California Sunshine (23 page)

              Jeremiah, Ashley's father turned sat his tea glass down and cleared his throat. "I love you, Joanna, you're like my third daughter, but who's movin'? I know y'all both enjoy your careers, but y'all know every relationship takes compromise."

              Before I could answer Josh looked him dead in the eyes. "I'm moving here. I'd move mountains for this girl, I'm not going to pull her away from her home. Her safe place. I can work anywhere, that's not a problem and I know she loves her job. I know relationships are about compromise, but I'm not going to ask her to do something she's not comfortable doing. That's what love's about isn't it?"

              We were all left looking at him. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. It made me happy, but it slightly concerned me as well. I didn't want him to give up all he ever knew.

              "Well, Joanna, sounds like you got a keeper. I'm glad you have him." Jeremiah said, smiling and winking at me.

              I smiled in reply but sat quietly.

              "You okay? Did I say something?" Josh asked quietly in my ear.

              "No. I swear." I replied quietly in return.

              Once we got back to my house, I went to my room and began to change. Just as I was pulling my shirt off Josh walked in.

              "You've been quiet since we were eating. What's wrong?" He asked, sitting down on the bed, watching me.

              "You sure you wanna move here? California is all you've ever known." I replied, pulling my shirt over my head.

              "I'm positive. There's plenty of places hiring. Jo, I love you, I want to move here for you."

              "What about your house?" I asked, slipping my jeans and shoes off.

              "What about it? I'll keep it, you own this place?"

              I smiled. "Yeah. Why?"

              "Well, I'll keep paying on my place and we can go there during the summer. I can have Ash and Mike check on it every week."

              I climbed into his lap. "Is it true you told Mike one night that you'd never leave Cali for any girl, no matter how much you loved her?"

              He wrapped his arms around me. "That was before I met you. I'd move to the ends of the Earth if it meant I was with you. I mean that."

              "I know you do," I replied, kissing him gently. "I just don't want you doin' nothin' you might regret."

              "I'll never regret anything when it comes to us. Ever." He replied, searching my eyes.

              I nodded. "Well, my house is your house. Our house. 'Less you wanna find somethin' else. Start fresh with me. Start that new chapter."

              "I like this place. Unless you don't wanna share it."

              I laughed. "What's mine is yours. Kinda like my heart."

              "That's why I love you. What's mine is yours as well. Guess we're gonna have to redecorate my bachelor pad."

              "And my bachelorette pad."

              He laughed. "Honestly this house is gender neutral. It's not all flowers and pinks, which kind of surprises me. The only flowers I've noticed are the ones on the kitchen table. You've got this place decorated pretty modern as well."

              "I'm proud of it. I never wanted a girly place, and I didn't want it too masculine ya know. I fall in the middle. So is it too soon to ask when you're movin'?"

              "About two weeks. I've got to put my resignation in, and find a job here."

              "Well, this is just an idea. If you cain't find a job right away, just move here anyways and look once you're here. You know that's an option too."

              "I'm not going to live off of you."

              "Ain't gonna kill ya. Not for at least two weeks to a month."

              "I know it won't kill me, but I don't want to do that. Are you that excited to have me here with you for good or what?"

              I nodded, smiling, tugging on his shirt gently. "A little."

              "Just a little?" He asked, placing his hand over mine.

              "Alright, a whole lot. Come on, please?"

              He chuckled. "How can I say no to you while you're on my lap with just a t-shirt on?" I blushed and shrugged. "I can't," He whispered, kissing me passionately.

              We were laying in bed together, my head resting on Josh's chest, his fingers running gently through my hair. My eyes were heavy as I stared at the ring on my left hand, I still almost couldn't believe it. Less than a year after Lance and here I was engaged to a man who loved me with more conviction than I'd ever known before.

              "Tomorrow's Christmas. Should I put your presents under the tree?"

              My brows furrowed together as I slowly looked up at him. "You got me presents? Plural?"

              Josh laughed. "Yes, I got you presents. Plural."

              "Only if you want me to put your presents under the tree."

              "Of course I do. How is it that we knew to get more than one present for each other?"

              I laughed. "'Cause I think we both got a shoppin' problem. I've seen your house, you always have new stuff when I come into town."

              "True. Okay on the count of three we'll both get up."

              I nodded.

              "One."

              "Two."

              "Three."

              We both continued to lay there, Josh began to laugh. "Well that didn't work."

              "I don't wanna move. I'm pretty comfortable."

              "Well I'm getting up, or I'm giving you your gifts now."

              I sighed heavily but smiled. "Fine."

              I sat up slowly, the sheet pulled tightly around my chest. I reached down and grabbed my shirt off the floor and slipped it back on.

              The presents were under the tree. Six altogether. Four small ones and two medium sized ones. I was really curious as to what Josh had gotten me. I knew I'd laugh if we'd gotten each other the same thing because that would be slightly weird. In a good way, though I'm sure, I'd never shared the same brain wave with anyone. If that happened with us, I'd know it was meant to be.

              We were sitting at the table eating supper when he cleared his throat nervously. "So, were you serious about a year earlier?"

              My nerves bunched into a ball in my stomach. "Uh, I mean we can wait two years if you want."

              "No, I just wanted to make sure that that's what you want. I'd marry you six months from now, but I think that's rushing it a little bit."

              I nodded furiously. "Yeah, that's a little rushed. I think a year is good. We live together, really get to know each other and get married. We've gotten to know each other more in these last two months than I think most people know about each other in two years."

              "I think it helps that we have a lot in common though too. We're balanced, ya know? I never thought I'd be moving, though. It's exciting, I like it."

              "Are ya sure? I don't want you to do nothin' you don't wanna do. You're so focused on movin' at my pace and stuff that I just want you to take a step back and look at the bigger picture for a second. Your family's in Cali, Ashley and Mike are in Cali. Everybody you know lives there. You only got me here. I ain't got a family that'll talk to me. I've got a few friends, but it's mostly people from work. You think you're ready for all that? I stay to myself."

              "We'll make friends, I think you need to just open yourself up a little. I know it might be scary, but it'll make you happier. To answer your question, though, yes I'm ready for that. And if you think you're gonna change my mind, you're wrong. I'm moving here in two weeks. We'll get married in a year."

              I smiled, looking down at my tea that I'd forgotten about in my mug. "Alright. I just hope you know I feel like I'm cannon ballin' into the unknown, but I'm glad it's with you."

              "It's scary jumping into anything, but I think we're on the greatest adventure of our lives. I know the engagement was really sudden for you, but I couldn't not ask. Honestly I was going to wait until Valentines."

              I smiled, brightly. My eyes slightly crinkling at the sides, my teeth gently biting into my bottom lip. "Excitement got the best of ya huh?"

              He nodded. "I've never seen you smile like that. It's adorable and I love it. You look genuinely happy."

              "For once in my life I am. I feel like stuff's finally startin' to fall into place. My biggest question though is are you gonna be able to deal with my dark days? You ain't actually had to deal with any of that. Other than me tryin' to break up with you cause I thought you was cheatin' on me. It's like these brain worms get in and tell me stupid stuff. No, I don't hear voices or nothin', but it feels like it sometimes."

              "Jo, baby, I'm here through thick and thin. I may not completely understand, but I'll try my best. I'll hold you when you feel like you're drowning. I'll do what I can, and I know there's going to be days that no matter what I do it's not going to help, and when that day comes I'll just try and let you have your space."

              "It's gonna take me some time to get used to that. Everyone who knows me has never known how to help. I've gotten the 'suck it up, it ain't that bad' speech so many times. I kinda half expect it from you sometimes, not cause you've given me a reason to expect it's just I'm so used to bein' let down all the time by the people I love that I just wait for it."

              "Well, it's not going to happen. Ever. I'm not those other people. Just remember that. I'm here to love you and help you. I want to be your safe place when those demons get too scary."

              I smiled, not knowing what else to do. No one had ever said those things to me before, maybe Ashley had once or twice, but no guy had, ever. Our eyes met, and I couldn't help but think how completely lucky I had been to meet him when I did. How it seemed like the stars aligned just for us, but maybe every new couple felt like that at first. I wasn't sure, I just know that I did, and I hoped like hell that it continued for the rest of forever.

              "What are you thinking about?" Josh finally asked, a soft smile on his lips.

              "Nothin'. Just how I'm so damn thankful for you. For us. How excited I am to see what the future holds. How vulnerable we both really are, but how much we actually trust each other. I know we've had some bumps in the road, but I wouldn't change that for nothin'. I think it shows me that you really ain't goin' nowhere no matter what. Kind of like validation."

              "Well if that ring on your finger isn't validation enough, I don't know what is. You can try and break up with me, think the worst, but I will never let you down. Not like Lance did, not like Alexis did to me. I do know, however, that we are on the greatest adventure ever. Are you ready?"

              I smiled, nodding. "Yes. I am."

Chapter 24

              I woke up to Josh setting a tray down on the bed. I smiled and curled up with the pillow he had slept with. It smelt like him and I never wanted to let it go.

              "Good morning sleepy head."

              The smile never left my face as I replied, "Good morning. What time is it?"