Trusting His Promise (Love on Sanctuary Shores #5)

Chapter 38

“I like this.” Beckett sighed contentedly and pressed a kiss to Jo’s head, which rested on his shoulder.

She looked up with a sleepy smile. “Like what? Having a cat in your lap?”

“That. And being here with you. Starting the new year together.”

“Not all of us are going to be ringing it in.” Jo pointed toward her dad and Karen and Sam, who had all fallen asleep watching Beauty and the Beast —Sam’s ninety-second time.

“Are you too tired to go for a walk?” he whispered.

“A walk sounds nice,” Jo whispered back. “It will help me stay awake until midnight.”

“Good. Because I want my New Year’s kiss.”

Jo tipped her face up and kissed him.

“Doesn’t count,” he warned. “It’s not midnight yet.”

“I know.” Jo grinned playfully. “I just wanted a kiss.”

“Well, if that’s the rule . . .” Beckett bent for another kiss, sending the cat scrambling off his lap.

“At least now I don’t have to push him off.” Beckett stood and helped her to her feet. They made their way quietly to the door, where they both pulled on coats and hats and gloves.

Beckett opened the front door and ushered Jo into the wintry night.

“Oh, it’s snowing,” she gasped.

He stepped out behind her and took her hand in his, smiling at the flurries that drifted lazily through the soft light of the Victorian lamps along the street.

Thanks, Lord . He couldn’t have planned a better night if he’d tried.

“Sam was reading to me earlier,” he said as they started toward the town square. “She’s doing really well.”

“She is.” Jo nodded. “It turns out you were right about the early intervention being a good thing.”

“I’m right about a lot of things.”

Jo’s clear laugh rang through the quiet. “Name one.”

“Us,” he said instantly, sliding his arm around her back to draw her closer.

“Mmm. True. But I was right about us too.”

Beckett snorted. “How do you figure?”

“I said we’d see about that. And now we see.”

Beckett looked down at her. “Yes, we do.”

The square was busier than Beckett expected, with a few couples strolling quietly past the closed shops.

But fortunately, no one was in the gazebo.

He led Jo toward it, a swoop of nerves suddenly getting the better of him as they climbed the steps and stood together looking out over the town.

“It’s so perfect out here tonight.” Jo sighed, wrapping her arms around his and resting her head on his shoulder.

“Being with you is perfect.” Beckett kissed her head. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Uh oh.” Jo lifted her head off his shoulder, suddenly looking alert.

But Beckett laughed. “It’s a good something. You know that call from Maggie earlier?”

Jo nodded. “Is something wrong with the movie?”

“Nope. It’s coming together really well. She showed a rough cut to our distributors, and they’re talking about wanting a sequel.”

“Beckett.” Jo threw her arms back around him. “That’s great.”

“Thanks.” He pressed down the knot of worry and made himself continue. “But there are likely to be some kissing scenes, so if you don’t want me to do it, I won’t. Someone else can play my role. Or they can kill off my character or—”

“Beckett,” Jo gasped, hitting at his arm. “They cannot kill off your character. And I don’t want someone else to play your role. It was made for you, and I trust you. I want you to make the movie.”

“Jo—”

“I trust you,” she repeated.

He let out a long breath. “I’m really happy to hear you say that.”

“Well, I know how important the movie is to you. I’m not going to—”

“Not that.” Beckett reached for her hands, grasping them both in his. “That you trust me. I know you don’t believe in promises, but I was hoping you would let me make you one more. Before God.” He lowered himself to one knee.

Jo’s eyes widened. “I don’t— What are you—”

“I’m saying I want you to be my wife, Jo. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Tears slid down Jo’s cheeks, and he felt his own eyes sting. He had to swallow hard before he could continue. “I know it doesn’t make any sense—our relationship, after everything we went through in the past. But somehow, God redeemed all of that. Somehow, he brought me here to you and led you to forgive me. After my mom died, I thought real love and a real family only existed in the movies. But now I know that love not only exists, but it’s so much better than any movie. Because it’s real and it’s messy and it’s ours. I want to spend every day of the rest of my life with you. With you and with Sam—and even with your dad if that’s what you want.”

Jo laughed a little through her tears, and Beckett let go of her hands so he could pull the ring box out of his coat pocket. He opened it and held it out to her. “Will you marry me?”

Jo’s lips trembled, and the tears fell in torrents down her face, but she didn’t answer.

After a moment, Beckett got slowly to his feet, his heart blocking his throat and making it impossible to speak.

He gathered her to him and held her close.

“What is it?” he finally managed to whisper into her hair. “Is it too soon?”

She shook her head against his chest. “It’s too perfect.” She gulped. “Yes, Beckett, I’ll marry you.”

“Really?” Beckett kicked himself for giving her the opportunity to change her mind. “You’ll marry me?”

Jo laughed. “Yes, really.”

She held out her hand, and Beckett caught it, sliding the ring on reverently, hardly daring to believe that this was really happening.

Jo studied the ring for a moment. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

Beckett threaded his fingers through hers. “Not half as beautiful as the promise of our life together.”