Jack hurried down the street, holding the coat in a vise-like grip. He knew exactly what he was after, and when he reached the building he needed, he stopped and carefully pulled a few bills from one of the stacks, making sure to keep it out of sight. He shoved the freed bills into his pocket and went inside.
His quest took about two hours, and it was already almost mid-afternoon by the time he finished. He hurried back to the hotel, hoping Rose hadn't started to worry.
He called out to her as he opened the door, but she didn't answer. He discovered her curled up on the bed in a deep sleep, still in the towel. Jack quietly laid his new purchases—and the coat—in the closet before lying down beside her. He slid his arm under her, gently pulling her into a backwards spoon.
Rose opened her eyes and found herself in Jack's arms. He was asleep, his cheek resting on her head. He's beautiful, she thought. Maybe that isn't the word you're supposed to use for a man, but that's what he is right now. She lay there quietly and watched him sleep, wondering what—if anything—he was dreaming about.
It wasn't long before he began stirring. "Are you watching me sleep?" he asked teasingly, eyes still closed.
"Something wrong with that?" Rose replied in a mock-offended tone.
"It's a little weird, you have to admit," he said, opening his eyes. Rose pretended to gasp in shock. Jack laughed and began to sit up, pulling her up with him.
"Did you take care of what you needed to?" Rose asked. She hadn't the faintest idea what he had gone off to do, but she hoped if she brought it up he might tell her.
"I did." Jack grinned and kissed the top of her head. "In fact, I'll show you what I did." He extracted his arm from beneath Rose and stood up. Rose watched as he reached into the closet. What does he have in there? Her curiosity only increased when he removed a plain white box.
"This," he said, sitting down beside her, "is for you."
"What is it?"
"Open it."
Jack watched her slowly untie the ribbon holding the lid on. Maybe she won't like it. He held his breath as she removed the lid and reached inside. Silently, she lifted out a green silk dress, very much like the one she wore while flying.
For a moment, neither of them said anything. Rose stared at the beautiful garment in her hands. Jack nervously watched her, waiting for her reaction.
She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. "How did you—"
He shook his head. "It doesn't matter how. Do you like it?"
"Like it?" Rose was incredulous. "Jack, I love it. I just don't see how we could possibly have had the money for something like this. It's so—it must have cost—"
"Let me worry about that," he said gently. "Please. At least for now."
"But Jack—"
"I want to do this for you. You deserve this. You deserve to get married in something as beautiful as you are, and I might never be able to give you anything like this again."
Rose nodded slowly. "All right, but eventually you have to tell me how you did this."
"Okay. Look in the box again."
"There's more?" Rose couldn't hide the shock in her voice. Jack just smiled. "Look and see."
She peered into the box and discovered a much smaller box. "Is this what I think it is?"
Jack didn't answer. He reached across her and picked up the small box. "That depends," he said, opening it, "on what you think it is."
Rose could only stare in wonder at the ring in the box Jack held out to her. It was silver with a small, white pearl.
"It's so beautiful," she said finally.
"You like it?"
"I love it!"
Jack felt a wave of relief wash over him. He wasn't sure what he would have done if she hadn't liked it. "Then may I have your hand?" he asked in an exaggeratedly haughty tone.
"You may," Rose answered in an equally exaggerated tone. Jack slid the ring on her finger, and for a moment they just gazed at each other.