His Pickle Her Jam (Cherry On Top Tales #4)

Chapter Twenty-Two-Jan

Day of the Block Party

I couldn’t believe we’d been handing out samples for the last four hours. Everyone was so supportive and complimentary it was like a dream come true.

For now, we were just telling folks a surprise store would pop up soon and giving them flyers with our online information. Mr. and Mrs. Jones had gone to see the rest of their old neighbors and to enjoy the party, but promised to return by two with their decision.

That was in five minutes.

My stomach clenched. My hands were sweating, and I wiped them on my apron. My eyes darted up, and I saw a familiar woman approach me.

“Hi, I’m Melanie, Buck’s cousin,” she began, a nervous smile on her face.

“Nice to meet you.”

“I bet. Look, I am really sorry about the misunderstanding. Buck explained it to me. And I just wanted to let you know my cuz is a total dork, but he’s a good guy.”

I felt my cheeks burn, and I laughed and accepted her apology.

“Thanks for saying all that, Melanie. I appreciate it.”

“No worries. Maybe now my goofy cuz will stop moping around the house. Oooh, it that tomato jam? I need some of that!”

“Have at it,” I told her with a wink.

What I was about to propose was a little nutty, but it was something I couldn’t help but feel was right for the both of us.

David said he loved me. If he meant it, like I thought he did, then maybe this wouldn’t seem so crazy.

“Del, can you mind the counter?”

“Of course,” she replied, eyes twinkling as she sat on her stool and chatted with a few potential customers.

I walked around the counter, my eyes on David. He seemed to sense me staring, and he was already moving to meet me.

“Everything okay?” he asked, concern filling his gaze.

“Yeah. I was just, um, thinking,” I said, but he took my hand and dragged me away from the crowd into the kitchen.

“Sorry. Didn’t want eavesdroppers.”

“I get it. Um, I was just thinking, you know, this place is huge.”

“The store? Yeah.”

“Exactly. It’s really big, and there are a lot of possibilities,” I said.

“Like pickled ones?” he jokingly referred to the name of his brand.

“Oh my God, stop,” I said, grinning and rolling my eyes playfully at him.

“Jan, what’s on your mind?”

“Well, I was thinking, what if we didn’t get the results of the contest?”

“What do you mean?” he asked, his face serious but unreadable.

I swallowed. I really hoped he wasn’t going to take this the wrong way.

“Well, I mean,” I began, twisting my apron in my hands. “What if we both buy the store? We could make it like a trendy specialty goods food store featuring offerings that are locally made or grown? There was this place near my college that made custom gift baskets with all sorts of goodies, and we could offer that sort of thing, too.”

“Gift baskets?”

“As part of what we offered,” I blurted. “Like, customers could purchase themed baskets in store or online. We could do savory or sweet, or summer or winter veggie, stuff like that.”

“That is interesting,” he replied, but he didn’t look enthused.

Shit.

I was doing this wrong.

“David, what I mean is, it’s just, what if we try to work together? I know that isn’t what you meant when you said you wanted us to be together, but David, I-I, this just feels right.”

“Are you saying you want to be with me?” he asked quietly.

I nodded.

I did want to be with him.

So damn much.

“Jan, are you saying you want to turn this place into our store with my pickles and your jam?”

I nodded again.

Stress had me trembling, and I was about two seconds away from sweating through my outfit. I almost blurted that he should forget I said anything, but then he smiled, and everything went still.

Holding my breath, I clasped my hands together.

“Then I just have one more question,” David said, dropping to one knee.

“Oh my God,” I whispered, letting go of that breath I was holding and covering my mouth with my hand.

“Jan Morrow, will you marry me?”

“Are you serious?”

“I have never been more serious. I want you to tie your life to mine. But now I am also asking, will you build this place with me, Jan Baby?”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Go on, say yes, make all my dreams a reality. And no misunderstandings, I am talking about forever here. So, Pretty Girl, what do you say?”

I froze in place for one split second before I allowed pure joy to ripple through me. Then I let the words erupt from my lips.

“Yes. My answer is yes, David. A million times, yes!”

Then I launched myself at him. Lucky for me, David was super strong and fast.

He caught me, but momentum was a funny thing and we wound up on the floor, anyway.

With me on top.

“I love it with you on top,” he said, cupping my face and kissing me thoroughly.

Happiness wrapped around us both, blanketing us in a cocoon of warmth and love. I never wanted to leave it.

This man had changed my life. He’d changed everything, and I never wanted to look back. Never wanted to be lonely or lost again.

All I wanted was him.

My David.

“Um, excuse me? You guys, the Jones’ are back! Don’t you wanna know who won?” Delani asked, her voice full of humor.