Whipping her face to him, her jaw unlocked and she didn’t speak for a profound moment. “Oh, God… you’re really serious.”
“Yes. Weren’t you?” He leaned forward to take the box from her hand. Opening it, he plucked the plain ring out. He knew she was aware of his meager salary, which couldn’t compare to a rock star’s annual income, like her family. He also knew he would insult her by prequalifying it. In his gut, he knew it did not matter to Kayla whether the ring he picked for her was simple and lacking a huge diamond. His was small and affordable. But it symbolized his heart, soul, faith and being. He chose it to give to her. And, she accepted it at once. It might be a huge moment but he knew he was simply fulfilling the promises they’d already made to each other.
They belonged together.
He picked up her suddenly cold, limp hand and stared at her small fingers before looking up at her huge, wide eyes and giant O of her mouth. “Will you marry me, Kayla Randall? And become Kayla Zavarian because that is my name and the one I hope to share with you.”
Her head nodded and her mouth finally closed as the tears fell from her eyes. She jumped awkwardly over the console to wrap her arms around his shoulders. “Yes. Oh, yes, of course. I will.”
He smiled a crooked grin. “I planned to propose on the way back when we stopped to take a look at Glacier and explore it. There is a road that goes up high into the mountains with the most gorgeous view called the Road to the Sun. That was where I wanted to drop down on one knee and take your hand and ask you to marry me. In a setting with a heavenly horizon behind you. But I guess a roadside motel works too.”
Kayla was crying too hard to answer. He didn’t expect any tears. She didn’t usually cry. Especially not for joy or sappiness. But here she was. Eventually, she crawled back into her own seat, wiping her eyes. “No. No. This couldn’t be more perfect,” she shrugged and gave him a warm smile. “Because we did it together. You and I both knew it was time.”
He nodded and his gaze lingered on her and only her. “It is way beyond time. And now I can’t wait.”
“We need to go inside. And out to dinner later to toast us, but first, come inside.”
She almost ran to the motel room door. Jim followed after locking her car and dragging out the keys to open the small single motel room. As soon as they were inside, she shut the door firmly and proceeded to attack him, planting her mouth on his in dozens of heated kisses while pulling off the suit jacket he wore. They got dressed up to visit the Zavarians unnecessarily, but
that didn’t matter anymore. It floated away along with his past because neither mattered to his future anymore. Kayla mattered and her family did. Their life together mattered. His calling and faith and all of that mattered. He finally felt healed and his burden no longer weighed him down.
Between kisses, Kayla muttered. “Oh, my God, I love you. I love you. We’ll seriously think about moving to Montana, won’t we?”
He finished kissing her and tugged at the straps of her pretty sundress. “I was thinking we could discuss the pros and cons tonight at dinner.” More kisses, and Jim’s mouth descended to lick her neck as she groaned in response. He popped back up to say, “But yeah. I think it’ll probably be a yes.”
Much to her surprise, Jim swept her up into his arms and turned towards the bed to set her down on the uneven, bumpy mattress. But who cared? They had more riches and wealth than kings and sultans in the form of love, understanding, promises, dreams and a happy future.
She stretched out with half her clothing still on and they both struggled to undress but Kayla answered his life-changing inquiry, “Yes. Yes, to all of it.”
Jim drifted off to heaven, his love and his heart were held tightly in his arms, in Kayla, and her sighs reflected her love for him.
They agreed to have a short engagement. Leaving perfectly good jobs to move two states away to a place that could have been the polar opposite of where they came from. They planned to try it out for three years and both were eager to experience the adventure, fun and differences it offered.
And when the time came to start their family, they moved back home to Everett. Kayla wanted to be closer to her family, mostly to her sisters, so Jim found a new position in the area. Not so long after they returned, Jim and Kathy’s original church asked him back as soon as they were able.
It felt like full circle. Coming home.
All the joy, love, fun, adventure, faith, strength, conflict, anger, fights, and making up were theirs to share now. It was a life Jim never imagined he could have.
All because of a kiss with a girl one crucial night.
Jim never doubted the path that brought him to Kayla again. Never. Whether it was traditional or not, when he stared into the eyes of his newborn son, Jim was very sure he chose the path he was destined to travel. All the promises he hoped for manifested. All his hopes and dreams replaced the pain, betrayal and confusion of his neglectful childhood and lonely past.
The time arrived when Jim recalled something Eric James told him: that he deserved love too. Turns out, he did.
Thank you for reading ZENITH IN LOVE!
I hope you fell in love with Jim and Kayla as they figured out their differences, but more importantly all that they add to each other’s
