Page 127 of The Parkers' Handsome Holiday
CHAPTER 12
JASON
Adam was out in the snow, his head lifted toward the sky as it wept small snowflakes.
"Hey. Am I interrupting?" I moved up beside him and slipped my hands into my pockets. The altitude had me feeling a little lightheaded, but I ignored it. I would get over it soon enough.
"No. Not at all." He smiled at me. "I love this place. I should have started my life here."
"It's not too late. You're just at the beginning of it, right?"
"Yeah. Definitely." He glanced back toward the sky. "I love that you and Rebecca are together. I know you've been wanting something to start between you guys. That first night at the bar almost a year ago when I met her, I knew why."
"Why?" I wasn't sure even I knew why she had such a tight hold on me.
"She's beautiful and strong." He tilted his head toward me. "Any man would want a woman like that."
"Speaking of," I pressed my shoulder against his, "when are you going to finally get off your ass and ask that cute brunette at your office out?"
He shrugged. "She's too much woman for me."
"What? Never." My breath danced in front of my face. "You deserve a good woman."
"I'm not sure she dates black guys."
"Ask her." I snorted. "What are you waiting for? An invitation? Get out there and make something happen."
"Yeah, maybe." He reached out and caught a few snowflakes. "You remember when we were kids and I wanted so badly to have a family like yours?"
"I do." I swallowed the heavy emotion rising in my chest. "My mother said she would adopt you, man."
"I know, and I would have loved that, but I couldn't impose on you guys. Hell, you're my family anyway." He glanced my way and smiled. "You asking Becca to marry you while we're up here?"
"I wanted to, but I'm not so sure now." I shrugged and let my eyes drag across the vastness of white in front of us. "She's a complicated woman."
"She's still a woman." He wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "What is the worst she could say?"
"No." I chuckled. "I'm pretty sure no is the worst she could say."
"She's not going to say no. She might say that she's not ready yet, but no isn't going to be her answer."
"You sure of that?" I hated to look his way because I couldn't hide how fucking scared I was that she would turn me down.
"I am." He patted my chest with his free hand and forced me to turn toward the hotel. "Come on, let's go warm up with something good to eat and drink. I'll help you pick out a ring for her when you're ready."
"Not sure I'm going through with it." I reached for the door. "But, thank you for the thought. Means a lot to me."
"Hell, yeah, man. You're like a brother to me."
"You are a brother to me." I walked in and turned to find Rebecca snuggled in between Parker and my sister. She seemed to be the only one happy about it, the smile on her beautiful face thawing me so much faster than anything else could.
"Look at the way she looks at you. She ain't saying no, Jason. Stop being a pussy, and ask her." Adam popped me in the gut and walked toward the table, leaving me to stand there and stare at my girl.
Why in the world would a woman like her want a man like me?
She got up and walked toward me while I stood in the foyer, staring at her like some kind of creeper.
"What are you doing?" She slid her arms around my waist and lifted her chin. Thick crimson locks tumbled down her shoulders and framed her pale face.
