Chapter 11
COLE
My laptop, notepad, pen, and everything is spread out in front of me, but I can’t focus on my work. I know she’s going to say yes, but I’m still nervous.
I peek at Luna again.
She’s determined to work her last two weeks at The Old Town Diner, and so every night, after she’s supervised the employees at the shelter, she comes here to work her shift. It’s ridiculous, really. She’s about to be a Kingston and won’t have to work another day in her life, but she wants to.
She’s an hour into her shift, and as the time gets closer, the more nervous I get.
I’ve talked to Frank and Peggy about what’s going to happen, just so they won’t be surprised when all of the Kingstons show up here.
I didn’t want Frank to have a heart attack or anything when half the mafia shows up at his restaurant.
My brother Bennett and his friend Knox walk in first. They sit at the booth next to mine, so I go over and join them, sitting next to Knox. “How’s it going?”
My brother nods at me. “You ready for this?”
I nod, sneaking a look at Luna. She’s watching me, and when our eyes meet, her cheeks turn pink, reminding me of when I was inside her just a few hours ago. “Yes, I’m ready.”
I clear my throat to try and clear my mind. The last thing I want is to be sitting here with my brother and Knox with a hard-on. “What about you? How’d the thing with Audrey Sterling go?”
Knox blurts out a laugh, and I look at him.
He just shrugs, and I look at him and my brother. They’ve been best friends since we were all little. Knox is like a part of the family now. He has worked for the Kingston dynasty just as long.
Bennett shrugs. “I’m still looking into it. But don’t worry. I think you have enough on your plate right now.”
They’re lying about something, but I can’t seem to make myself care. “Fine. Lie to me, but you know I’ll figure it out eventually.”
Bennett’s jaw tightens, but he nods. “Understood.”
There’s a gasp in the restaurant, and without lifting my head, I know my father has arrived. This is the reaction any time he walks in to a place. I get to my feet and turn to greet my mom and dad. “Here, have a seat.”
I close up my laptop and pile my things on the corner of the table so they can sit down. My parents are not snobs, but I know they were surprised when I said I wanted to do this here.
As far as I can tell, these are the only people I know who mean anything to Luna, and I think she would want them to be part of it.
Luna comes over to the table. “Mr. and Mrs. Kingston, it’s so nice to see you. Can I get you anything?”
I grab her hand. “Luna.”
Her eyebrows skyrocket. She must hear the tone in my voice. “What?”
I smile even though I’m scared half out of my boots.
It isn’t every day a man asks a woman to marry him.
“Luna, I won’t pretend that this is going to be easy or simple.
My family isn’t. My life isn’t either. But if you stand with me, you will never stand alone again.
” I let out a breath. “This place matters to you. The people here matter to you. So they deserve to see me choose you.” I drop to one knee, and there is another collective gasp around us.
Even Luna puts her hands to her mouth in surprise.
I hold up the ring that my father brought me from our safe.
It’s an heirloom that has been in our family for centuries. “Marry me, Luna. Be mine.”
Her eyes are round as saucers, but she remains silent. The whole place is. And my chest tightens. What if she says no? If she does, I’ll throw her over my shoulder and carry her out of here. I’ll find a way to make her say yes.
But just when panic starts to surge, she says it. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
I stand up, and she dives into my arms. I hold her to me as everyone in the place surrounds us, offering up their congratulations.
I take Luna around the room, introducing her to Bennett and Knox.
We had cousins in from New York, all the people that work for our family, and I take her to each of them, one by one, wanting them to know that she is a Kingston now and part of the family.
As I’m walking her across the room to my mother and father, she leans in to me. “Cole, you didn’t have to do this, I already said yes, but I’m glad you did. Maybe Frank will ease up a little bit now.”
I look at her, and she shrugs. “He’s worried about me, that’s all. He’s the closest thing I’ve got to a dad.”
I shrug, making a note to talk to Frank tonight.
“Mom. Dad. Thanks for coming.”
My mom hugs me and then Luna. “Are you kidding me? You think we would miss this? Luna, I have a day of pampering scheduled for us on Thursday. We’re going to get massages, hair, nails, the works.”
Luna smiles, but I know she’s worried about shirking her responsibilities. “I’ll make sure the shelter is covered,” I tell her.
She nods in relief. “Thanks.”
My mom claps her hands together. “And we’ll go dress shopping. We have a lot to get done before the wedding. Did you pick a date?”
I wrap my hand around Luna’s. “Is Saturday okay?”
She gasps. “This Saturday?”
Before she can tell me no, I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her against me. I lean down and whisper into her ear, “Please. I don’t want to wait. I need my ring on your finger, Luna.”
I lean back to look into her eyes, and she nods. “Saturday.”
My mom gasps. “Oh my God, we need to hurry then. Luna, can we meet tomorrow for lunch?” She holds her hands up. “Now, I promise I’m not going to be some crazy mother-in-law. I’m just going to be there for you to order around and tell me what needs done.”
My father scoffs. “Right. Like you will be ordered around.”
My parents share a smile, and then Luna says, “Well, honestly, I have no idea what planning a wedding entails. We can do something small, but Eleanor, I would really appreciate your help.”
My mom hugs her. “You don’t know how excited I am to have a daughter. We’re going to be good friends, Luna, I promise.”
I’m not sure which of the women are more touched. I think this means a lot to both of them. “Okay, so I need to talk to Frank for a minute. I’ll be back.”
I walk over to Frank, who’s sitting on a stool. We knew the restaurant would be in chaos, so I hired some extra help to come in. “Hey, you okay?”
Frank nods, but I can see there’s something he wants to say. I gesture around us. “If the ten thousand to rent the restaurant for the evening wasn’t enough to cover everything, let me know.”
He rolls his eyes. “We barely make that in a weekend, Cole. It’s enough. It’s more than enough.”
I sit down on the stool next to him. “What’s bothering you then?”
He turns toward me. “All of this is nice and all, but I didn’t hear anything about love.”
I rear back, and before I can say anything, he continues, “You know, what’s a marriage without love? She deserves that, Cole.”
I nod. “I know she does, but if I tell her that, she’s going to run. She’s not ready.”
Frank gasps. “Not ready for it? Son, she’s been looking for it her whole life. She’s not only ready for it, she’s yearning for it.”
I don’t answer. Instead, I look across the room.
Luna stands between my father and mother.
From here, I can see she’s tense and guarded.
My mother hugs her first and says something I can’t hear.
Then my father, the man that barely shows emotion, hugs her.
When they release her, something has changed in Luna.
Her shoulders aren’t drawn anymore. Her hands aren’t clenched. She’s blinking hard, as if she’s trying not to cry. It’s almost like she’s steadying herself. And even from across the room, I can see it. There is hope in her eyes.
It may have taken me a minute, but I understand.
Luna meant it when she said she didn’t care about my money. She doesn’t care about a crown or status. She wants to be chosen. She wants to be loved.
My chest tightens. Frank was right. She doesn’t just want to be loved. She’s yearning for it.
I look at the man next to me. “I’ll fix this.”
He nods. “See that you do.”