Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Brook

Six Months Later

Hornet and I had been together for coming up on six months. His parents were watching Ariel so we could have dinner out at the fanciest restaurant in town. Hornet was dressed in a well-tailored dark suit with a tie, and I was wearing a brand-new deep-red cocktail dress with matching pumps. I’d never felt so pretty before in my life.

I was loving every single second of this birthday treat. It was a double celebration as the adoption had been finalized, and Ariel was officially Hornet’s daughter. We’d had a small gathering at our house earlier that involved Hornet’s parents, my mother and brothers, as well as a few of our friends from the club. Finally getting to see my little brothers again was the most amazing part. Now here I was dressed like a princess, enjoying fine dining and the best restaurant in Griffinsford. Maybe I was just easy to please, but this night felt very special to me.

Looking across the table at Hornet, I watched him rearranging the table setting. The more I watched him, the more I realized he looked anxious for some reason. I was sure he’d been in fancier restaurants than this, so I had to wonder what was up with him tonight.

A waiter came over with a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket and poured us each a glass, before setting the bottle down onto the table.

Hornet reached out and took one of my hands in his. “You look beautiful tonight, Brook.”

I smiled indulgently at him. “I think you mentioned that a couple of times already.”

He beamed at me. “It can’t be said enough tonight.” He lifted his champagne glass and said, “To finding each other when we needed it the most.”

“That’s the perfect toast and I’ll drink to that,” I said as I tapped my glass against his, and then we both took a sip of the smooth champagne.

“This is going to turn out to be one of the most special nights of our life and I can’t wait to see how it plays out.”

“Such cryptic words. Is this some sort of riddle I’m supposed to figure out?”

“No, just relax into the moment.” He brought his champagne glass to his lips again and took a long drink. “Let everything happen naturally.”

I followed suit, loving the taste of this bubbly. It only took a few more delicious sips before I drained the last from my glass. That’s when something hit my upper lip. I pulled my glass back and heard something clinking to the bottom. Staring down into the glass, my breath caught in my lungs for a brief second. It looked like an engagement ring with a big diamond in the setting.

When I glanced up at Hornet, his eyes were lit up with glee. “You gonna fish that thing out or stare at it all night?”

I dumped the ring onto my napkin and dried it off. It was a beautiful marquee cut diamond solitaire mounted on a gold band. “Are you trying to ask me something, handsome?”

His hands slid across the table to grasp my hand and he started speaking words fit to chain my heart to his for all time.

“I think I’ve been slowly falling in love with you since the very first time I laid eyes on you. I tried to tell myself that you were too young and only total assholes hit on their child’s nanny. But it seemed the harder I fought it, the faster I fell in love with you. If you would agree to marry me, you will make me the happiest man on earth.”

My heart was thumping in my chest and excitement flooded every part of my brain because this was what I’d been waiting for and hoping for over the last month or so. I gave his hand a quick squeeze. “Yes, Hornet, I would love to be your wife.”

“Good, because I can’t wait to slide a wedding band on top of that engagement ring.”

“I like the idea of being engaged, so let’s not rush the wedding.”

“I’ve already been told by every woman I know that it takes at least one year to plan a proper wedding.”

“Actually, I was thinking about waiting until Ariel is old enough to be our flower girl.”

“This is the point in our lives where I’m supposed to agree to anything you ask of me, but that is a hard no for me. I want us to be married and settled in some kind of reasonable time frame. Besides that, what if in the meantime, Ariel gets a little brother or sister? I don’t want to wait until I’m old and gray to make an honest woman of you if those kiddies keep on turning up. I already have my first grays.”

I couldn’t hold back the giggle that threatened to escape from my mouth.

“So, this is what it looks like when my new fiancée teases me. Am I correct?”

I nodded. “As if I would wait years to make you mine. You should have known better than that, babe.”

“Give me that pretty hand of yours and let’s see if the ring I bought you fits.” Hornet picked up the ring and slid it onto the third finger of my left hand.

I moved my hand back and forth and we watched the diamond sparkle in the overhead lights. “It’s really beautiful, Hornet. It must have cost you a fortune, though.”

“It most certainly did, and you’re worth every penny of it. From now on we’re not going to talk about how much I spend on any of your gifts, okay?”

I nodded, feeling like the luckiest woman on earth to not only have snagged a man who was totally crazy about me, but the very one I didn’t think I could do without.

He kissed my hand sweetly, then asked, “What would my lovely fiancée like to have for dinner tonight?”

“I’m going to have the lemon chicken,” I said after giving the menu a quick once over.

“That sounds delicious. I think I’m gonna go with the steak.”

When the server came back to our table, Hornet placed our order. “I’ll have the porter house, medium rare, and my fiancée would like to have the lemon chicken, please.”

I liked it when he called me his fiancée. The word sounded so delicious coming from his lips. It was like he enjoyed saying it almost as much as I loved hearing it. We were a match made in heaven.

We talked about our future and our wedding. I would marry Hornet at the courthouse tomorrow, but I knew he would never go for that. He was too considerate, and he told me that since we were only getting married once, it needed to be something special. I was ready for the long gown, fresh flowers, catering, and all my friends and family around.

“I wish my father would come and walk me down the aisle. I mean, I know that’s never going to happen, but it’s one of the things I always dreamed about.”

Hornet looked pained as he pulled out what appeared to be a birthday card from his jacket pocket. “This is from your father. He asked me to give it to you on your birthday, and I promised him that I would.”

“He hasn’t given me a card or any kind of gift since I was seventeen. I can’t help but wonder what this is all about.”

Hornet put the envelope down on the table and slid it in my direction. “I’ve talked to him a couple of times.” Pressing his index finger down on to the top of the envelope, he added, “I hope and pray it’s an apology, but for all I know it could be more rejection from him. You know how stubborn he is.”

“Is it okay if I read it right now?”

“I’m perfectly fine with you taking a few minutes to read over the card. I love you and want you to be happy.”

I smiled faintly at him. “I do know that. And I hope you know that it works both ways.”

The card was heavy and stiff, like it was made from high grade cardstock. I held it between my hands for a few seconds, second guessing my decision to open it. Finally, I took a deep breath and unsealed it. I pulled out a card with a princess wearing a golden jewel encrusted crown who was surrounded by roses. It was pink and beautiful, just the kind of card I always loved receiving as a child.

Something fell out when I opened the card and fluttered down to the table, but my eyes were transfixed on the cursive writing that I recognized as belonging to my father.

Happy birthday, princess.

It’s taken a long time and a lot of therapy sessions for me to give you the apology that you deserve. I didn’t know if you wanted to see me or not, so I decided to send you a card letting you know that I never stopped loving you. It was just too painful to look at you knowing you weren’t mine.

What happened was never your fault and you didn’t deserve to be cut off from your family. If you will give me the chance, I would very much like to give you a sincere apology in person. It’s taken me far too long to realize that being a father isn’t about blood or genetics, but about love. You were always my daughter and I only hope you can forgive me for pushing you away.

Drue asked me for your hand in marriage the other day. Since I would never want to stand in the way of your happiness, I gave it without hesitation. I hope this man brings you all the happiness you deserve in life. If it is at all possible, I would love the opportunity to attend your wedding.

Enclosed is a check representing all the money I saved for your college. I should have given it to you years ago, but I want you to have it right now to spend on higher education, your wedding, or any other thing that brings you happiness.

Love,

Dad

I picked up the check and saw it was for a hundred and fifty thousand dollars. I never suspected that my father had saved that much money for me. I tucked it back into the card and slid it in the envelope.

“Was it the apology you were hoping for?”

Wiping a tear from my eye, I said, “It was good news. He apologized and asked if we could meet so he could give me a more in-depth apology in person. My father also said that you asked him for my hand in marriage and he gave it because you make me happy. “He wants to attend the wedding, and he gave me a check for all the money he set aside for my college all those years ago.”

“Wow. How do you feel about him reaching out to you?”

“Honestly, I’m willing to meet with him and even forgive him. He said he’d been through a lot of therapy and told me I didn’t do anything wrong and didn’t deserve to be cut off from our family.” I shook my head and smiled. “Everything about this day feels surreal in a wonderful kind of way. I got to see my brothers again for the first time, had a birthday party earlier, now this elegant dinner with my favorite guy, and an apology and beautiful card from my father.”

“I hope every day of the rest of our lives is just as wonderful as today for you.” Hornet reached for the bottle of champagne our waiter had left and poured a little more into our glasses. “Thank you for accepting my proposal. Let’s drink to the first day of the rest of our lives together.”

I lifted my glass and clinked it against his. We drank as we looked deeply into each other’s eyes.

Hornet was definitely my one, there was no doubt about that. Being promoted from girlfriend to fiancée was amazing because it meant we would always be together, living and loving as we created the life I’d always thought was just out of reach.