Jade nodded and reached for the handle. “Let’s go tell our friends. We’ve just made this circle even smaller.”
He opened the door and ushered her inside. Immediately, Jade took in the grand display she’d hauled back from Atlanta.
The 3-D model was just as stunning as she remembered, and everyone was standing around and admiring the details.
“This is absolutely remarkable,” Livie stated. “I can’t even imagine how perfect the airport will look in real life if this version is so breathtaking.”
Cash didn’t remove his arm from around her waist as they moved closer to the group. One by one, the crew turned their attention toward them.
“Well, does this mean you two are official?” Melanie asked, patting Knox’s back as she swayed.
“We are.” Jade smiled. Saying this, showing her friends how much she cared for Cash, felt good . . . it felt right. “Who knew?”
“I knew,” Cash stated.
He eased away and dropped down to one knee.
Jade gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as he pulled a box from his pocket. He wasn’t doing this. Well, clearly he was, but in front of all these people?
She glanced around and over her shoulder. Nobody seemed surprised, if their soft smiles and nods of encouragement were any indicator.
“You planned this?” she asked, her eyes darting back to the man before her.
“I didn’t want to wait,” he explained. “I’m the one who wanted everyone here early.”
He lifted the box lid and Jade stared down at not one but two rings. Confused, she reached to touch the emerald princess cut on one, and then she admired the simple oval diamond with a ruby on each side.
“Would you rather the ring I saw and instantly thought of you?” Cash asked. “Or would you rather the one that belonged to my mother?”
Tears welled up instantly, and the sight before her completely blurred. “Cash,” she whispered.
How could she choose one? Why was he making her? She was so stunned at what this moment meant that she couldn’t even think about a ring.
“I’ll make this easier on you.” Cash pulled the emerald from the box and slid it on her finger. “Would you rather spend your life as my wife or as my business partner?”
Jade laughed as she stared down at the sparkling ring on her hand. “Business partner?”
“You’re teaching yoga at my studio.”
“I am?”
He shrugged and rose to stand before her. “You are,” he said as he slid his finger beneath her chin and forced her gaze to his. “So what will it be?”
Jade didn’t hesitate. “I can’t choose just one. I’ll take both.”
Cash pocketed the box. “I had a feeling you’d say that.”
She held up the ring and admired it again. “Which ring is this?”
“Doesn’t matter,” he replied. “They’re both yours. Because I couldn’t decide.”
Jade threw her arms around his neck and sniffed. There was no controlling the tears sliding down her cheeks and she didn’t even care that she was an ugly crier. The open house would begin shortly, but all that mattered was that, finally, she belonged. After thirty years of wondering where she should be, what she should be doing with her life, she knew without a doubt that everything had fallen into place.
“I don’t mean to interrupt this moment,” Jax stated from behind her. “But there are already people outside waiting to get in.”
Jade held on a moment longer, wanting to freeze this into her memory bank forever. She’d never expected a proposal this soon.
“Are you sure?” she asked as she eased back. “I mean, this is all so new. Are we making a mistake?”