“My . . . that must have been some kiss.”
I spun on my heels and looked at Whitley. “Oh . . . um . . . well.” I let out a soft chuckle. There was no way I could hide how happy I felt. My cheeks actually hurt from smiling so big.
Whitley walked down the front porch steps toward me. “That smile is the most brilliant smile I think I’ve ever seen.”
Covering my cheeks with my hands, I could feel my face on fire.
Stopping right in front of me, she tilted her head and examined me. My hands moved to my mouth where I tried like hell not to smile. The back of my throat ached as I attempted to hold it in. There were no words I could say. If I tried to talk I was surely going to laugh or cry.
“Oh my word,” Whitley whispered.
Wrapping her arm around my shoulders, she guided me up the stairs and into the house. She took my hand and pulled me quickly into the kitchen where she motioned for me to sit down. Whitley stood back and regarded me carefully before turning and getting two wine glasses down.
I’d never in my life experienced being this happy before. There could not have been any better way for Jase to ask me that than right at that moment. Straight from his heart.
Whitley poured wine into each glass and handed me one while she sat down and watched me carefully.
Taking a deep breath, I took a drink and set the glass down.
“Now . . . breathe in and slowly let it out.”
I did what she said.
With a wide grin, she lifted her brows and waited for me to talk.
“Sorry about that. Jase and I have just had a really wonderful day.”
“That’s obvious and I’m glad to see he makes you happy, Taylor. I hope you know how happy you make him.”
Nodding my head, I bit the inside of my cheek.
“You seem to be glowing. I take it something . . . magical happened today.”
Chewing on my thumbnail, I grinned. “Every day is magical with Jase.”
“Every mother wants to hear a woman talk about her son that way.”
I closed my eyes and sighed. “Oh, Whitley. You and Layton did an amazing job because Jase makes me feel so alive.”
Feeling my face heat, I shook my head and looked away. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be talking about your own son that way.”
Whitley reached for my hands. “Yes! You should.”
The excitement of the last few minutes grew more. Thinking about Jase asking me to marry him, I placed my hand on my stomach to calm the butterflies. “He says the sweetest things to me,” I gushed.
Scrunching her nose, she grinned. “Oh, he got that from his daddy. Layton has a way of making me feel so loved and special.”
“Yes!” I replied.
She chuckled and then winked as she said, “But he also has a way of bringing out another side of me that is . . . only for him.”
Feeling my face warm, I whispered, “Yes.”
It was as if a memory swept through her mind as she fell back against the chair and smiled even bigger. “I have so many wonderful memories with that man.”
“You both seem to be so in love still. My parents are the same way. The way my father looks at my mother gives me chills. I see Layton look at you the same way.”
“And I see Jase look at you that way.” She leaned forward and took my hands in hers. “Taylor, there are going to be ups and downs. More ups in the beginning for sure, but life is going to test your love for one another as well as your patience and trust. You’ll come across people who are jealous of what the two of you share and they will do whatever they can to try and rip it apart.”
I instantly thought of Jill and the stunt she had pulled.
“Don’t let them. The key is communicating. If you’re upset or angry about something, you have to talk to each other. The worse mistake you could ever make is holding it in because you think it will get better. Don’t hold things in . . . talk about it.”
I wasn’t sure what came over me, but it was as if I was bubbling with excitement and I had to tell someone right that very second.
“Jase just asked me to marry him!” Slamming my hands over my mouth, my eyes widened.
Whitley gasped. “I knew it! I could tell the moment I saw you jumping all around!”
Dropping my hands, I said, “I wasn’t supposed to say anything.”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. You’re secret is safe with me. I won’t tell a soul until the two of you are ready.”
Moving my feet as if I was running in place, I let out another squeal. “I’m engaged!”
We both jumped up and grabbed hands as we jumped all around until we hugged. I knew in that moment Whitley was going to be so much more to me than just a mother-in-law. I already felt like I could tell her anything. I had just gained someone amazing in my life.
The day couldn’t get any better . . . that was until Whitley pushed me back at arm’s length and said, “Welcome to the family, Taylor.”
Jase