*This bonus chapter takes place before the Epilogue!*
Nathan's POV:
Darian sat across from me, his expression was expectant. "Okay, what do you have to tell me?"
I leaned back in the booth, observing Ed at the bar, who was gesturing at me to tell Darian my big news. I sighed and looked at my brother. "I'm going to propose to Audrey."
"Wait, what?" Darian nearly yelled, slamming his hands on the table. "You, Mr. Love and Marriage is a sham, is going to propose to my best friend?"
I chuckled as I nodded my head. "What can I say, man? She's the one for me."
Darian nodded his head. "Well, obviously I approve of your choice in bride, but how are you going to do it? When are you going to do it?"
I waved my brother off, knowing where this was going. "Chill out, little brother, I'm proposing after your wedding. I was thinking of doing it where Audrey and I had our first kiss."
Darian scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "You're going to propose at Justin's old house?"
"No, you idiot," I respond rolling my eyes. "I mean the first place we kissed that she actually remembers. Outside of Ed's."
Darian nodded his head but I could tell his thoughts were going a mile per minute. "What does the ring look like?"
I hitched a breath and winced. "I actually don't have one yet."
My brother let out a sigh. "And I'm assuming you need help getting one?"
I nodded my head. "I love Audrey and I can name every single book she's read since we've started dating and all of her favourite things, but she never really wears jewelry so I don't know what type of ring she would want."
"Alright, I'll help but only on one condition," Darian said, leaning forward. When I gave him a look that said, well tell me, he continued. "Let Justin and me help you with the proposal. Both you and Audrey deserve the best and I think you guys should have the most epic proposal. Something that will leave her speechless."
I rolled my eyes and Darian's theatrics but I nodded my head in agreement nevertheless. "Fine."
▪▪▪
A few days later, Darian, Justin, and me all stood in a jewelry store, inspecting each and every engagement ring that the place had to offer.
Peering down at the engagement rings, I turned to my brother and his fiance in disbelief. "You want me to propose at your wedding? Are you guys nuts?"
"Well, it's the perfect setting," Darian responded like it was the most obvious thing ever.
One of the rings caught my eye but I ignored it for the time being, looking at Justin. "And you're okay with this?"
Justin broke out into a grin. "Why wouldn't I be? If it hadn't been for you, Dare and I would have never met. Besides, if you propose at the wedding all of your friends and family will be there. Wouldn't you want to share that moment with everyone your close with?"
I shot him a skeptical look. "Isn't that the whole point of a wedding? You know, to share that moment with everyone?"
Justin shot Darian a look of defeat and my brother stepped closer to me. "Come on, Nathan, it would be perfect. Also, if you propose in front of a huge audience then it will encourage Audrey not to say no."
Justin's eyes widened and he gave my brother a small smack in the chest. "Babe!"
Darian shrugged. "I'm just making a point."
"Yeah, whatever, fine." I waved my brother off. I called over the woman behind the counter and pointed to the ring in front of me. "Can I see this one please?"
The woman nodded her head and began to pull the ring from the display. Turning back to my brother, I sighed. "I'll do it at your wedding just to get you to shut up about it."
Darian and Justin broke out into goofy grins and the woman behind the counter coughed awkwardly. "Um, sir?"
I turned back around and looked at the ring. The guys peered over my shoulder to inspect it with me. Justin let out a whistle and Darian said, "Looks like you didn't need my help after all. It's perfect."
▪▪▪
Getting home from the stressful events of ring shopping, I was happy to be greeted by Luke and Leia, wagging their tails in excitement. Audrey poked her head out of the kitchen, her honey blonde hair tied up in a messy bun. When she saw me, she smiled. "Hey, babe, how was your day tux shopping with Darian? Was he a basket case?"
I chuckled as I patted our dogs on the head and walked towards my soon to be fiance. "He was decent. What are you up to?"
Audrey led me into the kitchen and showed me the plethora of food on the kitchen counters, meanwhile the flatscreen that hung on one of the kitchen walls was showing a similar montage of food. "I was bored and started making recipes that I saw on the Food Network."
I picked up a pastry that was on one of the plates and moaned. "This tastes amazing, princess. Are you sure you want to be a writer and not a chef?"
Audrey grinned, her green eyes dazzling. "That's the power of spinach puffs. And yes, I'm positive. Speaking of which, I have a meeting with my editor on Tuesday."
Grabbing the whole plate of spinach puffs, I sat on the empty counter closest to the fridge. "Oh, so you and her have finally called a truce?"
"Mhm," she replied, kissing my nose. "I have come to the realization that she is not out to get me, she's simply ensuring that when the book hits the shelves, it'll be the best it possibly can."
"Good," I say, plopping another spinach puff in my mouth.
Audrey started stirring something on the stove and her eyebrows were furrowed in concentration. Part of me wanted to say screw it. Screw waiting until after the wedding. Screw proposing at the wedding. I just wanted to do it here and now. Audrey must have seen me staring at her from her peripheral vision because she looked up and stared at me quizzically. "What are you looking at, weirdo?"
"Something beautiful," I reply with a cheeky grin, earning a blush from Audrey.
She shook her head and then cupped my face, placing a kiss on my lips. "I love you."
I put the spinach puff plate down beside me and pulled her close to me by the loops of her jeans. She put her hands on my chest and I caressed her face with my left hand, as my right was still attached to her jeans. "And I love you."
We kissed once more and Audrey pulled back with a shy look on her face. "Before I forget, I may have broken the TV in our room."
I arched a brow. "Define may have."
Audrey bit her lip. "Meaning I may have been dancing with Luke and Leia and we knocked over the TV while doing it."
I shook my head as I chuckled. "You truly are special, princess."
"Yeah, but you love me," she mused with a grin.
"Of course I do," I said, kissing her forehead. "I couldn't imagine spending my life with anyone else, even if you did break the new TV and made me a bunch of food to make up for it."
"So you caught on?" Audrey whined but then smiled and suddenly flicked my nose. "Well, anyway, I couldn't imagine spending my life with anyone else, either."
When she said those words, I wanted to let out a sigh of relief. Even though what Darian had said earlier today was meant to be a joke, it still echoed in my head. What if she said no? But seeing her now, hearing her say what she just said, gave me all the confidence in the world that she wouldn't say no. That everything was going to be okay.
A/N: Hey guys! It's been a hot minute since I've uploaded a bonus chapter (I'm particularly proud of this one) but nevertheless, here it is!
Just an update on the revised version of TAOTBH, it is nearly completed, which I am extremely happy about, but be warned -- there is quite a lot of changes, but it is still relatively the Sam's story!
Again, I'd also like to say that BOTH TAOTBH and the New Normal have been entered in the Wattys this year so please be sure to read/vote if you haven't. Every vote counts!
Lastly, in my previous bonus chapter, I mentioned I was working on a fantasy novel and I've decided to start publishing chapters TODAY so be sure to check it out! I don't have an update schedule done for it yet but the first three chapters are ready to go! The title is called The Last of The Fairies and this is the cover courtesy of Canva:
Thank you guys for all of your support and love, it is much appreciated and I'm glad to be able to share my work with each and every one of you!
-Nicole ♡