Vegas With Dad's Best Friend

He has his hand in his pocket, adopting a casual pose, but I’m not convinced there is anything casual about this. He has a strangely nervous look on his face, something I haven't ever seen there before. Not even when we were setting up the call when I felt like I would throw up by how nervous I was.

So, what in the world could ever possibly make Jonas more nervous than having to confront my father with the fact that we are now in a relationship?

Do I even want to know?

But as he moves, shifting so that he is suddenly down on one knee in front of me, I feel like I really, really do want to know.

I watch him with wide eyes and an open mouth, my heart thumping almost painfully in my chest. He pulls his hand out of his pocket and reveals a small jewelry box, which he lifts up towards me and opens to the light. A beautiful antique ring catches it and sparkles, showing off the diamonds embedded in the surface.

I must be dreaming.

“Savannah,” he says. “I know it’s only been a short while. But I’m more sure of this than I’ve ever been sure of anything in my life. I love you. You belong to me, and I belong to you. Please, do me the honor of becoming my wife.”

I wonder why he’s gone all blurry, and then I realize it’s because tears are streaming out of my eyes. For a long moment, I can barely speak or formulate a thought. Even dad is silent on the call, and I can’t tear my eyes away from Jonas to see his reaction.

“Yes,” I gasp, at last, seeing utter relief flood over Jonas’ face. “Yes, a hundred times. A thousand times!”

He laughs at my happiness, a sound of pure joy that warms me to the core. Happy Jonas, loving Jonas – this was a side of him that I never knew existed, and it’s the best side of him there is. And it’s all for me.

He slides the ring onto my finger, and it fits perfectly. “How did you find the time to get a ring sized like this?” I ask, amazed. “And how did you know my ring size? I didn’t even bring any jewelry with me.”

“I didn’t,” Jonas says. He’s still on his knee, gazing at my finger with a dazed look. “This is my mother’s engagement ring. I just thought we could get it sized properly later. But… it’s perfect.”

“Like it was meant to be,” I breathe, looking back at him.

My dad clears his throat, making me jump. I’d completely forgotten he was still there. “Is this… what you want?” he asks, looking only at me.

“Yes, Dad,” I say, wiping happy tears away from my face as Jonas gets to his feet. He slides an arm around my waist and pulls me close. “Yes, this is everything I want. It’s everything.”

My dad sighs and looks down, a conflicted look on his face. I think I can even detect a little moisture in his eyes, even though there’s no way to really tell with the video connection.

“Jonas, you swear to me that you’re going to take care of her?”

“At the expense of all else,” Jonas says immediately. “Even if I have to sacrifice myself, I would do it in a heartbeat.”

“Let’s hope it never comes to that,” I scold him, turning to him with wide eyes. He only squeezes me tighter at the waist.

“Then…” Dad sighs, and I can see the exact moment that he gives up fighting us. “I don’t think there’s anything I can say or do to stop you. And I’d rather keep my daughter close by than lose her because I didn’t approve of her marriage.”

And even though Jonas just proposed to me and offered to move to Texas, I think that this is the most wonderful thing I’ve ever heard.

I get to have Jonas – and keep my family. And nothing in the world could make me any happier than that.

Chapter Thirty

Savannah

“Are you sure?” Jonas asks me, for what must be the thirteenth time.

It's been two weeks since he proposed, and life since then has been a flurry of activity and decision-making. There's been one thing after another. Figuring out when we can get married, who to invite, where to do it. And now this question, where to live once we are back from our honeymoon.

We've been discussing it for some time, and now I'm absolutely sure. In fact, I think I made the decision the very moment that he proposed the idea of moving to Texas. It's just Jonas who doesn't seem to be completely convinced that I know what I want.

Which is silly, because he should know by now that when I know I know it for certain - and I'm not about to sit around waiting for it.