Macey
“EVERYTHING READY?” DALLAS asked into his phone.
I didn’t know who Dallas was talking to, but he’d been acting a little weird all day. He was planning a surprise, I knew that for sure, but I just needed to find out what.
“Who was that?” I asked, as I ambled into the bedroom.
“Brock.”
“What are you getting ready?”
Dallas set his phone on the bureau. “It’s a surprise.”
“I figured that, honey.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Did you now?”
“Yep. What should I wear?”
“Something comfortable. We’re going to see a movie.”
“I already figured that out, too. As good as you are at your job, you kind of suck at surprises.”
“You’re right, babe. You got me.”
“Are you taking me to see Troll 2?”
“Shit, Mace. When did you figure it out?” Dallas sighed.
I grinned. “You don’t think I have alerts set up to ping me when it’s playing somewhere? Like at the Academy?”
The Academy Theatre on Stark was one of my favorite theaters to see cheap and often outdated movies. Sometimes they even played cult hits that never made it to the big screen.
“So much for my big plan.”
I suddenly felt like a bitch. “Dal, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have guessed. Now I’ve ruined it.”
“I just wanted to do something nice for you and you have to go and snoop!” Dallas complained. “Just once, why can’t you pretend you don’t know what’s going on?”
I bit back tears. “I’m so sorry, honey.”
He grinned, and I punched him in the arm.
“Ow!” He rubbed his bicep.
“You are such an ass!” I snapped. “I thought you were really mad.”
He chuckled as he slid his hand behind my neck and gave me a squeeze. “Babe, I knew you’d find out.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You sure I haven’t screwed everything up?”
Dallas smiled and leaned down to kiss me quickly. “You haven’t screwed anything up.”
“You’d tell me if I did, right?”
“Definitely.”
Choosing to take his word at face value, I nodded. “Are we eating before or after?”
“Up to you. Although, I think since you’re still not ready, we should eat after.”
“Fine by me. Shouldn’t we tell Brock and Bailey what we’re doing?” I asked. “And then we should absolutely give Payton the info.”
Dallas laughed. “You’re impossible. Who says any of those people will be joining us?”
“Let me fill you in on something. Payton has not called me once today,” I revealed. “Lots of texts, mostly one-worders, but no phone calls. Do you know how many times that has happened in our friendship? Six times, honey. Six. And every one of them was when something big was going down and she was supposed to keep the details from me. So, even if I didn’t have alerts on my phone, email, and Twitter about Troll 2, I would have known something was up just because of that.”
“Does she know?”
“That she gives it away every time?”
He nodded.
“Hell no,” I retorted. “She’s my link to information. Do you think I’d give her a clue so she can change her behavior? I am not an idiot.”
Dallas laughed. “God, I love you, Mace.”
I pointed at him. “There he is.”
“Sorry, babe. I’ve been a bit distracted, huh?”
“A little. But I’m okay with that. Honestly. I get it. I don’t mind distracted, just so long as you’re not mad at me. That I can’t handle.”
“Best woman ever.”
“Mother Teresa,” I quipped.
Dallas grinned. “Macey Gilbert gives her a run for her money.”
“Pretty sure she didn’t fornicate with my boyfriend before marriage.”
“Then she missed out on a lot of fun.”
I smiled. “You may have a point.”
“Finish getting ready and we’ll head out.”
“Okay.”
I did as he asked, and we drove in silence to the theater. Dallas was nervous. I could tell. He was a little more wired than normal and, although he smiled often, he was distracted.
Dallas parked the car and jogged around it to open my door, linking his fingers with mine and heading to the ticket window. He purchased our tickets and then led me into the lobby to find Payton, Brock, and Bailey in line for concessions.
After hellos and hugs, Dallas and I waited with them, bought popcorn and soda and then walked into the theater. I was surprised that the lights went dark almost as soon as we took our seats and the screen lit up.
But there were no previews and there was no movie. Instead, there was a rolling slideshow of photos of me, my family, my friends, and me and Dallas.
“What’s going on?” I whispered.
“Just watch,” he said, and wrapped an arm around me.
The slideshow ended, the lights came up, and Dallas rose to his feet.
“What are you doing?” I asked, glancing at Brock and Payton. “What is he doing?”
Payton giggled.
“Macey,” Dallas began. “Will you stand up, baby?”
I did and glanced at the crowd, my mouth dropping open when I recognized my grandparents and the majority of my friends.
“You know how much I love you,” he said. “As does everyone here.”
I forced back tears. “Ohmigod,” I whispered.
“Macey Gilbert, will you marry Dallas Stone?” the crowd asked in stereo.
I gasped as Dallas went down on one knee and opened a velvet box that was a little worn on the corners. Like it had been touched often.
“Baby, will you do me the honor of being my wife?” he asked.
I covered my face with my hands and nodded. “Yes. Absolutely.”
He rose to his feet, slid the ring on my finger, and wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me off my feet. Leaning down, he kissed me until the crowd started clapping. Then he let me go so everyone could gather around and “see the ring.”
As the people I loved most in life shared in my joy, I grabbed hold of Dallas’s hand, refusing to let go, and rode the wave of happiness we were experiencing.
After congratulations were done, my family proved their love even more by sitting through Troll 2, and then Dallas whisked me home, deciding to skip dinner all together. He surprised me with a chilled bottle of Dom Perignon, opening it and carrying it back to the bedroom.
As he made love to me, I sent up a silent prayer of thanks for the man of my dreams who had gone to hell and back with me and didn’t leave my side.
Life was about as perfect as it could get.