Halley stared around the Papillion that evening, her eyes taking in all the jewel-bright tones and fancily-dressed diners. “Wow,” she said. “When you want to take a girl on a nice date, Jake, you really go all out, huh?”
I shrugged a little, glancing around the place. “It was Tiffany's suggestion,” I admitted. “She said you probably hadn't been here yet and that you'd probably like it. It's all French food, so if that bothers you, we can go someplace else, but if nothing else, they should at least have a decent wine and champagne list.”
Halley turned to kiss me lightly on the cheek. “Jake, this is great,” she said. She laughed a little self-consciously and tugged at her flowing black dress. “I feel a little underdressed, though. I know you said it was nice, but I didn't realize it was this nice. I look more like I'm going to the beach than—”
I eyed the way the flowing material hugged her curves in all the right places, and especially eyed the way her breasts peeked out from the sweetheart neckline. “You look hot,” I told her honestly. “If it weren't such a fancy place, I'd take you to the bathroom midway through the meal and have my way with you there.”
“Oh really?” Halley asked. “Why wouldn't you do that here?”
“Because they probably have attendants in all of the bathrooms, and I don't feel like bribing someone just so I can fuck you in peace,” I told her, grinning devilishly at her. “Feels a little too much like prostitution.”
I was rewarded with a burst of surprised laughter, and I preened a little as the waiter came over to us. He gave me a cursory look, but he really only had eyes for Halley, and although I felt a little pang of jealousy, I really couldn't blame him. She was looking positively radiant tonight. I couldn't quit smiling as we were led over to our table.
“Let's get some champagne,” I suggested. “This is a celebration, after all.”
Halley grinned at me and nodded. “Okay. You choose, though. I don't really know anything about champagne except that I'm not picky about it.”
I wasn't about to tell her that I didn't really know that much about it either, except that I'd talked to half the club about what to get for the perfect night and gotten some recommendations. Fortunately, one of those recommendations was on the menu, and I ordered that.
When it came, Halley held up her glass to me, raising an eyebrow. “So, are we supposed to do some sort of toast or something?” she asked. “Something about, congratulations to you on being so incredible and amazing and stopping the Holy Flames for good?”
I laughed a little. “Well, there was something I wanted to say, something that I really brought you here to talk about, but it's a little different than that.” I set down my own glass of champagne and reached into my pocket, pulling out the little ring-box that I had there. Then, I got down on one knee next to our table.
“Halley, I know things have been really crazy lately, and I know that we already kind of talked about this back when you were looking for protection from Brian, but I want to do this for real. If you're willing to have me.” I popped open the box, displaying the brilliant diamond ring inside. “Halley Talin, you are an amazing, brave, strong, incredible woman, and I couldn't imagine spending my life without you and Cole as part of it. I know that sometimes I get wrapped up in my own things, in the Devil's Route and all of that, but don't think that means that you are any less important to me. I would die for you, if I had to. I would go to the ends of the earth to protect you. And I would be so honored if you would agree to officially marry me.”
Halley stared down at me for a long moment, her hand over her open mouth, tears in her eyes. “Oh Jake,” she said softly. But I suddenly realized I wasn't about to hear that one word that I wanted to hear. “Oh Jake,” she said again. “I want to say yes so badly. But you know that I can't. My parents would never support this, and I have to think about what's best for Cole. Of course, I want him to know you, and I want the two of you to have a relationship, but I also want to mend my relationship with my parents, and I want Cole to have a relationship with his grandparents as well. If they couldn't accept you, then...”
I swallowed hard and got up off the floor, closing the ring box and putting it back into my pocket. “Of course,” I said gruffly, sitting back down and taking a big sip of champagne, wishing that it was something stronger. “No, I totally understand that, Halley. And of course, you have to do what's best for you and Cole. I just thought… But yeah. No. That's fine.”
Halley sighed. “I feel like I've just totally killed the evening,” she said, her mouth twisting bitterly as she looked around at the place. People were tactfully looking away from us, but I could tell everyone was still listening in, wondering what had just happened with that proposal.
“Halley, it's fine,” I repeated. “Look, I'm sorry I sprung it on you like that. It just seemed like we were getting closer and closer, and like I told you the other day, before the mission … well, I seem to have really fallen for you.” I smiled a little. “At the very least, you can't blame a man for trying, can you?”
She smiled back at me, but there was still something sad in her eyes. “I wish I could have married you eight years ago,” she confessed. “Back when I first knew that I was pregnant with Cole. I wish I hadn't let my parents send me away to Louisiana and had just come forward to you and told you that I was pregnant. I think things might have been better then. But my parents have had eight years of a rocky relationship with me to sort through, and they've spent eight years thinking that you ruined their baby girl for them. So, you have to understand—”
“I get that,” I interrupted. Mainly because I didn't want to hear anything more about it.
“Maybe we could talk to them,” Halley said. “Together. I'm sure there has to be some way to make them see things my way. Cole really could use his father being around.”
“You don't have to do that,” I said. “And especially not if you think it might ruin your relationship with them even further. Just forget about the whole thing, okay?”
“But I don't want to do that,” Halley said, shaking her head. “God, Jake, don't you realize how much I really did want to say yes to that?” She looked around and then stood up. “Look, not to cut this short, but I don't think either of us is really in the right mood for this anymore. But Friday night, at my parents' place. They should be back from their trip with Cole by then. I'll make us all dinner, and then after Cole goes to bed, maybe we can all talk things through.”
I stared at her for a long moment, trying to remember the way she looked, just like this, in case I never got to see her looking this ravishing again. “Okay,” I finally said. “Friday night, it is.”