Part 30 (2/2)
Hayden I grabbed Andi by the waist and pulled her away from the trays. ”You're going to make Clare regret having the party catered if you eat all the food.”
”I can't help it.” Slipping something into her mouth, she spun around and looked up at me with those dark brown eyes I'd never get bored of. ”I'm nervous,” she mumbled after swallowing. ”And I eat when I'm nervous. Normally, I have to make do with chips, but this is way better, which is perfect because I'm really nervous.”
”I can tell-it also makes you talk a lot.”
She smacked my chest. ”Be nice, Birthday Boy, or you won't get your present after everyone leaves. And believe me-”
I meant to shut her up with a quick kiss, but found myself, once again, losing track of everything else as soon as our lips touched. The last few months had been spectacular, so much more than I could've ever imagined. The Inspex project was in final negotiations, my new company was well on its way to becoming a force, and every day I got to come home to a beautiful, intelligent, spirited woman who drove me a little crazy in the best possible way.
”Break it up, you two,” I heard Clare say behind me. ”Your guests are getting restless.”
”I'm the worst hostess in the history of hostesses, aren't I?”
Clare glanced at me for help. ”Should I lie to her?”
Andi groaned and swiped another hors d'oeuvre off the tray.
”Ignore her,” I said, taking Andi's hand. ”Besides, this party isn't about you. It's about me.”
We followed my ex-wife into the living room. With a lot of updating and construction, Andi's house had become ours, at least until we outgrew it. Obviously, we could've afforded a larger place closer to my office, but I knew how much this place meant to her. I just hoped that by the time we needed a few more bedrooms and a playroom, she'd be okay with the move. But that wasn't a concern...yet.
With an arm around Laney, my brother stared out the window, looking a bit lost. It wasn't like him to be uncomfortable at a party or anywhere else, for that matter. But as soon as he'd stepped through the door, I'd known something was off-he held Laney a little tighter, didn't make any lame jokes, and his smile seemed pasted on. When there weren't this many people around, I'd have to ask him what was wrong. Maybe it was time for some more brilliant advice only a brother could offer.
”Does everyone have a gla.s.s to raise?” Clare waited for everyone to nod and pick up their champagne flutes. ”Great. I'd like to make a toast to a very special man, who-”
”Is this going to make me cry?” Carson grunted as Laney's elbow met his side.
”Hit him again, Laney. Only harder,” Clare called. ”Like I was saying, Hayden is a very special man, who-”
”Could I say something when you're done?” My stepsister Anna had an incredible ability to appear completely innocent with enough sa.s.s to convey her obvious guilt. It was her own special kind of skill.
”I want to, too.”
”Can I go next?”
I lost track of who was speaking-Emilia, Laney, Real-Sara, Carson, Shannon. One by one all the incredible people in my and Andi's life spoke up and over my poor ex-wife, until even Clare was laughing.
”Seriously, people? Back off.” Clare downed her remaining champagne, refilled her gla.s.s, and held it back up. ”Hayden-I-love-you-Happy-Birthday-You're-the-best-ex-husband-I'll-ever-have,” she said, all in a single breath. ”Now which of you jerks is next?”
”I'm next,” Andi said firmly and then grimaced. ”Not that I'm a jerk, but...” She cleared her throat and started over, turning to face me. ”Hayden-”
”Will you marry me?” It came out as a surprise to everyone, including me. This wasn't at all what I'd planned. The program I'd contracted someone to build and install on her laptop was almost done. Flowers would be delivered to the house. But not tonight.
All I had was the champagne, the woman I loved, and the ring.
”What?” was said in multiple voices, but only one mattered.
”What did you say?” Andi asked again.
”I was going to wait for the perfect moment to ask, but then I realized that every moment with you is perfect. Because we're perfect together, and I want it to last forever.” I brushed a misbehaving lock of hair out of her eyes so I could see them. They were s.h.i.+ning. ”I want to marry you, Andi. I want you to be mine, forever.”
Andi pressed her lips together and looked around the room at our friends, who were quiet for the first time in their lives. When she took my hands, I realized what was missing.
”Wait here,” I said quickly, ignoring the communal groan as I ran to our bedroom and grabbed the small blue box I'd hidden in my drawer. I opened it up, took a picture, and then texted, 'Marry me.' Then, to make sure she saw the message, I yelled, ”You'd better answer that!”
I stared at my phone, waiting. Held my breath when I saw the gray bubbles appear. Closed my eyes and let out a shuddering breath when I read her reply: 'Yes.'
And then another popped up, 'Now, get your a.s.s in here and seal the deal, Bennett.'
When I came back into the room, everyone was staring at me. None of them knew what had happened and, as much as I loved all of them, I didn't explain. I focused solely on the woman I was going to spend the rest of my life with.
As soon as I took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger, everyone cheered. Someone patted me on the back, while Real-Sara and Emilia pulled Andi away from me to hug her and admire the ring.
Clare held both my hands, squeezing them with excitement. ”Please tell me I can plan your wedding. I know you said I should work on Carson's, but I swear, he's impossible. So who knows when that'll happen.”
”Wait, he said what?” Carson's eyes were enormous as he looked at Clare, then me, then Laney, who thankfully hadn't heard the comment. ”Dude, seriously?”
”Relax, little brother,” I said quietly. ”I didn't set a date or anything.”
”Yeah, well... Still not cool.”
”If you wait too long, you know that Laney could come to her senses, right?” I laughed.
”Thanks, Hay. Don't think I won't remember that.” He turned his back on us, grumbling, ”Like I need more pressure,” under his breath.
After a lot of toasts and gla.s.ses of champagne, I finally got my hands back on Andi.
”That was by far the best text ever written,” she said.
”And the longest wait for a reply.”
She shrugged. ”You should really work on your patience, Hayden.”
”My patience? And here I was a.s.suming you were considering other offers.”
”No way,” she said, smiling. ”In business, when you see something you want, you need to move in fast before anyone else swoops it up. But you can't let anyone know how badly you want it, or you get screwed in negotiations.”
”Oh, you'll get screwed all right, my love.” I kissed her. I kissed my fiance. ”In fact, I think it's time everyone went home, don't you?”
”Patience, Mr. Bennett.”
When Real-Sara asked where we were going to get married, all other conversation stopped.
Andi looked up at me. ”I've heard good things about the Maldives.” She wiggled her finger, asking me to bend down a little so she could whisper in my ear. ”No extradition.”
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