“I’ll help you,” I kiss the top of her head as my phone pings with an incoming text.
‘You will never be her future, I will.’
Fucking Lane. I scan the restaurant and send a quick text to the guys to be on the lookout for him and to call Hayes if they see him. I see Thorn take off to the parking lot to look.
He’s not going to give up. And for what? Briar? He didn’t ever like her in the beginning. I brush it off for now and focus all my attention on my girl. She needs me right now.
“What can I get you to eat?” Our waitress comes back to do refills.
“Can we get two pizzas, one cheese and one pepperoni,” I order for all of us and give the waitress our menus.
“Be right out,” the woman leaves me to hold my girl.
“I’m so sorry for being a blubbering mess,” she wipes her eyes.
“You look beautiful,” I compliment her and she blushes.
“You might be biased,” she gives me a small smile.
“My opinion is the only one that matters,” I beat my chest and she chuckles.
“Thank you for being here,” she says.
“Always,” I kiss her lightly and hold her hand as we people watch.
Soon the pizzas arrive and I call the guys to the table. She laughs as they wolf down their food so they can get back to the games. Rule of the establishment is that Thorn has to be out by nine because he’s not twenty-one.
We sit and watch. I hold her hand content with today and my feelings. I brush her hair from her cheek when she puts her head on my chest as we continue to watch, especially keeping tabs on her brother. I feel bad for him as well and only want to show him what a loving family is.
It’s close to eight when they come back to the table, after spending all their money. Okay, the money I gave them.
“Remember Christmas. We have Noelle and Dasher’s wedding then we will go to my mom’s,” I tell them, getting nods that they understand the plan.
We wave bye as the three of us get back in my car and head for the hotel. I can’t wait to see their faces when we get back. I know Daniel will come through for me.
I pull up to the front, hand my keys off to the valet and instruct them to have our bags sent up.
I take Briar’s hand and we head to the elevator. I’m a nervous wreck about this. I hope she likes it. When the doors open to the penthouse and she steps in, I hear her gasp.
True to his word, Daniel put up a tree and lights. There are decorations all over the place. Both of them stop in their tracks, taking it all in as Briar tears up.
“This is beautiful. Did you do this?” she asks, tearfully, picking up a little snow globe and admiring it. Thorn is inspecting a Christmas train that was set up, that runs around the whole penthouse. I laugh when he turns it on and watches it go around as his face lights up.
“I asked Daniel to do this. I wanted to give you guys the Christmas you deserve.”
She hugs me tight, thanking me as there is a knock on the door.
“Thorn, that will be our bags from today. Can you get them and put them under the tree?”
“Sure thing.”
“We can open most tomorrow and leave a few for Christmas Day,” I tell her and she nods.
Thorn puts all the packages under the tree and that makes me aware of the ring in my pocket. I know I’m asking her, but the timing has to be perfect. I think I need to pull my sisters in on this.
I order hot apple cider and cookies from room service and we watch movies the rest of the night. Thorn goes to bed and she snuggles up closer to me.
“Are you happy, sweetheart?”