Fooled Around and Fell in Love (A New Beginning Book 2) (3 page)

Was he crazy to believe she seemed just as affected as he did?  He wanted to kiss her again, but if he did they
would
have to get a room.

After what his mom had pulled on him tonight, he didn’t feel bad at all about tricking her.  Unfortunately, the joke seemed to be on him because he wanted it to be real.

He looked at Colleen for the hundredth time since the kiss that knocked him off his feet.  She was acting a little strange, so he reached over before he had a chance to think twice and lifted her chin to make her look at him. 

Colleen gave him a smile but her eyes looked a million miles away. 

“You okay?” 

He willed himself not to let his drop to her mouth.

She stared back at him for a few seconds and said in a whisper, “I’m fine.”

Okay, what did that mean?

And what the hell was he supposed to do now?

**********

They kept up the ruse for the rest of the night and it just about killed Colleen. 

The weight of the new ring was weighing heavily on her mind.

Tom stayed by her the entire time – wouldn’t leave her side.  He’d grab her hand and hold it once in a while, and occasionally even give her a soft kiss.

She wasn’t sure how much longer she could take it. 

She wanted to grab his face and show him just how much she wanted this whole thing to be real.

It was finally time to call it a night and her stomach was swirling, thinking about what they would say to his parents and family. 

She decided to leave it up to Tom.

“Well, this has been the best birthday ever!”  Jan was smiling, her eyes shining.  “I am so happy for you, Tom and Colleen.  Thank you all so much for the amazing night.  I love you all.”

They all got up and started to say their goodbyes, which in Minnesota takes at least ten minutes. 

You have to hug multiple times and tell every single person goodbye. 

Then you hug again.

Just. One. Last. Time.

As they started to walk away, Colleen wondered if he’d just tell them all later.  She hoped that were the case, because she didn’t really want to be part of it any longer. 

Tom finally stopped half-way to the door and turned back around, snapping his fingers.

“Oh, mom.  Just one last thing.” 

She smiled.  “What’s is it?”

“April fools!”

Jan tiled her head. “What do you mean?”

“Colleen and I aren’t actually engaged.  April fool’s! We got you!”  He started dancing around the bar floor.

Colleen watched as realization sank in on all of their faces, one by one. 

His mom’s face went from confused, to shock and finally to anger. 

His dad just went from confused straight to being mad as hell and his brother and sister in law just shook their heads in silence. 

The kids didn’t get it and Colleen heard Jason tell them they’d explain in the car on the way home.  She could hear him say that uncle Tom was in big trouble with grandma and grandpa.

The last thing Colleen thought before Tom’s mom stormed out of the restaurant was, oh crap.

**********

As they drove home, Tom was trying to talk to her, asking a million questions. 

Colleen wanted to crawl in a hole.

“So, that was crazy.  My mom can sure dish it out but she can’t take it, huh?”

Colleen saw Tom glance at her out of the corner of her eye.

She remained silent. 

“Don’t feel bad.  She’ll get over it.”

She looked over at him. “Right.”

“Peter’s trick sure was something, wasn’t it?  How in the hell does he do that?” Tom shook his head. “So impressive!” 

“Yeah,” she replied, barely a whisper. 

The drive back to her house took forever, but at least it gave her time to think. 

Tom’s mom was acting a little silly after pulling her own stunt, but still, she hated the reaction from all of them, especially Tom’s dad. 

Most of all, her heart was felt like it was shattered and she was trying to hold herself together.

They finally pulled up into her driveway.

Tom turned to her.  “Hey, you’re awfully quiet.  You okay?” 

No, I’m not okay, you idiot!

She felt tummy swirl and the food she ate earlier was at risk of coming up. 

She knew in that moment she had to tell him her true feelings. 

After that proposal and especially after that kiss, she knew it was finally time to take a chance.  If he didn’t feel the same way, she knew it would put a huge strain on their relationship and she hated the thought of losing her best friend.

“No,” Colleen said, turning to him, tears in her eyes. “I’m really not.”

A look of panic crossed over his handsome face. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re my best friend, I know, but I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember, Tom. I’ve watched you have girlfriends who didn’t deserve you and I’ve seen you get your heart broken and I’ve been there to help pick up the pieces.  It hurt every time you went out with someone new.  But none of that compared to what I feel like tonight.  Having you FAKE being in love with me.” 

Once Colleen began, she couldn’t stop.  She choked down a sob.  “All of the boyfriends I’ve had, I wished was you, every single one of them!  Tonight was awful.  Seeing your family get so excited.  And that kiss.  What
was
that?” 

She finally dared to look at Tom, whose eyes and mouth were wide open.  Colleen took a breath and felt her chin quiver. 

“I was stupid to think I could do this and not get hurt.”  She poured her heart out to Tom, slipping the ring off her finger and holding it up.  “I want this to be real!  I don’t want to give this back, but I have to and it’s breaking my heart.” 

Colleen’s eyes filled, threatening to spill over as she placed the ring in Tom’s hand. 

Ho looked down at the ring, and then back up at Colleen.  He remained silent, just sat and stared at her, shock apparent on his face. 

She waited an uncomfortably long time for him to say something.

He didn’t.

Colleen took his silence to mean he didn’t feel the same way. 

She choked down a sob, and before he could say a word, she opened the door and flew inside her house.

As soon as she was safely inside, Colleen collapsed on her couch and let the tears fall.

*******

Tom looked at the clock. 

It was 11:57. 

Still April Fool’s Day. 

If this was a joke on him, it would be a very cruel one, and he probably deserved it. 

But if she really loved him, then this entire night would have been worth it. 

The three minutes Tom waited felt like an eternity. 

He slowly got out of his car, ring clutched in his fist, and walked quickly up to Colleen’s door. 

He stood on her doorstep, took a deep breath and rang her doorbell. 

It took Colleen a minute to answer and when she did she just stared at him, with her beautiful, tear-streaked face. 

Tom took one look at her and with relief knew she wasn’t joking about her feelings. 

He didn’t know how to tell her how he felt, so he decided to show her instead.  He grabbed Colleen, both hands cradling her face, and kissed her with everything he felt.

When he finally ended the kiss, he held up the ring and said, “You forgot this.  It’s yours. I don’t want it back.” 

“What are you saying?”  Her voice was so quiet he could barely hear her.

“I love you, Colleen.  I have always loved you.  Marry me.  For real this time.”

Her eyes narrowed.  “Is this your idea of a joke?”

“Do I have to show you?”

He didn’t wait for her answer.  Instead, he grabbed her again and kissed her even longer this time.  He backed her into the house, kicked the door shut and kept kissing her until she had no doubt in her crazy beautiful mind.

“Do you believe me now?”  He paused as his body pressed even closer to hers.  “I love you.  Please say you’ll marry me.”

Colleen had tears still falling down her cheeks as she finally replied in a whisper, “Yes.” 

“Thank God.”  Tom told her.  “I was starting to wonder.”

After he kissed her again to seal the deal, she asked “Why didn’t you tell me before now?”

Tom brushed a tear from her cheek and said, “I was too scared.  I didn’t want to ruin what we had.  Why didn’t you?”

She gave him a shy smile. “Ditto.” 

“God, you’re so beautiful.  Every moment I’ve spent with you I just wanted to kiss you, but I always held back. But you know what?”  He smiled at her and touched his forehead to hers.  “I now realize that we can be even better as a couple.  A husband and wife should be best friends.  We have nailed. And now we know we definitely have chemistry.”

Colleen nodded her head.   “Yeah, I’ve always wondered how it would feel to kiss you.  I’ve never felt anything like it before.”

Tom laughed and said, “Ditto. When I proposed, those words were all true and I meant everything I said. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

When they finally took a breath, Colleen asked him, “Should we call your mom and dad and tell them that we really are engaged?”

“I think we’ll let my mom sweat it out a little longer.  Let’s tell them tomorrow.” 

Tom grinned and at that answer, Colleen jumped up and kissed him.  He lifted her up and then made his way to her bedroom, a place he’d wanted to visit for as long as he could remember.

The End (Or Really, The Beginning)

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the one and only love of my life, Bob Stephany.  We’ve been married 17 years and I love you more each day.  Thank you for your support and always believing in me. 

I also want to say thank you to Peter Hiltner, the magician who inspired this trick for the proposal.  You’re awesome!

Author Bio

Connie Stephany lives in Minnesota.  She’s a wife, a mother of 3 amazing children, and full-time Solution Architect.  She’s also working on a children’s book with her 10-year-old daughter who has dyslexia.  It’s a series about a dyslexic 4
th
grader who has to solve mysteries while trying to hide her dyslexia from even her best friends.  It’s meant to uplift the 1 in 5 kids with dyslexia and to educate students and teachers who don’t know what it’s like to have it.  The book, called the Dyslexic Detective, is expected to be released in late 2016.   

Other works - New Beginnings Series by Connie Stephany

Second Chances
- Available Now!  Features Abby, Colleen’s best friend.

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Second-Chances-Connie-Stephany-ebook

Barnes N Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/second-chances-connie-stephany

iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/second-chances

Kobo:
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/second-chances-135

Second Look
- Coming June of 2016

Second to None
– Coming December 2016

Second Time Around
– Date TBD

Links

Author Website:
www.conniestephanybooks.com

Author Facebook Fan Page:
The-New-Beginnings-Series-by-Connie-Stephany

Twitter Handle:
https://twitter.com/cesstephany