My Forever (50 page)

“Yes. It did.” I sigh in mock satisfaction. “And he was so good at arcade games too…”

“Okay, okay…” Michael brushes a stray strand of hair off my face. “And if I hadn’t sent that email you might be
Mrs
…”

I don’t remember. I have no idea what Justin’s last name is. I must look lost because Jackie answers for me.

“
Tremaine
.” Jackie laughs.

“Yeah, thanks Jackie.” She better catch my sarcasm.

“No problem
,
” she chimes back in sweetly.

“So we have three. W
ho’s the fourth?” He pulls back.

“Sean Kimb
all…
but I didn’t kiss him back
either
. T
hat was totally one-sided.”

“Sean Kimball?
Sean
Kimball
?” He looks over at Jackie. “I blame
you
for that one. I know that guy. He’s not that great looking. That couldn’t have been long ago. You’ve washed your mouth out since then?”

“Yes.” I laugh. I wonder how many times we’ve kissed in the short time he’s been home.

“You don’t want him.”

“No.” I shake my head.
I want you.
But I don’t say it. It seems too personal in a room full of people.

“I
on the other hand kissed no one.” His nose touches my cheek. “I didn’t even
want
to kiss anyone. I did, on occasion, sneak to the roof of our apartment building so that I wouldn’t have a total farmer’s tan when I came home.” Everyone laughs at that. “And… I wrote to a certain girl more than I should have. And thought about her more than I should have…”

I swallow. I don’t care who’s in the room with us.

“I’m looking at you now, Dani, and I don’t know how I ever left you. I feel like I don’t deserve this. I got to serve my mission
,
and I still ended up with the most precious girl in the world. I love you, Danielle.”

I lean my fore head against his. “I love you, too.”

“Just do it,”
Jackie
says
.

“Do what?” I lean back.

He sighs. “I was going to wait, you know, so this doesn’t all seem a little sudden and ridiculous. Because I’ve only been home a week.”

He reaches into his suit pocket and pulls out the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. It’s simple and beautiful and too incredible to touch.

“It’s a pearl, because you’re mine.” He holds the ring between us.

I don’t think. I just feel.
My Pearl
.
It should be so over the top, but it’s so perfect that I soak it up.

“Marry me, Danielle. I know I just got back
,
and I know you might want to take some time
,
but I know you
,
and you know me better than anyone. Marry me.”

I’m shaking my head in disbelief
,
and I don’t even realize it. But it all feels good. I feel it everywhere
,
and I know it’s the right thing.
Michael’s the right thing.

“Okay.” I take his face in my hands and kiss him.

The moment I pull away he takes my hand.
As I watch him slide that ring onto my finger, it was all worth it. Everything I’d
been through. E
verything I’d learned. As much as I want to erase my mistakes
,
they all made me who I am
,
and brought me to this place
,
and this place is exactly where I want to be.

All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America.

Copyright 2012

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without prior written permission of the author except where permitted by law.

Published by

Jolene Perry

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First off, I feel like I need to make a small note in that I know that
Dani’s
story worked out so completely ideal, when so often, it doesn’t work out so well.

My husband was adopted through the LDS church, and he and I put paperwork together several times, but it never felt like the right time. And then I got pregnant just after he started law school, which just proved that the Lord’s time is the right time, and we were blessed with our little Emma, and then a few years later, with our little Jack.

Kaylee
Baldwin was my first reader for this book, and she’d written a pregnancy book, Meg’s Melody, and her help was SO appreciated. Christina
Tarbet
was a huge help when I was nearing publication, and Mindy Holt, book reviewer for LDSWBR, has become a fabulous friend and support.

A special thanks to my husband for allowing me to base Michael off of the way I remember him in high school.
No one else in this story is based in reality, but EVERYONE needs a “Jackie”

Other titles by Jolene

The Next Door Boys

Left to Love

Spill Over

Night Sky

Knee Deep

My Heart For Yours

You can find Jolene at

Jolenebperry.com

Or on her blog at

Jolenesbeenwriting.blogspot.com