Page 386 of The Parkers' Handsome Holiday
He was already way too much...
CHAPTER 7
JAKE
Two Days Later
Spending time with Kari's mom gave Jake the last little push he needed. He'd be asking her to marry him for sure. The ring sat on his dresser, open for him to stare at as he pulled various items out of his dresser. His parents were picking them up at the airport that afternoon, and he and Kari had decided to spend the night before at their own places.
She wanted a girls’ night with Lisa and Sicily, and he was happy to have a night to think things through. Asking her to marry him back in Texas seemed like the perfect answer, but like he'd told Marc a few days before... she would want to be around their friends and her brother to help celebrate. Her mom had agreed to a surprise visit, which Jake would be paying for. He didn't mind at all.
"Speaking of," he grumbled as he turned and walked back into his tiny living room to grab his phone. He pressed the button to call Marc and dropped down on the couch.
"What's up, bro?"
"Hey." Jake ran his fingers through his hair and realized that he really hadn't thought about how to start the conversation. "So Kari and I had a good time at your mom's, but I was thinking that maybe you and I could go over there after the holidays are over and work on the house a little. There are quite a few things falling apart on it."
"Agreed." Marc let out a sigh that sounded like relief. "I'll have to take your lead on it, because I don't know shit about fixing up a house, but I'd be grateful for the help. My mom deserves so much better than what my asshole father left her with. I'm just not at the point to help, nor is Kari."
"I get it." Jake stood up. "I wish I had more money in the bank too, but it's never been important to me."
"Me either. Let's just pull what we have together and patch up the house. Hopefully after I get through school, and Lisa and I get married, we can bring Momma out to Maine with all of us."
"Oh. Shit. Are you really thinking about moving out here? I guess I assumed that you and Lisa would go back to New York."
Marc snorted. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, buddy."
"Not trying to honestly." Jake smirked. "I'll help patch up the house and then when the time comes, Kari and I can help fund whatever is best for your mom."
"I appreciate that. Means a lot to me. Take care of my sister in Texas. She's all I have."
"I get that. Later." Jake dropped the call and tossed the phone onto the couch before heading back into the bedroom. Marc had nothing to worry about. He wouldn't ever let anything happen to Kari.
He finished packing and put the ring in the middle of his duffel bag under a bunch of his clothes. The plan was to wait until New Year’s, but if something changed, he wanted the ring with him.
"Never know when the mood hits and it's just right." He zipped the bag and pulled it over his shoulder as excitement raced through the center of his chest. He was thrilled to introduce Kari to his parents, and them to her.
They would love each other. How could they not?
* * *
"I'm nervous." Kari glanced over at him as the plane started to make its final descent.
"Don't be. Everyone is going to be hospitable and by tonight, they're going to love you." He reached over and took her hand. "Just be prepared because Texas isn't nearly as frozen as Maine this time of year."
"I only brought warm clothes. Should I have brought something else?" Her eyes widened a little.
He couldn't remember seeing her so tense since they first met and things didn't go as well as either of them planned.
"No, baby. It's still cold. It just doesn't snow. You're going to need a jacket and stuff."
"Oh, okay." She settled back against her seat. "And your younger brother is Landon and then the youngest is Clint. The older one is Kade?"
"Yeah." He intertwined his fingers with hers. "And you'll get to meet my best friend. We grew up together. He's coming home for the holidays. I'm really excited to see him."
"What's his name?"
"Tyler. He's a brilliant investments guy in New York, but he's home grown. We played football and went to church together as kids." He smiled as memories assaulted him. "We went to jail together for egging houses in high school too."
