feel how badly I wanted her. I nuzzled my face next to hers. “Baby, did you name my cock?”

“Yeah.” She nipped my ear and pressed back against me. “And it feels like he likes it.”

Chapter 18

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