On June 1st, Jake and Laura climbed into a Lear jet that Jake had chartered out of Van Nuys and were flown to Coos Bay to take possession of the house. Jake told Laura they were making the trip to start getting things in order. They needed to make sure the house was up to standards, needed to secure a vehicle for the use of the musicians while they were there, and wanted to have a little visit with Obie and Pauline and Tabby, who were currently staying in Obie’s house. All of these things were true and Laura did not question them. Jake, however, did have an ulterior motive as well.
They touched down at North Bend Municipal just after three in the afternoon. They were checked into the house by five o’clock. Jake had the taxi that delivered them to the house stop at the store first and he picked up supplies for a nice dinner of filet mignon and scampi, which they enjoyed over a bottle of red wine out on the deck.
They had a brief session of fucking after dinner and then took a little nap, waking up just before sunset.
“How about we watch the sun go down from the hot tub?” Jake suggested.
“Sure,” Laura said brightly. “That sounds like fun.”
“I’ll meet you out there,” Jake told her. “I’m gonna grab some wine first.”
“How about a joint too?” she asked.
“Maybe after we come back inside,” he said.
Laura looked a little confused at this, but shrugged it off. As long as she got to toke up at some point tonight, she would be happy.
Jake gathered up the wine, some glasses, and one other item from his luggage, and then made his way out onto the balcony in his robe. Since they were alone tonight, he was wearing nothing beneath it. The sun was about five degrees above the horizon and there were no clouds, no marine layer to obscure it. Perfect. Laura herself was sitting naked on the first step, her small breasts exposed to the air, a contented expression on her face. Jake poured them each a glass of wine, shrugged off his robe, and then stepped into the tub beside her. The water was the perfect temperature.
“It’s going to be a good sunset tonight,” Laura remarked, taking the glass from him.
“I certainly hope so,” Jake said with a smile that hid his true feelings. He was a bit nervous.
“Are you okay?” Laura asked him, picking up on his angst a bit.
“Perfect,” he assured her. “It’s nice to be here with you, by ourselves, away from LA, away from all the hassles.”
“Yes, it is,” she said, leaning against him and giving his leg an affectionate squeeze. “When is Greg going to get here?”
“Uh ... he’ll be flying in day after tomorrow,” Jake said. “He has another movie promo to do in Detroit tomorrow and he’ll fly directly here from there.”
“He seemed very excited to come out here,” she said.
“He is,” Jake said, watching the sun sink lower and lower. He needed to make a little small talk until it was just about to sink into the sea. “His golf course project finally has the green light. The county approved the plans, the investors have all got their money in, and they’re going to start surveying the property next week.”
“I’m happy for him,” she said. “He can be pompous, but he really is a sweet guy. I hope he and Celia stay together. They seemed like they were getting along better, didn’t they?”
“They did,” Jake agreed. “And he’s very happy about his film too. I read in the paper this morning that it was the number one money maker at the box office for Memorial Day weekend. And the reviewers seem to like it as well.”
“I liked it a lot,” Laura said. “I mean, it was fun going to the premier and all—thanks for taking me there, hon—but I really liked the movie. It was much better than that Northern Jungle.”
“It would almost have to be,” Jake said, although, in truth, he had really enjoyed the movie as well. It had been a well-done, action-packed two-hour flick with lots of exciting flight scenes and rescues and a fair amount of suspense. Though it probably wasn’t Oscar material, it was entertaining throughout.
“It’s too bad Celia couldn’t be there for the premier,” Laura said.
“She sounds like she’s having fun out on the road,” Jake said. “She’s continuing to sell out every venue so far. And her album is already approaching Platinum.”
“Your album is doing pretty well too, isn’t it?”
“I’m holding my own,” Jake agreed. Living in this World had gone Gold just the previous day, in fact. And his tune Breaking Down Fast was currently number twelve on the single chart and still rising.
“I’m very proud of you, Jake,” she told him, snuggling a little closer. “You’ve worked so hard on your music. You deserve everything you get.”
“Thanks, babe,” he told her, giving her a little kiss above the eye. He checked the sun again. The lower edge was just starting to touch the waves. “Listen, Laura. I brought you out here tonight, at sunset, for a reason.”
She took her eyes off the sun and looked at his face. “What’s the reason?” she asked.
“This place is special for us,” he said. “This house is where we fell in love with each other. This hot tub is where we first ... you know ... got together.”
She giggled a little. “I remember that night very well,” she said.
“So ... it seemed an appropriate place,” he said, watching as the sun went a little lower, “for me to ... well ... to give you this.” With that, he brought his right hand out of the water. It was closed. He slowly opened it, revealing the three and a half carat diamond ring he had purchased back in LA and had been holding ever since leaving the bedroom.
Laura took in a sharp intake of breath. “Jake,” she whispered. “Is that ... is it a...” She couldn’t say it.
Jake said it for her. “It’s an engagement ring,” he told her. “Will you marry me, Laura?”
She continued to stare at the ring in his palm, her mouth wide, her eyes big. “Oh my God,” she said.
“Caught you by surprise?” he asked, reeling with anticipation.
“You did,” she agreed.
“Well ... what do you think?” Jake asked. “I don’t want to rush you or anything if you need to think about it, but ... well ... this is going to become awkward in a minute.”
“Oh my God, Jake,” she said. “You’re really asking me to marry you? You’re not fucking with me?”
“I’m not fucking with you,” he assured her.
“I ... I don’t know what to say,” she said.
Jake swallowed. This was not going exactly as he’d envisioned. “Uh ... yes would be an acceptable answer,” he suggested.
“I want to say yes, Jake,” she said. “I really do. I love you and I’d love to be your wife. Oh my God ... I can’t believe this is happening!”
“Uh ... I’m not sure here,” Jake said. “Did you just say yes?”
She sighed. “I didn’t,” she said. “I said I want to say yes.”
“But ... but you can’t?”
“Oh wow,” she said, shaking her head a little. “Before I answer you ... well ... there’s something I need to tell you first.”
“What is it?” he asked. This had definitely become a bit awkward.
“Well ... it’s about something that I ... that I did out on tour. It might change the way you feel about me.”
“Something you did out on tour?” What the hell are we talking about here?
“I should have told you a long time ago, but I didn’t know you were going to propose to me. Oh my God, what a mess!”