Risky Business

“Will you do me the honor of being my wife? Will you marry me?” I ask, fighting off tears of my own.

Jayme nods wildly as the tears fall down her cheeks. “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!”

She holds her hand out, and I push the ring onto her finger. It fits perfectly, but I don’t think she’s even looking at it. Her eyes are locked on me and filled with joy. I scoop her into my arms, spinning her around in her parents’ family room as I kiss the hell out of her. I don’t want to stop. I don’t want to ever stop, but after a moment, Jameson clears his throat and reluctantly, I set Jayme down.

Still only a breath apart, I tell her, “I love you, and I’m going to spend forever making you happy.”

She smiles. “You already have. I love you too.”

One of the kids—Grayson, maybe, or Hunter?—says, totally unimpressed by what just went down, “Does that mean we can eat now?”

Jayme laughs through her tears, looking at her nephew. “Yeah, we can eat. And then I’m gonna beat you at snooker.”

John chuckles, telling his son, “No way. We’ll play teams, you and me against Jayme and Carson.”

I put my arm around Jayme’s shoulders, keeping her right at my side. “I’ll take that action. I’d bet on Jayme anytime,” I tell John confidently, though I know all the Brookses are skilled snooker players because Jameson enjoys the game quite a bit and has taught them all.

“Hmmph.” Jayme snorts. “I’d bet on us. Show me the money! No risk, all reward, baby!” And then she holds up her hand for a high-five.

I don’t smack her hand, though. I grab it in mine and kiss the back of it, just above her new engagement ring. I look up at her with a smirk designed to remind her of some of our riskier endeavors. “Well, maybe some risks are worth it.”