Marriage was a huge step. Nathan felt he was almost sure about taking it. He just didn’t know if Amanda was ready, too. He weighed the pros and cons in his mind. The worst that could happen was that Amanda would say no, but leave the option open for later on. Nathan had nothing to lose. He loved Amanda.
Yes. I’ll ask her to marry me.
Nathan searched for jewelers in the city. He was aware he couldn’t afford the cheapest ring at Tiffany’s. Still, any other jeweler was better than what he could find at Ithaca. And Nathan only had so much time left. He and Amanda would be returning for classes soon.
Search results revealed plenty of jeweler stores in the vicinity. Nathan pulled up a map and searched for ones that were a little farther. He had to go alone. Nathan didn’t want to chance running into Amanda.
Nathan found a trio of stores and wrote down their addresses on his notepad. He then looked around the room. His new iPod Nano was docked on top of a set of small speakers designed for it. There was no music playing, but an album cover was on the screen.
Sighing, Nathan closed his eyes. Just then, he got a great idea. He went on YouTube and searched for music videos. Nathan was particularly interested in covers of popular romantic songs.
As a video loaded, Nathan went to grab his iPod. He browsed through his favorite songs playlist. They weren’t all romantic, but most were. He looked up covers for a few. Usually, the more popular a song was, the more amateur singers covered them.
Nathan wondered how much it cost to have a musician perform a song when he proposed to Amanda. He figured it would be expensive. Nathan couldn’t afford it. And he didn’t have anyone who could help.
Maybe he did. Marissa.
Nathan thought about how to tell Marissa about his idea. She’d probably think he was going over the top.
What’s the next best thing to hiring a musician?
And the answer hit him. He remembered that Kayla hired amateur actors to shoot her half-minute book trailer. That had just given him an idea.
Nathan grabbed his smartphone and dialed Marissa. She picked up after the second ring.
“Hi, Nathan! What’s up?”
“Hi, Marissa. Are you busy?”
“No. I was watching a movie.”
“Listen, I have an idea. Valentine’s Day is coming, and I want to do something special for Amanda. I want that day to be unforgettable for her.”
Marissa wolf-whistled.
“Look at you, Nathan. Who knew you were this lovey-dovey,” she teased.
“I’m completely in love with her. And I know what I’m going to do. I will propose to her.”
Marissa let out a gasp.
“What? You’re going to ask Amanda to marry you?”
“Yes. I’m sure about what I feel for her.”
“You’ve only been dating for a few months!”
“Amanda is the love of my life. I plan to propose this Valentine’s Day.”
“It’s tough to get reservations on that day, Nathan. You need to plan ahead.”
“That’s what I’m working on. I just had another idea. I know what to do to make the day special.”
“What is it?”
“I thought about hiring a popular musician to sing a love song in person when I propose. But I thought it would be too expensive—”
“That’s way outta your budget. And mine. If you really want to do that, you should wait until your wedding day. It’ll be more worth it then.”
“Yeah,” said Nathan, scratching his head. “So I thought I could have an amateur musician sing an original song. Do you get what I mean?”
“You want some aspiring singer to write a love song for Amanda?”
“Exactly. Could you help me with that?”
“Sure. And it’ll cost you much less. I can use my connections to find suitable candidates for your idea.”
“Thanks, Marissa. You’re awesome.”
“No, I’m jealous,” she said with a laugh. “I wish my boyfriend would so something so romantic for me.”
Marissa had recently made her relationship with Jonathan official. She’d fallen pretty hard for him.
“Do you think it’ll take long? I wonder if I should have thought about this earlier.”
“We’re good, Nathan. There is plenty of time.”
“Good. I want to impress Amanda.”
“You’ve already won her heart.”
“I know. But that doesn’t mean I’ll ever stop trying to impress her.”
Marissa paused for a moment.
“Nathan, you know. Since you’re going big with your idea, you shouldn’t reserve a restaurant in Ithaca. Come to think of it, I doubt they have any that are good enough for proposing.”
“What do you suggest?”
“I know some nice places here in the city. If it’s too far or costly, you may want to consider Rochester or Syracuse.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Good.”
“Thanks for your help, Marissa. I’ll start looking for restaurants now.”
“Okay. I’ll call you later.”
“Thanks. Take care.”
“Bye.”
Nathan hung up. He woke up his computer and searched for restaurants.
A few weeks passed. On the 16th, Amanda and Nathan drove back to Ithaca. They would get ready for classes, which would start the next Monday.
The two of them had considered moving in to a single apartment. However, Amanda decided it would be best if they didn’t. She believed that distance was beneficial in a relationship. Amanda was afraid that problems might arise if she and Nathan saw each other all the time.
When Amanda entered her apartment at Lansing West, she turned on the light. The place was just as she had left it. Amanda had continued paying rent while she’d been away to avoid losing it.
As she no longer employed Kellan and Grayson, Amanda felt somewhat lonely. She’d foreseen that, and agreed to have Emmy move in with her. The latter would be using the bodyguards’ former bedroom.
Amanda went to her own bedroom and left her luggage against the bed. Then she went to the kitchen to pour some coffee. It was morning, and Amanda had spent half of the drive sleeping.
While the coffee brewed, Amanda sent a text to Emmy, asking where she was. Amanda and Nathan were the last of their group of friends to return after the holidays. Everyone else had returned earlier.
A minute later, Emmy texted back. She said that she was coming over just before lunch. Emmy already made the arrangements to move from her dorm.
Once she poured her cup of coffee, Amanda put a couple of waffles in the toaster. Then she walked to the living room. She powered up her MacBook and then logged in. Amanda opened her Web browser, surfing to the Cornell Web site. She needed to log in to her account to check that her enrollment was in order.
A couple of hours afterward, the front bell rang. Amanda walked from her bedroom and answered the door. Just outside, Emmy and Judith stood together. They both carried four suitcases in total. There were also a couple of boxes behind them.
“That’s all?” Amanda asked, raising an eyebrow.
“All hers,” Judith replied.
“Who brought the boxes?”
“We had a guy help us bring them up.”
Amanda nodded. She stood aside to let them both in. Amanda dragged in the boxes and then closed the door. Judith and Emmy left the suitcases next to the sofa.
“One of the boxes was for my textbooks and personal books,” Emmy said. She was the most avid reader of their group of friends. Amanda liked to read, but Emmy was a true bookworm. It was no wonder that she had such a high level of intelligence.
“Is this all you’re bringing?” Amanda asked.
“Yes, it is.”
“Do you want me to help you get settled in now, or later?”
“Later, if you don’t mind,” Emmy replied. Amanda nodded. The three of them sat on the sofa.
“It feels kind of…different now that Kellan is
n’t around anymore,” Judith said.
“Yes,” Amanda agreed. “I do miss him. But I don’t need constant security anymore. The man who threatened me is now in prison.”
“Do you think Kellan’s signing up for classes?” Emmy asked. Amanda shook her head.
“I don’t think so. He did consider it. That was only so he could wander the campus without looking too out of place about it.”
Judith stood up.
“Okay, girls. I need to go to the office to settle some stuff. Amanda, I’ll stop by later, all right?”
“Sure. I’ll be here all day,” Amanda replied. She stood up and hugged Judith. “See you later.”
“Same, friend.”
Judith walked to the front and left the room. Amanda looked toward Emmy.
“I smell the rich aroma of caffeine,” the latter said. The corners of Amanda’s lips turned up.
“I’ll pour you a cup.”
“Thanks.”
Amanda walked to the kitchen to brew some more coffee. Emmy followed after her.
After lunch, Nathan met with some of his friends. He joined Ashton, Grecia, Oswald, and Claire at Stewart Park. When Nathan got out of his car, Ashton walked up.
“That’s a nice ride,” he said, looking at the Toyota Avalon. Nathan bought it only a month ago, so Ashton hadn’t had a chance to see it.
“It does run better. The engine is more silent, and it’s smoother to drive.”
“Told you, bro. Hybrids or electrics are the best cars these days.”
Nathan nodded in agreement. He had been about to buy a used gas-fueled car. Amanda surprised him when she paid a fraction of the cost of his new car as a Christmas present. She wouldn’t take a no.
The two of them walked up to where their friends had gathered on a bench. It was only fifty feet away from the parking spot Nathan found.
“Hi, friends!” Nathan said. “It’s great to be back.”
“It sure is!” Claire replied, standing up. She hugged Nathan when he reached her.
“How are you doing?” Oswald asked. He shook hands with Nathan.
“I’m great,” Nathan said. He then kissed Grecia on her cheek. “How was your holiday break?”
“Like a dream,” Claire told him. They all sat back down on the bench. “It was so nice of Amanda to invite us to New York. We had an awesome time.”
“I talked her into it,” Nathan revealed. “I thought it would be great to spend time with Marissa. We don’t have the chance to see her in person often.”
“That was nice of you,” Grecia said.
“How’s your relationship with Amanda going?” Claire asked him. Nathan smiled.
“It couldn’t be better. I still can’t believe I have the great fortune to have her as my girlfriend.”
“That makes two of us,” Ashton admitted. He took Grecia’s hand in his.
“It’s great to see you too together,” said Oswald. “All that bickering was driving the rest of us insane.”
Claire laughed.
“Can’t blame you. It was driving me bonkers to get through that thick skull of his,” Grecia replied.
“I always loved you,” Ashton told her. “I just wasn’t sure I could be the man you wanted me to be.”
“You are. Tell them what you did during our break.”
Nathan and Claire shot them quizzical looks. Ashton’s cheeks went red.
“What did he do?” Oswald asked.
“Ashton kissed me in an alley.”
Everyone looked at her with odd expressions.
“He tried to reenact the upside-down kiss scene from the Spider-Man movie,” Grecia clarified. Oswald chuckled. Nathan and Claire stifled laughs.
“Are you serious?” Nathan asked, eyebrows raised. “Wow.” He tried to resist laughing.
“Did he actually kiss you upside down?” Claire asked. Oswald guffawed, leaning his head back.
“No. I’m honestly surprised he didn’t do it.”
“I’m surprised he didn’t wear a Spidey suit,” Nathan teased. Ashton bumped him in the shoulder.
“Are you serious? It was freezing cold. There was no way I would wear tights in that weather.”
Claire burst into laughter. Oswald grinned.
“What a Romeo he turned out to be,” the latter said.
“I loved the gesture, though,” Grecia admitted. “It was so sweet of him.”
Ashton leaned forward to kiss Grecia. The rest of their friends clapped and wolf-whistled. Ashton didn’t seem fazed about it.
Amanda finished helping Emmy unload her suitcases and stock her wardrobe. After that, she went to her bedroom. She didn’t have much to do for the day. Amanda had planned to shop, but Nathan offered to do it.
There were a few unopened e-mail messages when Amanda checked her inbox. One of them was from the Web designer that Amanda hired to overhaul her official Web site. She’d given it a nicer look while still having it load fast and work smoothly.
Surprisingly, Kayla was the one who recommended the designer. She had a professional, great-looking Web site with a feminine book motif. The designer’s resume impressed Amanda, so she decided to hire him.
Amanda read the latest e-mail from the designer. He had a few tweaks and suggestions to discuss with her. He spoke in tech lingo sometimes, but Amanda understood it. She was somewhat of a computer geek.
After reviewing the e-mail, Amanda typed her reply and sent it. She then opened her calendar. Amanda went over her photo shoot schedule for the next few months. She didn’t have any magazine covers, though she had an interview for the April issue of GQ. Amanda also had to attend a small fashion show in Austin.
Amanda opened another e-mail. It was from Stanley. He was starting the negotiations for a contract with Lancôme. If successful, Amanda would have a photo shoot in a few months. That was the contract that Amanda was most looking forward to settle. It was the first of Amanda’s contracts that Stanley hadn’t taken over from Hilbert.
As Amanda typed her reply, her smartphone rang. She saw that it was Nathan.
“Hi, love,” she answered.
“Hi. Where are you?”
“In the apartment. I was checking my e-mail.”
“I’m heading to a store right now. Remind me what food you need to stock your pantry.”
“How about I send you a text?”
“Great! That way I won’t forget.”
“Okay. Are you going alone?”
“Now that you mention it, I might run into some fans while I’m browsing.”
Amanda let out a laugh.
“Very funny, Nathan.”
Nathan chuckled.
“I’ll let you go now so you can drive safely.”
“All right. See you in a few, mon…was it amor, or amour?”
“Amour, baby. Amour. See you.”
“Bye.”
Amanda hung up and typed her text. Usually, she’d have gone with Kellan to buy food. Apart from being Amanda’s bodyguard, he’d been her sort-of personal assistant.
Amanda closed her computer and walked to the living room to make Emmy company. She guessed Nathan wouldn’t take long.
Meanwhile, Nathan was just entering the store. He grabbed a cart and took it around. Nathan had been to the store many times over the past years, so he knew his way around well.
Nathan gathered stuff for the next ten minutes or so. He was passing by the pasta aisle when he saw someone walking in his direction. When Nathan got closer, he recognized the woman. She was Erika, a new student at Cornell that he’d met before the holidays.
“Hi, Nathan!” Erika greeted him. As usual, her angelic looks took Nathan aback. Not long after meeting Erika, Nathan had asked himself why attractive women seemed to flock to Cornell. First Kayla and Grecia, then Amanda, and now Erika.
“Hi, Erika,” Nathan said. “Shopping too?”
“Yeah. I was running low on groceries.”
“Me, too. How was your holiday break?”
“It was g
reat. I spent time with my family. Usually, I only see them during school breaks.”
“I understand,” Nathan replied. “What year did you say you are in?”
“I’m a junior.”
“Oh. And how come you arrived at Cornell? Few transfer students start during the spring semester.”
“I changed my major. Unfortunately, my old school didn’t offer it. I wanted to attend a college in the same state I was already in.”
“What are you studying?”
“Performing and media arts,” Erika replied.
“That’s great. I know someone who’s studying something. like that. She’s a junior as well.”
“It’d be nice to meet your friends.”
Nathan nodded.
“If you want to hang out with us, feel free.”
“Sure. I’ll give you my number,” Erika said. She gave Nathan the number and asked him to dial it. He did as she said. Erika swept a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear as she watched. Her phone rang.
“There,” Erika said. She pressed a few keys on her phone, saving Nathan as a new contact. “Now you can call me anytime.”
“Yeah. I’ll see you later.”
“Have a good day,” Erika replied. She walked past him. Nathan continued shopping. He thought about Erika. She seemed pleasant, sort of like Claire. Nathan assumed that Erika might not have many friends. She’d just transferred from another college. That’s why Nathan welcomed her into his group of friends.
When Nathan had everything that he and Amanda needed, he walked to a checkout line. He had quite a bit of stuff. Nathan wanted to get to Amanda’s soon so he could prepare lunch for her, and for Emmy.
As the line advanced, Nathan saw a row of magazines on a stand. A few feet in front of him stood a trio of college guys. One of them grabbed a magazine. Nathan saw a black-haired celebrity on the cover.
The guy perused the magazine. A minute later, he called the attention of one of his buddies.
“This girl looks familiar,” he said. Nathan tried to see the page that the guy was looking at.
“Amanda?” the other guy asked. At that, Nathan paid more attention. “Do you know her?”
“No. I think I’ve seen her at school, though. She seems to keep to her circle of friends.”
“She’s so hot.”
Nathan’s blood was proof that Amanda wasn’t the only one who was hot. It wasn’t pleasant to listen to some dudes talk about your girl with so much lust.
Devoted to Her (Dream Date Book 2) Page 3
