Page 40 of The Hot Mess

“I’m surprised you didn’t bring any work with you,” I teased. His face went blank, and I playfully smacked his chest. “You did, didn’t you!?” I gasped. “You scoundrel. I knew you were hiding something from me.”

“Only for nights when I’ve used you all up in bed and you’re asleep before me.”

“Challenge accepted,” I grinned. “I’ll just have to use you all up right back so you’ll actually take some time off. You’ll be too tired to work by the time I’m through with you.”

“I’m surprisedyoudidn’t bring any work with you,” he shot back. “You’re the big shot executive vice president at your family’s company now.” I smiled widely, giving myself away. “You did bring a few things with you, didn’t you? I knew I found the perfect woman for me.”

We laughed and walked along the beach through the sunset. It was just like a scene out of a movie, or one of my books. The weather on the beach was perfect, and so was the man I got to share it with.

Jack seemed quiet and distracted as we got close to the hotel again. I started off to go inside, but he caught my hand and pulled me back.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“Yes, there’s just one thing I needed to discuss with you.”

“Okay,” I waited, growing serious. The concern on his face was making me anxious.

He was quiet and still for a moment, but then he dropped down onto one knee. I gasped and threw my hands over my face, wondering if I thought was happening was really happening.

“Jack,” I whispered in shock.

“Jada Meadows,” he smiled up at me, pulling a ring out of his pocket. “A year and a half ago, I spotted an old friend of mine in the lobby at work. She suddenly looked so different. Like a diamond in the rough I had been missing out on my whole life. It felt like I was seeing you for the first time. And since then, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know every part of you. Outside…and inside.” He winked suggestively, making me laugh. “I know I was your first. You were my first for a lot of things too. But I don’t want to just be your first. I want to be your last. Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” I shrieked, eagerly waving my hand out for him to put the ring on.

“Yes? Just like that? You don’t need to think about it?”

“You want to give me a chance to change my mind?” I teased with my hand on my hip.

“Not a chance in hell.”

He slid the ring on my finger and kissed me in the sunset. We started talking about our plans immediately as we made our way back to our room.

“I would have asked you sooner,” he said, holding my hand. “But I wanted to wait until after the baby was born. So you could really go all out and have the wedding of your dreams without worrying about anything.”

“This was perfect timing,” I said with a dreamy sigh. “Oh! And Izzy can be one of my bridesmaids! She’ll love that.”

“You still have a lot to learn about my sister,” he quipped. “She’ll agree to being a bridesmaid then take over as wedding planner. Hell, with the way our mother raised her, she was practically born to be an event planner.”

“You think we can afford something your sister would plan?” I raised a brow, remembering her expensive, lavish tastes. Another gift inherited from their mother.

“Anything you want, babe. The sky’s the limit.”

Isabella and I remained friends and continued growing close. I made an effort to assure her I had no intention of stealing her brother away from her. We could all be a family,together. She was enjoying being an aunt. It gave her something to do and a new way to spend her time and energy. She had been bored and lonely for a while, so it was perfect for her. And if I did let her plan the wedding, she’d at least give us less trouble about any of their precious inheritance money going towards the bill.

She was still painfully single though. It was crazy to think someone like me would find the perfect guy, have his baby, and get engaged, while someone like her struggled to find love. It seemed backwards to me, but I wasn’t complaining. I just wanted her to find happiness too. Heartstring had done little to help. I made a note to myself to make more of an effort in finding someone for her when we got back from our trip.

When we got back to our room, we showered and decided to sit out on the balcony for a while, watching the stars shine over the ocean at night.

“It’s funny,” Jack said. “I used to go on trips when we first got together, and I’d spend the whole time thinking about you. Now here you are, with my engagement ring on your finger.”

I flashed a devilish grin. “I used to think about you while I was laying in my bed, drifting off in terribly dirty fantasies about you.”

“Mmm-hmm,” he smirked, pulling me over to his chair to straddle him. “Tell me more. Then what happened?”

“I could tell you…” I said slowly. “Or I couldshowyou.”

“God, you are the sexiest woman alive,” he growled, nibbling at my ear.

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