“Exactly three weeks from today.”
“Oh. Congratulations.”
“World’s shortest engagement,” Jonas says, laughing. “And she’s not even pregnant.”
I glare at him. Low blow.
Jonas winks at me.
“So, Mr. Faraday,” the chef says, addressing me. “I just had a few questions...” He runs through his menu items, making sure I’m happy with each course as he plans to prepare it, and I give him approval on everything.
“Wonderful. We’ll start with a light appetizer and drink pairing when she arrives.”
“Oh, I should have told you: my girlfriend’s pregnant,” I say. “No alcohol this evening for either of us.”
“Oh. No problem. Thanks for letting me know. Congratulations.”
The chef and waiter head back into the kitchen.
“Well, have fun,” Jonas says, slapping my back. “I’d better get home. Sarah just sent me a text saying she misses me—always a good sign.” He snickers.
“Hang on a second,” I say. “We’re not done.” I motion to a loveseat (rented for me by Theresa), and we sit.
“What?” Jonas asks, obviously anxious to leave.
“I just... ” I exhale. “I need you to understand something.”
Jonas waits.
“I have no desire to get married, not even to Kat. From here on out, just don’t give me a hard time about it, okay? It is what it is. I know Kat’s pregnant and I know we were raised to—”
“I don’t think you should ask Kat to marry you,” Jonas says, interrupting me. He levels me with his startling blue eyes.
“You don’t?”
“No.”
“Butyou’regetting married.”
“Yeah, and that’s exactly why I don’t think you should marry Kat.”
“I’m confused.”
Jonas sighs. “Josh, I’m marrying Sarah in twenty-one days because I can’t wait a day longer than necessary to call her my wife. I’m marrying Sarah because I can’t wait to declare my undying love for her in front of God and everyone we know. I’m marrying Sarah because she’s the air I breathe, the embodiment of my hopes and dreams and my every drop of happiness. Because I want Sarah to be mine, all mine, in every possible way ’til the end of time. Because I never want another man to touch her, ever again—because even thethoughtof another man touching her makes me homicidal. Because I want to be there for her, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part—and I want to promise that to her in the most sacred way possible. I’m marrying Sarahbecause I don’t want there to be any doubt in her mind how I feel about her, not even for a moment, for the rest of her life.” He scowls at me. “And not because I think I need a motherfucking piece of paper to tell me my love is real or official.”
I swallow hard, rendered completely speechless.
“So if you don’t feel exactly the same way about Kat,” Jonas continues, his eyes burning like hot coals, “if you don’t want to make that woman your wife for all the reasons I just described, then she didn’t just doyoua favor by turning down your proposal—she didherselfa favor, too.”
Seventeen
Josh
My heart is pulsing in my ears. I open my mouth and close it, but Jonas has stunned me into complete silence.
The doorbell rings and, instantly, the violin and cello begin playing.
“Oh shit,” I say. “You’re not supposed to be here, Jonas. You gotta get the fuck out.”