Chapter 34 #2
Henley stands there, glaring at his sister. “I’m going to throw up.”
And as Fletcher laughs through the phone, I glance around at my three best friends, knowing that no matter what happens in this next phase of my life, I can get through it with these guys by my side.
***
“Elliot, why on earth are we going to the garage? I need a shower, and—”
“Will you just be patient for once, woman?”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “You know I hate not knowing what’s going on.”
I chuckle as I pull into the parking lot of the garage and put my truck in park. “Trust me, I’m aware. But if you don’t just take a deep breath, you’re going to ruin the surprise.”
Her face softens. “What surprise?”
“Come on.” I exit the truck and round the hood to open Dilynne’s door for her and help her down.
That’s something else I’ve had to fight with her about for the past three months of our relationship, but she’s finally relented to my request to be chivalrous, and I enjoy every moment of making her feel cared for in the best way I know how.
With her hand in mine, we head for the main door to the reception area where I find it unlocked.
“Okay, what’s going on? I know I locked the garage before I left.”
“Don’t worry. Steven left it unlocked for us.”
“What? He knows better.”
“He just left, Dil,” I say as I lead her through the dark reception area, behind the counter, and then to the door that leads into the garage. “I promise, everything is safe and exactly as it should be. Well…almost.”
“Elliot, what are you up to…” But her words fall off as I open up the door to the garage and she takes in the sight before her.
Fuck. Steven did good.Red rose petals are scattered on the floor creating a walkway over to the rusted car that I bought to enhance the proposal.
“Is that a 1962 Chevy Corvette?” she asks, completely ignoring the electric tea light candles that are covering every surface in the garage as well.
“It is.”
“And what is it doing here?”
“Well, it’s part of my offer to you in exchange for marrying me.”
Dilynne twists toward me so fast, she nearly falls over. I reach out and brace her before she falls. “I’m sorry. What?”
With our hands intertwined, I lead her further into the garage, down the aisle of rose petals, and right in front of the Corvette before bending down on a knee.
“Dilynne Marie Clark,” I start, watching her grow emotional as she stares down at me.
“You were the best fake fiancée a guy could have asked for, but I’m ready to make you a real one. ”
“I cannot believe you’re doing this.”
“Believe it, sweetheart. This is real.” I pull the ring box from my pocket and open it up to reveal a black diamond on a white gold band. She gasps when she sees it. “I know you can’t wear this at work, but I wanted to give you a ring that sparkles and catches the light the same way you do.”
Her bottom lip trembles. “And you bought me a car to fix up?”
I laugh. “You would focus on that, wouldn’t you?”
“It’s not just any car, Elliot. It’s a pretty spectacular one.”
“I know. One of your dream restorations.” I smile up at her. “I was listening, baby.”
She wipes one of her tears away. “You know, for a guy who never wanted to fall in love again, you sure know how to channel your inner book boyfriend.”
“My what?”
“This?” she says, gesturing to the garage. “This is something only a fictional man would come up with.”
“Nothing about this is fictional, Dilynne. This is as real as it fucking gets. I’m so fucking in love with you that it feels like my heart might burst out of my chest.”
“I know what you mean,” she whispers, caressing my cheek.
“So don’t you think it’s about time we make this official?”
She nods as tears fill her eyes. “It’s kind of fast, though.”
“Are you forgetting that we were already engaged?” She laughs as another tear slips down her cheek.
“Marry me for real, Dilynne. Be my rock, my person, the one that I want to start and end all of my days with. Let me be a piece of your world because for the past year and a half, you’ve been the biggest part of mine, and I don’t want to go back to how it was before. ”
“Can we still fight?”
“And have hot makeup sex? You bet.”
She smiles as she bites her bottom lip. “You promise not to complain about me smelling like oil and grease?”
“Honestly, it’s kind of grown on me.”
“And you’ll—”
I cut her off, standing from the ground and crashing my mouth to hers, opening up to her tongue until I slowly pull away from her. “I’ll give you everything you want. Just—”
“Yes, Elliot,” she whispers against my lips. “I guess I’ll marry you for real.”
“You guess, huh?”
“I mean, we got really good at playing pretend, so…”
I cup the side of her face, studying her dark eyes. “I don’t think this ever was pretend for me, baby. You changed my fucking life.”
“I love you,” she mumbles against my mouth before kissing me again. “I love you more than I ever thought possible.”
“Fuck, I love you too.” Dilynne wraps her arms around me, keeping her mouth tangled with mine until we finally part and I slip the ring on her finger. “I hope you like this.”
“Are you kidding? It’s black like my soul and the color of grease. It’s perfect!”
“Your soul isn’t black, Dilynne.”
“I’m just joking.”
“Well, don’t joke about something like that. Your soul woke mine up and I wouldn’t be the man I am today if it weren’t for you.”
***
Two Months Later
“Okay, no more snacks. It’s time to play some blackjack,” Laney says as she wipes her hands on her leggings and rubs her belly.
“You heard the woman. Deal,” Fletcher tells me as he rests his arm on the back of Laney’s chair.
Henley leans closer to Elodie. “Okay, do you remember what we talked about? What the rules are?”
Elodie glares at him. “For the hundredth time, yes, Henley. Now leave me alone so I can kick your ass and make you regret ever doubting that I should play blackjack with you in the first place.”
Laney claps her hands together. “Spoken like a true wife.”
Elodie wiggles her fingers on her left hand, letting the light hit her engagement ring. “In a few more months, that will be true.”
Henley plants a kiss on her cheek. “The only person I could stand losing to for the rest of my life is you, sweetheart.”
She smiles over at him. “Aw, that’s nice that you’re trying to suck up to me, baby. But I’m out for blood,” she says, turning her focus back to the table before rubbing her palms together.
Dilynne nods. “Hell yes. We’re going to make you boys regret not letting us play with you.”
Rhonan raises a brow at her. “I think based on the animosity I’m sensing, we might already be regretting the agreement to this anyway.”
Vienna glares at Rhonan, rubbing her pregnant belly as well. “Look, life is changing and it’s about time you boys change with it. You’re all married now or soon to be,” she says, glancing over at me and Dilynne because we’re getting married in just a few short days.
It’s the week of Thanksgiving and since Fletcher didn’t have to play on the holiday this year, we decided to take advantage of him being home and get married so all of our friends could be there.
“So your traditions that started before us need to be readjusted to make room for the women that have decided to put up with your asses for the rest of your lives,” Vienna continues.
Laney high fives her across the table. “I couldn’t have said it better myself. Plus, there’s about to be two new babies added to the mix, so the Blackjack Brotherhood is growing, boys. Embrace it.”
I glance around at my friends, finding each one of them with a smirk on their lips because the girls are right. Our family—the one that we’ve chosen for ourselves—has grown so much in the past year that none of us could have predicted this is where we’d end up.
But even through the obstacles, losses and lessons, one thing has remained true: the ability to actually trust someone, to believe they want prosperity for you just as much as themselves, and that jealousy won’t rear its ugly head and motivate people to do insane things—that’s the type of friendship that few people are ever lucky enough to find.
But I found it with my boys a.k.a. The Blackjack Brotherhood.
And I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that never changes.
THE END