Right Kind of Wrong(91)
Standing naked in the shower, with his tattooed body glistening in the spray, Jack’s silver eyes pierce me once again. But this time they see into me with love and hope and the promise of things to come.
A slow grin stretches across his beautiful face as he leans down and kisses me with the passion of heaven and hell colliding. I wrap my drenched body around his and let the water fall over us as I kiss him back with, yes, another tear running down my cheek.
Pulling back from the kiss, just barely enough to speak, Jack’s eyes sparkle with his smile. “Told you so,” he says.
I grin so big my face hurts.
He takes me in his arms, water falling on us like a beautiful storm, and brings his mouth to my ear to whisper, “Say it again.”
Beaming, I look into his eyes. “Jack Oliver, I love you with all my heart.”
His mouth is on mine again, kissing me and smiling against my lips like he’s the luckiest guy on earth. And I’m the happiest girl in the world.
Grandma was right. I was brave enough to confess my feelings.
And it was totally worth it.
Epilogue
“All I’m saying,” Ethan says as he stuffs a pair of red leather pants into a cardboard box, “is that the three of us could have some really fun times together. As roommates.”
“This is not up for discussion,” Jack says. “You’re moving out. Jenna is moving in. End of story.”
I bite back a smile at the look of betrayal on Ethan’s face. “Aw, come on, man. What does she have that I don’t have?”
Jack doesn’t hesitate to list things off. “Manners. Grace. Good hygiene—”
“Boobs,” I add.
Jack nods at me. “That too.”
I grin at Ethan. “Contrary to what your shoe collection might suggest, you don’t have lady parts. So you’re out. I’m in.”
The beautiful October weather is rolling into Arizona and with the change of seasons comes a big change for Jack and me. He asked me to move in with him two weeks ago, and despite my history with commitment and vocalizing how I feel, I instantly said yes.
It’s hard to believe our road trip was only a few months ago. It feels like years have passed since then. Good years. Happy years.
Ethan huffs as he carries the box out of the apartment. “This is the last box I’m loading today. I’ll be back tomorrow to collect the rest of my belongings when I’m in a better mood and not thinking about Jenna’s lady parts.”
“Okay, ew,” I say.
Ethan exits the apartment, and the moment it’s just the two of us, alone, in our new home, Jack’s face lights up with a big smile. “I love you.”
He says that. All the time. It’s like he thinks he needs to remind me or something.
I playfully tug at his shirt collar, pulling it down to trace the lines of his tattoos there. “I love you too.”
He tugs the waist of my yoga pants down a bit and brushes his thumb over the tattoo there. The midnight bird we share, taking flight in hope of finding something more. Jack’s flew him away from a life of crime. Mine flew me away from my fear of love. A lucky tattoo indeed.
“You know what I’m thinking about?” he says, his voice husky and low.
I arch an eyebrow. “My lady parts?”
“You know me so well.”
I giggle—yes, I giggle now—and he lifts me into his arms and carries me down the hall to his room. Excuse me—our room.
God, I love saying that.
Our home. Our bed.
Our true love.
Maybe I believe in happily ever after, after all.
* * *
Later that night, I watch Marvin the goat try to eat my shoe again and curse under my breath. “I’m not kidding, Pixie. This goat has got to go.”
Pixie smiles over at me. “But he likes you.”
We’re sitting in the stands at Levi’s football game, along with Levi’s parents and Ellen, and somehow I got stuck babysitting Levi’s friend Zack’s pet goat. Zack’s a teammate of Levi’s and currently on the football field, otherwise he’d be getting an earful from me about this goat that keeps trying to eat my footwear.
“Here, I’ll take the damn goat,” says Jack, arriving with the pretzel he got me from the concession stand. He scoots past everyone else to come sit down by me and trades the pretzel for the goat.
After he situates the goat far away from my feet, Jack leans over and kisses me. “Hey, baby.”
“Hey.” I smile and kiss him back more fully.
Jack is pretty much my whole life, and while that overwhelms me sometimes, it still rocks my world. Every day seems to be better than the one before, and I still feel independent.
Ellen was right—choosing to love Jack was the best thing I could have done.