Little Gray Dress Page 9

  “I’ll be there.” He stands from his chair and puts his wallet back in his pocket. “And Emi?”

  “Yeah?” I clutch my purse, still nervous even though he’s agreed to do this.

  “When this wedding is over, he’ll know just how crazy he was to do what he did. Sound good?”

  I nod with a hesitant smile. This could go great, I could achieve whatever it is I think I’m looking to achieve, or it could become a disaster. “Thank you.”

  “It’s my pleasure.” With a nod of his head he stands up, walks round behind the bar, and disappears through the door.

  Chapter Eight

  Three and a Half Years Ago

  Lincoln City, Oregon

  The Proposal

  “Pack a bag,” Jack announces as he walks through our apartment door.

  “But I was just getting ready to make dinner.”

  He looks at the counter covered in sauce jars, spaghetti noodles, and seasonings. “I love your spaghetti.” He wraps his arms around my waist. “But I’m thinking maybe tonight we go fancy and head to the coast for the weekend. It’s all booked, paid for, and I promise high amounts of romance.”

  “What kind of romance? The kind that gets me into bed or the kind that makes me swoon and fall even more in love with you?”

  “Hopefully both,” he laughs, before kissing my neck making sure that my answer isn’t no.

  “How fancy?” I ask, following him into our room. I pull out our two black suitcases and lay them on the bed.

  “The gray dress, fancy?” His smile grows and his brown eyes sparkle as he pictures me in the one dress he loves. I only have one gray dress and he requests it anytime he can. He picked it out one day while we were shopping and even though it’s a few years old I don’t think he’ll ever get tired of it. It’s a dress I wore for the first time to one of Jack’s office parties. It’s a gray dress that is short but has a longer lace overlay and long sleeves that are complete lace. It shows off my boobs nicely and fits like a glove (the regular kind).

  “Whoa, we are going fancy. Does that mean—”

  Like the soul-mate he is, he reads my mind. “Yes, the gray pinstripe suit.”

  “Yay!” I start tossing clothes into my suitcase, not forgetting the dress and my highest of high heels that make me stand at least above Jack’s shoulders when wearing them.

  It takes Jack and me all of an hour to pack our cases, and we speed through the mountains to Lincoln City. Normally when we come we stay in tiny motels or cool little bed and breakfasts, but when Jack pulls up to the entrance of the most expensive hotel in the town, my heart does a tiny pitter-patter as I imagine a fancy life I never say I want.

  “We’re staying here?”

  “Yup.”

  “We never stay here.”

  “I know, I thought it would be a nice change.” He grabs my hand and walks me into the hotel, then chats with the woman behind the counter as I gawk at the fancy interiors. Everything is shiny and new with a modern sleek design. White flowers are on every counter and neon blue lights are under every eave.

  “Wow, we’re on the eleventh floor? Is there a balcony?” Jack knows my only requirement when staying at the beach is a balcony overlooking the ocean. I could spend hours sitting there, reading, or just watching the ocean. It’s mesmerizing.

  “There is. I have a reservation in the restaurant in an hour so let’s dress up.” He flashes a sly smile as we walk out of the elevator and towards room 1124.

  I admit, I’m getting a little curious as to why he’s going to all this trouble? It’s not like Jack to be so secretive. That’s part of what I love about him. I never have to wonder what he’s up to, he normally tells me up front. This time though… it’s like he’s hiding something from me. If I let myself go to what I think it might be, I’ll really be nervous. I’m sure it’s some kind of bad omen to expect what I think it is. If there is anything I’ve learned from watching far too many romantic comedies, it’s not to expect a proposal.

  “What did you plan, Mr Cabot? Should I be nervous?”

  “Not at all. I just wanted to do something special for you since I’ve been working all the time lately. It’s only fair.” The room door beeps and pops open.

  “Whoa…” We walk into a sitting room bigger than our living room, with a floor-to-ceiling window looking out at the sunset. There is a big TV on one wall and a plush couch on the other. A pair of French doors opens to a king-sized bed facing yet another wall of windows and I spot the balcony stretching across both rooms.

  “Jack this is… expensive.” I know Jack comes from money but he doesn’t normally live the fancy, rich life that he could if he wanted. He’s more down-to-earth and laid-back than that. This is extravagant and way out of the ordinary. Something is definitely up.

  “Worth it.” He leans down and kisses my lips then tosses his bag onto the bed, unpacking everything and putting his things into the empty drawers in the dresser against the wall. “Get dressed.” He slaps me on the butt, waking me from my trance.

  I plug in my curling iron and do long loose waves in my hair. Pull on my dress and slip on my heels. A quick touch up of the makeup and I’m ready.

  “OK…”

  When I walk out of the bathroom door I am stunned. I thought I was quick getting ready but from the looks of this place it took me a lot longer than I thought. On the balcony, there is a table set for two: candles, covered plates, and wine. “How did you—”

  “Madam, sir.” A man in a tuxedo is directing me to my chair near where Jack is standing.

  “Who’s this?” I ask Jack, unsure of exactly what is going on. I swear it was just twenty minutes ago I was standing here staring at the ocean, but now there is a full-out dinner and waiter in our room.

  “This is Elliott, he’s our chef and waiter for the evening.” Jack pulls my chair out for me like the gentleman he is.

  “You hired a private chef?”

  “I did.” He grabs the wine bottle and pours us each a glass of wine, pink in color. “I also instructed him to bring dessert first, because I know how you love eating cake for dinner.” He laughs as he sets the wine back in the bucket. “But first…” He walks over and pulls opened one of the dresser drawers he just laid all his clothes in, and pulls out a small blue box with a bright white bow.

  Oh my God. It’s a tiny gift box! Tiny as in the size of a small piece of jewelry. Holy shit. I was right, he was up to something. This is it, Ems. He’s proposing. How did he keep this a secret until right now? I can’t believe this is happening! Is it wrong that I want to call Lily right this second?

  “I wanted to give you this.” He hands me the box and pulls his chair over near mine. “Open it.”

  “What did you do?” I ask him, pulling the bow off and lifting the lid off the box to reveal a white jewelry box the perfect size for a ring. “Is this—” Thank God he can’t hear the squealing going on in my head right now.

  Before I can finish, Jack takes the box, moves his chair, and kneels beside me opening the ring box.

  “I know you didn’t want me to do this in a public place with a room full of strange eyes watching such a private moment, so here we are, in one of your favorite places, and I just have one question…” He smiles at me and pulls the ring out of the box before taking my left hand in his. “Will you do me a favor, and spend forever making me this happy?”

  “Oh my God!” I can’t contain the squeal any longer and jump out of my chair, knocking Jack back and causing the ring to fall to the floor. “Oh no!” I kneel on the floor with him and search for the ring that is thankfully tumbling towards the bed and not the edge of the balcony. Jack spots it first, laughing as he collapses to the floor to reach it.

  “Marry me?” He says it through a laugh, both of us now on the floor, me in tears.

  “Of course,” I yell at him as he slides the gorgeous 3-carat ring onto my third finger. I wrap my arms around his neck and stare at the ring over his shoulder for a moment. “I can’t bel
ieve you did all this!”

  “Well, I love you more than anything.” His lips meet mine making me forget dessert, rings, or even the fact that I’m wearing the most uncomfortable six-inch heels.

  “I can’t believe you’re engaged!!” Lily stares at my hand even weeks after she saw it originally. “This is quite the party, too. Who are all these people?”

  “I have no idea. I actually don’t know half of them. But isn’t it incredible?” I glance at the ring again before taking a sip of my pink champagne. “It’s like a dream.”

  “Have you set a date?”

  “No. In fact, I didn’t even arrange this party, this was all Amelia. I have no idea how to plan a wedding. You know me.”

  “I do know you.” Lily nods her head sipping her champagne. “Want my advice?”

  “Would saying no stop you?”

  “Doubtful.” She gives me a quick glare. “Hire a wedding planner. You can give her basic ideas and then let her do all the hard work. Really all you’ll have to do is show up. In hindsight, I wish I’d hired one.”

  “Congratulations, you two. I knew she’d say yes.” Jack’s partner Andy and he are shaking hands.

  “You knew?” I ask him, surprised to hear that Jack told anyone. He kept it so quiet I figured no one but him knew.

  “I did, and I told him if he didn’t do it, I would.” He laughs at me. “Let’s see the rock.” I hold out my hand, the overhead lights of the bar causing it to glitter. “Wow! No wonder she said yes.”

  “I know… I probably should have asked before showing her the ring to know how she really felt.” Jack winks at me, his hand resting on my lower back. Even now, almost four years into our relationship, his touch still sends sparks up my spine.

  “You knew my answer long before you asked.” I playfully smack him in the chest.

  “We’re gonna be sisters!” Hannah unintentionally presses her boobs against my neck in a giant bear hug. If I was just a tad taller I wouldn’t have to be in constant contact with her chest. “I’m so excited!!”

  “Me too, Hannah. It is so exciting!”

  “Oh my God…” She stops in her tracks her gaze directed at the bar. “Who is that?”

  I follow her gaze across the room to none other than my twin brother. “That’s Emi’s brother, Evan.” Lily says for me.

  “Wow… He is—” she glances at me, then back at him. “Gorgeous.”

  “OK.” I smile nervously up at Jack. Hannah is not exactly known for her great success with relationships, and neither is my brother. “I can introduce you. In any case, you will practically be family soon.”

  “Please do.”

  I wave Evan over and Hannah waits, almost patiently. “Ev, this is Jack’s sister Hannah. Hannah, this is my twin brother Evan.”

  “You guys are twins?” She glances back and forth quickly like she doesn’t believe a word I just said.

  “Unfortunately,” Evan laughs and holds his hand out for Hannah. “It’s great to meet you. I’d love to hear all the dirt on your brother. There’s got to be something to keep him from being as perfect as Emi claims.” When their hands touch, you can almost see the spark between them.

  I don’t want to overthink what could happen if Evan and Hannah get too close. But, my fear is that they will add each other to their never-ending lists of one-night-stands. Then they’ll somehow piss each other off, and then we’ll never be able to have family gatherings without some strange tension in the room. How weird would that make things?

  “Get me a drink and I’ll show you the pictures that go with the stories.” Hannah flirts, making me a little sick to my stomach.

  “Ew… Go do it over there, maybe?” I glance towards an open table and watch Hannah loop her arm through Evan’s and lead him across the room. “And by do it I don’t really mean— “I call after them but Hannah only waves a hand my direction over her shoulder.

  “That’s bad news, isn’t it?” I ask Jack who’s still talking to Andy.

  “Could be, but they’re grown-ups.”

  “Emi, Jack.” Amelia and her husband Robert approach us, dressed to the nines, and looking like this party was meant for them. “Isn’t this just lovely?” Amelia air-kisses each of my cheeks. A gesture I despise. Whenever I see people do the whole air-kiss greeting it looks like they were told to make sure others think they’re getting along, when really they hate each other.

  It is lovely, and she would know since she planned the entire thing. I didn’t want to have a party at all. I’m not a huge fan of socializing with a room full of strangers, but she insisted it was the thing to do. Of course, she would pick a swanky downtown bar and hire it out for a private event. Surprisingly the room is full of at least a hundred people, only maybe a dozen of whom I’ve ever met.

  “This ring…” Amelia grabs my hand and inspects it like she’s doing an appraisal, “was Jack’s grandmother's ring. Of course, he added a bit of his own touch to it before giving it to you, but still it’s just beautiful and so sentimental. One day you can pass it down to your son.”

  “Son?” I choke on my champagne. I’ve only been engaged for three weeks and now his family has me already popping out kids. “I don’t know if a son is in the works for quite some time.”

  “Well of course not immediately, let’s get through the wedding first, but I’m sure you will be blessed with the most beautiful of children, don’t you think dear?”

  Robert nods his head, chatting with Jack about whatever grown men talk about at engagement parties. I’m not exactly listening because the idea of me being responsible for a child is still swirling through my brain like a tornado.

  “Come, dear,” Amelia says. “Introduce me to your family.”

  “There’s only a few I’m afraid.” With my parents being gone, only a couple of aunts and uncles and my brother could make it. I don’t know if that makes me look as pathetic as an orphan or not, but it doesn’t raise me up to the Cabot status in life. “Evan…” I say his name before reaching the table he and Hannah are still sharing, hoping that they aren’t already doing the dirty things they are both so known for. “Evan, this is Jack’s mother, Amelia.”

  “Evan, look how handsome you are. And you’ve already met my Hannah.” She pats Hannah’s shoulder with a questioning stare before turning her attention back to Evan. “What are your feelings on these upcoming nuptials?”

  Evan quickly stands up, following the instructions our father once gave him of standing when a woman approaches your table. He doesn’t hide giving Hannah a somewhat guilty side-eye. “I think Jack and Emi are absolutely perfect for one another, don’t you?”

  “I do, actually, they make a rather lovely couple.”

  “I’ve no doubt they’ll be very happy together.” Evan smiles with a nod and a glance in my direction for approval. I might have told him to keep things more classy than he normally would, and so far so good. Amelia looks impressed.

  “Who else is here that I should meet?” She scans the room, probably looking for faces she’s never seen on her side of town.

  “Our aunt Maggie is here, and her brother Melvin is with her.” Evan points in their direction. They are both standing in front of a table of food, probably looking for something not too fancy.

  “Let’s go have a meet.” Amelia pulls me along with her like a schoolgirl in trouble. “This is just so exciting, soon we’ll all be family.” She speaks excitedly, which surprises me. Amelia has always treated me like a daughter, but I’ve always felt a tad like she thought Jack could do so much better than normal me, a commoner.

  “Aunt Maggie, I’m so glad you came.”

  Maggie sets her plate on the table and immediately wraps her arms around me for a hug. Aunt Maggie has always been that eccentric aunt who means the best but sometimes can throw crazy into a completely normal situation. Sometimes I wonder if Aunt Maggie had a hand in naming us. She used to tell us stories about a young Romanian woman coming to live in America after escaping a family who didn’t be
lieve in her connection with the afterlife. Maggie would point to a crystal ball that always sat on a high shelf in her home and tell us stories of their friendship as young girls, and how easily they still chat even though her friend passed on years ago.

  “My sweet little Esmeralda. Your mother is so pleased with all this. I’m so sad she’s not here to tell you herself.”

  I glance at Amelia, whose eyes are now wide.

  “Me too. I’m so glad you’re here, though. I do wish I could tell mom about the proposal. He did it in true Jack style.” I laugh, knowing my mom would know exactly what I was talking about. It was something we used to joke about with Jack’s elaborate ideas and surprises and it was the way he’d first won my parents over. Me too, for that matter. “I’d like to introduce you to Amelia, Jack’s mother. She’s really taken me in like her own.”

  “Nonsense, I’ve just done what any mother would do. I’m so sorry about Molly’s passing.”

  “Thank you, so are we. I just can’t believe she’s missing all this in person. You’re getting a great girl in Esmeralda, she’s a real sweetheart, a beauty too. She’s got great things ahead of her in life, let me tell you.”

  “That she is.” Amelia pats my hand.

  “Oh my! Look at this stone.” Uncle Melvin inspects the sparkling rock on my finger, his eyes growing wider by the second. “I wonder what something like that costs?” he asks Aunt Maggie.

  “Priceless, it’s a family heirloom.” Amelia corrects him, her face shocked at his question.

  “Jack is just a lovely boy, you’ve done a fine job on that one. I’ve no doubt these kids will get past the rough patch.” Maggie compliments Amelia and quickly notices the look of dismay on my face. “I mean… they will get through whatever life throws their way. They’re both such strong-headed kids, they’ll make the right choices in life.”

  Amelia nods. “I’m sure they will go far in life. Tell me, though, about the rough patch you mentioned?”

  “Oh…” Maggie looks to me momentarily. “It’s just an old saying, every marriage has rough patches, they’re inevitable. I just know these kids will make it through with the right choices.”