CHAPTER 100 - PREPARING FOR THE PROPOSAL

Lace.

I had the time of my life playing dress up while Dean shopped. I still cannot believe how good I felt traipsing through the store in the dreamiest pink ball gown I have ever seen in my life. I tried on more jewelry than I normally wear including a dainty, lab-created, pink diamond ring. Even though I only bought a delicate gold chain with a heart pendant for myself, I had the most amazing time.

“I should have bought you that dress,” Dean says as he drives home.

He took me out to lunch to a pizzeria, and for ice cream to Milky Lane. I feel like a kid who bunked school and had the time of my life. “Maybe you can get it for me for my birthday,” I tell him.

He smiles. “That I will definitely do. I read one of your short stories while waiting for you.”

“Which one?” I ask.

“The one with the shape-shifting billionaire. It was quite romantic,” he says, “it had serious beauty and the beast vibes,” he says.

“Yeah. I guess I have always been a romantic. I love reading romance fiction and I love writing it,” I tell him, “my dream was to be kidnapped by Beast from Beauty and the Beast and spend all my days and nights in his library.”

Dean laughs. “There’s no need for kidnapping. I can build you a library,” he says.

“Aw. That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me,” I tell him.

He parks outside my parent’s house and kisses me softly on my lips. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he tells me.

“Tomorrow?” I ask, surprised. He didn’t mention anything about tomorrow while we were shopping.

“Yeah, my mother’s hosting a garden tea and would like you to attend,” he tells me.

And this is the first I am hearing of it? Dean isn’t the type to leave an invitation for the last minute. “I’ll be there,” I say, “what should I wear?”

Dean shrugs. “Tea party clothes?” he grins. “I have no idea. This will be the first tea party that I will be attending.”

I laugh along with him. “I will think of something,” I tell him.

He kisses me one more time. “See you tomorrow.”

I watch as Dean drives off and wonder if I missed something. I enjoyed today with all of my heart but I still can’t help but feel that Dean isn’t telling me something.

“How was your date?” my mother asks me.

“Great, and yours?” I ask her.

“What date?” she asks me with a surprised look on her face.

“The one you and Dad rushed off to this morning,” I tell her.

Her face turns bright red. “It wasn’t a date,” she says, “it was more of a business breakfast with someone looking to create a new partnership with your father.”

“That’s great. How did it go?” I ask. My father has the golden touch when it comes to new partnerships.

“Quite well. The other party cannot wait to enter into a lifelong partnership with your father,” she says and smiles slyly.

“Lifelong? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I know Dad is excellent at what he does but has he thought about the consequences of a lifelong partnership with someone?” I hope my father hasn’t made a rash decision by entering into a never-ending partnership with someone he just had breakfast with.

“We’re meeting with them again tomorrow to finalize the deal,” my mother says again with the same, sly smile.

I really hope the other party isn’t just a scammer. “I hope it goes well,” I tell my mother. She pours me a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. “Thank you.” I perch on one of the bar stools at the breakfast counter.

She pours herself a giant glass of orange juice and joins me at the breakfast counter. “What did you and Dean do?” she asks me casually.

I shrug. “He took me shopping to buy his parents gifts. I forgot the occasion. And then I played dress up while waiting for him.”

“Wow. That sounds like the kind of day a lot of girls only dream of. What did you try on?” my mother asks, curiosity evident in her eyes.

“A dreamy ball gown,” I tell her, “trying it on made me feel like a princess. It all felt so surreal. I even tried on accessories and jewelry.” I shake my head. “I still feel like I am missing something.”

“Like what?” my mother asks.

I shrug. “I cannot place it just yet.” I drink the last of my orange juice. “I need to look for something to wear.”

“Are you going out tonight?” Mum asks.

I shake my head. “No, Dean invited me to his mother’s tea party tomorrow. I have no idea what to wear to a tea party.”

Mum laughs. “You wear a pretty dress, decent shoes, and some lovely accessories.”

“Yeah. That’s easier said than done, Ma.” I laugh at how easy she made finding something to wear.

“You could always get Dean’s mom to suggest something suitable,” my mother says.

“Yeah. Maybe you could have led with that,” I tell my mother, “I am going to call Dean and ask to speak to his mother.

***

Dean

I am watching reruns of a baseball game in the living room with my father when my phone rings. It’s Lace.

“Hey,” I greet.

“Hey. Is it okay if I speak to your mother?” she asks. I glance at my father. He pauses his game and whistles his secret signal for my mother to join us. My mother is in the living room within seconds.

“What’s going on?” she whispers. My father points at me and I show her my phone. She grins. “Perfect,” she mouths.

“Sure, she is right here,” I tell Lace.

“Okay, hello Mrs. St. James. How are you?” Lace asks.

I am grateful this isn’t a video call because my mother is grinning so much that I am sure Lace would have figured out we are all up to something.

“Hello, Lace. I am very well, thanks, how are you?” My mother asks her, still grinning.

“I am panicking. Dean invited me to your tea party tomorrow and I have no idea what to wear,” Lace says.

Oh, she just played right into our hands. I smile at my parents.

“I think I have the perfect dress for you,” my mother tells her, “why don’t you come here a little early and I will help you dress up?”

Lace lets out a relieved sigh. “Thank you, Mrs. St James.”

“It’s only my pleasure,” my mother says.

“I will see you tomorrow,” Lace tells my mother, “have a lovely afternoon.”

I am so happy I feel like my heart is going to burst. Tomorrow I am going to propose to the woman of my dreams.

The store’s personal delivery service drops off the dress Lace tried on, together with the accessories and the ring a little after five p.m. My mother inspects everything in the neatly packed boxes with meticulous precision. She immediately hangs up the dress and steams out the creases herself in the dressing room Lace will use tomorrow. The decorators should also be arriving any minute now. They will work throughout the night preparing the huge garden into a fairytale wonderland for our proposal tomorrow.

“You need to get some sleep,” my mother tells me, “I can’t have you looking like something the cat dragged in while Lace looks like a princess.”

“There is absolutely no chance of that happening,” I assure her. “I will check that everything I ordered arrives and then call it a night,” I say.

“Sheila Glass is overseeing the event preparation,” my mother says. Sheila is my mother’s oldest event planner. She is a genius and has yet to plan a disastrous event.

“Well, in that case, I assure you that I will be in bed by nine.” I flash my mother a reassuring smile. I cannot wait for tomorrow and I cannot wait to propose to the woman of my dreams.

***

Lace.

I still feel like Dean is hiding something from me. Perhaps he organized a secret book reading for me, or maybe he planned a surprise party for me to celebrate the launch of my latest book series. Whatever it is, I know that tomorrow’s tea party is a front for something. I think it may have something to do with me getting to know his family a little more, or for them to get to know me better.

Alison calls me just as I am about to call it a night. “Hey,” I greet her.

“Hey, yourself. How are you?” she asks.

“I am great. And you?” She sounds exhausted.

“I am in the hospital.” She laughs weakly. “Zane drove me here an hour ago when i started having contractions. I think this is it. This is my big day.”

“Oh my God, I need to come over,” I tell her.

“Absolutely not. I am having a C section and I am being prepped as we speak.” She sighs. “I cannot wait to be one person again. I swear I am really going to appreciate my body and my free time a whole lot more after today.” She laughs and then yawns.

I laugh along with her. “I will visit you tomorrow. Promise. I am attending a tea party in the morning.”

“Tea party?”

“Yeah, Dean’s mom is hosting one of these fancy high teas and invited me,” I explain.

“That sounds fun. I cannot wait to hear all about it,” she says.

As I end the call with Alison, I start to wonder if there is more to this tea party that Dean isn’t telling me.