Brooke
“Babe.”
“Uh-huh?”
“What are we going to do when we go home?”
“You mean leave the island?”
“Yeah?”
“Can’t we stay?”
“I wish we could.” He laughs. “But we’ve got to go home at some point.”
Brody and I have been on this tropical piece of paradise for a week now. The whole experience has been amazing. We didn’t venture out of our villa for the first three days, and only then it was for food. I couldn’t tell you how many times we’ve made love, but I can tell you that you really need to have a towel when having sex on a sandy beach. Just saying.
We’ve continued to reconnect and rebuild our relationship. Our time here has shown me that what we have is special…too special to throw away. I want to spend the rest of my life with the man lying on the lounger next to me. I realize now that I don’t want to live without him. He’s mine and I’m his. Brody and Brooke forever.
“We’ve got another couple of weeks here. Can’t we talk about it next week?”
“Stop putting it off.” He chuckles, leaning up on his elbows.
“I know.” I sigh. I’ve already made up my mind that I don’t want to leave. Ever. I think that Brody will have to carry me off the island, over his shoulder.
“Emmerton or Scottsdale?”
“Do I have to choose?”
“Yup.”
“I just want to be with you,” I whine. “Isn’t that enough?”
“We have a few choices.” He grins. “I could sell the house and my business, start again in Scottsdale; or you could tell Jake you quit, and move back to Emmerton. Or we start over, somewhere new.”
“Could we stay here?” I ask hopefully, as I stretch on the lounger.
“We could.” Amusement dances in his eyes. “But I would need to be making at least two hundred thousand a month.
The sip of Mojito that I’d just taken comes spewing out of my mouth as I start to choke.
“What?” I cough as Brody hits me on the back.
“This place is expensive.” He laughs.
“It can’t be that much, can it? Couple of hundred a night at the most?”
“Higher.”
“Two thousand?”
Brody shakes his head.
“Three?”
“Nope.”
“Four?” I ask, pushing my sunglasses on to the top of my head.
“Try Ten.”
“TEN THOUSAND A NIGHT!” I yell, looking around guiltily in case anyone heard me.
“Shhhh.” Brody places a finger to his lips as he grins wickedly.
“Ten thousand?” I whisper. “But…but.” I’m aware that my mouth is opening and closing like a goldfish’s. “I’ll never be able to repay him.” I slump back onto my lounger. “How are we going to pay Jake back, Brody?”
“We’ll work something out.”
“I was so mean to him before you got on the plane.”
“I’m sure he’s forgiven you already.” He pats my leg.
“It’s not funny, McAllister!”
“Why don’t you call him?”
“I tried last night. Zane said that he was away somewhere and wouldn’t be contactable for a while.”
“You’ll have to wait until after we get home, wherever home will be.”
“I still vote here.”
“You would.” He smiles as he stands, putting on his sneakers.
“Where are you going?”
“It’s a secret.” He taps the side of his nose. “You’ll find out tonight.”
“What are you up to, McAllister?”
“Nothing that you need to worry about.” He places a sweet kiss on the end of my nose. “All you have to do is relax. I’ve booked you in for some of the spa treatments they offer here. You have ten minutes until your first appointment, I’ll see you later,” he says, walking off in the direction of the main complex.
“Brody?”
“They’ll be here in minutes, Brooke,” he yells over his shoulder as he starts to jog away, leaving me wondering what the hell he’s up to.
I swear I’m walking on a cloud of bliss.
For the past few hours, I’ve had beauty treatments and pampering that I never thought existed. They even did my hair and makeup for me, teasing my auburn mane into perfect curls that flow down my back. The makeup is subtle, yet makes me look like a movie star. I feel amazing. Brody is going to have a fit when he sees me.
A sharp knock on the door brings me back to reality.
“Hello?” I call out, wondering why on earth Brody would knock.
“Miss Elderhouse?”
“Yes.”
“I have a message for you.”
Cautiously, I open the door to find the resort’s assistant manager standing there with a huge smile on his face and a dress bag over his arm.
“Hey.”
“Miss Elderhouse, Mr. McAllister has requested that you meet him on Turtle Beach in one hour’s time, and that you wear this dress.” His grin doesn’t disappear as he hands me the bag.
“Thanks,” I say, as I wonder what the hell is going on.
“No problem. If there is anything else that I could help you with?”
“No. Thank you.”
“Okay,” he says, turning away.
“Wait!”
“Yes?”
“Do you know what’s going on?”
“I’m afraid I don’t.” The twinkle in his eyes tells me that he knows full well what is happening, knowing Brody, the poor guy has probably been sworn to secrecy.
“Oh. Okay.”
“Have a nice evening, Miss Elderhouse.” He smiles as he backs away from the door.
Taking the dress bag into the villa’s bedroom with me, I set it down on the bed, and with great care pull the zipper down to reveal the contents inside.
“Oh, wow.”
Inside is a simple, floor length, halter-neck dress made out of cream silk and lace, threaded through with an iridescent metallic thread that shimmers as it catches the light. It’s stunning and it must have cost Brody a fortune.
My stomach is full of butterflies as I put the dress on. I’m not blind to what’s happening, the dress kind of gives it away. I think…no, I know that Brody is going to propose tonight.
Oh, my God…I’m getting married.
Maybe we’ll have a simple ceremony at home, just us at the courthouse, then we can come back here for our honeymoon.
I twirl around and around, this way and that, marveling at how perfect the dress looks on me. The only thing missing is something for my hair, but that’s soon fixed by placing one of the exotic flowers that the hotel provides every day.
There. Perfect.
With one last look in the mirror, I take a deep breath to calm my nerves before leaving the villa to go find my man.