Page 81 of Isabelle & Jason
Recognition flared in her eyes.
“It was true then. And it remains true today.” He held both her hands in his as he stared into her eyes. “And it’ll be true forever. Nothing would make me happier than to give this another try. What do you say?” He waited with bated breath. Just because she came to tell him she’d loved him didn’t mean she wanted to try again. Regret didn’t equate to second chances.
Isabelle placed her palm to his cheek. “Nothing would make me happier.”
Jason tightened his hold on her and let out a whoop. He spun them both in a circle, then placed her on her feet so he could seal their future with a kiss.
His mouth captured hers, and for the next several moments, he allowed himself to revel in all the joy he could steal for the both of them. Perfection didn’t exist, but they could get as close to it as possible together.
EPILOGUE
Over a Year Later: End of November
Isabelle
“Come on, Marcus. We’re going to be late.” Isabelle tapped her foot as she stood by the front door. “The lighting ceremony is?—”
“Isn’t going to start until it’s dark. We’ve got a good hour before that happens.”
“Half-hour,” she corrected her brother. “And you know as well as I do, parking is going to be awful. If we don’t leave in the next couple of minutes, you’re going to have to park all the way in the boondocks.”
Marcus rolled his eyes. “Remind me why I have to take you? What about your boyfriend?”
“Jason had to work late. He said he wouldn’t have time to come out this way to get me. Besides, the lighting ceremony is a tradition.”
Her brother rolled his eyes. “This is the second year in a row that you’re making us go. I hardly call that a tradition.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “I’m pretty sure that you used to go every year up until Wynter left town for college.” Isabelle knew she was goading him, but she didn’t care. Her brother was dragging his feet. Christmas wasn’t exactly Marcus’s favorite holiday. And maybe that had more to do with the girl who’d been his best friend than anything else.
Isabelle watched him pull his coat on, itching to cross the room to hustle him along. She hated being late, especially when it came to spending time with Jason.
It had been a year and a couple of months since they’d started on their own healing journeys, and they were doing great. Better than great. Her nightmares had almost become nonexistent. Every so often, the insomnia came back, but she dealt with it better. She’d even started playing the piano again. Those nights were Jason’s favorites, and they were quickly becoming her own.
She reached for the doorknob and pulled the door open. Without waiting for her brother, she hurried down the frozen steps toward his truck. Her breaths came out in white puffs, and she was positive he took his sweet time unlocking the door. Isabelle gave him a disgruntled look, and all he did was grin.
They made it to town just in time, and while he went off in search of a parking spot, she hurried down the sidewalk toward the café. Her steps slowed when she reached the building to find the windows darkened.
As she drew nearer, she realized that the interior of the café wasn’t completely dark. There were glowing candles inside, and one of the tables had been moved to the center of the room. The floor was littered with what could only be rose petals, but she had to open the door to be sure.
One step inside confirmed her suspicions.
“Jason?” she called out, her voice cracking.
There on the table was a silver tray with a ceramic cloche on top, possibly hiding one of Jason’s dessert creations or a warm bread. Soft piano music floated through the room, and she barely registered that it was one of her favorites. “Meine Freuden” by Chopin filled the quiet space.
Her heart lurched in her chest, and her legs went weak. There was no rationalizing that this was anything but what she assumed. She’d been dating Jason for over a year, and they’d taken everything nice and slow. Apparently, Jason had decided he was ready to take this relationship to the next level.
She couldn’t find it in her heart to argue.
A sound at the entrance to the kitchen caught her attention, and she gasped.
Jason looked amazing in a suit. It fit him like a glove, and boy, he made her heart melt. Neither one of them could find the strength to move from their place. She got the distinct feeling that if she tried to move, she’d crumble to the floor.
“What’s this?” she whispered.
He took a step forward, then another and another until he reached her. His fingers slipped between her own, and he guided her toward the table. “You don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to do this.”
“Jason…” she rasped.
