Page 137 of Return to Us
“When I thought I lost you, well, I didn’t know that I could ever feel pain on that level. You are my heart and soul—our heart and soul. Amelia and I decided that we want to keep you, and we’re hoping that you want to keep us too. I have loved you for over half my life, and I’d like to spend the rest of it loving you still. I will do anything to make you happy, Jessica. We just have one question for you.”
I look at my daughter, who is smiling brightly. “Will you marry us?”
Jess drops to her knees, pulling Amelia and me into her arms. She’s crying so hard she can only say one thing over and over. “Yes. Yes. Yes.”
Chapter 36
Jessica
“Jacob!” I yell and rush toward him. I can’t believe it’s been four months since the crash, and here we are, in New York City, for dinner before the big premiere tomorrow.
“You look beautiful,” he says, pulling me in for a hug.
“Thank you. You look rather dashing yourself.”
He laughs. “I’m nervous about this damn premiere, that’s what I am.”
“Well, you can’t tell.”
“This is Brenna,” Jacob says as a gorgeous redhead steps forward.
“I feel like we’re old friends,” she says with a laugh as she pulls me in for a hug.
“Me too.”
Grayson and Jacob shake hands, and then Brenna and Grayson do as well. We came in a day early to spend some time with Jacob and Brenna and to talk to him about a business opportunity that he demanded we discuss.
“Your ring is beautiful,” Brenna notes.
“Ring?” Jacob says, grabbing my hand. “You didn’t say anything.”
“He just asked two days ago.”
“Congrats, you guys. This is great news.” He raises his hand for the waiter. “Your best champagne.”
We’re in the back room of a restaurant that allows us privacy to talk and catch up. Jacob tells us about the kids and how it’s been being back in his hometown. I laugh and explain my own experience.
“So, is this a thing?” Brenna asks. “People in small towns all leave and then come back to fix their lives?”
Jacob laughs. “I guess so.”
“I’ve been telling patients the wrong therapy all this time.”
Grayson drapes his arm around me, his fingers just grazing the skin on my shoulder. “I’m not sure that instructing patients to get in a plane crash is the best therapy either.”
“No,” Brenna agrees. “Definitely not. Although, it did seem to knock both of these two in the right direction.”
Jacob leans toward her, his voice low. “I was always coming back to you.”
There is so much love in this room it could choke someone. Jacob and I had a lot of regrets when the plane was going down. I remember him begging for me to tell Brenna how he felt if he didn’t make it.
It was a terrifying time that really forced me to see my life through a different lens.
Now, I’m here with Grayson and can’t help but be grateful for it all. Had things gone differently, I wouldn’t be engaged and pregnant.
Brenna smiles warmly at me. “How is the pregnancy going?”
“Okay. We have another ultrasound, and if that one goes well, we’ll feel much better.”
