Surrounded (Unsettled Series Book 2) (26 page)

“Even if I only had days or seconds left, just know that I spent every moment loving you. And only you.” 

“And I you, Logan.” She reached from my hand and brought it to her lips. “And I have some news that should cheer you up.”

“Hmm…” I said, trying to lighten the mood. “You’re going to give me a get well soon lap dance?”

“No!” Brooklyn cried out indignantly. She automatically lifte
d her hand to swat at me, but at the last minute remembered I was still in traction, recovering from a bevy of injuries.

I grinned at her.

“Ugh!” she dropped her hand, smiling back. “You kill me.”

“I know. But you love it.”

“I do,” she agreed. “And I think
you’ll
love
this
.” She held my gaze. “Scott is awake.”

“What!” I exclaimed, pain thundering through my ribs at the outburst.

“Yes. He woke up a short while ago. I came to tell you immediately.”

I breathed a prayer of thanks. “I’m so glad. I can’t imagine my life without him.

“Well, babe. You don’t have to. Scott and I are both planning on sticking around for a long, long time.”

It sounded perfect to me.

Brooklyn

I lifted my head off the pillow and looked around. Logan was nowhere in sight. I was being swallowed by his huge down comforter and king sized bed. It didn’t take me long to figure out that
he was making breakfast. This was news. It was rare that he cooked for me. I slid out of bed and pulled a pair of shorts and tank top out of the pile of clothes that I kept inside his closet.

I made my way downstairs and walked into the kitchen. Logan was wearing basketball shorts and a tee shirt. Seeing him in casual clothes never got old.

It had been almost ten months since Logan’s car accident, and things were finally starting to fall into place. He was done with physical therapy, and was now just trying to work through the guilt he felt about the accident. He and his dad were getting along a lot better. They now had weekly ‘guy bonding’ as Logan liked to call it.

“Hey, babe” he said, as I plopped down onto one of the bar stools.

“Hi. Cooking breakfast?” I asked, stating the obvious.

“Yeah, busy day. I thought we could head out to Mezick pond later this afternoon. It’s supposed to be in the eighties today. It would be nice to go out to our spot since
the weather is going to be so nice.”

“That sounds good
.” I smiled. Logan never ceased to amaze me with his thoughtfulness.

Things were really starting to look up for me. My photo business was picking up, and I was now even venturing into doing private photo shoots and sessions. Alex kept referring
people from her law firm to me every time they had a baby shower or party. Although my initial interest had been in landscape photography, I was learning I really loved private events. At some point, I might even try my hand at shooting weddings.

Given how busy things were becoming, a trip out to Mezick pond for some quality time together sounded perfect.

A couple hours later, Logan parked the SUV in the very same spot as the first time we came to Mezick Ponds. Just like the last time, and every time we’ve been back since then, I was captivated by the beauty of my surroundings.

“I love coming out here,” I murmured, yanking on my door handle and jumping down from the car.

“Me too,” he whispered.

After we laid out the blanket, I began to unpack the picnic basket Logan had prepared.

“What’s this?” I asked, pulling a narrow box out of the basket. It looked identical to the one I kept my charm bracelet inside. My fingers eagerly pulled apart the box. I was stumped when my birthd
ay bracelet stared back at me. It looked exactly the same at first, but then I noticed on one of the loops there was a key attached as a charm

“You got me another charm, Babe? Thanks.” I leaned in to give him a swift kiss.

“I knew that’s what you’d think…but no….I didn’t.” He pulled back and forced me to look him in the eye.

“I don’t want to just give you a drawer at my place…and I don’t want to just have one at your place either. I want to give you all of me and everything surrounding it. I’ve never known a more stubborn, maddening, funny, loving person in my life, and I am so glad I found you. I don’t need a list of ways to survive you anymore, because the only thing I want to do is be surrounded by you. By your touch. Your embrace. Your love. I know you’re with me for me, and that makes all the difference. I love you Brooklyn Anne Caldwell. You make all my minutes and seconds amount to everything. And I would be completely and utterly humbled if you’d do me the honor of being my wife
.” He said, choking on his words.

Logan stood from the blanket and reached into his pocket, withdrawing a black leather box.
Oh god, oh god, oh god!!
My subconscious was rambling a mile a minute as I tried to stay in the moment.

Logan
knelt down in front of me again and opened the box. Inside was the most beautiful triple strand engagement ring that I’d ever seen. The center stone sparkled in the afternoon light and I could feel my tears streaming down my face. This was real and so was he. Logan was my everything. For so long I’d wallowed in my past hurts and whether or not I’d ever find someone to love me with all my flaws…and here he was…my man, my Logan, perched in front of me with the proof in his hand. He loved me. 

I finally managed to get enough oxygen into my lungs to say the five simple words that I needed to get out.

“I will always say yes,” I said, choking on my tears. “There is nothing better to me than the idea of being surrounded by you for the rest of my life.”

--THE END--

Brooklyn

After pre breakfas
t sex and then actually eating, we finally left our place and headed to DC.

Luckily it was still early so there wasn’t much traffic heading into the city. Sometimes Saturday morning traffic was enough to make me turn around altogether.

Logan proposed in April…and here we were in the third week of December, and I still hadn’t solidified all the plans for our wedding. Honestly, wedding planning was way too much work. At one point I broached the topic of a small tropical affair, but Logan said he doubted his mom, or mine for that matter, would go along with my plan. I knew he was right, but that didn’t stop me from dragging my feet. I wanted to be Logan’s wife more than anything…but dealing with flowers and catering was too overwhelming.  

“Do you think Alex is going to be surprised?” Logan asked, veering the Range Rover onto the freeway.

“I don’t know. She suspected something was up a while ago, but since it took him so long, she hasn’t brought it up again.” Logan turned off the freeway and headed towards my old house. Alex and Jay decided to stay in the house we all rented together after I moved out. It actually seemed to work out. Alex didn’t waste any time turning my old room into a new home office. I assumed at some point they’d start looking for a house to purchase very soon. If I had anything to do with it, I’d have them move right next door to me and Logan.

Logan nodded. “I suppose Alex is a hard one to surprise. She seems to have a sixth sense about these things.”

“True. One thing is for sure though—she won’t care how Jay proposes. Once she sees her ring. She’s going to flip,” I said, turning to him quickly and smiling, while stopped at the light. Giddiness bloomed in my stomach. This was such a big day for the both of them.

Logan playfully scoffed at my comment and grinned.

“Oh…my…gosh!! I can’t wait to see her face.” He mocked in his best girly voice.

“Zip it!” I laughed.

He shook his head, “Girls.”

I curled into Logan’s side on the couch in the living room. At any moment, Alex was going to faint when she found the massive engagement ring that was hidden inside the blue velvet bag tied to the Keurig machine.

“Hey you guys.
What are you doing?” Alex said, walking into the living room.

“We were in the neighborhood. I figured I’d stop by and pick up the last of my stuff.” I flipped through the channels on the TV like it was any other morning, trying to keep my excitement out of my voice. “We’re waiting for Kraemers to open so I can pick up a couple things to organize my new photo room.”

“That’s cool. Maybe we can all meet up for dinner later if you’re still in town?”

“Sounds good to me.”

“What kind of coffee do you want, babe?” Alex asked, turning to face Jay, who was standing behind her in the hallway. 

“Doesn’t matter.” He said coolly. Me and Logan watched this little exchange play out from the couch and I inched closer as she walked over to her beloved coffee machine and then stopped.

“What’s this?” she asked, carefully touching the bag that was dangling from the machine. Jay sauntered over to where Alex was standing. Alex looked at Jay skeptically and then back at the bag.

“I don’t know. Open it,” he said casually, as if what was inside was just a gift card or something. Alex placed the K-cups on the counter and untied the bag from the machine. I got up and stood next to the counter as quietly as possible to take in every moment of my best friend most special moment. In a matter of seconds, she was going to become the soon to be Mrs. Jay Carter and I felt nothing but happiness for her. Alex had always
been such a great friend to me and she deserved to be happy with whom I could only call her one great love. She and Jay were meant for each other.

I watched as her fingers undid the knot on the bag and opened it slowly. The moment her eyes discovered what was inside she whipped her head up to look at Jay, who was already down on his knee behind her.

“Is this…what I think it is?” She whispered.

“Yeah, baby it is. You’ve been with me through all the highs and lows, and I want nothing more than to create new memories with you. Will you do me the incredible honor of becoming my wife?”

Alex’s shoulders began to shake, and then the tears started to roll down her cheeks. Jay reached out and took the ring from her hands. Even from where I stood, the ring was monstrous. Logan stepped up behind me, and wrapped his arms around my waist.

“Yes!” She exclaimed. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

I think we all let out a sigh of relief after those long few seconds.

Jay stood and enveloped Alex in his arms, kissing her sweetly.

Logan leaned into me and kissed my ear, “I love you Brooklyn. I’m glad we have what they have.”