Jane smiled as she laid her son in his crib. He had fallen fast asleep after she fed him. She listened as she heard Kelli and Nick say their goodbyes. It wasn’t ideal to have them stay in the same house together, but both of them had assured her that they were past that one night. Thankfully they were just friends. She was afraid that one night together might have changed everything. She wasn’t ready for and didn’t like change. [AN: This is very true of me. Change has never been very positive for me.]
“Are you ready for bed?” Joe asked from the doorway making her jump. She looked over at him as he smiled down at her. How had she managed to be so lucky as to get Joe Jonas as her husband? It just didn’t seem real. It had never seemed real. She smiled as he pulled her to his side and dragged her along into their bedroom.
“I talked to the contractor working on the guest house this afternoon,” Jane said as she changed into a pair of sweats and a tank top.
“Okay,” Joe said as he stripped down to his boxers not sure where his wife was going with this conversation.
“I wanted to know how much it was going to cost to complete the rest of the renovations in the house.” Joe froze turning to watch his wife as she took out her earrings. “He told me you never spoke to him about renovating the rest of the house. Then I told him about the holes in the walls, and you know what Joe?”
“What?” Joe asked with a squeak.
“He said he had nothing to do with that,” Jane said as she slid under the covers and into the bed. Joe pulled back the covers and slid in next to her. “Do you realize just how much it’s going to cost us to repair the walls you destroyed? What were you thinking Joe?”
“I was thinking that Nick and Kelli need to really talk things out,” he said pulling her to his side. She went willingly unable to resist his warmth.
“They did talk. Everything is exactly as it was before. Just how it needs to be.”
“But it’s not the same anymore Jane. Nick and Kelli crossed a line. Sometimes things have to change. They need to face their feelings for each other.”
“They don’t have any feelings for each other. They’re just friends.”
“Please. It’s obvious that there is more there than friendship.” Joe pulled her closer and draped her body across his chest. “Why are you so against Nick and Kelli being more than friends?”
“Let’s say Nick and Kelli start dating. What happens when they have a fight? Or if they broke up? I don’t want to have to choose between my two best friends. Kelli might just leave. I can’t lose her. She’s my family.”
“So am I.”
“I’m not saying that you aren’t. You and now Nate are my family, but Kelli has always been there for me. She accepted me before anyone else did.”
“Promise me you’ll let them work this out for themselves.” Jane tucked her head against his neck so he couldn’t see her face when she spoke next. She didn’t want him to figure out that she was lying.
“Fine. I’ll let them work this out for themselves.” Joe pulled her up until her face hovered above his. He traced her cheek and leaned up kissing her softly. No matter how much he tried she was still so resistant to letting him in. They kissed again and the moment grew more passionate. When Joe reached for the edge of her tank top Jane pushed his hands away stopping him. “Joe, I have to ask you something.”
“What?” he groaned as he rolled away from her.
“Why didn’t you tell Nick about us?”
“What about us?”
“You never told him why we actually got married. Why not?”
“I didn’t think it was any of his business,” Joe sulked. He wasn’t brave enough to admit the real reason why he had never told anyone. He was afraid that if they knew they would wonder the same thing he did almost every day. They would wonder if Jane had really married him out of love. He knew she felt safe with him, but he was never quite sure if she really was in love with him. Sure, she said it, but did she actually mean it?
That day when she had appeared at his door to tell him that she was pregnant he hadn’t hesitated. He had proposed partially because it was the right thing to do, but also because he had already fallen head over heels for her. Then a few days before their wedding she had returned to tell him that she had never been pregnant. There was a mix up of the charts or something. All he remembered was the sound of the blood rushing to his ears. She gave him an out. She would disappear, and he could go back to his previous life without her. He couldn’t imagine a life without her so he proposed again. He remembered the fear and shock that had crossed her face. Did she accept because she loved him or because she was afraid of being alone?
“I know we don’t really want the press to know about it, but I just always assumed you would tell your brothers. I told Kelli,” Jane said. He looked over to see her watching the ceiling as she stretched out on her back.
“That’s different. You went to Kelli for advice back then.”
“It’s not different. Kelli is the closest thing that I have to a sister.” Joe opened his mouth to say something, anything when their argument was cut off by cries coming through the baby monitor.
“I’ll go get him,” Joe said getting up from the bed. He raced to the nursery and picked up his crying son. The cries stopped as Joe held him close. He smiled down at his son. “You have your mother’s eyes don’t you?” Nate merely gurgled happily at him. “Wide awake, huh?” Joe asked his infant son. “Should I tell you a story? Hmmm…how about I tell you how I met your mom.”
Nate blew a raspberry.
“It’s a good story I promise. Just listen. I had just released my new solo album, and my producers wanted to get my face out everywhere. So they signed me up for a bunch of charity events including this one where I was supposed to read to a group of kids.”
[FLASHBACK, OVER TWO YEARS AGO]
“Do I even get to choose what book I read?” Joe asked looking apprehensively at the group of children congregated around his feet.
“Stop whining and just read something,” Nick whispered thrusting a book into his hands.
“Remind me again why you’re here?” Joe asked studying the book Nick had handed him. “Is this book covered in pink glitter?”
“I’m here to support you,” Nick said.
“You’re here to laugh at me,” Joe snapped angrily. He loved his brother, but Nick loved seeing him in awkward situations.
“What exactly is he going to laugh at?” a soft voice asked from behind Joe. “Do you not know how to read or something?” That’s when Joe first saw her. She had dark curly hair that fell to her shoulders with brown eyes that matched her hair. He was immediately drawn into her wide smile surrounded by voluptuous lips. [AN: I wish I was as pretty as I seem to describe myself in this story.]
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Nick,” his brother said holding out a hand to the brunette.
“I’m Jane,” she replied. She looked at Joe who sat there stock still as if her words had frozen him. “Is he going to be okay?”
“He’s just a little nervous,” Nick snickered. Joe flashed a dark look at his brother before turning back to Jane.
“It will be okay,” Jane said patting him on the head like he was a puppy dog. “They’re just kids. They don’t bite.” She frowned as she surveyed the crowd. “Keep an eye on that one in the red baseball cap though. He pinched me hard the last time I was here.”
“I’m Joe,” he finally managed to croak out. Something about this woman made him practically mute. His palms were sweating and his heart was racing.
“I think it’s time you started reading Joe,” she replied pointing at the crowd of waiting children. Still in awe of Jane he started to stutter and stumble as he began the first book. Jane quickly stepped in to help him out. Soon he discovered that they had been reading for over three hours. He was disappointed when the kids left and they began to gather up the books they had read that afternoon.
“Do you work here?” Nick asked as they helped to reshelve the books. Jane looked around the store with a happy sigh.
“I wish,” Jane said. “Sadly, I’m just a local children’s book author.”
“What books have you written?” Joe asked.
“Several. You read one of them to the kids today she said placing the book whose cover was coated in pink glitter back into his hands. Joe flipped the book over and there was her picture across the back cover. “My original plan when I came out here was to be an actress, but I never made it. I sent in a manuscript on a whim, and now I’m here. They’ve actually been selling pretty well. Who would have thought?”
“Nick and I are in a band,” Joe blurted out. Seriously? That was the best he could do? Jane raised one eyebrow slowly before breaking out into a hearty laugh. She laughed hard as her cheeks turned bright. It took her several minutes to get herself together.
“I know,” she said still giggling slightly. “You guys are in Jonas.” So she knew who he was? “Where’s Kevin?”
“Home with Dani,” Nick replied. Joe envied his relaxed tone and stance. He was like a blubbering teenage boy with a crush around her.
“How sweet. They have got to be one of the cutest couples ever.”
“So you’re a fan?” Joe asked trying to get her focus back on him instead of his little brother.
“I’ve heard a song or two,” Jane nervously replied.
“That and she’s watched every episode of your show, been to several concerts, and as a teenager she covered her room with your pictures,” another girl said as she walked up behind Jane. “So yeah, she’s a fan.”
“Thanks a lot Kelli,” Jane groused at the other girl. “Nick and Joe Jonas meet my best friend Kelli.” The girl next to her waved slightly from her place next to Jane. Kelli had short dark brown hair that brushed her neck and chin. Her hazel eyes lit up in delight at the sight of Joe and Nick. “I’m really not the crazy fan girl that she says I am."
“Of course you aren’t,” Joe said unable to stop babbling. “You’re amazing.” Jane blushed and edged closer to him. He took a deep breath and a warm citrus scent floated over to him. God, she smelled good.
“Are you a Jonas fan?” Nick asked Kelli. Joe could tell he was clearly interested in her.
“The only reason I know anything about the Jonas brothers is because of Jane here,” Kelli smirked.
“Do you have a favorite Jonas?” Joe asked Jane ignoring his brother and her friend.
“Kevin,” Jane said without hesitation. Joe frowned. “It kind of sucks that he’s happily married. Oh well. [AN: Kevin is my favorite, but Joe makes my heart race. He has a killer smile.]
“Oh,” Joe croaked feeling more depressed than ever.
“Kevin is such a sweetheart,” Jane continued on. How long was she going to keep talking about his older brother? She looked off into space as she continued to speak as if she had forgotten everyone else was there. “And Nick is so deep and creative. But Joe is by far the hottest.” She blinked as she realized what had just come out of her mouth. “I cannot believe that I just said that out loud. Shouldn’t we be going Kelli?”
“Why?” Kelli asked with a sly grin. “You don’t have anything to do this afternoon.”
“Just stop talking,” Jane said pulling Kelli by her arm towards the bookstore’s front door. “I totally have a thing. Let’s go.”
“Wait!” Nick called out to their departing backsides. “Jane, I was wondering if you would like to go out sometime?” Joe felt a sudden flare of anger and jealousy course through him. His brother asking out the girl he was interested in. His blood was boiling.
“What?” Jane asked turning back around in shock. Her gaze quickly shot over to Joe before resettling on Nick.
“Not with me,” Nick chuckled. “With Joe. He sure likes you, and you did admit you think he’s hot.” Jane’s face flushed and her mouth opened in shock. Joe felt a wide smile make its way across his face. Thank God for pushy little brothers.
“She’d love to,” Kelli said grabbing Jane’s purse and pulling a scrap of paper and pen from it. [AN: My purse is better stocked than most people’s homes.] She scribbled something onto the paper before handing it over to Joe. “That’s her number. Give her a call anytime. She’ll clear her schedule for a date with you.”
“Now I sound desperate,” Jane groaned as Kelli dragged her out of the bookstore.
[END OF FLASHBACK]
“If it wasn’t for Nick and Kelli I might never have gotten that date with your mother,” Joe said to his yawning son. “I never meant for us to end up married so quickly, but I think it had to happen that way.”
Nate yawned once again before finally falling asleep.
“I love your mother so much,” Joe murmured. “She’s passionate, forceful, and gorgeous. Even when she’s pissed at me it just makes me want her more. The real reason I never told my brothers about why we married so quickly was because I was scared. What if they asked the one question I still don’t have the answer to?”
“What question?” a soft voice asked. Joe looked up in shock to see Jane standing in the doorway with the baby monitor in her hand.
“How much of that did you hear?” Joe asked with a wince.
“You left the baby monitor on in the bedroom when you raced in here to check on Nate.” She set the monitor down on the changing table and walked over to him. Gently, she pulled Nate from his arms and set him back into his crib. “Now tell me what question you don’t have the answer to.”
“It’s nothing really.”
“You never told your brothers about what happened between us because of that question so don’t tell me it’s nothing. Tell me what the question is Joe!” Joe took a deep breath.
“Even after we found out you weren’t pregnant I proposed to you again.”
“I remember,” she said with a soft smile.
“Did you agree to marry me because you loved me? Or because you were scared and alone?” Joe asked softly. He gulped as he awaited the answer to the question that had tortured him all these years. Jane looked at him in shock before tears began to spill from her eyes. “Why are you crying?”
“You’ve really been wondering that all these years?” she asked coming over and hugging him tight. Joe pulled her into his lap as she sobbed into his shirt. She sniffed a little bit before sitting up and looking him in the eyes. He rubbed a finger across the tear tracks on her cheeks. Her eyes were already red and swollen. [AN: I’m an ugly crier.]
“Please don’t cry. We can forget I ever asked okay?”
“No. I’m not going to forget. If you’ve been wondering all this time, then why didn’t you ever ask me?”
“I was afraid to hear your answer.”
“Joe, I was half in love with you the first time I met you. We had one explosive date, and I couldn’t wait to spend even more time with you. Then we had that pregnancy scare, and you proposed. When I found out I wasn’t pregnant I was devastated because I was afraid I would lose you as well. But you proposed again. I think I fell in love with you before we even went out on our first date. But when you proposed that second time I knew you were the one.”
“The one?”
“My soulmate. My true love. Joe I married you because I love you. I think I come to love you even more each day.”
“Really?”
“Look into my eyes when I say this,” she said grabbing his face in her hands and pulling his face up to hers. “I love you. You’re my husband and the father of my child. I will always love you. I promise that.”
“I love you too,” Joe said kissing her hand. She moved closer as he trailed kisses down her neck. He slid his hand underneath her tank top as he caressed her belly. Jane pulled away and kissed him swiftly on the lips.
“Let’s go to bed,” she said with a wide smile.
“Bed it is,” Joe chuckled as he stood and threw her over his shoulder. She giggled lightly as he carried her back to their bedroom. After he placed her on the soft bed Joe gently stripped off her clothes and his and made love to his wife. Afterwards she lay draped across his chest as he held her close.
“I love you,” Jane said. “I’m going to make sure that I tell you that more often.”
“I love you too,” Joe said deciding that now was the best time to bring up another subject. “And because I love you I really want you to listen to me.”
“You’re seriously going to lecture me right now?” Jane whined.
“I’m well aware you were lying earlier,” Joe said ignoring her theatrics.
“Lying about what?” Jane asked sitting up and pulling the bed sheet around herself.
“When I asked you to leave Nick and Kelli to work things out by themselves you lied to me. You’re going to interfere aren’t you?”
“So I lied,” Jane shot back in anger. “You can’t just expect me to sit around and watch them screw everything up.”
“Screw it up how exactly?” Joe asked sitting up next to her.
“I already told you. If they date and there’s a fight or—“
“What if they’re destined to fall in love?” Joe interrupted distracting her form her anger. He suspected most of her anger was born out of a fear of change. “Why are you focused on the worst outcome possible? It’s obvious to anyone that they have feelings for each other.”
“If they get together then nothing is going to be the same again. I don’t want things to change.” Jane looked down at her hands unable to look her husband in the face.
“Life is always going to change honey,” he said lifting her chin up. “If you don’t let it then you’re not really living.” [AN: A very wise person once told me that. Still doesn’t mean I welcome change with open arms though.]
“Do you think they’re dating?” she asked nervously.
“I honestly don’t know. Nick asked if he could pick Kelli up from the airport so I let him. I figure I owe them for helping us get together all those years ago.”
“So you destroyed several of our interior walls just to force them together?”
“Yes.”
“Next time promise me you’ll come up with a cheaper idea, okay?” Joe chuckled and pulled her into his side.
“Deal,” he said sealing his promise with a gentle kiss. Jane yawned as she settled against his chest to sleep.
“Hey Joey?” she asked sleepily.
“Yeah?”
“Just because I’m okay with Nick and Kelli working things out together doesn’t mean I’m going to let them get away with it.”
“Get away with what?”
“They both stood there and lied to me telling me that there was nothing going on between them. Like you said, it’s obvious that they have feelings for each other. They’ve already acted on them once. They know better than to lie to my face. I’m not going to make things easy on them.” Joe started to protest when he realized she had promptly fallen asleep after her grand declaration. He didn’t doubt that Jane would follow through on making things difficult for them. He just hoped that Nick and Kelli had what it took to create a lasting relationship. And when Jane wasn’t looking he would do his best to help them out when he could. After all he owed them both for all they did to help him and Jane. He pulled his wife closer and drifted off to sleep.
[AN: Next chapter will be all Nick and Kelli. I just had to indulge myself in the daydream of me being married to Joe Jonas. Sigh. Next chapter up soon! I have written half of it, and I really like it so I hope you’ll adore it. Thanks to my pretty much only reader WolfGirlDream! I hope you are enjoying this story!]