“Everything all right?” Nick asked, wrapping an arm around my waist.
“Better than all right,” I said, resting my head on his shoulder. “I have the man I love next to me and I am doing what I love most.” I felt my cheeks flush with excitement. “This couldn’t get any better.”
“Oh no?” he said, grinning devilishly. “I think it can.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” I said, giving him a peck on the lips. As I stepped back, I saw Mason walk towards us. “What is he doing here?” I whispered.
“I don’t know, but I will make sure he doesn’t cause a scene,” Nick said, walking away. I watched as Nick walked up to Mason, who looked as if he had had one too many drinks. I rolled my eyes, annoyed. The conversation started out calmly. Then Mason’s eyes changed and they darted in my direction. I hated the scowl on his face. It was frustrating that I was the one who always felt bad for others people’s actions. Not to say I’m innocent. I had said some cruel things, but he had hurt me. Nick made his way back to me. Mason stayed where he was.
Then Claudia joined Mason, but he didn’t acknowledge her presence.
At the end of the night, Nick helped me gather the pieces that were left unsold. We put them in boxes and as I fingered through them Claudia and Nick were chatting.
“Lauren, I think I would like to have you on my team,” she said, walking over. I looked up, unable to help but smile.
“I appreciate that.” I nodded.
“I’ll be in touch,” she said, shaking my hand, then left.
“Ready?” Nick asked, walking over to me. I nodded, then slid my hand in his and lifted the box with the other.
“As I’ll ever be,” I said glancing up at him with a big grin on my face. I was so happy and it poured out of me.
When we got outside, we were surprised to find Mason standing there. My heart stopped.
I was worried about what he was going to do.
“Mason, go home,” Nick said, letting go of my hand.
“No. No!” He stumbled forward, slurring. “Don’t— tellmewhattodo,” he slurred. “Nick, the prodigal son, the one everyone loves, everyone is so proud of, the shining star in everyone’s eye!”
“Mason!” Claudia came walking out.
“You—another one everyone loves,” he hissed.
“Great, Mason, you’re drunk. Go home before you say something you will regret,” Nick said. I put the box down on the sidewalk.
“Stop pushing me around,” Mason growled. “I’m sick of it, of you, of all of you!” He tripped over his foot as he came forward and clumsily fell forward, but I was able to catch him and steady him on his feet. He stared up at me for a long uncomfortable moment. “I’m surprised you didn’t weasel your way into her heart!” he shouted at Claudia as he turned to face her. “Did you know she is a lesbian?” He said to me.
“Mason!” Claudia hissed.
“I loved you. I really did.” He looked down at me, eyes glassy. I looked away embarrassed.
“Mason,” I whispered, feeling regretful of my hateful words before. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. “I’m sorry for those things I said earlier. I was hurt and didn’t think before I spoke. You know what that’s like, right?” I looked him in the eye.
“Yeah, I know I hurt you many times. I’m sorry I did that. I really am.” A tear escaped. I looked back at Nick, who was watching nervously.
“It’s in the past, Mason. I am not one to hold a grudge, trust me.” I smiled and glanced over at Nick.
“Didjueverloveme?” he asked, his words mashed together.
I shook my head and stepped towards him. “Mason—”
“No, don’t—don’t tell me. I can’t take it. Not right now.” He backed away. Claudia stood horrified, tears hanging on the brim of her lashes. I was afraid to say anything. I didn’t know that would send Mason over the edge.
“Mason, let me take you home.” Nick said stepping forward.
“No!” He snapped.
“I cared about you a lot.” I said taking Nick’s hand as I walked in front of him. “I know you can be a good person because I have seen it.” I clasped my hands together. “You just need to let go of this anger you keep inside.” Mason looked at me in a way that made my heart melt. I had never seen him in pain before, and I hated that I had a part in it. “I am sorry if I hurt your feelings or caused you any pain. I never intended to do that. I was happy when we were together, but my heart was never there, and I should have been honest with you about that.” A tear trickled down my cheek. “This is all so crazy and new to me too. You think it was easy to fall in love with the both of you?”
“Y—you loved me?” he gasped.
I bit my tongue, not thinking again. I tried to find a way to recover my words, but nothing came to mind.
“Yes,” I replied just going with it. “There were things that I loved about you. You need to show those parts of you, even if it makes you feel vulnerable.” I saw his eyes light up a little, and I felt the weight lift away. I looked over at Nick, who was smiling adoringly at me. “Can we take you home?” I asked. He nodded, and then started to walk towards my car. “Thank you again, Claudia,” I said. She was already standing behind me and grabbed me in her arms.
“I think you were great for my brothers, despite the weird situation,” she said, pulling back to look at me. “You changed them both in so many ways.”
“Really?” I cocked my head.
“You have no idea.” She smiled. She walked over to Nick and hugged him, then Mason. “I love you guys.” She said. Nick kissed her forehead then hugged her again before we got in the car. Mason climbed in the back and I got in the passenger seat.
After dropping Mason off, Nick and I went home to celebrate my success and our rekindled love. The sweetest thing about the night was the little sweet stares Nick gave me at the gallery. Every time he looked up at me through his lashes, I wanted to grab him and devour him. He did it again and I wasn’t sure I could wait out the entire ride in the elevator to touch him. I dropped my purse and grabbed him, pushing him back against the wall of the elevator.
He breathed in my mouth desperately. His thumb stroked the side of my neck, feeling the pulse under my warm skin. He pressed his lips down running his lips up to my chin, playfully biting. I gasped, digging my fingers in his hair, gently pulling his head back to kiss his neck. The sweet smell of his musk tantalizing my senses, I quickly nibbled on his lobe as his hand scratched up my thigh, lifting my skirt. He moved, pinning me against the wall, lifting me, his hands gripping my bottom. I moaned loudly, pulling away to breathe.
“You need to stop wearing shirts with buttons.” I laughed , unbuttoning a few before a voice came over the speaker.
“Mr. Porter, this is security, your privacy—”
“Right. Sorry.” he said, clearing his throat and stepped back enough that I could stand on my own. His cheeks flushed and I hung my head, embarrassed. The bell rang and the doors opened. We scurried out laughing and he pulled me down the hallway. “Sorry about that. I forgot they have cameras in the elevators.” We both chuckled nervously.
“We could have made their night.” I laughed. He blushed looking down at the ground. God how I love this man, everything thing he does turns me on.
Once in the apartment, Nick grabbed me from behind and kissed my neck. His hands ran up my thighs, thumbed across the band of my panties, forcing a gasp from me. He knocked the table next to us and a few things fell to the floor, but he didn’t care. He held me up against the wall, kissing me hard. “I love you,” he said through our pressed lips.
“I love you too,” I gasped.
“No, I want to love you for the rest of my life.” He pulled his shirt off over his head.
“I want to love you for the rest of my life too.” I kissed his neck. He pulled away.
“Forever,” he said breathy.
“What are you saying?” I breathed.
“I want you to be my wife,” he said, pulling
away. “We don’t have to tell anyone right away. We can just keep it to ourselves. We can talk about a date much later, whenever you want. I just know that seeing you again made me realize how much I love you and wished that I had been stronger.”
“I don’t want to think about what happened before. It happened, we dealt with it—sort of, and now we are together. I love you, you love me, and yes, I will be your wife one day, if you still want me,” I said in one breath.
“Wait—yes, you’ll be my wife?” His voice broke.
“Yes, and I mean it, with all of my heart,” I said, tears flowing from my eyes. “I don’t think anything could make me any happier.” I sobbed happily into his shoulder. This was the strangest year of my life. From seeing Matt’s ghost, then my father’s when my life was hanging on the brink of death, to Mason’s unexpected proposal, Nick’s unhindered devotion and ending with his proposal. I didn’t even know if I had taken it all in yet. One thing was for sure, I loved Nick so much that I would marry him a hundred times over. His kiss was gentle and loving.
“You have made me so happy.” He smiled and then a tear trickled down his cheek.
“Then why are you crying?” I asked, caressing his face.
“You, you make me so happy.” He hugged me tight. Now I started to cry. I had never felt so loved before.
“I love you. You don’t have to worry about that going away. I will devote myself to you. When we are married, I will be everything you want me to be.” I kissed him over and over until he opened his eyes to look at me. “Okay.” He nodded, and then kissed me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Two months had passed and I had finally moved in with Nick, making Seattle my new home. My mother was happier than I had seen her in years, and so was I. Nick and I had finally broken the news to his sister and father, both of whom were ecstatic to hear the news. His mother, on the other hand, took a while to accept the fact that this was set in stone. No one would make either of us change our minds. Claudia was more than willing to help me plan my big day.
“Thank you for helping me out today ,” I said, sitting on the bench at the park.
“Of course! I’m so happy for you guys. I’m so lucky to finally have a sister.” She hugged me.
“Me too,” I said honestly. I was an only child and never really dated anyone who had a sister, so it was nice to finally have one. “You don’t think it’s too early to start all this planning?”
“No, most of the wedding planners I know said it can take a year, maybe even more than a year, making sure everything is set in place. Deposits made or paid in full to prevent anything causing a disaster. Unfortunately, things can and will go wrong the day of, but it gives you a sense of peace knowing you did what you knew needed to be done. Everything else is all everyone else’s doing.” She laughed.
“Nick is lucky to have you.” I said. We walked out to the car after a long day of trying on dresses. She turned to look at me, her lips curved up on one side.
“Nick is not the only lucky one. We all are,” she said. “You have no idea how much happier he is, being with you.”
“As am I,” I said with a happy sigh. Then suddenly I felt strange, as if I was about to faint.
“Lauren? Are you all right?” Claudia asked, panic in her voice. “You just suddenly went pale.”
“I—I don’t know. I feel funny.” I pressed the back of my hand to my forehead. “I’m sweating.” I gasped.
Then it went dark.
When I came to, I was in a hospital bed. This was starting to get old. How many times does this happen to one person in their life? I let out an exasperated sigh and sat up, feeling a slight twinge in my side. Nick appeared from behind the curtain.
“Hey.” Hi s face filled with worry.
“What happened?” I asked.
“Claudia said you went pale and then you fainted,” he said. “Do they know what’s wrong?” I asked.
“No, they said it would take an hour at least for blood work to
come back.” He sat on the bed next to me. “I can’t lose you.” His fingers brushed across my cheek. “You won’t.” I smiled. “I’m fine.” Just then the doctor walked in.
“Miss Miller, how are you feeling?” she asked, walking to the opposite side of the bed from where Nick was sitting.
“I guess I feel okay.” I shrugged. “There’s a slight pain in my pelvis, but other than that . . .”
“What kind of pain? Sharp or shooting pain?” Her brow furrowed, concerned.
“Uh—well, when I move, it tends to shoot, but as I lie here, it’s just a twinge,” I replied.
“Hmm.” She looked at her clipboard. “Well, it’s hard to say, but I can have a look,” she said, flattening out the bed. Then I felt her press on my abdomen, then lower. “I’m going to have a look with the ultrasound, make sure everything is all right.”
“Ultrasound?” Nick asked, looking up at the doctor.
“Well, yes, in cases when there is a positive pregnancy, we like to make sure there is no sign of—” She paused when she saw the look on our faces. “You didn’t know?”
“No—I haven’t even missed my period,” I replied, confused. Nick’s eyes glistened as he stared at me. “How far along am I?”
“Let’s have a look,” she said, then left the room. Nick and I just stared at each other in silence. When she returned, she wheeled in a mobile ultrasound machine. She plugged it in and waited until the light turned from orange to green. I pulled my pants down enough to bare my pelvic bone, lifting my shirt over my belly. My heart raced and the nerves kicked in. Nick took my hand and pressed his lips to my knuckles. Nick and I waited anxiously as she rolled the wand over my belly. When she was done, she turned to us with a grave look on her face.
“I’m sorry. The pain is due to an ectopic pregnancy,” she said. I gasped, and then squeezed Nick’s hand. “That’s when the sac remains in the fallopian tube and grows.”
“What does that mean?” Nick asked. I knew the answer, having heard of this condition from other people.
“It means they have to remove it before it bursts.” I sniffed back the tears, resting my head back.
“There’s no way to fix it?”
“Unfortunately no. If you waited—well, it would be dangerous,” she said, touching Nick’s arm. “We can do this today to prevent any further problems.”
“Okay.” I nodded, shutting my eyes. Nick kissed my forehead.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes,” I cried.
“I’m here I won’t go anywhere.” He said bringing my hand to his lips.
When the doctor returned, she explained the two options we had at that time. One was an injection of a drug that would stop the growth and make it dissolve; the other was to remove it with a scope and repair the tube if there was any damage.
“So we can start with the injection first, then monitor you to make sure your hormone levels go down. If they don’t, then we can inject you once more. Then we’ll go from there,” she explained. I nodded, fighting back the tears. “I’ll be back.” She left the room. Nick shut the door, then got in the bed next to me, wrapping his arms around me.
“I’m sorry ,” I said, turning to look at him.
“For what?”
“Not being more careful.” I sobbed.
“This doesn’t seem like something you can prevent,” he said. “I mean the pregnancy. I’m not on the pill. I should have told
you.” I hugged him .
“I should have thought about that as well. I’m not upset that
you’re pregnant. I’m upset that you’re hurt and we are losing the
baby.” His eyes were filled with sincerity. Then I started to cry. “I love you,” I sobbed on his shoulder.
“I love you too,” he said, kissing my head.
***** The next evening after we got home, I crawled in our bed and cried. I had never factored in having children. I had always felt one day I would have one or two, but to have
that taken away just in a blink of an eye was scary. I felt Nick’s arm wrap around me, and he nuzzled my neck, kissing me sweetly.
“Claudia asked if you were okay. I didn’t tell her what happened. I figured I’d leave that up to you,” he whispered in my ear. Slowly I turned to face him.
“ I feel so blessed. I couldn’t have asked for a better man to love,” I said.
“October 25th,” he said, dragging his thumb across my cheek.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“The day I first laid eyes on you,” he smiled.
“Okay, what about it?” I asked.
“We can get married on that day,” he said, smiling.
“Next year?” I asked, unable to contain my excitement.
“Or this year,” he replied with a shrug.
“Well, that’s only four months away.” I bit my lip.
“Think you can handle that?” He pressed his forehead to mine.
“With Claudia’s planning skills, I’m sure we can.” I laughed.
“Good.” He kissed me. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“Me too,” I said kissing him.
***** The next morning I woke, showered, then got dressed then called Claudia to ask her for assistance in planning my wedding.
I also intended on calling Cassie. She would, of course, be my maid of honour. When I got to the kitchen, Claudia and Mason were already there. “Hey,” I said nervously.
Mason glanced at me once, and then looked at Claudia. Nick stood with them, smiling. I was curious to know what was behind that grin of his.
“Nick has filled us in on you r plans.” She sauntered towards me. “And I would be honoured to help you plan the perfect wedding. I wouldn’t want anything less for my favourite older brother. No offense, Mason.”
“None taken,” he scoffed.
“I have also taken the liberty of inviting Cassie down for the weekend so you can fill her in, in person. She should be here in a
few hours, ” Nick said, walking around the counter and scooping me up in his arms.
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