Page 60 of Djinn in Love

“I-I-I’m not sure what to say,” she stammered. Her brain seemed to be stuck on the words “married” and “starting a family.”

“Say you’ll marry me,” Jasper supplied.

“Now?” Her voice cracked as she asked the question.

He laughed. “Maybe not now. In a few months.”

“A few months?” she repeated, still blinking over and over.

He laughed again, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I’ll give you as much time as you need, but you should know that I’m going to try and change your mind every chance I get.”

Finally, Veronica regained control of her brain and mouth. She sighed. The man was always throwing her off balance. “Ask me again in a couple of months.”

He kissed her lightly. “I will.” Another kiss. “But I still want you to move in with me before then.”

Oh, that wasn’t fair. She wanted so badly to say yes, but it was too much, too soon.

“I’ll ask you again next week.” When she opened her mouth, he continued talking, “And the next week. And the week after that. And however many weeks it takes until you’re comfortable with the idea.” He paused. “To be clear, I can accept a no. I just want you to understand that this is what I want. I don’t ever want you to feel like you have to guess anything with me. So, when I ask you every week, it’s not to pressure you. It’s so you know you’re welcome…when you’re ready.”

“I understand.”

He smiled. “Good. Now, I’m starving. We should order in tonight. I don’t feel like cooking.”

Just like that, the awkward conversations were over. No sulking, no pouting, no negative emotions pouring off him. Jasper rolled with the punches, got up and kept right on going. He wasn’t stewing or brooding. Just…living his life.

“Sounds good,” Veronica said. “I want pizza.”

“Then, I guess we’re having pizza.”

“Are you always going to give me my way?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Probably. Is that going to be an issue?”

Veronica shook her head. He could spoil her whenever he wanted.

EPILOGUE

One monthlater

Veronica was at her wit’s end. Every applicant they got for the administrative assistant position was a poor fit. They were nice enough people, but they either didn’t have the experience or the patience for the type of work that would be required of them.

Sighing heavily, she tried to focus on the spreadsheet on her screen. She couldn’t work late today because, as of tonight, she was moving in with Jasper. They planned to spend the weekend getting all her things brought over. Anything she didn’t want to keep was being sold or donated.

She had to get the work done before five because she would not be late for her first night of officially living with Jasper. And, just as he predicted, his parents had taken his side in regard to Jasmine. They were awesome.

Her own parents were ecstatic for her. Her mom was so excited that she finally met a man who loved her exactly how she was. Veronica was pretty sure her parents liked Jasper even more than they liked her. Well, maybe not, but sometimes it seemed so.

Also, as Jasper predicted, his brother and Prema had handled the issue of Jasmine well. Prema apologized for hersister’s behavior, though Veronica told her it wasn’t necessary, and explained that Jasmine had developed a pretty intense crush on Jasper as soon as the families had all met. She thought the wedding would be her chance to have him see her for who she really was.

According to Prema, Jasmine was embarrassed by her behavior and had started dating a very nice man that Milo met through work.

As she contemplated all of the this, the front door to the office opened and an older woman strutted in, her short auburn hair styled in a sleek bob. Pale skin glowed with vitality and there was nary a wrinkle in sight, but something about the way she held herself gave Veronica the impression that she was older than she appeared.

That and all her emotions were buried beneath a vault made of stone. There was no stray threat of anger or happiness hanging from her anywhere.

She walked right up to Veronica’s desk and held out her hand. Without thinking, Veronica put her hand in the woman’s and shook it.

“Hello, dear. My name is Zelda Forest and I’m here about the administrative assistant position.”

---