The Joker - The Ashford Brothers Series - Book Two

Jo POV

“What are you doing?” I ask Leo as he pulls me by the hand down the hotel corridor. I can’t help but giggle at the emergency in his action. We reach the door, and he opens it, exposing the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen. We had been in Mexico on vacation for one week, and I thought he would propose to me, but soon after we arrived, I realized I was mistaken.

All we have been doing is radical activities but now… Now he is guiding me through the beach to a small tent. Everything is white with flowers. I look around, and there are massive pillows on the floor and a beautiful table with colorful food.

“Oh My God, Leo, this is beautiful,” I say, and when I turn around to look at him, he is on one knee, holding a small black velvet box with a ring inside.

“Jo, you are the sunshine of my life. You brought to light when the darkness was consuming me, made me want to live again, and I owe my life to you and your love. You are the most amazing woman I have ever met, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he says, and tears start to stream down my face while my hands cover my mouth. “Jo, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?” Leo asks me, and I nod my head a thousand times.

“Yes. Yes, I will marry you”, I say, jumping towards him and wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me and kissing his lips. I can’t believe this is happening to me. I never thought I would love someone as I love Leo, and this is the happiest moment of my life. Leo is the most important person I have ever had in my life besides my family.

I start hearing lots of clapping, and when I turn around, I see my parents and, my sister, my friends. Layla is looking at me with the biggest smile on her face.

“Congratulations, my dear,” my mom says as she walks towards me and wraps me into a tight embrace. “Come on, let us see the ring,” she says, and I show her my left hand, still not really believing this is happening.

“Is this a dream?” I ask at no-one in specific, but Leo is the one to reply.

“No, my love, this is not a dream,” he says, wrapping his arms around my waist as waitresses and waiters show up with champagne glasses and start serving everyone. I still don’t understand how this is happening. How did he pull this off?

“Dad,” I let out as he has a single tear rolling down his eye and pulls me into a tight embrace.

“I always knew you would find someone that would love you almost as much as I love you, sweetheart,” he says. I love my parents more than life, and I would do anything for them. They always took care of Layla and me. My sister can be a pain in the ass, but I guess it’s normal to feel like that about my sister. She is two years older than me, and we never really got along as children, but as we grew older, we became closer.

“Bangs,” my sister says, pulling me into an embrace, and I scrunch my nose at the nickname she has been calling me since I was twelve. My mother had the most horrible idea of cutting my hair herself and gave me awful bangs, and now I can’t stand them. I look at the old pictures, and I cringe. I looked like an alien with a bad haircut.

“Sissi,” I say, smiling as she holds my hand and looks at the ring.

“I knew he would choose something good,” she says, and I go wide-eyed.

“Do you really think he planned for all of this? The man had no clue how to create an intimate and romantic setting to propose, and he wanted to do it as soon as you landed here, no preparation, nothing”, Sissi says, and I can’t help but laugh. That does sound like Leo. My beautiful Leo. My future husband.

The party starts to get more agitated, everyone eating and drinking, and I go talk to Layla, that is standing there with Edward.

“How long till you propose?” I ask him smacking him on the arm, and he smiles, looking at Layla with loving eyes. I have never seen any man look at her the way he does. They have been together for about two years now, and he treats her like a queen.

“Someday,” he says, and Layla smiles as she wraps her arms around his neck, and they kiss. “Ewww,” I say, walking away from them. I can’t stand Public demonstrations of affection, call me old school, but I think certain things should be done behind closed doors and inside of four walls.

“How are you feeling, future Mrs. Adams?” Leo asks, and I smile. I can’t think of anything that I would want more than to be called Mrs. Adams, to be his wife, and live the rest of our lives together.

“I am feeling great, happy,” I say, and he smiles, looking at me and pulling me into a kiss. I smile against his lips as everyone around us starts clapping once more, making me feel special and loved.

“Thank you all for coming, but right now, I want to be alone with my future wife,” Leo says to everyone, and I start blushing. I look at him with a smile on my lips as he guides me back to our hotel room, which is now fully decorated with white flowers and roses everywhere.

“This is beautiful,” I say, and Leo pulls me towards him.

“Not as beautiful as you.”