I sigh, turning over to look at Jameson. It’s really late, or maybe really early. The street lamp outside casts its glow onto his face, the blinds on the window causing it to fall in little stripes.

The light catches my engagement ring as I turn, throwing rainbows on the bed. I bite my lip. I’m still not used to the idea of belonging to him, or of wearing his ring.

I scrunch up my face at the ring. Not that anyone could possibly make me take it off or anything… but I have to wonder what Asher will say. Or my parents.

Or anyone, really. I mean, I haven’t tried to not tell anyone. It’s just been a challenge to leave the bedroom for the last couple of days. Every time I get up, Jameson pulls me back in with a lure that works every time.

I blush, recalling all the hours of hot, sweaty sex. And it’s Jameson — realistically, the sex could just be okay and I would still be thrilled that he finally chose me. The fact that he put a ring on it was just…

I don’t even have the words to explain to anyone else how fucking elated I am. If you asked thirteen year old me how she saw things playing out between Jameson and me, I really don’t think she would’ve come up with this as a scenario. That’s how in awe I am of it.

But I’m still worried. Worried about how Asher will react, that it will go beyond just a lot of yelling. Worried that my parents will scare Jameson off somehow.

I sigh again, and Jameson cracks open an eye. “Are you sighing passive aggressively at me, or actually worried about something?”

I turn pink. “Ohhh, sorry! No, I’m not being passive aggressive. I didn’t realize you could hear me.”

He opens his eyes a little further, moving to sit up. “What’s on your mind, oh wife to be?”

“You won’t like it.”

“I’m already awake at four in the morning. Obviously it’s enough to keep you tossing and turning even after hours of sex. So how about you just tell me what it is?”

I look down at the bed, tracing a figure eight in the sheets. “I uh… I’m more than a little worried about what Asher will do when he finds out. I mean… I just don’t want anything else to come between us, you know?”

His brow puckers. “You’re worried that he will do something that makes me not want to marry you?”

“No. Well, maybe. I don’t know.” I refuse to look up at him, even though I can feel his eyes on my face.

He scoots closer, using two fingers to lift up my chin. I stare at his black-brown eyes, so perplexed with me at this moment.

“What would he do? I can’t imagine a single thing that Asher could do that would change how I feel in here.” He taps his chest. “I know that I’ve let you down before—”

My eyes well up and my lip starts to tremble. “You guys have so much history together… how can I hope to overcome that?”

He smiles. “You have overcome it. That’s what you don’t understand, I think. I’m in it, Em. I am in this, with you, forever. End of story.”

“Jameson—” I whisper, a tear breaking free to track down my face. I love what he is saying, but I’m afraid at the same time. “Don’t say it. I don’t think you mean it, not all the way. What if— what if my parents are horrible and nasty to you? What if Asher won’t ever talk to you again? What if—”

I break off, stifling a sob. Jameson wipes away the tear from my face and ever so gently kisses my lips.

“Shh,” he says, comforting me. “I know I hurt you. And I wish like hell every single day that I hadn’t. I just… I realized that you were right.”

I’m actively just sobbing in his arms now. When I speak, it comes out all strangled, and broken up by hiccups. “I.. I was?”

He pushes my hair back off my forehead. “Yes. You asked when I was going to be done owing Asher. It didn’t quite sink in then, but later… I realized that you were right. I get the feeling that you’re almost always right about things like that.”

I snuggle in closer to his neck, getting a big lungful of his scent. I try to calm down as much as possible. “Oh.”

He kisses the crown of my head. I try to reconcile what Jameson has just told me with the turmoil that’s been in my head recently, but it’s tough. I burrow even deeper against Jameson’s neck, my eyelids growing heavy.

I must have drifted off, because the next thing I know, I’m blinking against the midmorning light. Jameson is nowhere to be seen, but when I put my hand out, his spot in the bed is still warm. I sit up, a little disoriented.

Jameson comes in with two mugs of coffee. He’s dressed in nothing but his boxer briefs, and for a second I wonder how in the hell I got so lucky.

I mean, this is the man that is supposedly going to bring me coffee every day for the rest of my frigging life. It doesn’t seem true, but somehow it’s happening to me anyway.

“Here,” he says, handing me a mug. He sits down beside me, and I look at my coffee. It’s steaming, the color of thick mud, and it smells friggin amazing.

“You’re up and awake,” I say, eyeing him suspiciously. “What’s going on?”

He gives me a crooked smile. “I just woke up before you. And I was thinking about what you said last night, that you were still stressed about telling your brother.”

I nod, blowing on my coffee before taking a too-hot sip.

“Yep. It is literally keeping me awake at night.”

He takes a deep breath. “Well, I think we should just tell him. Get it over with.”

I glance at him, a little worried. “You do? I mean, I didn’t mean to infect you with my worries.”

Jameson splays his big hand out over my knee. “Your worries are my worries now. And besides, hiding our relationship from him is childish.”

I suck my lower lip in between my teeth, thinking it over. “I mean, you are absolutely right. But it just seems so hard. Like… I would just rather avoid it, if at all possible. Just bury myself under the covers with you forever, and never come out.”

His dimple flashes. “Yeah, I’d prefer that too. But that’s not a real option, so… it’s better if we just get it out of the way. I mean, assuming you’re going to come with me. I don’t know if I would, if I were you.”

I roll my eyes. “Of course I’m going to come with you. I think that it will lessen your chances of brawling on the street, anyway.”

“Hey, the only time I’ve really done that was for you,” he says, but I can tell he’s joking.

“Have I told you thank you yet?” I ask, moving forward just enough to kiss his shoulder. “I appreciate it.”

“Remember that feeling, because I think we should go to Cure right now. I texted Asher to find out where he will be, and he’s apparently doing inventory over there as we speak.”

I blanch, even though I know that this is something that we have to do. I sigh. “Thus the coffee?”

“Yep.” He pats my knee. “Then afterward, we’ll do something fun. Like putt putt or go karts or something.”

I give him a look. “Can there be ice cream involved?”

He grins. “Every flavor you could possibly want.”

“Uuuugh, okay. I’ll get dressed.” I swat him on his butt as he gets up, taking just one more second to appreciate how amazingly hot he is.

I drink my coffee as I get ready in a blue sundress. I’m nervous beyond words as Jameson drives us both over to Cure, staring off into the distance. I can’t help the thoughts that are filling my mind.

What will Asher say? It seems unlikely that he will surprise me by simply being okay with our newfound relationship.

I glance at Jameson. I’m honestly more worried about the effect that Asher’s words will have on him. Actually, worried is the wrong word. It’s more of a distinct note of dread.

Jameson says all the right things, about how he’s in this relationship for the long haul. But what if his heart isn’t in it after we confront Asher?

Jameson parks the back lot, and I take a deep breath. He leads me through the alley and up onto the patio, toward the shaded glass doors. He uses his keys and pulls the door open, waiting for me to go first.

I step in, blinking against the bright overhead lights. It’s a Saturday morning, so the bar is completely empty. There are cases and cases of liquor stacked on the bar, out of place.

“Hello?” I call out, trying not to let my voice shake.

Jameson gives my arm a squeeze, pushing past me. Asher’s blond head pokes out of the back office, frowning. “Jameson, hi. What are you doing here, Em?”

I clear my throat, trailing after Jameson. “I’m here with Jameson.”

Asher looks between Jameson and me, confused. “Okay?”

“We have something to tell you,” Jameson says, his expression unreadable. He seems already hardened, in preparation for whatever is about to go down.

Jameson reaches a hand over to me. I take it like it’s a lifeline and I’m drowning in the big, black sea.

“You—” Asher steps out of the office, looking pointedly at our clasped hands. “No. No way.”

He looks to Jameson, his expression demanding an explanation.

“We’re dating,” I blurt out. Jameson gives me a little side eye.

“Actually, we’re engaged,” Jameson says.

Asher seems stunned for a moment, his fists clenching. “Are you— is this a joke? This isn’t funny.”

“It’s very real,” I say, holding out my left hand. “Jameson made it official a few days ago.”

“Jameson— Emma— what the fuck??” Asher says, anger tingeing his voice. “How could this happen?”

I step closer to Jameson, my cheeks burning. “You had to know how I’ve felt about about Jameson for all these years.”

Jameson cuts in. “I’m sorry that we broke your rule, but I’m not sorry about finding happiness with Emma. She makes me happy, Asher.”

For a second, I think that Asher is just totally going to lose his shit. Every muscle in his body is clenched tightly, and he’s looking at Jameson like Jameson just betrayed him. When he speaks, it’s with a barely contained rage.

“I don’t even know you anymore,” he says to Jameson. “I’ve felt like that for a while—”

“You mean ever since you got back together with Evie and didn’t need me anymore?” Jameson growls.

If looks could kill, the one passing between Jameson and Asher right now would be deadly, without a doubt.

Asher looks at me pointedly. “Our parents will never allow this.”

That is low, even for him. Asher doesn’t even speak to our parents anymore! “Really? That’s your tactic here? To invoke what our parents may do?”

“I’ll tell them,” Asher threatens. “I’ll tell them you’re actually so confused as to think that you are marrying him. You know that he’s— he’s not like us!”

“What, rich and privileged?” I spit back. “Jameson’s doing just fine by my book.”

Asher levels a look at Jameson. “You’re basically guaranteeing that Cure doesn’t last another year. You know that, right?”

Jameson glares at him. “Who do you think made this place so great? It wasn’t you, that’s for damn sure. If Cure goes under, I will just start another business, one that isn’t tied to your dirty family money.”

“That’s it! You two are fucking making me crazy!” Asher yells, bursting past us both, headed for the front door. “Good fucking luck not running this place into the ground.”

As I watch, Asher pushes open the door, and slams out of the building. I look to Jameson, my eyes a little wide.

“Did he just quit the business?” I ask.

“Yeah, I think so,” Jameson says. “And… I hate to say this, but you had better call your parents. Tell them that you want to meet them as soon as you can. I think it’s better if we tell them about our engagement, rather than just hearing Asher spouting off about it.”

Oh god. That’s a lot of people that will be angry at me, in such a short time. I feel like there is a huge lump in my throat.

A deep breath in, and a deep breath out. I bite my lip, holding onto Jameson’s arm. “Are you okay?”

Jameson looks down at the ground. “Yeah. I mean, it sucks that my best friend acted like that, but… I’m doing okay.”

“I’m sorry that Asher was an ass. You don’t deserve that, at all.” I lace my fingers with his, giving his hand a squeeze.

Jameson shrugs. “Honestly, it went better than I expected. I thought he was going to take a swing at me and say horrible stuff. Instead, he just said horrible stuff.”

I give him a faint smile. “I know. Still… I’m sorry, anyway.”

He leans down for a kiss, slow and hot, making my toes curl up. “I still get you. Asher will come around eventually, or maybe not. But either way, I still get the girl. I’m the winner here, I think.”

I beam at him, my heart swelling. “I really love you.”

“And I love you. I keep telling you, I’m in this for the long run.”

And for the first time, standing in Cure, I let myself really, actually believe him.