The Proposal (Forever Bound Book 2) (22 page)

She got dressed and ready to go out with Damian.  Tiffany stood in the doorway, still telling her how lucky she was.  Charity finally had to turn around and glare at her sister.  “When are you leaving?” Charity asked.  Tiffany’s eyes widened, and she shrugged.  “I love you, Sis, but you really need to stop saying that I’m lucky.  I’m sick to my stomach here, and you’re going on and on about how I should be over the moon.  Newsflash…I’m not!”

Tiffany backed down.  “Alright.  I’m sorry.”  Tiffany left the entrance of the backroom and Charity finally felt like she could breathe.  She turned back around and finished getting ready for her first date. 

When she was finished with her hair, she left the bathroom and found Tiffany on the couch.  She started to apologize to Tiffany for snapping at her, but Tiffany quickly stopped her.  “No.  I’m sorry.  I’ve extended my stay way longer than I anticipated.  I should’ve left a long time ago.”

Charity felt bad that she had asked Tiffany when she was leaving.  She liked having her there, and she definitely didn’t want Tiffany to leave, because she thought that’s what Charity wanted.  “I want you to stay as long as you want to, but I’m just a little surprised you were able to extend your stay like this.  I thought you’d have to start packing up to go to Massachusetts.”

“I do.  I guess I was just prolonging things, but you’re right.”

Charity reached out and touched her sister’s shoulder.  “Know that I want you to stay as long as you need to.  You always have a place here.”

“I know,” she replied with a smile.  She then looked at Charity’s outfit.  “That’s hot, Sis.”

Charity laughed, looking down at her black dress.  It had a slit up the side of her right thigh, and Tiffany was correct.  It definitely was more revealing than what she usually wore out.  “I should go change,” Charity quickly stated. 

“Don’t you dare!” Tiffany replied. 

She was too late to bother changing anyway.  So, Charity kept the outfit on and just went ahead and said goodbye to Tiffany.  “I’ll be home when…”

“You’re home,” Tiffany finished for her.  “I got it!  Have fun!”

Charity smiled and left the apartment.  The nerves were no longer there when she went to meet up with Damian, so she was happy about that, but that didn’t mean she didn’t feel a certain amount of guilt every time they met up.  Damian told her that he had a romantic evening planned for her.  That worried her a bit, as several of their dates were more surrounded by fun, but she tried not to think about it.

He asked her to meet at his place but said they would leave from there, whatever that meant.  Over the course of going out with him over the past couple weeks, he told her of a shortcut.  She enjoyed taking a lot of the backroads to get to his place.  It gave her more time to think.  When she got to his driveway, she noticed it seemed darker than she usually found his place. 

She parked over enough that he would be able to get past her and grabbed her purse.  She got out of her car and headed up to his door.  When she reached his steps, she noted the music that played inside of his house.  She waited briefly before knocking on his door.  He opened it up, standing in a suit she’d never seen him in before.  She smiled.  “You look gorgeous,” he stated before she had the chance to acknowledge his look.

She washed her hands over his outfit.  “You look amazing, Damian.”

He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the house.  His lips went to hers, and they kissed while the door shut behind them.  When the kiss ended, she noticed the candles in the living room.  She opened her mouth, and he covered her mouth with his finger.  “Follow me.”  He held her hand and slowly pulled her along behind him. 

When she got in the living room and found the setup he had of rose petals on the ground and candles all over the room and a small fire in the fireplace, she stopped him.  “I don’t understand.  I thought we were going out.”

He smiled.  “Change of plans.  I hope you’re not disappointed.”  She glanced around the room.  It was like they time-warped into a romance comedy.

“Not disappointed.  Just confused.”

He smiled.  “Hopefully, I can take away your confusion.”  He pulled her to him and wrapped his hand around her neck.  They kissed in the living room, with a soft melody playing in the background and flickering candles all around them. 

“Damian…” she whispered, softly kissing him a few more times.  “What’s going on?”  The longer they stood there, the more convinced she was that something was going on, and she needed answers.  It was one thing to bring on romance, but this was over the top.  The rose petals were a nice touch, but it confused her all that much more. 

“Let’s have some champagne,” he replied, changing the subject.

She looked down at the champagne bottle, as he poured them each a glass.  “Champagne?  That was the drink for celebrations, not a date.  “You got champagne?” she asked softly.

He handed the glass to her.  “I want to toast.”  Again, he pretended like she said nothing.  “Charity, you and I have had passion from day one.  I suppose I’ve always known we were good together and while I know that it has taken you longer to get there…I’d like to believe that you have found your way.  I love you more than life itself.  I toast this tonight for our bright future, and I look forward to many more dates with you, my love.”  He clinked her glass, then took a drink, but she stood motionless.

It was like he was having this conversation with someone else.  “Damian, I…” she started, but he already interrupted her.

“I don’t want to wait all night to ask you this burning question.”

Her mouth opened.  “Damian, don’t…” she whispered.

It was too late.  He got on one knee and removed a small box from his suit coat.  She still had the champagne glass in her right hand and with her left hand, she covered her mouth.  He was doing this.  He opened the box, and a shiny diamond sat in the middle of the box.  “I can’t imagine my life without you.  I need you by my side, and I will never break your heart.  Charity, will you marry me?”

She couldn’t even believe this was happening.  She felt the room spinning, and she needed to sit down.  She put the glass down on his coffee table and she sat down on the couch but still stared at him.  “What are you doing?” she asked.  It wasn’t the response she was sure he wanted to get, but it was the response she had to start with.  His eyes watered over.  “Please get up,” she quietly begged him.

He did stand to his feet, then grabbed the spot next to her.  He closed the box and put it down on the table.  “Ouch,” he murmured.

She shook her head.  “How could you think it would’ve gone any other way?”

“We’ve been getting closer.”

She nodded.  “We have, but come on Damian…I haven’t even made a decision yet.  I haven’t even said I love you.”

“I know, but that’s only a matter of time.  You’ll get there, and I thought maybe this would push you in that direction.”

She covered her face with her hand.  The words kept running through her mind.  She would’ve never expected a marriage proposal.  “Damian, I won’t lie to you.  I do feel a connection with you, but I also feel that connection with Derek.  I’m going on a date with him tomorrow, and I expect to have an answer by the end of it.  You have to trust me that I won’t string someone along.”

“I do,” he replied quietly.  “I just need you to know where my heart is.”

She raised an eyebrow.  “That was never a question.  I know how you feel, but proposing to me…you took me by surprise.”

“I saw the ring and immediately thought of you.” 

She picked it up from the coffee table and opened up the box.  It was a beautiful ring, but it was way too soon for that.  “It’s a gorgeous ring, Damian.”  She started to hand it back to him, but he quickly pushed it back into her hands.

“Keep it.  You don’t have to give me an answer right now.”

She didn’t think it was the smart move to hold onto the ring, but she dropped it in her purse. He smiled.  “I shouldn’t stay.”  She got up from the couch.  He stood to his feet, and he touched her arm. 

“You don’t have to go.  I have all this food.”

She snickered.  “I can’t stay.  It wouldn’t be fair to you, and it wouldn’t be fair to Derek.”

“Right!”  He looked down like he was a dejected puppy dog.

She touched his chin and forced him to look at her.  “I’ll call you later.”  She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.  She then grabbed her purse and left the living room.  Once she got to her car, she just sat there.  He turned the lights on in his house as the romantic evening was over.  A couple of tears fell down her cheeks, and she couldn’t stop trembling.  She was finally in a position where she could see marriage in her future, and she couldn’t even say yes.  She didn’t know how she was going to face Derek when an engagement ring was hidden away in her purse.

****

Derek signed his signature on the agreement, and he felt an overwhelming weight lift off his shoulder.  He didn’t need the pressure holding him down.  He knew it was what he wanted to do.  He put his pen down and started to leave the living room.  He needed to get ready for his date with Charity.  He gave Mary the night off, just in case they decided to come back to his place, and now he had to get dressed.

As passed the front door, he heard a knock on his door.  He moved to the door and opened it up.  His jaw dropped.  “Charity?  What are you doing here?”  She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a shirt.  She looked nice, but it wasn’t the attire he expected for a night on the town.  Plus, he was scheduled to pick her up.  “I was just about to get ready, so I could come pick you up.”

She put her hands in her pockets and looked uncertain.  “I know, but I was hoping we could stay in.”

He honestly didn’t care what they did for their date.  He just wanted them to be together, but he didn’t have anything prepared for them to eat.  He stepped back and she entered the house.  “That’s fine, but I’m surprised.  I mean, I gave Mary the night off so we’ll be eating peanut butter sandwiches.”

She laughed, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes.  “That’d be fine.  I’m not picky.”

He laughed and then realized he hadn’t greeted her properly.  He leaned in and kissed her.  At first, the kiss was cold, but then she slowly warmed up.  He pulled back.  “We could order pizza in.”

She grinned.  “I’d be fine with that.”

She seemed a little on edge, and it wasn’t like she was nervous, it just seemed like she had a ton of things she was thinking about and he wasn’t really one of them.  “Do you want to watch a movie tonight?  I have a pretty good movie collection.  You could pick?”

She shrugged.  “Sure.  Sounds great!”

He smiled.  “Alright.  The movies are in the den, along the wall.  You could pick a few out, and I’ll go order the pizza.  What’s your favorite?”

“I’m fine with whatever,” she replied.

He smiled.  “I’ll be in in a moment.”  He kissed her again and this time, it was filled with a tad more passion.  He went into the kitchen and grabbed the phone number, then dialed up the pizza order.  He ordered two large pizzas with plenty of meat toppings, then added on breadsticks.  He disconnected the call and headed back into the den.  She stood at the movies and was aimlessly staring at them.  He didn’t notice her having any pulled out.  When he talked, she jumped as he startled her.  “Pizza will be here in twenty minutes.”  He chuckled.  “Did I startle you?”

She nodded slightly, then laughed.  “Sounds good.”

“Did you pick out any movies?” he asked.  He moved over to the wall and touched a section.  “I know women like the romantic comedies.  You’ll find those here.”

She quickly shook her head.  “No…I definitely don’t want to watch one of those.  I’m thinking more of just a straight comedy.”

He was shocked to hear her say that.  He expected her to be more into the romance movies or chick flicks.  “Alright.  Those will be here.  Do you have a favorite?  I’m sure I have it.”

She shook her head.  “You choose.”

He did just that.  He grabbed a few of the 80’s comedies in his collection.  You could never go wrong with Steve Martin or John Candy.  When they had the movies, he motioned for her to follow him.  They headed out of the den and went into the living room.  Where the large screen TV was on the wall and an overstuffed couch sat in front of it.  “What do you want to watch first?” he asked.

“I don’t care.”  The moment she said that he put the movies on of the tables and walked over to where sat on the couch.  “What?” she asked.

“Something is clearly bothering you.  Before we start watching a comedy, I want to get to the bottom of what it is.”

“It’s nothing,” she replied.

He tilted his head.  “I don’t buy that.  You have something on your mind, and I feel I need to find out what.  Why did you come here, instead of waiting for me to pick you up?  Surely you can’t expect tonight to be more romantic than what I had planned.”

“There're a couple of reasons,” she admitted.  “Ana was still home, and since we haven’t told them about us, I was afraid she wouldn’t let it go.”  That made sense, but they could’ve found a way around that. 

“What’s the other reason?” he asked.

This time, she seemed hesitant about coming up with an answer.  “Things haven’t always been easy between us and I thought this would be more my style.  You can lavish people with fancy dinners and wonderful nights out, but I’m more simple.  I’m sorry if you’re disappointed.”