Two Months Later
"I've signed a non-disclosure Jack, I can't tell you," I tell my questioning boyfriend as I hold the phone up to my ear.
"Just give me a sign that you made it to the third round. I need to know if I need to pick you up from the airport any time soon." He asks and I bite my lip to keep from grinning. "You made it, didn't you. You're going to be in L.A for at least three more days."
"Yes, I am going to need more time in L.A," I admit and I technically didn't tell him I advanced to another round of Cookie Cutter.
"Thank God, or this would have been really weird," he says and I push myself off the hotel bed to go stand in front of the small window. They have me staying in a Marriott close to the studios in Burbank and I have a lame view of Bob Hope Airport and a Panda Express. The hotel in Tucson was so much better.
"What would have been weird?" I ask and then I hear a knock at my door.
"Jack?" I ask and he quickly says, "Goose?" I dash across the small studio and yank the heavy door open. Jack is standing on the other side with a small suitcase sitting next to him. I haven't checked his location since that night at Stella's and I am glad to have not ruined the surprise by checking when he wasn't answering my calls an hour ago.
"I thought you were still in San Francisco!" I gush as I throw my arms around him, glad to have trusted him and his silence. He kisses me as he holds me and then says, "There was a permit issue, so I have a few days off." He puts me back on the ground so he can grab his carry on and I leave the door open so he can come in.
"See this is why we need all of each other's travel details. How would I have known what room was yours if you didn't tell me? I would have had to knock on every door in this hotel and that would have wasted so much time that could have been used toward epic hotel sex."
"You flew all the way down here for epic hotel sex?" I joking ask and he's already pulling my shirt over my head.
"Yes, the hour flight was totally worth getting to see you for three days. I have missed you so fucking much," he says and he starts to pull me toward the bathroom.
"The bed is that way," I mutter in between kisses but he's still pulling me in the opposite direction.
"Was just on a plane. Need to shower. You're coming with me," he demands.
"Was your dad mad you left him up there?" I ask as we land next to the basin.
"He's the one that paid for my ticket. He said he couldn't handle watching me mope any longer." I pull his cotton tee over his head and he starts kissing my neck. "Two weeks apart is too long."
"I'd have thought you'd be enjoying the space. We were inseparable until I had to fly here. You have total control of the T.V."
"It's weird to have a clean kitchen. Your piping bags aren't all over the place. Mari hasn't had much to clean." He starts the shower and I go to unbuckle his jeans. I catch his watch light up and then he looks at me.
"Do you want to check it?" He jokingly asks and I swat his arm away. "You can. It's probably my dad, making sure I still plan on being back Thursday." He then tilts his watch toward him and something flickers across his face. I don't want to ask. I don't want to check. But it was something he wasn't expecting. He then tries to play it off but he has a little pink in his cheeks. What was just on his watch?
"Was it your dad?" I tease and then he drops down to kiss me. I have been so good at trusting him through all this that I don't want to start planting a seed of doubt now. But something is up. "Or was it another ex telling you she hates you?"
"Neither," he says vaguely and then goes to slide my skirt off. The hot water is making the bathroom steam up and I don't want to ruin the moment. He just flew all the way down here to see me and I get anxious at the first flicker of emotion to cross his face. But he told me that I need to tell him when I am anxious and to not let it fester until I freak out. I reach my hand up to touch his face and ask, "What was that text, Jack?"
"Would you trust me if told you it was something you can't see? But it's not bad?" He asks, and he's definitely hiding something. My heart is thunderous but he is asking me to trust him. He hasn't given me a reason not to, so I swallow hard and then nod.
"Okay. Will you tell me what it was eventually?" I ask and he instantly nods.
"Yes. I just can't tell you right now." He pulls me into the shower and I quickly ask, "When can you tell me?"
"Soon. I promise okay?"
*********
I am so nervous. My watch almost blew the entire thing yesterday. When will it stop getting me in trouble? If I would have spun my watch around, Lucy would have seen a text confirming that her ring would be ready to be picked up today after three. Before I went to the Marriott, I stopped at a jeweler in Burbank to get the ring I found for her in San Francisco resized. I wasn't sure when we'd both be back in Phoenix with her kicking ass on this baking show, so when I found out I had a few days off, I went into proposal prep. I of course called Mr. Halloway to get his permission and he said if Lucy says yes, then he's fine with it. Mrs. Halloway suggested New York for a honeymoon and I lied to her when I said I would consider it. I will still lie to appease some people.
I then called Stella for her to get me Lucy's ring size. She gasped over the phone as I sent her a picture of the pear-shaped diamond I found for Lucy. She agreed it was a bit big for Lucy's tastes but we both thought she'd appreciate the 2.5-carat rock telling the world she was Jack Dalton's. Blake gave her 2 carats, so I felt I had to go bigger. I know she is going to eye-roll me when she finds that out and she is going to kill me when she finds out I'm having Fischer sell my jetski to help pay for it. It's been obvious since graduating that I would have limited time on the lake, so it seemed it was time to start investing in a different future.
My plan is to pick up Lucy's ring while she's filming and then propose tonight at the hotel. My parents asked if it was too soon for a proposal, having only been dating for three months, but I told her we've actually been together for three years. I knew what I needed to know about Lucy. There was no point in waiting to see if either of our feelings would change. I was her Edward. Bre was right.
I kept checking Lucy's dot to make sure she was still at the studio while I ran the errands. I grabbed candles, flowers, cheesecake, and an expensive bottle of champagne. I know Lucy wouldn't notice the label, but I felt she should down the fancy shit on the night she gets engaged.
This hotel room isn't nearly as fabulous as the one in Tucson, but I figured Lucy would want a private proposal. She would hate having a bunch of eyes on her if I were to do it in public and our first special night was in a hotel, so I figured I should have our next big moment also happen in a hotel.
I got the small room decorated the best I could and tried to shower my nerves away. I wasn't expecting me to be so nervous when I did this. My hands had a slight shake to them all day and my heart has been having palpitations since I finished setting the candles up.
I was just buttoning the last button on my nicest collar shirt when I see a text from Lucy.
Goose: The cast is going out for drinks. Want to meet me here and then we can do our own dinner?
I panic. I wasn't expecting her to make plans. I told her to meet me at the hotel and then we'd figure out dinner. I will be too nervous if I have to sit through drinks. She'll know something is up with me. I need her to come here first. I need to do this and then we can do whatever else after.
Something happened at the hotel. Can you come here first?
Goose: Oh no? Are you okay? What happened?
Just come here first so I can show you.
Goose: Okay, I'm heading out now. I can be there in ten. I'll call you when I'm out of the studio lot.
I probably have her spiraling. I didn't mean for her to panic, but I needed her to just come straight here. I flip all the candles on and if this is how anxious Lucy feels all the time, I know why she's constantly flipping out and running away. It's uncomfortable and unbearable. She calls a few minutes later.
"What happened?" She asks anxiously and I try not to give too much away.
"I kind of did something. I need you to come and see."
"Is it bad, Jack? The show is paying for the room, I don't know what they'll cover if something happened."
"I think it will be fine."
"You're being vague."
"I know. You'll see what I did."
"I'll be there in three minutes." She clicks off and I am now full-on sweating. I am about to ask the love of my life to marry me. I have only assumed she'll say yes. I will crumble if she says no. I don't know why she would? We've been perfect. Stella didn't warn me off, she encouraged me. She would have been cautious if she thought Lucy would say no.
Finally, I hear the key card at the pad and the beep has me shaking off my nervousness. Lucy stops when she sees the candles and flatly says, "Jack. We could have had sex after dinner." She takes a step into the room and freezes when she sees me standing at the end of the aisle I made out of candles and petals. Her purse and phone fall from her hands and drop onto the floor.
"This is all for sex right?" She squeaks out and I slowly shake my head. "Jack?" She asks as her hands go to her mouth and even though the lights are dim, I can tell she's on the verge of tears.
"I can tell you what was on my watch now," I confess and she takes a step toward me. "It was a text confirming that this was ready." I reach into my pocket and pull out the black velvet ring box. She gasps and then freezes when she gets next to me.
"What is in there?" She asks, her eyes as wide as saucers. I pull the lid back and then drop to one knee.
"Lucy Katherine Halloway, you are my best friend and make me the happiest I have ever been in my life. I didn't know I could be this happy, I didn't think I deserved to be this happy and I think I can make you just as happy for the rest of your life if you'll let me. I love you so fucking much and I just want you to know that you make my life better. I want to be this guy for the rest of our lives. Please, please say yes when I ask, will you marry me?" I choke out those last four words and I am so glad she doesn't leave me hanging. She immediately nods her head and my heart explodes in my chest.
"You want to marry me?" She asks.
"So fucking bad," I tell her as I pop up off the floor. She holds her shaking left hand out as she says, "Good. Because I want to marry you so fucking bad!" I slip the sparkling diamond onto her small finger and she stares at it in awe.
"It's so beautiful. I can't wait to show Stella."
"She may have already seen it," I confess and flits her eyes up to me. "I think she also already has her maid-of-honor speech ready."
"Always prepared that one," Lucy mutters as my hands fall to her waist. I pull her into me and we are both wearing grins with sparkles in our eyes.
"I love you, Jack.
"I love you, Lucy."
"I'm going to be your wife."
"I know. I can't wait."
THE END