layers of gauze wrapped around it.
He nodded, but his face was pained.
I touched his cheek with my fingers. “What is it?”
Jared shook his head, trying to keep the corners of his mouth up. His smile faded to a compressed frown and his eyes glossed over.
“Jared,” I said, trying to think of something comforting to say. I couldn’t imagine what he had gone through, letting someone else try to save my life.
He sucked in a breath and held my hand against his cheek. “I thought I lost you…,” he cried, his eyes closed, “…I thought I lost you.” His voice was agonized, and he groaned as he buried his face into my stomach.
I rested my hand on his head, unsure of what to say. He sucked in another quick breath and wrapped his arms around my hips, pulling me gently to him.
He kept his face hidden against me. “I didn’t know what I was going to do…I begged Gabriel to take me at the same time. I didn’t want to live a single second without you.”
He lifted his face to meet mine, his eyes moist and red.
“I’m fine,” I smiled, sweeping his cheek with the back of my fingers.
Jared wiped his eyes and sighed. “This isn’t how I wanted to do this, but it will do.”
I watched him with confusion as he leaned down to pick something off the floor. He sat up and placed a petite box on my lap.
It was a takeout box from Blaze on Thayer.
I giggled. “Sweet potato fries?”
Jared smiled. “Sweet potato fries.”
“For breakfast?” I asked, lifting the lid. It was empty except for a small black box. I looked at Jared, and felt my eyebrows shoot up. He lifted the box and held it in front of me.
“Open it,” Jared whispered, wiping his eyes again.
I carefully lifted the lid, revealing a golden band. A large diamond sparkled in the center.
I gasped and looked at Jared.
“I exist for you. And I live for you. And I live to love you,” he paused. “Marry me, Nina.”
I looked back at the ring, and a broad smile stretched across my face.
Jared watched me as I stared at the glittering diamond. “Will you marry me?”
I looked at him, tears overflowing my eyes. I nodded emphatically and laughed. “Yes.”
Jared’s smile matched mine, and he took the ring from the box and lifted my hand, pulling the silver band from Corn Island off, and slipping the delicate gold band onto my finger.
He stared at it for a moment in awe, and then leaned forward, touching his lips to mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, crying tears of pure joy.
Jared smiled, triumphant. “We didn’t have to get through the nightmare to get our miracle. You, Nina….you’re my miracle. It’s always been you.”
Epilogue
I subdued my laughter while Jared washed the paint from his hair in the kitchen sink. He’d just finished rendering the bullet hole above the stove invisible; it was the last item on his list of things to remove, replace or repair since Shax’s visit just two months before.
Jared was covered in ivory specks, and I found it amusing that he was so graceful and agile; yet he couldn’t seem to pick up a paint brush without half the bucket inexplicably appearing all over him.
“What?” he asked, smiling as he scrubbed his hair with a towel.
“You look good in Honeysuckle Beige. I think it’s your color,” I giggled.
Jared tossed the towel onto the counter and walked to the couch where I rested. “How’s the leg? Need anything for the pain?” he asked, crouching beside me.
“It’s okay. How’s the shoulder?”
Jared grinned at me for a moment and then intertwined his fingers in mine. “Did something happen to my shoulder?”
“Is that like the tree falling in the woods making a sound question?” I asked, watching the large diamond glitter on my finger.
Jared’s bellowing laughter filled the room. “Yeah, something like that. Claire will be here soon with Mom. They’re bringing over some magazines, catalogs, things like that.”
I smiled and ran my fingers through his wet hair. “You keep me fairly entertained.”
“They’re bringing wedding stuff. Lillian has resorted to harassment to get me to let her come here. I made her wait until you were a little stronger before she ascended the loft with swaths and centerpiece options. I’m afraid it’s just given her time to collect more supplies.”
“You didn’t tell them about the island, did you?” I accused.
Jared squint one eye. “I think I’m going to need back up for that.”
“You’re letting them come over here thinking we’re planning a big wedding? Jared!”
He cringed at my reaction. “It’s okay! We’ll explain it together.”
I rolled my eyes and nervously twisted my engagement ring around my finger. “If I can tell Cynthia I’m getting married before I graduate college, you can tell your mom we’re going simple.”
Jared looked down and smiled. “You used to do that with Jack’s ring. It’s funny to think this time last year I would smile when I’d see you fidgeting with the Peridot. Now you’re twisting your engagement ring around when you’re nervous. It’s very….surreal,” he mused.
“Tell me about it,” I grumbled.
Jared nodded once. “Cranky when planning weddings…check.”
I pressed my lips together, trying not to smile.
Jared pulled my hand to his lips and kissed my fingers tenderly. “It will be fine. I promise.”
The sheer white curtains swayed lazily back and forth with the summer breeze. The walls of the loft were now in beiges and whites, and when the sun filtered through the windows, everything seemed to glow. Light seemed to engulf Jared, and I smiled at the halo it created around him. His eyes were a soft blue-grey, cloud free since he’d brought me home from the hospital.
Seconds later there was a knock at the door. Claire, Lillian and Bex walked through, arms full of sacks and thick catalogs.
Jared smiled at the sight of his family, and then laughed when he turned to see my overwhelmed expression.
“Be brave, sweetheart. Show no fear,” he whispered into my ear before affectionately greeting his mother.
“Nina!” Lillian gushed. “You look so much better, honey. You had us so worried!”
Claire set white sacks on top of a hot pink duffle bag while Lillian straightened a stack of bridal magazines on the coffee table.
Lillian smiled as she looked around the room. “Oh…Oh! I just love what you’ve done in here! It’s so light and peaceful! I’ve been telling Jared for years to brighten this place up and you manage to talk him into it within weeks!” She winked. “That a girl, Nina.”
“He practically forced me to choose a new color palette and shop for new decor. He was sure I didn’t like it before.” I smiled warmly at Jared who watched me with a soft expression.
“New color palette and decor?” Bex snorted.
Jared lunged at him and wrestled him to the floor, putting him in a headlock and rubbing his knuckles against Bex’s head.
“You’ll understand one of these days, punk,” Jared said, laughing.
Laughter filled the loft as we watched them wrestle on the floor. Bex made an impressive effort, but he was unsuccessful in escaping Jared’s grip. Jared finally stood up, bringing Bex with him by the collar. Jared hooked Bex’s neck with the crook of his arm and squeezed, and Bex threw his arm up and over his big brother’s shoulder.
