Chapter 11 Sterling #3
“Lead the way, baby.” I closed my eyes and held out my hand for him to take.
Even with the extra height of my shoes, I was still far shorter than Aldrich so he wrapped my hand around his arm to give me stronger support.
We walked for what seemed like a long time but I was sure that was just because of my own impatience before he stopped.
I waited with my eyes closed in anticipation of his telling me the coast was clear.
“Oh, shit. Open your eyes, baby. I didn’t realize you were waiting for me.”
I rolled my eyes before opening them but my mouth dropped open as I took in the scene around me.
This place was beautiful. We were standing at the walkway of Crape Myrtle Alley, one venue that Aphrodite had looked at as a wedding venue for her nuptials to Anthony.
I was playing de facto wedding planner because she was back in training for her next Grand Slam.
I’d told Aldrich how beautiful the location was going to be for them especially for the date they’d selected, if this is where they potentially ended up settling.
The bare branches of the crape myrtle trees made an alleyway, and there were lights hanging to illuminate the branches and the area beneath them.
A carpet of faux grass was on the ground as a runner but each side of the aisle had been adorned with a massive number of red rose bouquets.
A string quartet was playing softy off to one side of the path and at the end of the walkway there was a gigantic wall of red roses.
It was one of the most romantic and beautiful setups I’d ever seen in my life.
“Aldrich…this is a crazy date night.”
I’d never underestimated the lengths he would go through to make a moment special, but this was over the top even for him.
This was one of the first dates we’d been able to have where he had no pressure of the season on him.
The first was when we were in L.A. but he hadn’t done something this grand.
I couldn’t say that the quiet nights at home and moments spent knowing each other without the eyes of the public didn’t help solidify who we were as a couple.
Our ability to learn one another and how we would handle internal and external strife were cemented.
Even the day-to-day parenting of Ami showed us how to communicate with one another from a place of love, which was important to us both.
I’d wanted to ensure that my toxicity from how I was raised didn’t permeate any of our interactions.
He worked diligently to ensure the distrust that he’d felt after his assault didn’t seep into how he handled me.
“You don’t think you’re worth this much effort?
” He was smiling, a grin I’d seen a lot in the last few weeks and it almost brought tears to my eyes.
I could feel the joy he was experiencing.
The high he was on from his name being bantered about for something positive as opposed to last year’s negativity was palpable.
I smirked, the confidence I’d gained since being loved properly and feeling like a baddie meant I wasn’t going to deny I was worthy of this. “I definitely am. But you’re going to spoil me, baby. Shopping earlier, this beautiful dress and now this dinner?”
He pulled me closer to him, his hands running over my hips before squeezing my ass.
“I keep telling you there ain’t a limit to what I’ll do for you.
You said yourself that when you get all dressed up it gives you anxiety.
The idea of getting all dolled up is ruined because you’re stressing about being on.
So I wanted you to put that shit on without having to worry about other people.
It’s me and you and these good folks who are playing DJ for us.
We’re going to walk this carpet together, I’m going to admire your fine ass and be thankful for the trials that brought you into my life.
Being able to see the sunshine in you and in Ami was worth the storm.
So come on, walk like you know your man is watching, Ling. ”
The way Aldrich bit his lip had me wanting to bust it wide open right now but I could tell he wanted me to do exactly what he asked so I did just that.
Turning on my heel I started to walk beneath the lantern-lit path admiring the floral arrangements that lined the walkway.
At the end of the path was a large wall of red roses with even more lanterns around the base.
I put a sway in my hips feeling more emboldened knowing his eyes were focused on my ass as I could hear his footsteps behind me.
I nodded to the people who were there playing for us and they smiled back but went back to playing as though they wanted to fade into the background.
I was grateful for the fur that matched my dress because the night was crisp and breezy but it felt so perfect for today.
“Pose in front of that wall of roses for me, Ling.” He called out his request from closer to me than I expected and I turned to see him with his hand out to take my handbag.
It was a ridiculous confection in the shape of a sequined red rose bloom but I absolutely loved it when I saw it in Freeman’s years ago.
It was perfect for tonight. I handed it over to him along with my fur and accepted the chill as he placed them on a little table I hadn’t seen that was carefully hidden by floral arrangements.
“I should’ve known you were going to have someone out here taking pictures.”
He winked back at me and pulled me close to him to ensure I didn’t get too cool and kissed my forehead. “Gotta give you the star treatment, Sterling. It wouldn’t be right any other way.”
“This is absolutely perfect, baby.” We swayed softly to the music for a minute and I just soaked in the moment of how this man so intentionally loved me.
He saw me, all sides and was as thankful for me as I was for him.
So few people had that, I never thought I would and yet here I was living an answered prayer.
“I wanted to ask you about something.” He kept swaying but was whispering into the side of my face as he did.
“About what?” I had my head rested on him thankful that I’d worn the makeup that was smudge-proof because I didn’t want to ruin his tux.
“It might seem controversial but I think you’d be down for it.”
I leaned back and frowned at the oddly worded statement he’d made. He was back to acting funny like he had at home and now my mind was wandering. “You’re not about to ask me for a threesome or something wild like that are you?”
Aldrich’s dimple popped out again his eyes soft as he stared down at me. “All I see is you, Ling, you know that.”
“Then what’s up, baby?”
“I just wondered if you were serious about making a clean break from your past.”
I giggled because he knew I hadn’t had anything to do with my birth family in a minute.
“I don’t talk to them people and I doubt they’ll want to talk to me after I left Denise in jail and she ended up on Athlete Dirt.”
My cousin being arrested of course made the gossip pages especially with the way she was throwing my name around trying to get herself out of trouble.
Like a fool, she’d been bragging to one of the girls locked up with her that she would be getting out soon.
She’d bragged that Parker Phillips of all people was going to help her out of this.
That she was still under the delusion that man would forsake his fiancée for her was proof of her delusion.
It, of course, didn’t happen and the family had to call in a lot of favors to get her out of jail.
My mother had been pissed at me not doing everything I could to help her out and that was when I got fed up with her antics and blocked her.
At the beginning of the year, I changed my number and I finally felt free to just live and be happy.
“That’s cool. You don’t need them when you’ve got your friends, the foundation and a daughter who adores you.” He planted a kiss on my forehead and my heart warmed at his mentioning Ami.
“And your family.”
He grinned and nodded because the twins couldn’t stop telling him that he’d chosen well with me. For someone who was rarely viewed as a prize, it felt overwhelming to be seen as one from so many people.
As Grams would say, Jesus was really on the main line that day.
“My family of course. The twins keep talking about the stuff you got them for Christmas.”
“We got them. The Dineros know they have stolen my heart. Everyone of you means the world to me. I have favorites of course.”
He rolled his eyes at me as we continued to sway to the music and I could hear the song composition start to shift. “I already know you’re going to say Ami.”
I played with the lapels of his tux because he knew me well. “Yeah, but Daddy Dinero ain’t too shabby. Especially when he creates moments like this that make me feel on top of the world.”
Aldrich’s face shifted as his brows rose contemplatively. “How would you like to become Mama Dinero for real?”
I giggled because he was acting like he’d forgotten that the paperwork had been completed before the end of last year. “What? I’ve already signed—”
I’d been confused but I immediately shut up when he dropped to one knee. When he pulled out a ring box my heart started to race.