“Yes, Del.” I stood up and shook his hand when he held it out to me. “Safe travels, sir.”
He clapped me on my upper arm before he walked toward the door. “Why don’t you take a break, Christopher? Come back to that report with fresh eyes.”
I blew out a breath and nodded my head as I watched him leave the office. My eyes flicked down to the drawer of my desk where I was hiding my biggest secret. Opening it, my eyes zeroed in on the black ring box. I had purchased it a few days ago and it was beginning to weigh me down. I wasn’t nervous because I thought it was the wrong decision. I knew what I wanted and that was for my little blonde bombshell that had completely taken over my life to become my wife.
What I was nervous about was everyone else’s reaction. I was anxious over what her reaction would be, of course. I knew she would think this was too fast but I didn’t see my feelings for her changing over the next twelve months.
I loved her. I wanted her. I adored her. What else did I need to feel for her to want to spend the rest of my life showing her how much I loved her? Where everyone else may need a few months to think and prepare themselves to spend forever with one person, I didn’t. I knew what I wanted and that was her.
I just didn’t want anyone else poking their noses in and make her worry or think that I was rushing things or that I didn’t know what I wanted. I especially didn’t want anyone to assume that I was doing this because I was too desperate to belong somewhere. Even if I was still in the Army and serving, I’d still feel this crazy about her. Loving Isobel was inevitable. I feel like I was always meant to find her.
Picking the ring box up, I placed it in my inside jacket pocket and headed in the direction of the bar. Thomas was too far away and I needed to talk to someone about this. Luke was always my go-to whenever I needed to talk things through and I secretly knew that he would understand my decisions better than anyone else.
“Hey, Freddie.” I clapped him on the shoulder as I entered. He was on the host’s podium appearing like his normal, fashionable self. “Is Luke working?”
He smiled at me. “He’s over at the bar.” He paused to glance back at me for a moment. “Are you doing, okay?”
“Yeah. Why?” I asked as I tucked my hands in my pockets. He was gazing at me like I was a crossword puzzle he was trying to work out. “Don’t I look okay?” I joked.
He paused half a moment longer before he shook his head. “It’s nothing.” He nodded his head toward the bar. “Go on. He’s waiting for you. I’ll see you later.”
“Sure.” I walked over to Luke and grinned when I saw he already had a pint of coke loaded with ice waiting for me. “Thanks, man.” I reached for the icy beverage and moaned as the cold liquid traveled down my throat. “Damn, that’s good.”
I waved to Robert at the other end of the bar and then turned my attention back to Luke. He cringed as I crunched an ice cube between my teeth. It still went through him whenever I did that.
“How is work?” he asked me.
I rolled my eyes. “Could be better,” I muttered. “Del told me he’s going on a business conference for a few days, so I am on my own.”
“He must trust you,” he commented as he uncorked a bottle of red wine and filled a few glasses for a customer. “No need to freak out over it,” he mocked. “You’ve been in charge in previous jobs.”
“Yeah, I know.” He smiled politely at the female waitress as he placed the glasses on the tray for her. “So, what’s up?” He placed his elbows on the bar as he focused his attention back on me. “It seems like there is something else bothering you.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, attempting to act blasé about it.
He narrowed his eyes at me before his lips lifted in a smirk. “Spill.”
I couldn’t have contained the laugh if I had tried to. “It’s nothing.” I waved my hand to get him to drop it, feeling anxious as I looked over my shoulder to where Freddie was stood by the doors talking to a customer. I assumed that he was giving the elderly couple directions with the way he was moving his arms. I turned back to Luke and he was stood with his hands leaning on the bar with his eyebrows raised. “It’s nothing!” I defended, repeating my words again.
“I’m not going to drop it,” he warned me. “So, you may as well tell me now. Then, if it all goes tits up, I can help sort whatever clusterfuck comes your way.” We both laughed when he said that, knowing he was speaking the truth.
I nodded my head at him as I chanced another peek back to Freddie. He was still with the couple, so I dipped my hand in my inside jacket pocket and pulled out the little black box. Luke’s eyes were on Freddie’s, so he didn’t see what I had in my hand until I was placing it down on the bar.
His eyes came back to mine before he his eyes shot down between us at the little black box. His eyes widened in shock and I would have laughed if I wasn’t so anxious over it. His hand shot out and he grabbed the box with the ring in it. His hand disappeared beneath the bar to hide it from onlookers—particularly Freddie, I guess—and I knew that he was now opening the box. He let out a low whistle and looked back over to me.
“This is fast, man,” he stated. “You sure about this? I mean, marriage is kind of a forever deal. Till death do us part and all that.”
I rolled my eyes at his wording. “No shit, Sherlock.” I stroked my hand through my hair, scraping my nails against my scalp. “I know it’s fast and crazy and everything in between but…” I blew out a breath, pausing for a long moment. “I love her, Luke. Everything she does, all her little quirks… From the dresses she wears that make me crazy to the way she always wants to hear my thoughts and make sure I’m okay. She’s always concerned about the little family she has around her and I know that if it was anyone else, they’d never make me happy the way that I know she will.” I blew out a shaky breath. “I love her too much to walk away or to wait a year. I love waking up to her warm body pressed against me and every time that I hold her, I know that she’s the reason.”
“The reason for what?” he asked, intrigue lacing his tone.
“The reason I survived.” I swallowed harshly. “I know that sounds serious or blunt or whatever but when that bomb went off, Luke.” I swallowed past the lump in my chest. “When it went off and it left a ringing in my ears, I prayed.” I let out a humorless chuckle. “I never pray but I prayed and asked God to get me home. To just get me home to you, Thomas and Lauren.” I hated the way his eyes filled as he looked at me. “I don’t regret praying. I regret losing my hearing and only having a fraction of it but now I know the truth. After meeting Isobel and feeling what I do for her and knowing how she feels when it is just me and her...” I smiled as I remembered how soft she feels when she is in my arms. “I know that I survived to meet her. I love her today and I know I will love her just as much in a year’s time. What would be the point in waiting?” I asked while shrugging my shoulders. “When I dated Lauren for our very brief time, I always knew that she never belonged with me. It’s different with Isobel. I know that I was born to be hers just as much as she was born to be mine.”
He smiled at me and I knew that he finally understood. “So, you’re going to ask her, then?”
“I’d be honored to have her as my wife, Luke.”
“Well…” I froze as Freddie’s voice joined the conversation. “It seems I have missed out on something.” He grinned as he took the seat next to me and slowly lifted his hand, holding it out across the bar to Luke. “Let me see this ring, then.”