Is this destiny?

"What?!!" JoAnna shrieked from surprise. She felt that her brain stopped working. 'What did he just say?!!'

"Marry me." He repeated.

His deep voice rang in her head as if brain left and now there is an empty space that echoes. "This is crazy..." JoAnna whispered.

Jeff clasped her hands between his and looked her in the eyes intently. "I know that I don't have a ring, and I didn't talk with your parents, and you think it's too soon..." He paused and took a deep breath. "Today, when I thought that you are in danger, my mind created all kinds of scenarios. Some of them were that I will not reach you in time and that I will lose you forever. I thought I'm going to go crazy... I don't want us to waste precious time. I can't live without you... I am saying this from the bottom of my heart: I want to spend the rest of my life with you… and I hope that you want to spend your life with me as well." Jeff stopped talking and his expression showed anticipation and anxiety.

JoAnna held her breath while he talked. She asked herself few times if she heard him right. Did he just propose to her to get married? Does he not have that agreement with his father? He said that he needs to resolve it first. "Did you forget the issue with Isabella?"

Jeff was concerned that she will mention this. But he is working on it. With current status, and if next few steps go well, he will accomplish financial goal to appease his father. "That is just an abstract obstacle... you can't even call that an obstacle."

JoAnna thought how he is taking all this too casually. It's obvious that the deal matters to his father, and Jeff cares about his father's opinion. Otherwise Jeff would not go to route to pay him off and to teach Isabella so that she can take over her father's company. "One day when I get to meet your parents as your fiancée, I don't want any obstacles. Not even abstract ones."

He nodded vigorously for few seconds and then inhaled. "So, is that a yes?"

'Yes to what? To spending the rest of her life with him?' JoAnna can't imagine being separated from him. She gave a small nod and smiled. "Tentatively."

"I will take that as a 'yes'." He hugged her tightly. "Give me one month... by then I will get down on my knee and ask you the same question, with a ring... and without any obstacles. And then we will go and meet my parents together."

Jeff looked at JoAnna with wide smile for few seconds before kissing her. Then he looked at her again and started laughing loudly not able to contain his joy. People in the restaurant turned around to look at him.

JoAnna was embarrassed. "Shhh… everyone is looking!"

Jeff was in good mood and exclaimed for everyone to hear. "She will be my wife!"

People in the restaurant cheered and clapped and waiter got them a complimentary dessert from the management.

When the commotion settled, JoAnna scolded Jeff. "What do you mean with, 'she will be my wife'!?? Did you forget about the 'tentatively'?"

"Oh, that is only for meeting my parents." He looked at her confused expression and smiled. "You said that the issue with Isabella is only an obstacle for meeting my parents." Even if she wanted to squirm out of this, he will not let her. He knows that JoAnna loves him, and that she wants to be with him… for Jeff, that is more than enough.

JoAnna replayed their conversation in her mind. "Yes, that is correct." JoAnna felt overwhelmed. She needs some time to digest the information, and her mind to accept the reality. 'I am engaged??!'

As if responding to her thoughts, Jeff said, "Now you are my fiancée." He smiled and kissed her few times before pulling her into an embrace.

JoAnna hugged him back. 'It is crazy, and it's too fast... but I can't imagine my life without him. Isn't this the reason why people get engaged?' She smiled.

Valet service got the car in front of the main entrance to the restaurant. As they exited, number of photographers approached them. Someone in the restaurant recognized Jeff, and tipped them off, so they were waiting. This is the reason why he usually asked for private rooms, so that no one recognizes him. The photographers started snapping photos as soon as Jeff and JoAnna exited and trying to get their attention by calling "Mr. White! Mr. White!". Jeff shielded JoAnna and helped her get into the car first. As he walked to the driver's side, one photographer's voice stood out of the crowd. "Mr. White! Mr. White! Can you tell us who is the young lady?"

Jeff was in a good mood. He looked at the man for a second, deciding if he will say something or not. He flashed a smile, "My future wife."

The photographers stopped moving for a second, surprised by a sudden news they got. By the time they regained their senses, Jeff was driving away.

JoAnna turned back and watched as the photographers were left behind. "I thought you always have security when in LA."

"I gave them a day off." After a hectic day where four of his men ended up in a hospital, he gave everyone rest of the day off. He was thinking of spending the evening with JoAnna in the penthouse, in which case he does not need personal security, since the apartment building provides it. When they decided to go out for dinner, he didn't want to call his people back on a short notice.

Jeff took JoAnna's left hand in his right, their fingers interlaced as he lifted it to his lips and kissed it. "Future Mrs. Jeffrey White."

JoAnna froze. "I will need some time to get used to that."

"You can take as long as you want." He kissed her hand again and held it on his chest while driving to his penthouse.

JoAnna was looking at his perfect profile which dazzled her. 'Mrs.. Jeffrey White' she repeated few times in her head and smiled.