Chapter 38

Nicole

We packed and headed home after breakfast on Saturday. I was looking forward to seeing Noelle but worried about telling her of my plans with Allen. I’d always lived with her, and it would be so strange to live apart. I was twenty-eight though, and it was time to start my own life. Noelle was more than capable of taking care of herself.

I looked at Allen as he drove and then glanced at my ring. This man wanted to marry me, and I was still shocked as I smiled. It was crazy how fast this happened, especially how we met but this was us.

“How do you want to tell them?” I asked. Allen smiled and glanced at me.

“I know you won’t be able to wait too long with your sister, so let’s suggest dinner to tell them about the trip. Something casual and fun. We’ll drop the bomb when we’re eating,” he said.

“That’s perfect. I’ll send a text and suggest it now so they’re free,” I agreed as I reached for my phone. “I’ll have to take off my ring for a little while, won’t I?”

“I am pretty sure that Noelle would notice it right away. I know it’s on the smaller side, but she’d still know what it was. Do you like it?” he asked me, and I gave him an incredulous look.

“I love it. I would never want anything gaudy, Allen. You picked the best ring for me.” I reached across the car to take his hand and squeeze it. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

My phone chimed, and I opened the response with my free hand. “She said that Brandon would be off work at about five. Should I make reservations somewhere?”

“It is Saturday. How about at Nick’s? It’s a steakhouse that I go to a lot with Brandon and it will be good to include you girls as well. Make them for six-thirty.” I found the number on Google and called in a reservation and dropped the phone into my open purse before I reached for his hand again.

“What else do you do besides hang out with Brandon? Are you friends with any of the officers at the station?” I asked him, wanting to know everything that I could about my husband-to-be.

“Yeah, there’s a few. We’re all like a big family when it comes right down to it. I get together with some for dinner and they do poker games every Saturday. Nothing too crazy because we are officers, but just for fun and to relax. The winnings are nearly nothing and they just go into a fund for drinks and food for the following week. Maybe I’ll have to introduce you to that group, since we like poker to be a boy’s night.”

“Oh, the infamous boy’s nights. Are there a lot of those?” I teased him, not worried about a thing. This man went through such lengths to get me.

“No. Mainly poker night and that’s it. Most of the guys are married with families, and we all work enough as it is. They want some quiet time at home. Brandon is one of the last single ones apart from some of the new guys, and I think that is changing quickly.”

“Not only did you meet me, but he met her. I think that is sort of perfect.” I smiled as I squeezed his hand. We pulled into Vegas in about an hour, and he parked at the apartment as I looked down at my ring finger. “I am going to miss it.”

“It’s just for a few hours. You can put it back on once we make the announcement and we’ll drink to it,” Allen assured me as he leaned in to brush his lips against mine.

“I don’t know if I want to drink,” I giggled, and I pulled him in for another kiss.

“I don’t care if you do or don’t. I just want you in my bed later.” He pressed his mouth to mine again, and I shivered. “You don’t need alcohol for that as I’ve seen on this trip.”

I laughed, blushing as he kissed me hungrily. We finally made it out of the car, and he brought my bag to the door as I unlocked it. I looked down at my bare finger sadly for a moment but the sound of Noelle’s squeal made me forget all about that as I dropped my bag and caught her. “Wow.”

“Are you okay? I am just so happy to see you.” She told me as she looked at me.

“I am.” I was healing very well and was thankful that my injuries weren’t too severe. I probably pushed myself more than I should with Allen and this trip but I couldn’t help it. I was feeling so much better now. “How was everything while we were gone?”

“Good. I worked and Brandon stayed with me. It was fun.” She smiled, and I saw the gleam in her eyes. My sister was falling for Brandon, and I felt joy surge through me. What if they ended up getting married too? Keeping this quiet was going to kill me for the next few hours.

I told Noelle about the pier as I started a load of laundry and showed her some pictures. She told me she wanted to go sometime, and I smiled to myself as I thought she might be there for a wedding soon. Allen watched us from the doorway, smiling at me while my sister glanced between us. “You guys look different. Did you fall madly in love on the trip?”

“I was already there but it was fun,” he told her.

She pressed her hand to her chest. “Oh, you two.” Her phone rang in the living room, and Noelle excused herself to get it as Allen stepped forward to pull me into his arms.

“Want to go to my house to drop off my stuff? You look like you’re going to burst,” he said softly as I laughed. “We can head back later when it’s time for dinner.”

I told him I needed to get some clothes into the dryer first before I kissed him, pulling him closer. I felt like everything was complete in my life as he held me, whispering that he loved me. I had to force myself to pull away and pulled out the trinkets that we got Noelle to give to her when she returned.

She hugged us both, thanking us as she told us she had to go to work for a bit. We assured her we’d be back to get them for dinner as she hurried out to the car.

I locked up the apartment, and we headed over to Allen’s house so he could get unpacked and do some laundry. He took the bag to his room first, and he asked me what I’d like to do to the house once I moved in. I looked around, thinking that it just needed some personality. I wanted to add some pictures to the walls and dress up the mantel with some candles and other decorations. I had no intention of taking away Allen’s place in this house like some women seemed to like to do. I just wanted to add to it.

I told him my ideas as he carried some clothes to the laundry room, and Allen smiled at me. He loaded the clothes into the washer and came back out, getting us some water as we sat down. “I like it.”

“Have you ever had a Christmas tree?” I asked, and he smiled wryly.

“I haven’t had one since I left home. I just get busy with work and the holiday flies by. I am assuming that I’ll have one now?” He teased me, and I nodded. I always did one for Noelle, no matter how poor we were at the time. I couldn’t wait to share Christmas with my husband and soon, our children.

We also talked about turning the second bedroom into an office so I could take on some more freelance work. With his salary and my writing, we’d do all right and I could always get a job later. Allen was happy with whatever I chose since he was generally good with money and stayed ahead. We took a small nap in his bed after we made love and professed our love to one another all over again.

I heard the alarm go off and reached across Allen, asking him if he wanted to take a shower with me. We hurried, and he dressed in some worn jeans with a t-shirt, and I put on the pink dress that I’d brought over. I slipped my feet into black sandals and put on a little makeup from my purse, taking a long look at my ring tucked safely into my wallet. After tonight, it would never leave my finger.

We headed over to the apartment, and Brandon gave Allen one of those man hugs as he welcomed him back. I hugged Noelle again and complimented her on her green dress as she smiled at me. “Where are we going?” Noelle looked at me with a curious gaze.

“We’re being shown one of the guys’ favorite places. I think that we should feel pretty honored.” I told her with a giggle as we glanced over at the guys talking a few feet away.

The four of us left and arrived at the restaurant a bit early, but were pleased that our table was ready. We were seated and ordered drinks though I stuck to an iced tea. I knew that there would be a toast later and I’d save the drinking for that. We ordered some appetizers and told them about the trip, making them laugh as we described Hollywood Boulevard and the museums that we visited on the first day. I showed them some pictures on my phone as we talked, and when I showed Brandon the ones of the pier, he told us we should all go together next time.

We finished the first course and ordered the main plates as Allen smiled at me. Brandon sipped his drink while he looked us over and then his gaze moved to Noelle. He cared for her a lot, and I scooted closer to Allen as I draped my hand over his leg.

The main course came, and we all picked up our forks eagerly. I was ready to eat, and I took a bite of my shrimp pasta and moaned as Allen stared at me. I gave him a knowing look and we let the others get through about half of their meal before Allen took a sip of his drink. I had already gotten my ring from the purse and slipped it on my finger for the big announcement.

“Do you think we should tell them?” Allen asked me, and I laughed and nodded.

“I think so,” I replied as Noelle stared at me with a suspicious gaze.

“Tell us what?” Brandon asked as he swallowed his bite of steak and sat back.

“We’re engaged!” Allen and I said together as I held up my hand with the ring on it. Noelle screamed and pressed her hands to her face as she started crying, and Brandon slipped an arm over her shoulder and shook Allen’s hand at the same time. I walked out to hug Noelle as the other patrons looked on and we cried together for a moment. We managed to get settled back into the booth and continued to eat as we told them about our plan to have a small ceremony in about six months on a beach.

We left the restaurant and headed over to Allen’s, toasting to the future with a bottle of champagne he’d stored in the fridge earlier. I knew that everything was going to be great and that I’d get my perfect future now. I’d never lose Noelle even if we didn’t live together and instead, I’d get to watch her continue to grow into an amazing woman.