"Hey, what’s going on? How did last night go?" I questioned, removing my shoes and throwing my jacket on the chair in the living room before making my way into the kitchen. I knew he was planning on proposing to Cara and wondered if he actually had the balls to go through with it.
"She said yes," he said, holding his hands in the air as if he'd just made a touchdown.
I chuckled. "That's awesome, man, congrats. Was there really any doubt?" I pulled open the refrigerator and pulled out a coke, cracking the tab and downing the cold liquid. "I mean, it’s been what, ten years?"
"Help yourself," Ryan said with his mouth full.
"Don't mind if I do," I said, grabbing a slice of lunch meat from the counter and shoving it into my mouth, giving him a cocky grin. "So what now?" I questioned.
"Well, I guess, now it’s plan, plan, plan. I swear all I wanted was a lil some-some last night, and instead she was busy pulling out planning boards. The ring hadn't even been on her finger for five hours. She's apparently already assembled her side of the wedding party."
I laughed to myself and shook my head at Ryan. "Buddy, I told you."
"You told him what?" Cara asked, coming into the kitchen, a laundry basket resting on her hip. "Good morning, Jackson," she said, leaning in for a hug.
"Good morning, Cara. Congratulations."
"Thanks. It’s going to be so amazing," she said. "I've already got my girls ready."
"That’s exactly what Ryan just told me," I said, winking in Ryan's direction.
"Of course, you will be Ryan's best man, right?"
I chuckled to myself. "Well, that depends."
"On?"
"On what kind of monkey suit you’re gonna want us all to wear and how much you are prepared to bribe me to stand up for this fucker," I said, chuckling, looking over at Ryan who was now shooting me daggers. I loved getting under his skin.
"I haven't gotten to that part just yet, but I should have that figured out in the next couple weeks or so."
"Can I let you know then?" I laughed.
"Cara, phone," Ryan said, holding the phone out for her to take.
"I'll mark you down," she said as she turned and smiled at me, and then shot back down the hall with the phone in her hand.
"So we gonna watch the game tonight? We can kick back at my place if you want."
"Yeah that should be fine. Malone coming?"
"I think so. At least, that was the plan. I'll order pizza and wings, so be there by kickoff?"
"Sounds good."
"I'll see if Cameron wants to join us too," I murmured, and watched Cara walked into the kitchen, throw the phone on the base, and turn to Ryan and me with a great big grin on her face.
"I'm heading to Jackson's tonight for the game."
"That's fine."
"You mean you aren't angry that I'm not going to be home?"
"No, nothing could make me angry. I'm so excited. Bailey is coming back. She is going to be my maid of honor."
I swear it was those very words that stopped my heart in its tracks.
Cara turned and smiled at me as if she had announced we were having lasagna for dinner and continued on her way down to the basement with the laundry. Ryan looked over at me, concern lining his face.