The Running Series Complete Collection: 3-Book Set plus Bonus Novella (98 page)

“If you’re quite finished horsing around, I could use some help at the grill, young man,” John calls to Evan.

Evan is instantly transformed into a miscreant teenager, “Sorry, Dad.”

Jill finally comes back out with a bottle of wine and Callie makes her way back to the table to rejoin us.  “Now, show us that video of the proposal,” Callie commands.

I
t’s Saturday night and the restaurant is packed.  We make it halfway to the bar when shouts of “They’re here!” fill the room.  Emmy and Reese come running out to meet me, all giggles and grins, dying to see my ring.  Once the initial excitement calms down, we go sit at a table for some girl talk.

“So, did you set a date yet?” Emmy wants to know.

“No,” I chuckle.  “I’ve only been engaged for twenty-four hours.”

“That’s okay.  We’ll help you pick the perfect date.  See, first you have to decide where you want to go on your honeymoon.  That will help us pick the right time of year.  After that, you pick where you want your wedding day pictures taken.  That will help us pick the right month.  And then –”

“Emmy, slow down.  I haven’t even thought about any of that.” 

Emmy cannot contain her enthusiasm.  “But you have to.  There’s so much to do.  You have to pick your colors and your flowers.  We have to plan a menu and find a band.  Aren’t you excited?”

Reese tries to intervene, “Emmy, give her a minute to breathe.  There’s time for all of that.  Hey, Jette, look over there.  Emmy and I have a surprise for you.”  Reese points to the projection wall where I loop some of my favorite images.  I look up, and staring back at me are the press pictures taken outside the Tribeca Grill when Evan arranged for our big announcement last night. 

There are pictures of us together looking over the moon.  I’m so glad Jocelyn and Brianna took me shopping and to the spa beforehand, because I look good.  Every girl should visit a spa or salon before getting her picture taken. 

Close ups of my polished hand showing off my new engagement ring flash next, and again I’m grateful for the manicure Brianna insisted upon.  The music playing in the background is my new favorite Jason Derulo song, “Marry Me”. 

I turn to Reese and ask, “How did you do this?”

“Keep watching,” she insists.

As the song plays, the entire restaurant quiets to watch and listen.  I walk over to the bar where Adam, Derek, and Marcus are entertaining Evan.  He swivels his barstool to greet me, and I plant myself right between his legs.  Evan places his arms across my middle and his chin on my shoulder as we watch together.  Joining the looping photographs are pictures of the flowers from the inside of Broadwin Jewelers.  As the song ends, the pictures fade to black and a grainy video takes its place, complete with sound.

When the video begins, I’m alone in the showroom.  My stomach clenches as I watch the door open, knowing exactly who will be walking through it.  My breath catches when I see him.  He is magnificent.  His unruly chestnut hair is sexy as hell.  He’s wearing a simple oxford blue dress shirt, emphasizing his hulking biceps, along with my favorite dark blue Diesel jeans that hang just right.  He smiles that crazy schmexy smile and flashes his million-dollar dimples.  And he’s mine.

I watch as his aching perfection moves gracefully towards me.  He wipes away my tears and I can see him gazing at me with such love in his face, it’s humbling.  I feel his arms wrap around me a little more tightly and I wriggle just enough to release some of the tension that’s been building.  I was there.  I know what happens next.  Why am I affected so deeply?

I listen as Evan begins to speak.  The room is so quiet around us, you could hear a pin drop.  Everyone listens, including the men, as Evan spells out his feelings for me.  Then it happens, he drops to one knee and asks me to marry him.  I stare in shock at my frozen response.  I know there were a million thoughts racing through my head at that very moment, but the poor man before me is waiting patiently for an answer.  After what seems like ages, we finally hear Jocelyn’s strong voice booming, “Well?   Are you going to answer him or not?”  The entire room erupts into laughter.  The men all sympathetically give Evan a little slap on the shoulder to let him know they feel his pain, but he ignores them and continues to hold me tightly.

Every female in the room cries when I whisper my response.  At the time I thought I said it with such conviction, I must have been shouting.  But my emotions obviously had the better of me.  Who could blame me?  This impossibly amazing man had just vowed to spend the rest of his life with me.  That’s when the video ends.  Bruno Mars begins singing, “Marry You,” and the loop begins again.

I turn around to face Evan, and as I do, his hands slide up from my waist to my cheeks.  He holds me gently as he kisses me deeply.  And I return his kisses, not caring who is watching.  The music playing in the background is humming right along with my heart.

Eventually, we are forced apart by our friends who want to congratulate us again.  Some of the guests in the restaurant whistle while others shout, “Get a room!”  But I don’t care.  This is my moment and I plan to enjoy every bit of it.

Once again, we break ranks as the men rendezvous at the bar and the ladies claim a booth in the back.  As the three of us scoot into the booth, I can’t help but wonder, “How did you guys pull this off?  Who got Jocelyn’s pictures and video, because I know it wasn’t me.”

Emmy points at Reese, “It’s her, ask Reese how she did it, Jette.  Go ahead, ask!”

“Okay, okay, it was me.  Well, sort of.  Shaun and I went out with Jocelyn and Xander last night.  She showed me everything and I begged her to send copies to me.  She’s pretty cool, Jette.”

Wow.  I haven’t really asked, but now I know.  Reese is still seeing Shaun.  It’s been two weeks.  I give it two or three more, then that should be about it.  But it’s nice to know he’s made it past the first week.  Not many of her men do.

“You girls stay here.  I’ll be right back.  I’m going to get us something sweet.”  I head back to the kitchen to try and decide what to serve.  I’ve had a cheesecake, so it’s time for something light and airy.  I don’t see anything in the refrigerator that speaks to me.  When I close the refrigerator door, I’m shocked by the figure standing behind the door.

“Holy shit, Ryker you scared me.  What the hell?” I reprimand him.  “Where did you come from?”  I look around just to make sure we’re not alone.  Thank goodness, one of the busboys is still here cleaning dishes.

“I just stopped by to check on Reese and I was rewarded with a surprise visit with you,” he replies.  “I guess this is the part where I congratulate you on your engagement,” he says wryly.

“I’d say thank you, but it doesn’t seem like your heart was really in it, Ryker.  Even if you didn’t mean it, thank you for saying it.”  I go to the dry case to find some macaroons that I can bring to the table.  “I’ll tell Reese you’re here.  I’m sure she’d love to see you.”

“Hold on,” he takes the plate from my hand and places it down on the counter.  “Are you sure this is what you want?”

“What is that supposed to mean?”  He needs to explain himself.

“It just seems to me that for someone who complains about the press so much, you seemed to be more than happy to cozy up to them last night.  Don’t you feel just a little bit like a hypocrite?”  It almost sounds like he’s angry with me.

“I’m not having this discussion with you, Ryker.  It’s none of your business anymore.”

“It’s just that I never thought of you as the type of person who sells out just to get their face on the cover of a magazine.”  He looks at me with such disappointment.  Is that what he thinks I am?  A media whore?

“Is that what you really think?” I ask.

“No.  I don’t think that’s who you are.  Listen, I didn’t mean to upset you.”  He tries to reassure me with a pat on the hand, but I pull my hand away.  “I just have to say, it felt a little staged.  You don’t think it’s at all odd that he would set all this up exactly one week before his debut as starting quarterback?  It doesn’t seem strangely conveniently to you?” 

“No, of course not.  I can’t believe you would even suggest that.”

“I know you don’t want to hear it, Jette, but he was willing to cancel it all if his lackey couldn’t guarantee the press would show up.” 

I look at him with disbelief and contempt.  “That’s not true.  You’re lying.  Why would you say such a thing?”

“Fine, don’t believe me.  Go ask Emmy.  She’s been very chatty lately.  It seems her little boy toy was calling all the shots.  He set up the jeweler.  He got the press to show up.  He orchestrated the entire event.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he wrote the script that Evan read, word for word.  It was a great show, I must admit.”  His eyes flash over me as if he’s taking my inventory and he doesn’t like what he sees.

“You think it was all a show?”  I try to focus on what I know to be true.  I love Evan and I know he feels the same way.

“Well, maybe not all of it.  He’s not a fool.  He knows he needs to hold onto you before football season starts and he’s travelling all over the country.  I’m just saying he’s allowing the media to run your lives and I didn’t think that was the life you wanted for yourself.”  His accusations are really starting to piss me off.

“And are you saying that my life would be better if I were with someone else?  Someone more like you, maybe?”

“Well, it would be less complicated, that’s for sure.  Besides, it’s only a matter of time before he screws up and cheats on you.  He’s never been very good at keeping it in his pants.”  It may be true that losing him was always my biggest fear, that someone might come along with more to offer and whisk him away, but not any more.  But being reminded of that nagging fear is not something I welcome. 

Out of nowhere, Marcus enters the kitchen, takes on look at my expression, and walks straight towards Ryker.  “Hey, buddy, what brings you out here tonight?”  Marcus gives him a pat on the shoulder and a handshake, but it’s more posturing than it is friendliness.

“I just stopped in to check on the kitchen crew and I just happened to run into Jette.”  Ryker takes a big draw from his water bottle.  He’s not letting Marcus intimidate him.

“Well, it looks to me like you’ve had your little reunion and I think it’s time for you to hit the road.”  I hope Ryker gets the not-so-subtle message.

He tosses his water bottle across the room and into a nearby trashcan.  “What, are you his little whipping boy, doing all Big Mac’s dirty work for him?  Did he send you in here to retrieve his trophy so he can wave it out in front of everyone?”

“What did you just call me?” Marcus asks, moving swiftly and menacingly closer to Ryker.

“You heard me just fine,” Ryker bites back.

The doors burst open.  Evan and Derek come purposefully walking through the doors.  “What the fuck are you doing here?  I thought we already took out the trash,” Derek barks.

“Do we have a problem here?” Evan asks, standing in front of me and blocking me.  The four men stare each other down.  It frightens me.

“No, there’s no problem,” Ryker says.  “I was just having a nice friendly conversation with Jette, that’s all.”

“I don’t think so,” Evan challenges.  “If you have something to say to her, you say it in front of me.”

“Why?  Are you afraid that I’ll tell her things you don’t want her to hear?  Scared that she’ll see right through you and your little media grab?” he scoffs. 

Evan’s voice becomes loud and deep, bellowing a warning to Ryker.  “You don’t know what you’re talking about Ryker.  So why don’t you just shut the fuck up, take that piece of shit cycle of yours, and get the hell out of here.” 

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Ryker mocks.  “Just keep lying and pretending.  You’re good at that, putting on a show, performing.  That’s what you do, right?”

Marcus can see the blood boiling in Evan’s veins and steps in.  “I think that’s enough.  We’re done here.”

“Not even going to deny it, are you, McGuire?  Why don’t you just tell her?  Tell her how this entire engagement was all Adam’s idea.  Tell her how he arranged for the press to be there at the restaurant.  Tell her how you’re
leaking
that video to the press as we speak.”

“She knows I invited the press.  I have nothing to hide.”  Evan turns to me, and tries to usher me out the door.

“Evan, is it true?  Did you release our proposal to the media?  Did you stage the whole thing?” I ask, afraid of the answer.

Evan grabs my shoulders and locks his eyes on mine.  “No!  Of course not.  You spoke to the press and showed them your ring.  That’s it, and that’s all they are going to get from me.  From us.  Don’t let him do this to us, Juliette.  He’s just trying to get under your skin, that’s all.”

I pull away enough to make eye contact with Ryker, “Why are you doing this to me?  This has been one of the happiest days of my life until you showed up.  Please just leave, Ryker.”

“Next time you show up, you use the front door.  This is not your little playground.  You don’t work here anymore.  You don’t belong here anymore.  You don’t know anyone here anymore.  Are we clear?”  Ryker makes a sucking sound with his tongue and teeth.  “Are we clear?” Evan demands.