Running Home to You (The Running Series) (43 page)

“Okay, chief.  I chose a life with you, so I suppose it’s time I start to accept the things that go along with that.  Life is all about balance, and you’re right, I can accept the generosity of the man I love without giving up a part of myself.  I can have both.”

“Let’s go home, Juliette.  I need to hurry up and show you something before you change your mind.”  He grabs Maddy’s leash and takes off on a slow, plodding journey towards our home.  It only takes me a few strides to catch up and together, we retrace our steps until we are standing in our kitchen, clutching water bottles, and quenching our thirst.

Evan pulls out a stool and insists that I sit down and wait for him to come back out.  He hurries into our bedroom I can hear opening and closing drawers, then rustling through some papers.  I can’t imagine what it is he might have to show me.  Just as I take the final drink from my water bottle, Evan emerges carrying an envelope that’s been opened.  He places it upside down on the kitchen island before me.  “Now, before you look inside, let’s be clear.  You’ve accepted my offer to finance today’s shopping trip.  Right?”

“Yes, Evan.”

“And you won’t change your mind, no matter what?”

“No matter what,” I assure him.

“Okay, then.”  He passes the envelope towards me.  “This is yours.”

It’s a mailing envelope, but it doesn’t have the name of the sender, just a return address.  I look inside and there’s a white form inside.  The minute I remove it from the envelope, I know exactly what I’m holding.  I slowly unfold the form and glued to the form letter is a new credit card.  It’s a brand new Visa Black Card with my name, Juliette Evangeline Fletcher, embossed on it.  “How long have you had this?” I ask him.

“A while now,” he admits.  “You need something with your name on it because I travel a lot, and if the house needs repairs, or the car breaks down, I need to know that you’re able to take care of things without me.”

I peel the card from its gooey bonds and look at it more closely.  “Evan, do you really think this is a good idea?” I ask.

“I do.  It gives me peace of mind to know you have it.  What’s the worst that can happen?  So I have to do a few more commercials to pay for your ridiculously expensive new boots.  Besides, you can’t go shopping today using my credit card.  You don’t look at all like me.  I’m kinda famous, you know.”

Moment of Truth

I
laugh to myself when I spot Jocelyn and Brianna waiting for me at the ferry station.  All three of us manage to dress alike unintentionally in maxi dresses and sandals.  I shouldn’t be surprised, really.  What else would a girl wear to a day of spa treatments and shopping in the city in August?

The forty-five minute ferry ride to the Wall Street pier goes by quickly as we chat and get to know each other better.  We find three seats on the outdoor deck and sit back to enjoy the view as we make our way towards the financial district.  The skyline of Manhattan stretches out before us as we pass the Statue of Liberty.  Buildings of all sizes and shapes cover the island from end to end, and in the center of it all is the newest structure, One World Trade Center.  Its spire reaches high into the sky, standing tall and proud.

After docking, we grab a taxi and head straight to Xanadu Spa on Canal Street.  The moment the door opens, my senses are on overload as I struggle to take it all in.  The sweet, subtle aroma of spices fills the air.  The sound of gently flowing water from the indoor stone water wall is soothing and I can feel my body immediately begin to relax.  Potted plants and tropical flowers line the walls, creating an indoor oasis from the cold cement of the city just outside the doors.

Brianna grabs us each a copy of the salon’s menu as we sit on a thick, plush circular sofa in the center of the room.  The three of us debate the different packages available, and I do my best to ignore the exorbitant prices.  We settle on the Ultimate Indulgence Package that includes a Hot Stone Massage, Facial, Pedicure, Shampoo & Blow Dry, and a Spa Lunch.  The only thing missing is a wax, but I never miss my regular waxing appointment at home.

The helpful attendant at the desk is very accommodating.  She schedules each of our treatments so that we have a pedicure and lunch together at one thirty.  One at a time, the three of us are whisked away to get pampered and indulged.  Half way through my first ever Hot Stone Massage, and I’m in my own Nirvana.  All my worries, stresses, and anxieties are erased and I find my mind in a state of near perfect peace.

When I am finally escorted to the pedicure chair, I have been massaged, scrubbed, and purified.  I feel like a new woman.  My hair feels soft and luxuriously silky on my bare shoulders.  Jocelyn is the last to join us at the pedicure station, also glowing from her facial and blow dry.  “So Juliette, what’s it like dating the sexiest man in the NFL?” Brianna asks.  “Does he have to fight the women off with a stick?”

“Evan is the sweetest, most romantic man I’ve ever known,” I tell them.  “I’m getting used to the attention when we go out.  Sometimes, when we get to meet other celebrities, it’s fun.  Other times, when we just want to spend some time out alone, it gets ... difficult.”

“Oh that’s right, I remember seeing you two in the news that day he took you to a Knicks game.  Did you really get to hang out with Ben Stiller and Jason Sudeikis?” Brianna asks.

“We did.  Want to see some pictures?”  I pull out my phone and I share some of the photos from that day.  Some of the pictures I took myself, and others I downloaded from the Internet.  As I’m swiping through the images, my heart stops when I find one that I didn’t realize I had.  There’s one of Evan introducing me to Averee during halftime. 

Brianna notices when all the blood drains from my face.  I pull the phone away and close the screen in a panic.  “Was that Averee?” she asks.

“Yeah, it was.  I’d rather not talk about it, though.  This is supposed to be fun and relaxing, right?”

As if on cue, a helpful attendant offers each of us a glass of champagne.  Brianna adeptly changes the subject to her wedding plans, and we all chat excitedly about her upcoming nuptials.

After our light lunch of grilled chicken salad and fresh fruit, we head out on our shopping trip.  We walk the few short blocks to Jocelyn’s favorite boutique, Indulgenza.  As we’re walking along the streets of SoHo, a motorcyclist zooms by and for a moment, I could swear he looks an awful lot like Ryker.  But it can’t be.  I wipe the uncomfortable thought from my mind.

In no time at all, we arrive at the boutique.  The two floors of vivid, metaphysically themed décor propel us into what feels like a dream world and I’m overwhelmed by an unshakeable “pinch me” effect.  Scattered throughout the store are beautiful collections of all sorts, ranging from casual and playful to stunning and chic. 

While the girls are greedily inspecting the new arrivals, I’m overtaken by the architectural beauty of the space.  The two-story stone walls are accented by beautiful wooden sculptures hidden among the artwork and murals.  I can see why this is their favorite boutique.

We each select a few dresses to try on, and Jocelyn leads us towards the dressing rooms, hidden away from sight in an authentic bank vault.  We spend what must be hours trying on shoes, checking out handbags, and experimenting with sunglasses.  A girl could easily get lost in this place, transported to an otherworldly universe of shopper’s delight.  Evan may just have to make those extra commercials after all.

Brianna is the timekeeper.  She ushers us out the door at precisely five o’clock.  She has a five-fifteen appointment at a jeweler down the street to look at wedding rings and attendant gifts.  Broadwin Jewelers is a short walk from the boutique.  We arrive at the entrance, and Brianna rings the bell.  There is a sign on the door proclaiming,
Custom Jewelry and Diamond Design by Appointment Only
.  A voice booms out, asking for a name and reason for visit.  Brianna answers and instantly the door buzzes, granting us entry.

We are greeted by a friendly man in his forties or fifties who welcomes us to his private showroom.  He whisks Brianna off to the back of the store and suggests Jocelyn and I look around.  As we do, I notice there are bouquets of flowers atop the jewelry cases lining one wall.  The first vase contains orange gerbera daisies.  “You look deep in thought,” Jocelyn mentions.

“Funny thing, you know the first gift Evan ever gave me were daisies just like these.  It brings back memories.  It feels like a lifetime ago.”  I walk to the next vase.  “Look,” I turn to Jocelyn.  “Pink tulips.  Evan gave me a single pink tulip on our first date.  He took me on a yacht cruise around the tip of Manhattan.”  The next display contains a vase of white tulips and hyacinths.  “You’re not going to believe this,” I tell her, “but Evan gave me these exact flowers after our first fight.”

“Oh, I believe it,” she answers, smiling broadly.  “I’ll be right back, I need to see what’s taking Brianna so long.”

She slips away, leaving me to follow the trail of flowers that magically follows the timeline of my relationship with Evan.  The next vase contains the same beautiful red roses Evan presented to me on our unforgettable date in New York.  A large bouquet of dahlias graces the next display.  Evan tried to give them to me the night of the benefit, but thanks to Averee, I never got to enjoy them. 

It becomes clear to me as I pass by arrangements of purple orchids (like the ones from our Atlantic City trip), pink and white heather (from our first Grand Opening), and finally, a collection of forget-me-nots, white daisies, and a purple iris (from our last fight), that this is no coincidence.  It can’t be.  At the end of my walk down memory lane is a table with two chairs placed before it.  Sitting atop that table is a vase of striking white gardenias.  Evan’s never given me gardenias before.  I step closer to examine the beautifully graceful blossoms and soft music begins to fill the room.  Jason Derulo is singing a heartfelt and melodic ballad that delivers a simple message, “Marry Me”.  As I listen to the words, I can’t contain the tears that fill my eyes and trickle down my cheek. 

Jocelyn and Brianna are nowhere to be seen.  Slowly, a door opens behind the counter, and Evan steps out, carrying a single white long-stem rose.  My legs will no longer hold me, and I sink into the chair, thankful to have a soft place to land.

Evan places the rose on the table, wipes away the tears that stain my cheek, and takes both my hands into his as he takes a seat in the chair beside me.

“Juliette, my love, do you remember the first time we met on the beach?  You were sitting helplessly in the sand, waiting for something.  You may not have known it at the time, but I like to think that you were waiting for me.  I truly believe that our meeting was not accidental.  I know, beyond all doubt and reason, that our lives were meant to be lived as one.”  I can’t answer him; I just nod as new tears begin to flow.  Evan gently wipes them away.

“I never told you this, but the very first night you spent sleeping in my bed, in my arms, was when I realized how I truly felt about you.  You were frightened, and you came to me.  Even then, you knew that together, we are stronger.  Together, we are complete.  Together, we can endure anything and survive anything.  I fell in love with you that night.”  The memories of that night slip over me like a comforting blanket.

“It was on Easter Sunday that I knew I wanted to marry you.  You had little Regan on your lap at the dinner table.  Flashes of our future life together nearly stopped my heart with visions of our own children in your arms, little brown-haired cuties with your beautiful green eyes.”  Evan rises from his chair, pushes it to the side, and gets down on one knee.

“Let's make a plan. Ten years from tonight, we'll tell our children the story of how I proposed to you.  The story of our love is only just beginning.  Let's write our own happy ending. You deserve someone who will support you without limits, let you grow without borders, and love you without end. Will you let me be the one?  Will you marry me?"

Every girl dreams and fantasizes about this moment.  The moment her Prince Charming stumbles into her life and stays forever.  To be lucky enough to catch the eye of a handsome man who can make all her dreams come true.  Evan is my knight in shining armor.  He is my own living, breathing fairy tale.  He is my happily ever after.

“Well?  Are you going to answer him or not?” Jocelyn’s voice rattles me from my thoughts.  I hadn’t realized it, but Evan is waiting for me to say something.  His eyes shine with hope and his smile melts my heart.

“Yes, Evan, of course.  I’ll marry you.”

Quicker than a flash, Evan’s up off the floor, whisking me up in his arms and twirling me around in circles.  “Do you know what you’ve done?” he asks.  “You’ve just made me the happiest man in the world.”

Brianna and Jocelyn are crying, too.  They knew the whole time.  They were a part of this from the very start.  Jocelyn has her phone out, still recording.  She taped the entire proposal.

Evan places me down on the ground.  “Now, let’s go shopping.  Anything in this showroom is yours for the asking.  Are you ready to wear my ring?”  My heart is beating so fast, I can hardly breathe.