All the Wrong Choices by C.A. Harms

Chapter Forty-Eight

Danielle

I siton the edge of the pool, with my legs hanging over the sides. My phone lays on the concrete at my side, displaying the time of six forty-two.

A text from Jonah came through an hour ago telling me he'd pick up dinner on the way home, and he is sorry for being so late, but he'd had a busy day at the office. Something about patients needing to reschedule for later appointments and then paperwork he had to catch up on.

All of that would have been fine had I not called his office earlier this morning, to wish him luck on his lunch with Tony, only to have Betty tell me he'd been out all morning. When he left this morning, he told me he was going to the office, so somewhere along the way, something shifted.

To make matters worse, when I talked to Addison just after one, she casually mentioned she'd just left Tony's office where the two of them had a little afternoon delight over his lunch hour. She proceeded to tell me more details than I needed to know, but honestly, I can't tell you much about it considering I was too focused on the fact Tony was with her and not Jonah, which, last I heard, wasn't the plan.

My day started terrifically, and after Jonah left, it got even better. I was so excited and a little scared, but mostly thrilled. I had to stop myself from rushing after him and barging into his office to share the news, so instead, I called.

That's where my excitement plummeted, and the longer the day went on, the more defeated I felt.

"Babe?" Jonah's voice flows out from the back door and over the patio. I don't turn around, but I don't have to, to know he's near. I can feel him, my body reacting as it always does.

He crouches down at my side, but I don't turn to face him.

"Hey, you okay?"

"You tell me," are we okay? I want to ask.

"Baby," I cringe at the one single word and feel my chest tighten. Sitting down at my side, he places one hand on my thigh and the other around my back. "Look at me," I do, and instantly I regret it. He's so incredibly handsome, and the want in me outweighs that question. I lean into him and allow my cheek to rest upon his chest. His lips leave a sweet kiss on the top of my head, and I close my eyes to fight the tears.

I'm an emotional wreck, and honestly, it's not fair. Am I irrational?

"What's going on?"

"How was your lunch with Tony?" I feel his chest rise and fall against my cheek and as he takes a deep breath. It's a sure sign he's battling something. When he doesn't answer me right away, I lift my head and look at him. "Where did you two end up going?"

His throat bobs as he swallows hard.

"Matthew's office," he says it so low I'm sure I must've heard him wrong. Until he speaks again. “Last night after you went to bed, he sent a text to your phone and I—"

"Matthew, texted my phone?"

"Yeah." I could sense Jonah was nervous. "He was saying he'd made a mistake, and he loved you. Saying shit like he needed to meet up with you, and no one would love you as he loves you." I almost laugh at the last one. Please, that man didn't love me, but the anger mixed with worry in Jonah's eyes was unbearable.

"I told you before I'd protect you. I told you I'd never allow those people to hurt you again, and when I read that shit, I couldn't sit back, Dani. I had to make sure he understood you are mine, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep their hate out of your life. I know I should have—"

I grip his face and press my lips to his. I can feel how he relaxes almost instantly. His hand is cupping the side of my face, and he seeks my tongue with his own.

How could I have doubted this man? The way he loves me, the way he looks at me, there is no way he could ever intentionally hurt me.

"I'm sorry," he whispers.

"Don't ever lie to me again." It is the only part of the entire mess which bothers me. Not how he went to Matthew and felt the need to protect me. It just makes me love him more. It's how he thought he couldn't tell me the truth that upsets me.

"If it makes any difference, Tony did go with me."

"Did he now?"

"I know it's not the same as lunch, but after I left Matthew’s office, we did go back to Tony's to have a beer."

"A mid-morning beer, nice," he smiles and I think of the news I need to tell him, but I decide to wait until a little later. I didn't want my news shadowed by the memory of what Jonah just confessed.

"The idea of anyone hurting you even in the smallest of ways makes me crazy." With his hand still cupping my jaw, he glides his thumb over my lower lip. "You have no idea just how much I love you, Dani. Even I can't comprehend the depth, but what I do know is I feel you so deep inside me it's almost like you are a part of my soul. Like without you, I won't be able to breathe, and the idea of losing you—"

"You will never lose me," I am here to stay.

"I need to show you something," he doesn't wait for me to respond but grips my waist and pulls me to a standing position. Then with my hand in his, he leads me to the bedroom.

Motioning to sit on the bed, he leaves me for a minute while going into his closet. I hear the beeping sound of him putting in a code on the safe, and then he reappears in the doorway.

"I've had this for weeks." He moves in closer and kneels in front of me, still holding on to what he retrieved behind his back. "I told you months ago I had a plan, I knew what I wanted, and it hasn't changed. It's you, Dani; it's always been you. Even when you were fighting me at every turn, when you refused to accept my love, I did know it was you I wanted at my side. Even when we were apart, all I could imagine is having you back. One smile was all it took that night when you paused at the side of the table, and I was on my knees. You are my weakness, Dani. You are the only woman who has ever left me breathless without even speaking one single word. The desire, the connection, it has only grown since that night."

"Jonah," I say and cover my mouth when he moves his hand out from behind his back, and I see the ring displayed inside the box.

"I'm so in love with you, so weak in the knees can’t breathe without you, in love. Danielle, marry me."

I can barely breathe. My throat clogged with emotion.

"Let me love you every day for the rest of our lives."

I nod, knowing words are impossible at the moment.

"Is that a yes?” Jonah asks as he’s sliding the beautiful diamond ring onto my finger.

Again I nod and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him in hard against me. "Yes," I whisper, but it's hoarse and is more of a squeak.

I pull him up as I lay back on the bed, and his body hovers over mine. Jonah is the man I'm meant to love. The man I know without a doubt will love me unconditionally. With Jonah, I am safe. With him, I'm free to be me, and he will love me even when I'm wrong.