Good as it Gets (standard:romance, 8710 words)
Author: katie rose	Added: Nov 23 2000	Views/Reads: 4667/2777	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Jessica and Ryan met in an unconventional way. See how there love began and how Ryan's feelings change after reading Jessica's journal about their first meeting.

As Good as it Gets 

By katie rose 

Copyright 2000 

Jessica looked down at her small hands clasped within Ryan's beautiful
fingers, her heart beating erratically with hope.  The happy tears that 
threatened to fall; she blinked them back quickly. 

"You really mean it?" 

Ryan smiled, making his eyes crinkle at the edges.  "Yes.  I want you to
be with me always, and I've thought about it a lot.  What kind of 
example would I be to our kids if we just moved in together?  I can 
hear my son's voice already. 'If you really lover her Dad, then why 
won't you marry her?'  I knew he would have been right, so I beat him 
to the punch." 

"So it is a 10-year-old I have to thank?" 

"Unwittingly, I guess so.  Well?  What do you think?  Jessica, will you
marry me?" 

She took a deep, calming breath.  "After all these years, with the two
of us living 400 miles apart, I always hoped it would work out that the 
two of us could be together.  Marriage is more than I dared to hope 
for.  Yes, Ryan, I will marry you." 

She threw her arms around him and held him, matching as closely as she
could the pressure of the arms that encircled her and held her to his 
lap.  Their love, she knew, was right. 

From the outside world, they didn't appear to be a likely couple,
primarily due to their age difference.  The year she was born, he was 
graduating from high school.  The year she graduated, he was playing 
music and making a name for himself.  At 37, she had a level head yet a 
romantic heart, and Ryan's maturity, intelligence and experience had 
always drawn her to him. 

She kissed his neck, nuzzling into him closer.  Teasing him, she nipped
at his earlobe. 

"Besides, it makes more economic sense.  Six-hour drives, hotel rooms,
two houses, tons of phone bills..." He let the words have the effect 
that he knew they would cause. 

Jessica sat upright.  "So, that's what it is?  You just want me for my
money!"  The accusing tone was softened by her smile.  They both 
laughed then; knowing the line couldn't be further from the truth. 
Being a single mom in the ever-changing business world made for shaky 
financial ground at times. 

"Yep.  You found me out."  He then leaned forward and lovingly brushed
his lips across her own. 

~~~~~~~~~~ 

Jessica strummed her fingers across the steering wheel as she stopped at
the end of the driveway of her new home, watching as Ryan backed the 
trailer up to the garage.   The grass around the house was just 
starting to fill in nicely.  It seemed that only yesterday Ryan was 
picking out the design for his new house.  She had told him that 
according to the plans she had seen it looked too big for just him and 
his kids.  Now she understood.  He had been considering her and her 
children when he planned it. 

Now it was built and it was to be their home.  It was beautiful, and
bigger than she had expected with an open porch that wrapped around two 
sides of the house.  She had seen the site when the foundation was 
poured, but she somehow could never actually picture a house nestled 
within the clearing of the woods.  Of course, she had been curious, and 
he had sent her pictures, but because of the way their schedules had 
been of late, it had been easier for him to travel to see her and the 
kids.  Her mind wandered.  So much had happened, so quickly. 


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