“I love you,” he told her.
“I love you, too. You make me crazy, but I do love you.”
Jack pulled away suddenly and glanced around the room. Seeing what he wanted, he led her to a chair.
“What are you doing?”
He smiled. “What I should have done in the first place.”
Jack bent down on one knee.
Jessie’s heart leapt up into her neck.
Out of his pocket, Jack removed a small black velvety box.
New tears sprang out of both Jessie’s eyes, and Jack’s face started to blur in front of her.
“Jessica Mann,” he started. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” Jack’s eyes didn’t waver. He stared hard and held his breath.
Her head started to bob before she could whisper the words. “Yes. I’ll marry you, Jack.”
Jack grasped the back of her head and sealed his proposal with a soul-shattering kiss. Lips, tongue, and a little bit of teeth, and both of them were laughing as they pulled away.
Jack fiddled with the box and lifted her left hand in his.
He slid a band around her ring finger and sat back staring at her.
Jessie dropped her gaze to her hand. “Shut. Up.”
“You like it?”
The air in Jessie’s lungs left and the dizzy feeling she had kissing Jack returned, only this time she literally saw stars. Itty-bitty gasps filled her lungs as she started to hyperventilate.
Knowing little about carats and color, Jessie couldn’t fathom what the rock on her hand had cost.
A stunning solitaire slightly smaller than her thumbnail sat in a round cluster of diamonds that tapered down both sides, circled her finger. It sat in what Jessie assumed was platinum. It was stunning. “It’s gorgeous,” she said with a hoarse whisper.
“There’s a band that goes with it,” he announced.
More? There’s more to it?
“I don’t know what to say.” She lifted her hand and felt the weight of the ring.
“Just say I do, and we’re good.”
Jessie placed her hand to the side of Jack’s face. The stubble on his jaw scratched her hand and she loved the feel of it. “I do. But…”
“But?” Jack grew serious.
A lifetime of teasing him, what could be better than that?
Someone pinch me.
“There is one more person you need to ask.” She leaned back.
A bemused expression crossed Jack’s face. Then he smiled. “Danny.”
“Right.”
Jack stood and helped her to her feet. “I have the perfect plan for him.”
Bright lights and the sound of Christmas carols playing added to the overall joy in Jessie’s heart.
Jack sat on the floor next to Danny in front of the huge Christmas tree. The day had started in Jessie’s apartment, where they’d showered Danny with gifts. Now, in Jack’s penthouse suite at The Morrison, Jessie and Jack were about to explain some of the changes that were going to take place in Danny’s life.
“What’s in this box?” Danny lifted the gift-wrapped package and began the obligatory shaking of the box.
Smiling, Jack glanced between Jessie and Danny before saying, “Well, that’s a gift for you, your mom, and me.”
“You bought yourself a gift, Uncle Jack?”
“Kind of.”
“Open it, Danny,” Jessie said before moving to sit with the two of them on the floor.
Finding the edge of the paper, Danny ripped through the foil wrap without finesse. Inside a shirt box was a magazine with the title of Texas on the cover. Jessie peered closer to see what the publication was about.
“Homes and Ranches?” Jessie cocked her head to the side to glance into Jack’s eyes.
He winked at her but focused his attention on Danny.
“What is this for?” Danny handed the magazine to Jessie. The magazine featured homes and ranches for sale in the state of Texas.
“Oh, Jack?”
Jack circled his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. “I love my father’s ranch. He’d be more than happy to share it with us, but I thought this would be better.”
“What would be better?” Danny still had no idea what Jack was getting at.
“Our own place,” Jack told him. “I want us to pick out our new home together.”
Danny’s jaw went slack. “You mean a real house with a yard?”
“With a yard big enough for a barn and horses.”
“And a puppy? Can I get a puppy?” Danny started to bounce on his behind, grinning ear to ear.
Jack ruffled Danny’s hair. “Any animal you can think of.”
“Whoohoo!” Danny jumped to his feet and climbed into Jack’s lap, nearly knocking him over. “Thanks, Uncle Jack.”
A house of our own. Jessie had a hard time picturing it. In the space of one holiday season, her life had completely changed. Grown.
“Danny, about the Uncle Jack…”
Danny stopped hugging Jack long enough to look at him. “Yeah?”
“When your mom and I get married, I can’t be your uncle Jack anymore.”
Danny’s smile fell. A cold chill fell on all of them.
“That’s because Jack will be your dad,” Jessie said quickly.
“My dad?” His little lip started to shake. A confused set of eyes peered up at them.
“I’m new at being a dad, Danny. Do you think you can teach me the ropes?” Jessie grasped Jack’s hand as he spoke.