My Cousin Janie Ch. 04

"I wanted to though, babe."

"I know you did, but get me out of this cold so I can talk to you without screaming."

"Ok. I can do that." I smiled.

We got back in the van and the driver pulled off. We sat quietly in the back. She held my hand tightly, so much so I thought I'd lost circulation. We got back to the lodge and hurried inside. Everyone else was still playing cards, so we slipped into our suite. Rick looked up and I waved. He just smiled and nodded.

She'd held the little box in her hand the entire time. She peeled off her scarf and coat and sat on the bed. I watched as she opened it again.

"Brad... it's just really beautiful. You really shouldn't have. I didn't get you anything like...". She started crying. I knelt in front of her and took her in my arms.

"Baby, you've given me yourself. That's the best gift I could ever ask for."

"God, would you stop. I love you so bad it hurts, already. You keep making it worse." She was smiling as tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

"I just want you to know what you mean to me."

"I think it's clear enough." She said.

"Good."

"I don't know what I did to deserve you, but when I find out, I'm doing it all over again." She said.

"You don't have to do that." I smiled.

"Did you really mean what you said? About the promise?" She asked.

"Yes. Of course I did." I answered.

"You're just amazing." She sobbed.

"No, you are." I kissed her and held her close to me. We heard a knock at the door.

"God, who could that be?"

"I have my guess."

"Yeah me too. You better answer the door, or they'll bust in." She shook her head.

I stood up and walked to the door. I opened it and as expected, it was Shelley and Roxanne.

Shelley looked at me nervously and then peered around me to look at Janie.

"Did the card game break up?" I asked, suspiciously.

"Card game? Oh, yeah the card game. Yeah we finished." Shelley said, she was still looking back and forth between Janie and I. I could tell she was wanting to ask something, but I decided to make her work for it. I looked at Roxanne and she was smiling.

"Rick started telling Stevie old war stories about the early days." Roxanne laughed. She poked Shelley in the ribs with her finger. "Come on Shelley, out with it."

"Well, we, I mean, I was wondering if everything was okay?" She asked, sheepishly.

"Yes. Everything is fine." I smiled.

"Why is she crying, then?"

"Mom! Geez. Would you stop?" Janie said. She walked over beside me. "I'm crying because of this."

She held out her left hand. I know the lighting helped, but I'll still always say it sparkled brightly because she was wearing it. Shelley looked at it, then at Janie, and finally at me. She started crying. Roxanne nudged her in the door and I closed it. She recognized that I wasn't ready to tell Steve everything.

"Janie, it's just beautiful!!" Shelley said. Roxanne agreed. They shared hugs. Then it was my turn.

"Brad, that's just really beautiful. It's so special." Shelley said.

When Roxanne hugged me, she whispered in my ear, "I always wanted a Smith man. You were just damn young!!" I squeezed her tightly before I let her go.

"I'm so happy right now." Shelley's streamed tears. She looked back and forth at the three of us. "What?? I am happy, Damn it!"

Janie hugged her again. They went and sat on the bed. I looked at Roxanne and nodded towards the door. We walked out.

"Hey, I need a favor to ask." I said after the door was closed.

"You want me to use my considerable feminine charms to lure Steve away from Rick." She smiled.

"Exactly. I think I better tell him this myself." I said.

"Bradley, I understand. It's gonna be okay. I'll go get Stevie. They went to your granddad's study. I'm so happy for you both." She hugged me. "You two have always made one another so happy. Now it's even more."

"Yes. It is."

She turned and walked towards the study. A few minutes later she walked out with Steve in tow. They headed to their upstairs suite. He smiled at me.

I popped back into our suite and told Janie, I'd be back shortly. Shelley and her were talking so I knew she'd be occupied for a little bit.

I walked in the study and saw Rick sitting in front of the fireplace. I saw a bottle and I poured myself a small portion before joining him. When I sat down, he reached over and our glasses clinked.

"To Christmas." He said.

"Yes, sir to Christmas." We sipped quietly for a while. Finally he spoke.

"Everything go Okay in town, son?" He asked.

"Yeah, it did. I gave Janie her Christmas present."

"Was it what it think it was?" He asked.

"No, not quite. I would have asked your permission before I did that. It was a promise ring."

He smiled, "Son, I gave you my blessing at Thanksgiving. You don't ever have to ask me. I don't have a doubt in the world, you'll be as good to her as any man alive."

"Yes, sir, I know, but I just thought I should." I replied.

"Naw. You don't. You're a good man. Don't ever let the world change that, or change how you feel about lil Janie." He reached over with his glass again. "Son, I wish you both all the happiness in the world. I was goddamn lucky to have met Shelley. And your daddy too. They didn't come any better than your momma."

"Yeah. I know."

"Well son, I don't if this mountain air or too much single malt, but I'm worn out. I think I'm gonna find the little lady and turn in. I wish the damn weather had been better. Stevie said he was dying to give the skiing a whirl." He laughed. Rick had never been on a pair to my knowledge.

"Haha, yeah he was. I'm sure he'll get a chance to go soon. Rick, I had one other thing I wanted to talk about."

"What's that?" He asked.

I laid out Janie's plan for trip to Europe. I explained I was worried to be away that long.

"Son, don't let that worry you. You take that trip. I'll still be around, besides, I don't won't you to be like your daddy and I were. Stop and smell the roses along the way. Don't put things off until later, there might not ever be a later." He took a final slug from his glass and walked over to put it in the sink in the wet bar.

"Yes sir, I understand."

"You've put enough time in. Take Janie and have a great time. This old outfit will still be chugging along when you get home." He stuck his hand and we shook hands. "Night son."

"Night Rick." He walked out. I finished my glass and then walked back to my own suite. I didn't see Janie. I looked in the bathroom, and she wasn't there. I finally found her in the attached sun room where the hot tub was. She was wearing a long white robe. When she heard me close the door, she turned and dropped the robe. She looked magnificent in the moonlight that poured through the glass.

"Hi." She said.

"Hi." I took her in my arms.

"Everything okay with Daddy?"

"Yes. I just wanted to tell him myself."

"Okay."

"He said I already had his permission." I added.

"Is that so?" She smiled.

"Yes. He did. So when the time comes..."

"You'll just to worry if I'll have you or not."

"Yes. Something like that."

"I still can't believe you did this."

"I did, so there." I laughed.

"Uh Huh. You going to get naked or are you just going let me stand here all by myself?"

"You do it." I smiled.

"I'd be happy too." She grinned. She started unbuttoning my shirt. My hands reached for her breasts. I massaged them gently as she continued undressing me. I finally slipped off my socks.

"You don't know how much I love you right now, Brad." She said.

"You don't know how much I love you either, baby." I replied, before kissing her hungrily. "Come on. Let's get in the hot tub."