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“When Russ spotted him trailing us at the market, we knew he’d either discovered the body was found, or he’d snapped,” Jamison adds, making my breath stall. “Either way, we’d likely find him coming after us. So, I put on the vest, and we called the cops. Doug’s guys cleared out the market before we went inside, and Chief Davidson knew if it came down to it, he’d be the one that would have to take the shot. Anyone else and HQ would be all over it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?” I demand, shaking again at the thought of losing him, let alone the idea of Craig putting his nasty hands on me, taking me from Jamison.
“I was worried you’d have a panic attack if you knew what he was plotting if he showed, and I needed you safe. I didn’t tell you about the vest because if you knew I was wearing it and somehow you weren’t behind me, if you weren’t as worried because of it, he’d take a shot at you instead of me,” Jamison admits, and I curl up in his arms further needing his hold more than anything else right now.
“We’re glad you’re safe,” Adam says getting up, patting Jamison’s shoulder. “I’ll go check the grill since it smells like you’ve got something on it and check on the girls.”
“Thanks,” Jamison tells him, and Jake follows with Faye, leaving me, Jamison, Annie and Jasmine with Nick.
“I still don’t get why you didn’t tell me, Natalie,” Nick says, shaking his head at us. “If I’d known he was stalking you…”
“You’d have gone after him and he probably would have killed you to get you out of the way,” I finish for him, and he lets out a low sigh unable to argue that much.
“And this thing between you two?” Nick asks, giving Jamison a little glare as his hand rests on my thigh, bare beneath my shorts.
“Is real, I’m all in,” Jamison states, making me smile. “I love her entirely and always will. I’ll always keep her safe. You know me, Nick. I don’t play with girls. Not with their emotions or their bodies.”
“You’d better not, or you’ll deal with me,” Nick threatens, and I relax further into Jamison’s arms, smiling as he presses kisses to my temple.
“So when are you two going to make it official and get married?” Jasmine asks, pulling a little hint of a snort from Nick.
“Well, since pretty much everyone we’d likely invite is family, we figured we’d just do something small, simple,” Jamison says pulling a huff from Annie.
“If you’re telling me you took her to the courthouse like yours brothers did…”
“No Mom, you didn’t miss the wedding and we weren’t thinking of doing it at the courthouse,” Jamison assures her with a laugh. “We were hoping to do it at the house, say…August first.”
“Oh my god, you already proposed?” Jasmine asks excitedly looking between us.
“It was more of a gentle ask if I’d given any more thought to marrying him Tuesday night,” I admit, smiling when Jasmine hugs us both. “I didn’t want Craig getting in the way of living my life, and suggested we just do something small, quiet before I went back to school this year. It’ll be after my final repeats, but before the new semester begins.”
“Sounds perfect,” Annie says, and a little over a month later, it definitely felt that way as I got dressed.
“Oh my gosh, you look beautiful,” Nanci says, giving me a big hug. “You look so much like Mom.”
“Thankfully Jamison’s nothing like Dad though,” I state, relieved to finally have the truth out of my siblings about our parents’ relationship. To know that it really wasn’t as loving as I’d glorified it to be all those years.
“Absolutely,” she agrees, laughing softly, because I swear, she’s a little in love with my soon-to-be husband. She loves Mike with all her heart, but she’s definitely in awe of Jamison and the family I get to be part of.
“Dang girl, are you wearing a push up or did that boy knock you up despite those pills you’re taking?” Greg asks as he comes back in to finish helping me get ready. He did my makeup, and it looks absolutely incredible.
“It’s a padded top,” I tell the group, shaking my head. “We’ve decided to wait until after I graduate to have a baby. Spend a little time just the two of us with work and school to deal with on a daily basis.”
“That’s smart,” Nanci says, giving me a hug. “I know you’ll be an amazing mom, but there’s no rush. I know Jamison has plenty of money to take care of you if you did have one, but you should live your life first, so you don’t regret anything.”
“True,” Jasmine agrees. “So I think it’s time to get you to take the next step and marry my brother, don’t you?”
“Well, first I have something for you all,” I tell them with a huge grin, grabbing the bags with the little things, taking them over to where the bigger box sits. “These are from Jamison and me, so no arguing, okay?”
“Ooohh, what’s this?” Jillian asks, before opening the box with the jewelry set she was sighing over when we were looking at dress ideas last month. “No way, I love it, Nat.”
“This one is for Jasmine,” I tell her, and she laughs seeing the coupon booklet we made up for babysitting the girls.
“This is absolutely the best thing ever and I will definitely be using it,” Jasmine warns.
“That was the idea,” I tease her before motioning to the box. “Jaime, this one is yours. It’s a little heavy.”
“No way, oh, they’re perfect,” Jaime gushes when she opens the brand-new box set special edition of her favorite series. “I can’t wait to read them all over again now.”
