Chapter 22

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Brooke ran to the bathroom and flipped the toilet seat up, vomiting into the toilet.

Once she was done, she splashed her face with cold water before walking back out onto the deck where James was leaning against the railing.

"I'm sorry."

James turned around and stared at Brooke before giving her a reassuring smile.

"It's fine. I guess I'll just be holding onto this for a little while longer." He replied with a chuckle before his face went back to being emotionless.

"I didn't technically say no." Brooke stated.

James turned around and glanced down at his shoes before looking up at Brooke with a smirk.

"You threw up, Brooke. I'd think that that means no."

Brooke sighed in frustration.

"And how do you know it wasn't because of the food I'd eaten earlier?" Brooke shot back before crossing her arms.

James chuckled but never responded.

"What would happen if I say yes?"

James eyes got wide as he looked at Brooke with a hopeful expression.

"So you do want to marry me?" James countered. Brooke chuckled before rolling her eyes.

"Well it's not on the top of the list of my priorities but I can make it work."

James laughed before stepping forward, taking ahold of Brooke's hand and slowly sliding the ring on the appropriate finger.

"You're lucky that I'm so madly in love with you because otherwise, I would've left after that remark

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"You're lucky that I'm so madly in love with you because otherwise, I would've left after that remark."

Brooke smiled at him but didn't say anything as James' lips were pressed against hers.

When they pulled away, both of them had a huge grin plastered on their face. Brooke leaned in and pecked James on the lips once more before wrapping her arms around him.

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When Brooke got home, her father was already in bed so she stayed quiet about the events that occurred tonight.

After getting ready for bed, Brooke couldn't help but wonder what she was going to tell her father. That's when she pulled out her phone and texted James, telling him that he needed to be at her house tomorrow evening so they could tell her father.

After what seemed like forever, Brooke finally fell asleep with the engagement ring still on her finger.

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The next morning, Brooke woke up and remembered what had happened last night. She glanced down at the ring on her finger before taking it off and setting it on her nightstand. She didn't want her father to see it and question her about it without James here.

After eating breakfast and getting dressed, Brooke figured she go spend the day with Natasha.

Natasha had also come back home for thanksgiving and they had both planned on doing lots of catching up.

Brooke got dressed in a dark denim button down shirt with white skinny jeans and nude pumps. She wore a gold watch and her engagement ring before grabbing a nude-colored crossbody bag from her closet.

Brooke curled her hair and applied minimal makeup but still enough to make her skin look flawless, adding a nude lipstick to her lips to finish the look.

When she was ready, Brooke grabbed her keys and and left the house, getting in her car and driving towards Natasha's house.

The entire way there, Brooke had to wipe her palms on her jeans because they were sweating so much. She was so nervous about Natasha's reaction.

Natasha liked James but the fact that her best friend was engaged at such a young age was a tough thing to get ahold of. Brooke herself couldn't believe that she was engaged at 18.

When Brooke pulled into Natasha's driveway, her car was the only one there.

Brooke walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell, waiting a few minutes before Natasha pulled it open, welcoming Brooke inside.

"I missed you so much! Today is going to be so much fun!" Natasha squealed as she grabbed her Brooke's hands and playfully jumped up and down like a child.

Natasha paused for a moment and glanced down at one of Brooke's hands, staring at the large engagement ring on her finger. Natasha then looked back up at Brooke with wide eyes.

"He proposed?!"

A grin formed upon Brooke's lips and she couldn't hide it, no matter how hard she tried.

Brooke nodded her head as she continued to grin wildly as he best friend examined the ring carefully.

"Damn! He did good! This thing is huge!"

Brooke laughed at Natasha's remarks before retrieving her hand.

"He proposed last night on a yacht. I was so surprised that I got sick but eventually, I said yes."

Natasha looked at Brooke with a horrified expression.

"You threw up!?"

Brooke looked at her sheepishly. It was embarrassing but she was kinda over it by now.

"Oh shut up! Just go back to admiring my ring!" Brooke snapped before both her and Natasha erupted into laughter.

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After Brooke got home, she was exhausted but she knew she had something else to do.

When she pulled into the driveway, she saw James' car and her heart rate picked up. How long had he been here? Had he said anything to her father?

Brooke quickly got out of the car and sprinted to the front door where she yanked it open, glancing around only to see her father and James sitting on the couch, a beer in their hands.

Their attention turned to Brooke who looked startled.

"Hey, what's wrong?" James asked suddenly.

Brooke shook her head.

"Nothing. Just thought about something from earlier." Brooke lied.

After a few moments of silence, Brooke finally called her father and James into the kitchen.

James sat down next to Brooke at the table and Brooke's father sat across from them, looking at them suspiciously.

"What's going on...?"

Brooke could help but smile as James grabbed her hand, his fingers intertwining with hers before he held up Brooke's hand, showing it off.

"I'm engaged...Dad." Brooke asserted in an excited voice.

Brooke's father stared at the ring, a million facial expressions appearing on his face.

"Are you joking?"

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