“Were you going somewhere?” Lacey asked, drawing her eyebrows together.
“No, he wasn’t going anywhere,” Janine answered for him. “We want to hear more about your trip and what you guys did… you know, other than behind closed doors.” Drew laughed, Lacey’s jaw dropped, and Grace snickered. “What?” Janine asked with an innocent shrug.
“I will tell you one of the best things,” Lacey said, quickly moving the conversation along. “The owners of the resort, who are also Drew’s close friends, host a holiday party for a local orphanage. We went to a party where we met the kids and brought them gifts. One girl, Amelia, was such a sweetheart.”
“Yes, she took such a liking to Lacey,” Drew added.
Grace nodded. “Smart girl.”
“I took a liking to her too. Actually, I sent her a letter just last week, and hopefully I’ll have a pen pal soon. And since Drew is running the NPO for Carson Enterprises, the orphanage will be receiving funds to help subsidize what they need.”
Drew leaned over and kissed Lacey’s temple. “Yes, we’ll make sure of it.”
The rest of the evening was spent talking about everything and nothing. Drew loved the dynamic between Lacey and her friends, loved that she’d created her own little family. When their night ended, they headed back to Lacey’s room, where they fell asleep in each other’s arms.
The next couple of weeks were busy for both Drew and Lacey. With her promotion, she was putting in even more hours than she usually did. It wasn’t as though Drew wasn’t pushing his limit, and he knew both of them needed some quality time together.
Valentine’s Day was upon them, and Drew knew exactly how he wanted to spend it. When Lacey walked out of their bedroom, he couldn’t help but grin at how she looked in a white ski jacket, a light-blue headband that doubled as earmuffs, and a high ponytail.
“You’re adorable.” Drew pulled her into his arms. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day. Care to tell me what’s on the agenda? I wasn’t sure how to dress other than for warmth.”
“It’s a surprise.” He gave her lips a quick kiss. Anything more and he’d bring her right back from where she came from. “We better go.”
“You’re no fun, Mitchell.” Lacey’s bottom lip jutted out in the cutest pout Drew had ever seen.
“Trust me, if the day goes as planned, you’ll be happy we’re going out right now.”
“Fine,” Lacey said with an exaggerated huff. If it wasn’t for her lips curling upward, Drew would have thought she was really upset.
Hand in hand, they walked out of her apartment and made their way outside to enjoy the crisp winter day. Drew had ordered a car to take them to their destination. He could have ordered an Uber or hailed a cab, but today was special, and he preferred to have one at their disposal in an instant.
The black sedan wove through the city streets until they reached their destination—Central Park. When Lacey looked out the window, she smiled. “We’re going to the park?”
Drew knew Lacey had been itching to show him around the park. The closest they’d gotten was when they drove by on the way to dinner one night. Life had been moving so fast for both of them that Drew figured this was the best day to take the time to enjoy it.
They got out of the car, and Drew once again grasped Lacey’s hand. “Are you cold?” She shook her head. “If you are, just let me know and I’ll warm you up.” He winked cheekily.
They walked through the park, their feet crunching in the white snow that sparkled in the sun. Even though it was winter, the park was still teeming with energy. Guys played football, joggers ran on the paths, and even the ice rink was filled with people enjoying the day.
They made their way to a beautiful fountain boasting an angel statue in the center. Tourists took pictures, and people made wishes. That was what Drew hoped Lacey would do. “Would you like to make a wish?”
She nodded, and he reached into his jeans pocket and handed her a penny. Lacey closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip, no doubt formulating the perfect wish.
When she released the coin, she turned around. “Drew, do you want to make a…” Her words trailed off when she lowered her eyes to where he knelt on one knee, holding out a small box, his heart pounding away in his chest. Her eyes went wide and filled with tears.
“Lacey, I love you with all of my heart and soul. I know we still have a lot to learn about each other, but the one thing I know for sure is how much I love you.” Drew opened the black velvet box,exposing a two-carat round diamond engagement ring. Lacey let out a gasp, and when their eyes connected, tears were free-flowing down her cheeks. “Lacey Winters, all I want to do is share my life with you. Will you share yours with me?”
“Yes. Yes. Yes.” Lacey leaned down and kissed him. He loved how she put everything she had into every kiss, and how he’d get to spend the rest of his life experiencing thousands and thousands more.
Drew stood and swung her around. People around them clapped and whistled. When he set her down, he plucked the ring out of the cushioned box and slid it on her finger before placing a soft kiss on her knuckle. “It’s perfect.”
“It’s beautiful.” Lacey whisked away her tears with her fingertips. “Are you sure about this? It’s so fast.”
He wrapped his arms around her, meeting her eyes. “I’ve never been surer of anything. So what if it’s fast? I don’t plan on my feelings for you changing. Do you think yours will?”
“No.” She stared down at her ring. “My parents knew each other for six weeks before my mother proposed to my father.”