Practice Makes Perfect

Jake

Two Days Later

Spending time with Kari's mom gave Jake the last little push he needed. He'd be asking her to marry him for sure. The ring sat on his dresser, open for him to stare at as he pulled various items out of his dresser. His parents were picking them up at the airport that afternoon, and he and Kari had decided to spend the night before at their own places.

She wanted a girls’ night with Lisa and Sicily, and he was happy to have a night to think things through. Asking her to marry him back in Texas seemed like the perfect answer, but like he'd told Marc a few days before... she would want to be around their friends and her brother to help celebrate. Her mom had agreed to a surprise visit, which Jake would be paying for. He didn't mind at all.

"Speaking of," he grumbled as he turned and walked back into his tiny living room to grab his phone. He pressed the button to call Marc and dropped down on the couch.

"What's up, bro?"

"Hey." Jake ran his fingers through his hair an