Committed

Pushing back from the table and jumping to his feet, Jeremy, tea dripping from his brown curls, could not believe her response. Well, maybe he is not quite as surprised considering the state their relationship has been in for almost a month now.

He goes to the bathroom to get a towel and comes back rubbing it against his sugar-laden hair. “Why can I not do or say anything to please you anymore?” 

“Not the good towel mother bought me last Christmas! Where is your brain?”

“Not where you want it to be so I’ll be leaving now. I’ll talk to you later.”

That was two weeks ago. Initially, he gave her a couple of days to calm down and think about her actions that night, but when he called her on the third night and a guy answered her phone, his jaw dropped.

“Hello. I’m looking for Shay.” Jeremy, insides quaking, says as steady as he can. 

“She’s busy. Who is this?”

“Jeremy.” Silence. “Hello? This is Jeremy. Would you tell her I called?”

“Sure. Will do.” Click.

Another day went by and she has yet to call. Jeremy decides the relationship meant more to him than it did to her. Instead of sulking another night, he calls his buddies to meet him at the wing place on the edge of town. Knowing this is not one of Shay’s favorite places he felt sure he will not run into her. As the guys come in they pick at him for coming around again since Shay dumped him and he is lonely. Laughing and cutting up, one of the guys spots her first and elbows his buddy next to him. 

One by one they stop laughing. Jeremy, his back to the door, nibbles his lower lip, “Shay’s here, isn’t she?” They nod in unison. “She is with a guy, isn’t she?” This time no one wants to answer, so he turns and he and Shay make immediate eye contact. 

Jeremy, not able to look away first, keeps his gaze. Finally, Shay, interrupted by the hostess turns to follow her to a table. Jeremy, not sure what he saw in her eyes, knows exactly what he feels. Not usually a fighter, he felt angry. If he thought he had a chance against Mr. Muscles he would have…he stands, against the warning of his friends, he confidently walks to the table where Shay and Muscles are sitting.

Eyes wide, Shay says, “Jeremy.” 

Jeremy cuts his eyes at Muscles and puffs up his chest. “Shay. I called and left a message...with a guy.” Still looking dead-on at Muscles, Shay raises her eyebrows.   

“JoJo! Why did you not tell me he called? And why were you answering my phone? We have discussed this numerous times.” 

Muscles looks Jeremy up and down, stands, and towers over him. Jeremy swallows hard and stands tall, definitely not eye to eye, but looking him in his eyes.

Shay furrows her brow, then smiles warmly. 

“JoJo. Stop. You can’t come into town and start acting like I’m still your sixteen-year-old sister who you have to protect from hormonal, teenage boys. Leave Jeremy be.”

He laughs and puts out his hand. “Joe. Pleasure to meet you.” Jeremy shakes his hand.

Jeremy’s turn. Brows furrowed, Shay says, “JoJo is my brother. Do you not remember me telling you that he was coming to town on a job?”

Shaking his head, he tries to remember. Was that what she was talking about when the kicker missed the field goal the day of the big game? He stops shaking his head and begins a slow nod. I really should have listened better to her when we were together. 

“I guess I should have waited until the game was over to tell you so I had your attention. That wasn’t fair of me.”

“No, I should have listened more when you spoke.” 

Eyes softening, a subtle smile forms, Shay says, “You were brave to stand up to my brother. If he isn’t working or eating, he is usually at the gym.”

“Well, it wasn’t what I wanted, but to me, you are worth it. I’ve missed you.”

Jumping off the stool, Shay goes to Jeremy. Wrapping her in his arms, he pulls her close. The soft scent of her hair and the feel of her body close to his makes everything right again. He looks over and sees JoJo eyeing him and steps back from Shay.

JoJo finds torturing Jeremy amusing and bellows as he doubles over. He gets it together enough to say, “Jeremy, man, anyone willing to come at me over a woman deserves to have her. That’s dedication, and probably even love. You have my blessings. I’ll be right back.” 

Jeremy watches Jojo until the restroom door closes behind him. “How long is he staying?” 

Shay laughs. “He is leaving in the morning. We are having his bon voyage meal. He picked the place, cause you know me.”

“Yes. Yes, I do. Before he comes back, I want you to know, I missed you. When a guy answered and you never called me back, I just knew you were through with me.”

“When I thought you never called, I knew you were tired of my grumpiness and I am sorry.”

“I am sorry too. Listen, enjoy the time with your brother and I will hang with the guys tonight.”

“Sure. That sounds good.”

“Then,” he reaches around her waist and pulls her close, “tomorrow night, if you don’t have plans, I would like to take you on a date.” He looks up and sees JoJo heading back and lets go of Shay as she giggles at his timidity.

As JoJo approaches, Jeremy puts out his hand once again. “It was nice meeting you, Joe. I’m going to leave you two to visit and get back to the guys.”

“Yeah. Same,” Jeremy turns to leave when JoJo says, “and Jeremy, you better be good to my one and only baby sister.” He grins and slaps Jeremy on the back.

Coughing, Jeremy nods and tells Shay he will call her tomorrow.

The next evening, picnic basket, blanket, and a small telescope in hand, Jeremy leads Shay to a small hill out in the country. Purple gray clouds stand out from the orange-gold sky as the sun dips behind a large cloud resembling a whale. As they laugh at the whale, water spout blowing and all, Jeremy scoots close to Shay and she leans into him.

“I truly missed you while we were apart. I thought about you with that guy and wanted to cause him bodily harm, of course, once I saw you with him I wondered who would be more harmed him or me.” Although he can not see her face, he feels her shaking gently as she covers her mouth.

“Oh, Jeremy.”  He gently rubs her cheek and turns her face toward his. She turns and faces him.

“I’m serious. I don’t want to be apart again. Being together for over a year I became too comfortable. I won’t take you and your love for granted. You’re too precious to lose.”

“Jeremy, I was pretty awful to you the last couple of weeks or so and I am sorry. I should not have taken my stress and problems at work out on you.”

They talk and resolve some issues, as darkness closes in on them. Jeremy takes out the telescope, adjusts it, focuses it, and hands it to Shay. As she looks through the telescope at the diamond studs in the sky, he places her left hand on the telescope closest to her eye then places her right hand further down the telescope. As she positions her hand she feels something stuck to the telescope. Her finger runs over what feels like a rock attached to something round. Slowly, she turns face to face with Jeremy. 

Removing the ring from the telescope and placing it on her finger, he asks. “Shay Elizabeth, will you marry me?”

Speechless, crying, she nods. Finally comes the words he is waiting to hear. “I will marry you!”