Chapter Anthony #3
I leaned down and picked up what she was looking at and it was the mix of rose petals I’d ordered to be scattered on the walkway.
When I’d talked to Rye and Billy, the two women who were big sisters to us and also to Sterling who was AP’s bestie, they told me to do something that was what I wanted her to have.
I’d been so focused on everything being perfect and dramatic that I was driving myself crazy.
Rye had to check me to remain focused on work and not let up.
She’d had to remind me that everything I wanted to accomplish was going to be fueled by the performance I had on the field.
That got my mind right quick as fuck and I started deciding on how to get this orchestrated because I be damned if I played like shit and that keeps me from hitting a financial goal to help secure our future.
“Rose petals? What the hell is that about?” Aphrodite glanced around as though somebody was going to hop out of the bushes and I didn’t bank on her being scared to be out here.
“I got my stick so don’t worry about somebody being out here. Let’s go cut these lights off and get moving, AP. You looking scared and I’on’t like it.”
She looked nervous, her worried eyes darting around the property and again I felt guilty for putting her through this.
But it was necessary. At least I hoped that’s how she was going to feel at the end of the night.
Aphrodite slid her hand into my mine and I could feel that her palm was as damp as mine just for different reasons.
Together, we walked the rest of the way to the courts and I could see her watching as the trail of rose petals stopped when we got to the gated entrance of the courts.
AP didn’t want the courts to be an eyesore on the back of the house so she had a decorative lattice-type fence and tall wooden double doors built around it.
It gave it a nice cottage-type look and we’d planted some vines and flowers that would grow up the sides to make it look better.
Fucking with landscaping and planting trees were never something I saw myself doing, but Aphrodite loved being hands-on with the house and I was gone do whatever kept a smile on her face.
We’d designed the courts so the light switch was right outside the doors, but I needed a reason for her to open them up. Thinking quickly on my feet, I gave her hand a squeeze and reached for the handle.
“Let me make sure everything is cool, AP, before we go.”
She pulled back on my arm like she didn’t want me to go inside and I hated that she was afraid. “Baby, are you sure? We can sleep at ‘Twan’s tonight and then come back when it’s light out.”
“AP, I’m positive. I forgot to give you the logins but there wasn’t anything on the cameras that would show someone was out here.
I’m just doin’ it to double-check.” I kissed the side of her face before I opened the tall wooden door and stepped in just ahead of her.
The place looked perfect so I stepped in further so she could walk in behind me.
She snuggled closer to my back and I felt her hand at my side.
“Can we hurry—” I pulled her from behind me and she shrieked at how abruptly I’d moved her. “Ant!”
I knew she wanted to cuss me out but she opened her eyes and finally saw the court. Her hands flew to her mouth and she let out a sound that was part gasp and part cry. I took in the scene the same way she did and I watched her shoulder shake slightly.
“C’mon, Phro, you gotta say something.” My chest was feeling tight watching her reaction but it was a good constriction. Her silence was fucking with me, though.
She shook her head and the way she’d had her locs wrapped up on the top of her head didn’t stop a few of them from escaping, that’s how hard she was shaking.
“What is all this?”
Her eyes were filled with tears, and my baby looked completely stunned. I glanced around the court and saw they’d set up everything exactly as I wanted.
The tennis court had a replica of the shell that Aphrodite had sat in at the first photoshoot where we’d met.
It was bigger than a traditional ring box and they’d positioned it on a small column I’d rented from the florist. Something they called sprays of roses were draped around it and lights had been woven through the net.
It wasn’t super elaborate because ‘Phro had simple tastes.
I always battled with worry that her tastes were only simple because no one had been there to give her elaborate before, but for this I kept it small.
Tasteful is what Billy called it and I had to admit that it looked damn good.
The overhead lights were reflecting off the pearlescent shine on the ring box almost beckoning us closer.
I took one of her hands that was by her face and pulled her toward the net. I couldn’t answer her question without her looking at the shell first because I needed her to understand exactly what was going on.
By the time we got closer to the net, she was crying again and as much as I wanted her to stop; I understood what she was feeling. Her tears were driving mine and now my nerves weren’t kicking in but my love for her was.
I reached over with a shaky hand and picked up the custom shell that held a symbol of the love that I had for this woman.
I’d been nervous as fuck to have it sitting out here for any length of time so Jacoby’s brother had sent one of his guys to patrol the area until I gave him the heads up that we were close by.
We’d actually passed him on the road as we pulled into the driveway.
I looked down at the box and exhaled before I went down on one knee. I didn’t want any oversized letters doing the work for me; I wanted to ask my girl the most important question of my life in my own words.
Aphrodite started to cry harder and I felt tears in my eyes looking at how emotional she was becoming.
“‘Phro, the moment I locked eyes on you I felt something in my soul settle. Not settle like I wasn’t going to have someone match the love I was going to give them, but settle in the way of my spirit no longer carrying the type of weight it had for years. And all of that was before I even said a word to you. You intrigued me, not because of your fame but because of the person I could see you were. After we spent that first night together I was completely hooked. Not just from the taste of you but I was addicted to every facet of who and what made you Aphrodite. You are so appropriately named because you are a goddess in my eyes and you are the embodiment of love and beauty to me. These past eleven months have been the best of my entire life and I am so grateful that you chose me to be in that shoot with you. We started with me saying yes, now I’m hoping you’ll say the same so that we can begin this next chapter of our lives together.
Aphrodite, will you become AP in every sense of the word and be my wife? ”
I opened the box then and prayed I’d made the right decision with it. As tough as she was on the court, Aphrodite was soft and loved love and romance. From the biggest of gestures to the smallest, each one brought her an equal amount of joy.
“Anthony, are you serious?” Her mouth was open as she looked at the ring and I hoped it was the good shocked and not disappointment.
“I’m very serious. I nicknamed you AP because I had every intention of changing your last name.
There’s no time like the present and it ain’t even like you can stand that nigga whose last name you wearing right now.
I knew then and I’m even more sure now, I love you and I want the two of us to be one. ”
She giggled at my joke as I took the ring out of its custom box and sat the box on the ground.
I held her hand not wanting to presume anything because she had yet to give me the go ahead.
My desire was for her to give me her yes with no pressure from me.
It was why I didn’t do this at ‘Twan’s or at the stadium but at home where we both felt safe.
We’d made this place our haven from the prying eyes of the public, neither of us wanting the spotlight especially not on a moment like this.
“I can’t believe you’re asking me to marry you.
” Aphrodite looked stunned at the thought and I wondered if she needed to sit on Doc’s couch with me.
Money and his girl did therapy together and the abject shock on AP’s face had me thinking she needed someone else besides me to remind her that she was worthy to be loved.
“Where you been the last year, ‘Phro? You ain’t seen that I would go to war against anybody, including myself, for you. But you gotta tell me if your answer is no or not yet. Whatever your answer I’m never going to stop loving you even if it means I lose you.
Whatever I’m not providing you I pray you meet someone that loves you the way you deserve.
And I’d be right there to shoot that nigga in the head if he ever thought about hurtin’ you.
” I meant every word I was saying but I prayed I wouldn’t lose my girl.
She was laughing but if she only knew how dead-ass I was. “That isn’t necessary, Ant.”
“It is for you. But you gotta tell me somethin’, ‘Phro. Am I packing up my pride or are we celebratin’? You gone marry me, baybeeh?” I held her hands as I looked up into her eyes. My breath was trapped in my lungs as I waited for her to respond.
“Yes.”
She was nodding and now it was my ass to act remedial. “For real?!”
“YES! Where you been the last year, Anthony? Of course I’m gonna marry you. I’m gonna marry you.” She spoke the last line like she was so utterly shocked at the realization of our situation settling in.