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I ignore him and continue, “I need you to promise that if you feel the slightest bit of attraction for someone else or if there’s ever a part of you that thinks, even for a moment,what if, then you end it with me.”
Jace shakes his head, his jaw set, eyes refusing to meet mine.
I add, “And promise to understand that our relationship and me caring for your grandpa aren’t mutually exclusive. I’m going to be here until he no longer needs me.”
“Harlow…” he whispers.
“Promise me, Jace.”
His eyes finally move to mine, then he sighs. “Easiest promise I’ve ever made.”
“Good.” I kiss him once on the lips. Then on his cheeks. Then his jaw. His neck. “So many smoochie woochies,” I coo, then attack his entire face with kisses.
Jace chuckles, hands on my shoulders, gently pushing me away. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do to your pussy later.”
“Jace!”
He laughs, dragging me back down into his arms. I settle with my head on his chest, and for a long moment, we sit in silence while he strokes my hair. I listen to his heart working beneath my cheek, and tap a single finger on his chest with every beat.
Tap tap, tap tap.
“So, I told Grandpa about Texas Tech this morning.”
“Was he excited for you?”
“He had no idea what I was talking about.”
I lift my eyes to his and pout. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I went there for another reason anyway, andthatheunderstood.”
“Oh, yeah?”
I’m forced to sit up when Jace shifts to open the drawer of his nightstand and reach inside. “It’s not an engagement ring,” he says before I even see the pale blue box in his hand. “That’ll come later. But it’s…something.”
He lies back down, and I remain upright, my breath caught in my chest, becausewhat?He opens the box, revealing a thin silver band with a single square diamond. “It was my grandmother’s,” he explains, taking the ring out of the box. “My grandpa told me where to find it. He said I could give it to you.”
“Jace… I can’t?—”
“Like I said, I’m not asking you for marriage,” he cuts in. “At least, not right now. I’m just asking formore.”
I can barely see his face through my tears, can barely breathe through the rush of blood pumping through my veins.
“I guess I want the ring to be a symbol of my commitment to you, and you to me. We don’t give up on each other. That means if we argue, we talk it out. And if that argument turns into something worse, then weworkit out. Together.”
“Jace…” I wipe my eyes, not knowing what to say.
He slides the ring on my finger. “It’s a promise, Harlow.”
“A commitment,” I agree, my breaths tumbling out of me in waves. I look up from my shaky hand and into the eyes of a boy who’s held me through my grief, through my heartache. A boy who gripped my hand tight as he led me through the darkness, in search of light, never once realizing that to me,hewas the light all along. I lower my gaze again—focusing on the two contrasting rings on my hand. One thin and delicate, the other bold and beautiful, and I sniff back the unexpected wave of emotions as I slide my brother’s ring off my thumb, then hold Jace’s hand in mine.
“Harlow…”
I slip the ring on his finger while he sits up, his hand immediately finding my jaw, forcing my eyes up to his.
He’s silent a beat, his gaze shifting from me to his hand, again and again. “Isn’t this your brother’s?”
Holding my breath to stop the sob escaping, I nod once, keep my tear-filled eyes on his. “That’s how much this promise means to me, Jace. How muchyoumean to me.”