Love Again

I Can't Believe It

Authors Note: I hope everyone likes this chapter. This is a bonus chapter so I had no real plan for it. Two more chapters left then Paige and Jimmie's journey is over.

The Next Morning
I open my eyes to a little bit of sunlight shinning through the bedroom windows. I look at my watch to see its six thirty. Up thirty minutes before my alarm. I roll over to face the sleeping form of Jimmie next to me. I smile when I see the peaceful look on his face. The memories of yesterday flooding my mind makes a smile come to my face. Feeling the cool metal of the ring on my finger makes my smile brighten even more. Deciding I better get up I carefully I slip from Jimmie's arms. He confessed yesterday that he hasn't been sleeping well since Charlotte, so I try to make little noise as I slip Jimmie's shirt on and go to the attached bathroom. I empty my bladder and brush my teeth. Walking back out to the bedroom Jimmie is still asleep. I tip toe from the bedroom and downstairs. The sight of the rose petals makes me smile again. Better clean that up, but first coffee. I make my way to the kitchen and make a cup of coffee. After a few sips I feel more awake and grab a large bowl and begin to pick up the rose petals. Placing the full bowl onto the kitchen counter I notice Jimmie's note is where I left it. Picking it up and rereading it. I still can't believe it all happened. He loves me and wants to spend the rest of his life with me. I take my second cup of coffee and head to the doors that lead to the back yard. Opening one I step out, walk and take a seat at the pato swing in the middle of the yard. The early morning sun catches my engagement ring. My engagement ring. I look down at it. Its white gold with a emerald cut diamond in the center, which is haloed by smaller diamonds. The band has diamonds going half way around on both sides. It's perfect. More perfect and beautiful then the simple diamond solitare from Josh. More me. And most importantly it's from Jimmie.

"I said I wanted to wake up with you in my arms every morning. Yet I woke and you were gone." Jimmie's voice makes me chuckle and I look over to see him walking out in nothing but his pajama pants. I smile at the sight. That is mine. He is mine.

"Did you think I changed my mind?" I ask and when he reaches me he sits down next to me.

"Cause you never have to." My sentence is cut off by his lips crashing on mine. It's a sweet kiss and when he pulls away he runs his hand through my hair.

"I love you." He says. I smile and give him a quick kiss.

'"I love you too." He smiles.

"I just can't stop saying it. I want you to know every day, how much I love you." My smile gets bigger.

"I know." I say reaching over and laying my hand against his cheek.

"Why didn't you ever tell me about how Maria was treating you?" His question breaks the moment. He does have a right to know.

"You were happy I didn't want to ruin it. Plus I am a big girl, I can take care of myself." Jimmie shakes his head.

"But it's my job to protect you. Even before this, as your friend it was my job to protect you." I smile and nod.

"Can I ask about some things she said and did?" I roll my eyes.

"Does it even matter now? She's gone out of our lives."

"Paige."

"She said I didn't deserve your friendship. That I was below you. She blamed me for everything with Josh. She didn't like me around. She hated that I worked so close to you. She would always shove wanted adds at me. Telling me I had to leave my job that he deserved someone better, someone less attractive." Jimmie sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.

"I think she felt threatened to be honest. She also would try to set me up with her guy friends. She hated me, Jimmie. There was no doubt about it. She would always say mean things to me."

"But you never said anything to me."

"I was afraid that you would think I was making it up then I would lose you." Jimmie cups my face in his hands.

"You will never lose me. Never. I am yours forever and always. No matter what. You and me always." I lean forehead and kiss him.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Great. Better then I have been in a while." Is his response and I give him a look.

"You know what I mean." I say.

"Honestly, relieved. I know it's awful cause no one should want a child to not be theirs. But I am. Is that horrible of me?" I shake my head no.

"No. No one wants a child with someone they don't love."

"All I wanted was Maria to be you. I mean I wanted you to be the one pregnant. All I could think about was how happy I would if you told me, instead of this dread when Maria told me. I felt so conflicted but also that's when I realized. Realized how much you mean to me."

"One day we will fill this yard with little Johnson's. So many we're be pulling our hair out." Jimmie laughs and pulls me into his arms. As he holds me he take my left hand in his hand and his finger runs over my ring.

"It's beautiful. I love it. How did you managed to do it?" I ask.

"As soon as the test results came back and after I confronted Maria, I went to a jeweler and saw this ring. I knew it was perfect. The sample ring happened to be your size."

"How did you know my size?"

"I must confess, I called Stacy, she gave it to me."

"And the petals, the love letter? How did you even know I would come by?"

"I stayed up half the night writing that. I think I wrote like six copies before I perfected the one I gave you. And I knew cause I know you and I also know Maria couldn't have let things go without one more dig to you." I kiss Jimmie then run my own finger over the ring.

"I look at it and I keep thinking it's going to disappear. Part of me can't believe it's real."

"It's real Paige, its real." I smile and snuggle deeper against Jimmie. Letting the happiness over take me.