by J. L. Berg
“Yep. But hey, now, you don’t have to worry about that perfect moment, right? Hell, you could ask her while you’re making dinner or brushing your teeth. See how much stress I just saved you?”
I didn’t answer. My mind was reeling with this new information, and then a sly smile spread across my face. If Liv had known all this time and not said a word, did this mean she was ready to say yes? Or maybe she was worried I’d become too complacent in our relationship and that I didn’t want to propose anymore.
Well, I couldn’t have that.
“Oh, fuck. What are you planning, Jackson?”
“The best worst proposal ever.”
~Liv~
Dress fancy, he said.
We’re celebrating, he said.
As I stared at my closet, I found myself wondering what one wore to a proposal dinner. Having never imagined myself being proposed to while at a stuffy restaurant, I really didn’t know.
Honestly, I didn’t expect to ever be in this position at all, stuffy restaurant or not.
Should I trust a man who thought a fancy dinner out was the perfect way to ask me this very important question?
Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself that it didn’t matter where or when, only that I would be marrying the right person.
And I would be, regardless of what I wore or how much I hated the restaurant.
I pulled out three dresses and laid them out on the bed, trying to decide which would be more flattering. I decided on the sexiest of the three, and I squeezed myself into the little black dress that made my boobs look amazing and gave the illusion that I actually had a little junk in my trunk.
By the time I’d finished spritzing lavender perfume in the air around me, the doorbell rang, marking the arrival of my very punctual date.
“Holy shit, you look amazing,” Jackson said, his eyes roaming my body. He handed me a huge bouquet of red roses drowning in baby’s breath.
I hated baby’s breath.
It was the thought that mattered, right?
“Thank you!” I smiled. “They’re lovely. Let me put them in some water.”
His face broke out into a cocky grin as we walked into the kitchen.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing.” He nearly laughed. “Just happy to be spending a night out with you.”
Pulling out a large vase, I quickly arranged the flowers in a few inches of water.
Then, we proceeded to make our way to the restaurant.
“Fancy,” I remarked as we pulled up to the valet at the entrance.
“Well, it is a special night.” He smiled.
I gulped in response, hoping he hadn’t seen my nervousness.
The restaurant he’d chosen for the night was new and hip. It was all anyone could talk about in the city. A well-known celebrity chef had moved in, taken over a run-down building right on the banks of the James River, and transformed it into one of the finest places to eat on the East Coast.
I should have been excited.
I should have felt flattered.
Instead, I was nauseous as I looked over the menu and saw nothing but meat and fish.
“Do you think they could make something special?” he asked. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think to ask about vegetarian options when I made the reservation over a month ago.”
“I’ll figure something out. Don’t worry about it.” I smiled lamely.
The waiter was extremely accommodating, and the chef was indeed able to whip up a vegetable risotto that was to die for. I just hoped it didn’t come with a killer price tag to match.
“Isn’t this nice? Just the two of us, all dressed up for a night on the town,” Jackson said, smiling from ear to ear.
“Yes, it’s lovely, really. Thank you, Jackson.”
“Anything for you, sweetheart.”
A table next to us erupted into shrieks of joy and clapping. I looked over to see a young man on one knee, holding a ring box above his heart.
“Yes! Yes!” the young girl answered with enthusiasm.
The entire restaurant melted into oohs and aahs for the happy couple.
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
“I hope you don’t mind, but before we arrived, I took the liberty of ordering dessert for us. I wanted to have them make something special.”
Of course he did.
“And I also ordered some champagne,” he added with a wicked grin.
“Are you going to make a toast?” I asked, feeling my anxiety rising higher and higher.
“I guess you will just have to wait and see.” He winked.
Oh, please, someone make him stop.
Our luscious chocolate torte was served, and I noticed Jackson watching me intensely.
“Something wrong?” I asked, dipping my fork into my dessert once again.
“Nope. Happy as a clam.”
The champagne was served, and as Jackson held his glass up in the air, his eyes drifted down to my glass.
“Here’s to our happy life,” he said.
I lifted my flute and touched his. Our eyes locked as we tilted the glasses to our lips, and I felt a spark of heat zing down to my core. My eyes looked down at the table as I set my glass on the tabletop.
“Something wrong?” he asked.
“No, absolutely not. You?”
“Still happy.”
I covered my laugh with a fake cough, bringing my hand up to my mouth as a diversion.
He thought he’d won this round, but what he didn’t know was that I had been winning all along.
~Jackson~
Every last detail of my plan had been orchestrated flawlessly.
From the bouquet of flowers I knew she’d hate to the overly fancy restaurant, Liv was having the worst night ever.
And the best part was, she was biting her tongue to stay quiet about it.
When I’d announced the special dessert and champagne, I’d thought her eyes might explode out of her head as she waited for the horribly cheesy moment to come.
The added bonus of the couple next to us getting engaged had been like icing on the cake.
When the ring hadn’t been on the torte or in the champagne, I’d seen her growing restless, waiting for the big flashy moment to come.
She was exactly where I wanted her to be.
“Are you ready to head home?” I asked cheerfully.
“Home?”
“Yep, it is getting late. I figured you’d want to get home and maybe watch a movie.”
“Oh, um…sure,” she answered, a hint of surprise in her voice.
I held out my arm as she rose from her chair, and I took a moment to admire the way the fabric of her dress clung to her breasts. That dress was definitely an extra perk to my plan.
She was quiet as we waited for the car to be pulled around. I could almost see the thoughts swirling around in her head as she wondered what the hell had just happened.
In that one second when Declan had spilled the beans about Liv knowing my intentions to propose, everything had come together for me.
It wasn’t the moment or the place—it was about who would be there to celebrate it with us.
But how could I orchestrate that many people and keep Liv out of it?
Give her the worst almost proposal of her life.
Everything I knew she’d hate, I’d given her tonight. Liv was simple, earthy, and one of the most carefree people I knew. Stuffy restaurants and grand gestures were great and romantic for some, but Liv needed something less grandiose.
That was where our family and friends came into play.
As Liv and I had been away, having dinner and not getting engaged, the gang had been busy setting up a backyard proposal that would blow Liz away.
There would be candlelight, flowers, and not a bit of baby’s breath for miles.
I was the master of proposals. After tonight, even Declan would have to acknowledge it.
Liz and I held hands on our way back to the house, and I brushed my
thumb over the spot where her ring would sit in just a few short minutes. I couldn’t wait to place it there and see it exactly where I knew it belonged since the moment I’d seen it.
From the outside of our houses, everything appeared normal and just as boring as any other Saturday night. As I took her hand and pulled her down the path to the fence separating the two houses, she began to see the first flicker of candlelight.
“What is that?” she asked.
“You’ll see.”
We walked farther, and as we rounded the corner to the backyard, it was me who gasped in surprise.
Pink flamingos encompassed nearly every inch of the border of the fence, creating a vibrant pink outline. Big boldly colored balloons were tied to everything, and potted plants were everywhere.
“What the hell?” I said, seeing the faces of our friends and family smiling back at us.
We entered the backyard, and Liv turned to me.
“See, your first mistake was trusting that the blabbermouth over there would keep your secret.” She grinned, pointing at Declan.
He had his arms wrapped around Leah. He gave me an apologetic look and then laughed.
“You mean, you knew that I wasn’t going to propose the entire night?”
“Yep.”
“Damn,” I said. “I’ve been duped.”
“You know how much I like to win.” Her hands rested in mine as she dropped to one knee. “And there is no greater prize than you, Jackson. I never expected that I’d be here, in a moment like this, ready to share my heart and soul with another. You showed me that love isn’t about giving up any part of yourself. It’s about sharing the best and worst of yourself and trusting that the person will love you through it all. Will you share your life with me?”
I kissed her softly, then kneeled down before her, as I reached into my pocket to pull out the ring that I’d been dying to give her for over a month since I’d first laid eyes on it.
“Only if you share yours with me,” I answered, opening the box.
Tears cascaded down her cheeks as her fingers touched the smooth metal.
“Will you marry me, Liv?”
“Yes,” she managed to say through the tears.
I slipped the ring onto her finger. Everyone in the backyard clapped and cheered.
Hands wrapped around us as Noah joined in on our tight hug.
Sometimes, what you needed in life was waiting for you where you’d least expected it. Sometimes, it was right next door.
Now that I had Liv, I knew everything I’d ever need was already in my arms. Nothing else mattered.
“So, where are we going to live?” Noah asked, poking his head out to look back and forth between the two houses.
Okay, so, sometimes, some things mattered.
We’d figure it out eventually.
~Liv~
“Liv, you look beautiful,” Mia said, standing behind me as we both looked at my reflection staring back at us.
I looked like a bride—sort of.
Forgoing tradition, I’d chosen a simple bohemian-style dress in blush rather than white. The soft pink lace reminded me of vintage lingerie, so delicate and soft. It gathered above my natural waist with an ivory-colored sash, and it flowed gracefully to the floor.
It was the only dress I’d tried on. When I’d stepped into the tiny consignment store days earlier, I’d known the minute the woman brought it out that it was exactly what I had been looking for.
“Let’s touch up your hair,” Leah suggested, adjusting the crown of flowers she’d placed there minutes before. She sniffled and quickly dabbed her eyes.
“Are you getting misty-eyed, Leah?” I asked.
“No,” she answered swiftly. “Allergies. I’m sure of it.”
“Okay.”
I gave Mia a sideways glance, and we both smiled. Signaling to Mia, I rounded my hand and moved it over my belly. Then, I looked back to Leah. She snorted in response.
“I am not pregnant!” she said, obviously catching the silent conversation between Mia and me. “Well, I mean…not much. Just a little,” she amended.
We all looked at her, dumbfounded, and she crossed her arms in front of her.
“You guys can squeal now. I’m ready,” she said before raising her hands to her ears.
Girlish cries of joy filled the room as we all ran over to hug her.
“Well, don’t squish the poor little guy,” she said, laughing.
“It’s a boy?” I asked.
“Hell, I don’t know. It’s a tadpole right now, but Declan’s hoping for a boy.”
“We’re going to have our own football team soon,” I commented.
“Better start catching up.” Mia winked.
“One step at a time I think. I just got engaged a week ago.”
“You know, you could have waited. That is the idea behind the term, engagement.” Clare laughed.
“I never was one to follow directions. So, how much longer?”
“About ten minutes,” Leah answered, checking the clock on her phone.
A knock sounded at the door. We all turned to find my father walking in.
“Sorry to interrupt, ladies. I was hoping to have a moment alone with my daughter,” he said.
I sat down on the small stool in front on the vanity in shocked silence as my friends scattered like flies.
Traitors.
“My Livvy Lou, all grown-up,” he said with a note of sadness in his voice.
“It was bound to happen.”
“You look radiant. Truly.”
“Thank you, Daddy,” I answered, fidgeting with my fingers, as I looked around the room.
“I know I don’t deserve anything, considering everything I’ve done—or not done—but it would be my great honor to be the one who walks you down that aisle,” he said softly.
“Dad—”
“I’m dropping out of the race. I’m retiring from politics,” he announced, taking a step forward.
“What? Why? I thought—”
“I’ve been fixated on the wrong set of goals in my life for far too long. It was so long that I missed watching you grow up, and I ignored your mother. I gave up my life for my career. I need my family back. I can’t do it anymore.”
Tears stung my eyes as I looked at the man who’d once meant the world to me. He’d been my fairy-tale prince and forever hero.
Finally, he was back.
“Yes,” I said.
“Yes what?”
“Yes, I would love to have you walk me down the aisle, Daddy.”
We met halfway, and as his arms wrapped around me, I finally let go of the lost and angry girl I had once been. I would have been fine without him. I knew I would have gone on, knowing sometimes you had to make your own family and let go of your past.
But having him here beside me was like a cleansing for my soul. I didn’t feel the need to show him everything I’d accomplished and achieved. It was about making sure he understood I’d survived without his support. It was simply holding his hand and knowing he loved me.
He always loved me.
“Let’s go get you married,” he said, taking a hold of my hand.
He led me toward the backyard where my new prince was awaiting.
“I’m ready.” I grinned.
~Jackson~
I knew marrying someone like Liv would make for an interesting life.
I just hadn’t realized how soon that would happen.
“Let’s get married next week!” she’d announced minutes after our backyard proposal.
“Next week? Don’t you need to plan stuff? Isn’t there a girl code involved?” I’d asked.
Nope.
No plans. No waiting.
Liv had wanted to keep everything simple and small, so there had been no reason to wait.
Honestly, as I stood there, greeting guests dressed less formally than I had for work most days, I couldn’t agree more.
We’d only invited close friends and family.
I was starting to wonder if they had been scared that this day might never come.
The topic of Liv’s parents hadn’t gone over nearly as well. She’d argued with herself over and over regarding the topic, and finally, she’d decided to send them a handwritten invitation. She hadn’t expected anything to come from it, and so far, I hadn’t seen them arrive.
The wedding was to take place where it had all started—home.
Chairs and twinkling lights had been beautifully arranged in my backyard, which was now ours. We’d decided if we were going to join households, we’d do it here. Leaving Liv’s house behind had been difficult, which was why we weren’t selling it. We were just waiting to find the right person to rent it to. Until then, we’d slowly move her things over and settle into our new life.
Besides, she wasn’t the only one moving. Next week, I would officially be moving my office next to hers. The old dentist was retiring, and I’d managed to swoop up the location for a steal. After a few long weeks of remodeling, I’d be in business for myself. Family law sounded hard, laborious, and completely awesome. The added bonus of a built-in lunch date and a sweet little garden to chill in didn’t hurt either.
The backyard sparkled, looking elegant and ethereal. Hanging plants dotted the walkway, and people sat on benches and wicker furniture that we’d borrowed from friends. A small dinner was planned afterwards. We couldn’t decide on what to cook, so I was firing up the grill, and we were calling in a large order of Thai food. Bets had been placed on whether either of us would venture out of our comfort zones.
The pot had grown pretty damn large. Even my own father had placed a bet. He wouldn’t say who it was against.
It was the perfect wedding and exactly what I’d envisioned when I thought of the day I’d marry Liv.
Now, all I needed was my bride.
Noah, standing in as my best man, walked behind me as we took our places in the front.
Mia would serve as Liv’s matron of honor, and that was as elaborate as our wedding party got.
The music started, and I saw the back door open.
Out came Senator Douglas, and as everyone rose, I saw him escorting the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen.
