Chapter 723 - JoAnna's birthday (3)

Jeff fidgeted for few seconds before speaking again: "I know that for the wedding, the bride looks for something old , something new , something borrowed and something blue . This is old and blue, so if you wear it, it will cover two things out of four…" He cleared his throat nervously. "I will be honored if you wear this for our wedding."

JoAnna thought how he looks adorable and handsome at the same time.

She could not stop smiling. "Mr. White, it will be my pleasure to wear it, as your bride."

Jeff smiled widely with a smile which reached his eyes. "Thank you… It means a lot."

He held her hand in his, palm up and JoAnna felt that he placed a small box in it.

JoAnna frowned slightly. "And this is?"

"Open it."

JoAnna opened the box and found a set of earrings which design matched the necklace: gold earrings with blue gemstones. She had to ask: "Sapphires?"

"Diamonds.", he corrected her and confirmed her suspicion.

She was still observing the design of the earrings when she heard Jeff's voice: "You can't wear the necklace without matching earrings. And with this, you have 'something new' covered as well for our wedding. You need to borrow something, but I will leave that to you."

JoAnna smiled and gave him a gently reminder: "I thought you agreed that you will not buy me a birthday present."

Jeff looked at her like she wronged him. "This is not a birthday present. It's just something that goes with the necklace. The fact that today is your birthday is totally accidental."

JoAnna laughed while thinking that his acting improved significantly and moved to sit in his lap. "Thank you. It's really beautiful. Thank you for making today perfect." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

After a long kissing session, Jeff fed both of them cake... well, mostly her and he took few bites.

"It's delicious!", JoAnna gushed as the vanilla and chocolate ice cream cake melted in her mouth. Fresh strawberries complimented the cake perfectly.

They moved onto the roof terrace where JoAnna was amazed again to see flowers and dim lighting set up around one oversized lounging chair.

Jeff and JoAnna sipped wine which was chilled just right while holding each other and enjoying the cloudless night sky speckled with millions of stars.

JoAnna broke the silence: "I never heard you mention Nori's parents before."

Jeff understood that JoAnna wants to know about his maternal grandparents and shared how much he knows: "My grandmother, Deborah, passed away when I was about two years old. I don't remember her. Soon after that, my grandfather, Richard, started traveling and I saw him maybe few times in my life."

JoAnna now knows why Jeff didn't mention them. He probably does not have memories which include them. "Do you keep in touch?"

"How much I know, my mom does… occasionally. But he is not part of our lives. He never remarried. My mom told me that grandmother always wanted to travel and see wonders of the world, but due to her poor health she was unable to do so. That is the reason why my grandfather is now always on the move, to keep her memory alive."

JoAnna sighed and sank deeper into Jeff's embrace.

He felt her shoulders shiver and asked: "Are you OK?"

JoAnna sniffled few times before speaking. "You just told me that your grandfather is traveling for a quarter of a century in memory of his wife. That is definitely the most tragic and at the same time the most romantic thing I ever heard of."

"If I knew it's going to make you weepy, I would not tell you."

JoAnna pinched him. "Who is weepy? I'm touched!"

"What's the difference?" Jeff teased her while avoiding another pinch.

JoAnna gave up on pinching him and sighed. "Your grandfather really loved your grandmother… Stories like that restore my belief in true love."

After a long silence, Jeff spoke: "Anna, do you need to look at others to believe in true love?"

She looked up at him and blinked few times. "What do you think?"

Jeff's eyes were locked on JoAnna's. "I know that no one ever loved anyone as much as I love you."

JoAnna giggled and nimbly moved her body up, straddling him. "My handsome Mr. White, it's not a competition… But I love you more."

She didn't allow him to respond to her declaration. For her, that discussion was completed. JoAnna sprawled herself on top of him and exhaled loudly. "Ah… in five days we will come back here as Mr. and Mrs. White."

Jeff put his arms around JoAnna and kissed top of her head. He chuckled when he realized that her arms and legs are wrapped around him and she looks like a koala… adorable koala.

Jeff thought how they went through so many things in last few months. He remembered how less than six months ago he struggled to get her contact information, and now she is right here… on top of him. He feels her body press on his, and her warmth, and her scent.

In last six months he got to see her change, and she showed him many sides of her: scared, shy, happy, excited, fearless, teasing, smart, angry, careless, witty, indulging, seductive… Ah! She is everything he could ever want, and much more than that. And she is his. Only his.

Jeff silently promised to JoAnna that he will make sure she stays safe, and no one gets to hurt her. And he knows that she will protect him as well. Because she is strong beyond belief. Her mental strength is unimaginable, and she surprised him so many times, always raising to the challenge… and somehow, he knows that she still didn't reach her peak.

This beautiful girl who can take his breath away is in his arms, relaxing on top of him. He feels like pinching himself to confirm that he is not dreaming.

Everything is perfect, and it only gets better, because in five days he will get to marry this beautiful young woman who stole his heart for the first time seventeen years ago… and then again six months ago. At that time, his mind didn't recognize her, but his heart did.

Jeff can't help himself but to believe that him finding JoAnna again, seventeen years later, and two of them falling in love… it must be destiny. How else can anyone describe this crazy thing that happened between two of them? It's absolutely amazing!

He lost sense of time while going through some of his sweetest memories related to JoAnna.

When he came back out of his thoughts, Jeff realized that JoAnna is not moving. Upon closer inspection he confirmed: she is sleeping.

He smiled when he remembered how previous night they didn't sleep… at all. And they were doing some vigorous exercise… after that they slept only few hours, so it's not unexpected that his adorable koala-girl slept off. She is exhausted.

Jeff gently lifted JoAnna and carried her to the bedroom.

When he placed her on the bed softly, she stirred a bit to find more comfortable position but didn't wake up.

He likes how she always snuggles next to him in her sleep.

Jeff cradled her in his arms and kissed her temple.

"Happy birthday, my love…", he whispered before sleeping off next to her.