The One (Jaylor)

The One Part 20

Taylor POV:

Joe and I had just finished eating breakfast and were sitting back down on the leather couch. His parents had to drop Patrick of at school after he missed the bus for what Joe called the hundredth time.

Moving over to one the shelfs filled with books and kneeling down pulling out a dark red photo album. Then, he sat down next to me, putting an arm around my shoulder and placing the book between us.

"We've had this book for about a decade." ,Joe explained opening it up. "I don't know a lot of people in it." 

I nodded and helped him flip the next page, spotting a picture of him and Patrick at the beach. "Oh my gosh that's such an adorable picture." ,I squealed. 

"Yeah..." ,he said and I noticed he was blushing again. "First time at the beach."

"Aww"

We kept looking through the book and eventually, his parents came home.

"Oh, hi Joe, hi Taylor. Are you two looking through the photo album." ,she asked.

"Yeah." ,Joe said awkwardly moving his hand off my shoulder. I wasn't sure why.

"Well I'll leave you two alone." ,His mom said moving upstairs. 

"Is everything okay?" ,I asked looking up at him as he set the photo album beside him.

"Yeah. Sorry..." ,he began putting his arm back around my shoulder and pulling me in a bit closer to him then before. "Sometimes my mom can make things...weird." 

"I don't mind that." ,I said and gave him a tiny kiss.

"That's a relief." ,he said kissing me back.

A couple weeks later we were back in Tennessee horse back riding. 

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" ,Joe asked shoving his hands in his pockets as I put a saddle on one of the horses.

"I've been horse back riding since I was a kid, yes I know what I'm doing." ,I explained tightening the saddle. "Here, you can get onto this one." I moved the horse over to him.

"Really?" ,he asked.

"Yeah. Just put you're foot there." ,I said motioning to the stirrup.

"Can we maybe do this some other day." ,he asked his voice quivering.

"Are you scared?" ,I asked.

Joe POV:

"No..." ,I lied.

I had been terrified of horses ever since I fell of one when I was three."

"Joe there's nothing to be scared about." ,she explained wrapping her arms around me. "Kids rid her all the the time." 

I nodded. "And were going home afterwards." 

"Yes baby." ,she said.

Taylor POV:

With that he slowly got one the horse and I got one mine a few minutes later. We went one a small trail with few hills that I had been riding forever. 

"Is this safe." ,Joe asked from behind me.

"Yes. I promise." ,I said as we got back to the barn. 

About three hours passed and we were back at the house. Joe had built a fire in my parents backyard and we were roasting marshmallows, something that my brother and I loved to do as kids.

"Oh gosh." ,I exclaimed as my marshmallow caught on fire and I blew on it it to get it to stop. 

As I pulled it off the stick I noticed Joe was staring at me.

"What?" ,I asked blushing.

"What. Oh...nothing. I just love you" ,he said and I gave him my 'I don't believe you' look. I knew something else was on his mind.

"Nothing!" ,he exclaimed.

"Okay." ,I said. "I love you too." 

"Are you ready to go back in?" ,Joe asked finally putting out the fire.

I nodded and when we went back in, we saw my mom, dad, and Austin watching t.v. in the living room. I looked at the clock in the  dining room 9:30.

"Goodnight mom. Goodnight dad 'Night Austin." ,I said hugging them goodnight.

"Goodnight Taylor." ,they said.

Joe POV:

"Let's go upstairs." ,Taylor said coming over to me.

"I'll be up in a second. I need to do something first." 

"Okay." ,she said giving me a quick kiss then going upstairs. I waited until I heard her bedroom door shut.

"Is everything okay Joe?" ,her mom asked me.

"Yes, everything's fine. I just...I've been dating your daughter...and sister for almost a year..." ,I looked around to see them all staring at me wide-eyes. "And for our one-year anniversary next week I would like your permission for proposing to her." ,I said rubbing my arm I looked right at her dad.