Giving You Forever (23 page)

– NOLAN –

Keeping my lips sealed, I focus on the road as we drive to Cazenovia Jewelers. Little does she know that when I had her engagement ring designed I had them design the wedding band too. Just last week they phoned, telling me that it was ready, but we’ve been so damn busy that we haven’t had a free second to get out there. Now, with an empty day and just the two of us, I figured today would be perfect and called ahead while Alexa was in the bathroom, but asked them to keep it in the showcase so that I could surprise her.

A warm feeling invades my chest, seeing Alexa’s eyes brighten when we pull into the parking lot. The excitement this girl gets from shopping and jewelry is so damn cute, it’s an addiction. Just ask my wallet.

Smirking with a discreet chuckle, I place the car in park before leaning over and kissing her forehead.

“What was that for?” she asks with a smile stretching across her face.

“I have to have a reason to kiss you?”

She shrugs her shoulders.

“No. It was just...random.” She smiles.

“Isn’t that the best?” I question with a raised eyebrow.

With the cutest damn grin and eyes sparkling with love, she agrees, “They are.”

“Good afternoon, Mr. Pratt,” Richard, my jeweler, greets me. “Ms. Arnold.”

Nodding my head with a smile, Alexa responds, “Hello.”

“Can I help you find anything in particular?” he continues to ask, following Alexa’s anxious eyes that are already perusing the inventory.

“We’re looking for wedding bands,” she tells him with her big emerald eyes reflecting in the glass.

“Of course. The wedding is quickly approaching now, isn’t it?” he plays along brilliantly.

Glancing over her shoulder with a smile sure to make me weak for the rest of my life, she looks back at him, responding, “Yes, this July.”

“A perfect month to wed,” he winks. “I think I may have some rings that you’d like over in this display.” he moves along the back of the cases, motioning her to follow him.

She loops her arm with mine, pulling me along, excited as hell.

Mesmerized by the selection in front of her, she drops my arm, allowing me to step behind her. I stuff my hands in my pocket, waiting for her to see it. With her eyes glued, she surveys them all, ooing and ahhing about how stunning they are. Then she sees it…tagged with her name.

Shocked, her hand covers her now open mouth before turning and looking at me with tear-filled eyes.

“Do you love it?” I ask, taking a step forward and gently holding the tops of her arms, squaring her to me.

Speechless, she nods her head slowly as a stray tear skims her porcelain face.

“It’s beautiful,” she finally admits before removing the space between us, wrapping her arms around my waist.

Kissing the top of her head then smoothing down her hair, I tell her, “Go try it on.”

There’s just one more secret that I want her to see.

After kissing me gently, she practically runs back over to the counter where Richard stands waiting with her ring. Quickly slipping her engagement ring off first, she smiles anxiously as Richard hands her the ring. Just before she slides it on, she pauses, seeing the inscription inside.

Always in my heart, forever in my soul Nolan

She doesn’t move or whisper a word, just continues to stare at it. By the warm grin filling Richards face, I know she’s been taken away, feeling the words of my declaration. Stepping forward, I rest my hands on her shoulders and kiss the top of her head. Her head tilts to the side, snuggling into my hand.

“Always and forever, doll,” I whisper into her hair. “That’s where you’ll always stay.”

Chapter Nineteen

– ALEXA –

“Crap, girl. You look like shit.”

“Good morning to you, too,” I respond overly sarcastic as I step in line behind Jamie.

“Double shot of espresso kind of day?” he continues, clearly not worrying about hurting my feelings, which he doesn’t. I’m fully aware of the tractor trailer that that seemed to strike me while I was sleeping.

“Day? How about week! I’ve gotta be coming down with something again. Every day I wake up feeling like crap.”

“It’s probably all the stress you’ve been under,” he proclaims, his voice turning a little more sympathetic.

Scrunching my eyebrows and shaking my head, I disagree, “I really haven’t been, though. Since we fired Meg, and Nolan switched his hours last week, he’s been a saint with helping me.”

“Hmm…”

“I’ve gotta be getting sick,” I shrug my shoulders with the only reasonable explanation.

“You should come with me to yoga. You’d be surprised how much that shit works.”

“Yoga? Since when do you go to yoga?”

A cocky grin smears his face.

“Since I found out that the bend me over right now instructor is one hundred percent gay.”

Of course that’s the reason!

Shaking my head and chuckling, I tell him, “You kill me.”

“Eh, it’s good motivation,” he says, shrugging his shoulders.

“I bet,” I smirk before giving the girl behind the counter my coffee order, cutting in front of Jamie.

I manage to make it through the rest of my classes. Thanking the heavens above that the kids have today off from school for parent teacher conferences, I go straight home. With tunnel vision to my bed, I grab a bottled water from the fridge before dragging my feet up the stairs. Not even bothering to pull back the blankets, I collapse face first into the pillows. It isn’t until Nolan gets home just after six that he gently nudges me awake.

“Still not feeling well, baby doll?” he asks, rubbing my back gently.

Rolling to my side to face him, I shake my head no.

“I’m just exhausted, for no reason at all.”

“Have you had your iron checked lately?” he questions, knowing that I’ve always been borderline anemic.

“They drew blood a couple of weeks ago at my appointment. They never called, so I assumed it came back fine.”

“Maybe you should call tomorrow, just in case they missed it,” he says, running his hand through his hair.

“Yeah. I can.”

“You hungry? I brought home Chinese.”

Realizing that I haven’t had anything but coffee after coffee today, I nod my head in agreement.

“Do you want me to bring it up here so that you can stay here in bed?”

“No, I’m fine. I’ll be down in a minute. Just have to go to the bathroom first,” I tell him, already starting to sit up and swing my legs over the edge of the bed.

“K.” He leans over, kissing my forehead. “I’ll be downstairs getting it ready,” he adds before standing and exiting the room.

“So, are you going to be home on time tomorrow?” I ask, taking in another fork full of beef lo mein.

Chewing before he speaks, he answers, “Yeah, I don’t see why not, why?”

“I was thinking we could stop over to the tuxedo place. They have a wedding sale going on right now, and if you rent so many tuxes, the groom’s tux is free.”

“Yeah, we could do that. Then that’s it really, right?” he asks.

Pausing and running down our list in my head, I mentally check everything off. We met with William about the flowers last week, ordered our invitations this weekend online, put a deposit down on the church the other day…

“Yeah,” I say, shocked. “Other than our appointment on Monday with David, that’s pretty much it.”

“And that’s for the taste-testing, right?” he asks with an eager grin and one eyebrow raised.

Snickering, I answer, “Yes, we get to taste-test the menu on Monday.”

“Hell yeah!” he practically shouts, rubbing his hands excitedly together. “Oh! I almost forgot,” he adds, remembering something. “Don’t make any plans for Saturday.”

Giving him a confused look, I ask, “Why, what’s Saturday?”

“I just may have made an appointment with someone in Hoboken, New Jersey,” he tells me with a devilish grin.

“Cake Boss?” I sit up straight, suddenly full of energy.

“Well yeah, we gotta get our cake designed!”

How I almost forgot that Buddy Valastro is making our wedding cake, I don’t know, but
ahh!
I’m meeting the Cake Boss this weekend!

– NOLAN –

Today can’t possibly go by any fucking slower. You’d think with all the meetings and side projects I had going on that it’d fly, but no, I’ve probably glanced at my fricken watch at least twenty times. Though, that’s how I’ve always been, like a kid high on Ritalin before something big.

Instead of leaving in the morning as planned, I booked a hotel room in the heart of New Jersey tonight and tomorrow, giving us a nice little weekend getaway. It’s way overdo and much deserved with all the shit that has been thrown at us the last couple of months. Between Margo, the wedding, and Alexa being sick, we
need
this time away.

Skipping out early and meeting Alexa home after class, her eyes light up when I startle her in the kitchen.

“What’re you doin’ home so early?” she asks while chewing and swallowing a bite of a cereal bar.

“Go pack your bags. We’re leaving tonight!”

“Wait, what? We’re leaving tonight? I thought we were looking at tuxes?”

Walking towards her and pulling her body flush against mine, I tell her only inches from her face, “We’re goin’ for the weekend. Just you and me, all weekend long.”