Mending (30 page)

She nodded her head as tears streamed down her face.  “I love you.”

He released her and turned around, as if looking for someone.  “Sam did you get all of that?  She said yes!”

Gabby’s
eyes lit up and she quickly snapped her head back and forth, “Sam’s here?”

Bradley proudly looked back to her.  “Yes, she helped me set all of this up for you and hopefully video- taped this for us.”

“You have got to be kidding me?”

“No.”

“But, we weren’t even supposed to be here.  We were supposed to be in Atlanta.  How did you get her to do this so quickly?”

Sam came into view as Gabby rattled off questions, “Awe, Gabby.  Let me see!”

Gabby held her hand out for Sam to see the massive ring, “I’m so glad you could be here.” Gabby couldn’t hold back her sobs any longer.  Sam grabbed her and just hugged her swaying back and forth.  “Oh Gabby, I told you he was your keeper, your prince charming.”

“I know.” She sniffed trying to tame the sobs, “I know.”

When Sam released her she asked her question again, “But, how…?”

Bradley interrupted her.  “Gabby, I had planned to propose to you in Atlanta last night.  Sam had planned to drive to Atlanta Saturday morning to help me.”  He looked over to Sam and grinned offering a hug.  “When all of that happened, I had to cancel everything there.” 

Gabby started to look sad realizing just how much damage Ian and Veronica had managed to do yesterday.  No wonder he had looked so shattered when he got to her last night and saw her with Ian.  He had gone through so much trouble and his plans had been ruined. 

“I’m so sorry.” Gabby whispered.

“Don’t
be, baby
.
  This was way better than what I had planned anyway.
”
  He moved a stray curl back behind her ear, “I was so upset last night and knew I just needed some time to think, to make sure that this was the right decision.”  He leaned down and kissed her head.  “It just solidified what I already knew, Gabby.
  I’m kind of happy it happened.  I have no doubts what so ever.  I will cherish every day I get to spend with you because I now know what it’s like to have you leave me.
”

Gabby started to shiver because the sun was almost fully down and it was getting darker by the minute.  The candles and flowers were beautiful.  She looked around wondering how they would clean all of that up before dark.

Bradley interrupted her turning her chin so that she was looking at him, “Hey, we have permission to be here late.  Sam is going to clean it all up for us.  How
does
Malia’s
sound
for dinner
?”

“Delicious.” 
Gabby beamed and turned back to hug Sam
.
“Thank you for this.”

“Oh Gabby girl, you deserve this.”

Gabby laughed at Sam using Bradley’s little nickname.  “Goodnight, then.  Love you, sister.”

“Love you, Gabby.” Sam nodded at Bradley, “Y’all have fun.”

Bradley whispered, “T
hank you
,”
as he gave her a quick hug.  “
And w
e will.”

He scooped Gabby up the way he had when they first arrived, “Let’s go my little princess.”
He leaned in and kissed her.

She giggled and wrapped her arms around him.  She looked over his shoulders at her left hand and shook her head in disbelief. “Is this really happening or am I dreaming?”

“Really happening, love.
 
Really happening.
  And the night is just getting started.”

“I thought you said we were eating at
Malia’s
?” Gabby pointed at the window as they passed
Malia’s
on the right.

“I said we were having
Malia’s
for dinner.” He glanced over to her grinning, “But I didn’t say we were eating there.”

“Oh. Where are we eating then?”

“The Carriage House Inn”

Gabby looked back over to him with hooded eyes, “Oh really?”

“Yes, another thing I had dreamed about that night at Steak and Shake was taking you to a sweet bed and breakfast here in Aiken.  So, I decided tonight would be the night.”

She bit her lower quivering lip, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.  I’ll spend the rest of my life taking care of you, I promise.”

“And I of you.”
She reached over and ran her fingers through his hair.
  “What will we do if the baby really is yours?”

“I was really trying to not think about that situation tonight.  This is about me and you.”

Gabby shrugged shaking her head. “It’s the elephant in the room
Bradley,
I don’t know how much longer I can ignore that question.”

He stared straight ahead, “I’ll support the child.  I’ll have a relationship with him or her.” Glancing to her with fire in his eyes, “But, I will not have a relationship of any kind with Veronica and she knows that.  I made that very clear.”

“Okay.  I can live with that.”  She tilted her head, “Will we have babies?”

“Of course, we’ll have as many babies as you want.”

Her round eyes grew large, “Six?”

“Ahem,” he cleared his throat trying to not choke, “Six?”

Gabby thought he looked so adorable in that moment.  She was really just teasing him but it was obvious that he thought she was serious.  And it was also obvious that he was entertaining the idea in an effort to make her happy and honor the statement he’d just made.  She couldn’t let him worry too long.

“Yeah, you know. 
A large family of little adorable Bradley’s?”

“If you want six, I’ll have fun trying.” He glanced over at her grinning wickedly.

Gabby busted out laughing, “I don’t want six.” She winked.  “But, I appreciate that you’re open to a large family.”

A wave of relief washed over his face and the color started to return.  “You had me worried.”

She reached over and fingered through is hair, “Thank you.” She gleamed.

He leaned into her touch, “My pleasure.  We’re here.”

The inn was located in downtown Aiken on Lauren’s Street, farther down and on the other side of the road from
Malia’s
.  It was a grand white colonial two story inn with black shutters.

“This is so neat that it’s right in the middle of town.  I’d passed it before, but never really paid any attention to the fact that it was a bed and breakfast.”

“I thought it was a great location.  C’mon.  I had Sam check us in so everything is ready.  We just need to go to our room.”

He opened his door and walked around to her side and took her hand helping her out of low car.  “I’ll grab our bags.”  He said as he pulled them from the back of the car.

They walked up the stairs to a large suite with a four poster king sized bed with soft white linens.  The room was decorated in warm yellows and had a balcony that overlooked the courtyard in the rear of the property. 

He watched her as her wide eyes surveyed the room.  There were red roses covering the floor.  You could barely see the carpet.  There were pillar candles of staggering lengths on nearly every surface.  There was a room service tray that had silver dome over the plates, a tray full of chocolate covered strawberries, a bowl of fresh whipped cream, and a chest of ice holding a familiar looking bottle.  It was the same champagne he had for them on their first date at The Peninsula Grill in Charleston, Champagne Perrier-
Jouet
, 2004 Belle
Epoque
Rose
. 

“Say something.” He whispered as he closed the door and wrapping his arms around her waist.  He moved the hair on her neck to the side and started nibbling, kissing her sweetly.

She grabbed his arms, “It’s beautiful.”

All he could think of was there was nothing more beautiful than her.  The view of her eyes as he carried her into
Hopeland
Gardens earlier took his breath away.  He wished he could have had Sam capture just her eyes in a photo in that exact moment.  It had been even better than he had imagined. 
“Beautiful l
ike you.”
He continued to kiss, “
Ya
hungry?”

“
Mhmm
.”
She hummed as she tilted her neck, giving way for his kisses.

“For food or something else?”

“Both.”

“You’re monosyllabic again, you know?”

“Yes.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m beyond okay.” She turned and faced him.  Her eyes were like hot liquid gold.  They shimmered with anticipation.  “I love you so much.”

“I love you, Gabby.”

He put her chin between his fingers, slowly tilting her head up to his.  He gently pulled her bottom lip as he savored her.  He intended t
o slowly savor every
moment with her.  This day had not gone the way he had planned, but he knew they were going to be ok
ay
. It was turning out better than anything he could have planned.  He appreciated her more than he
ever
had bef
ore.  H
e hadn’t known that was even possible.

He cupped her face in between his hands and deepened the kiss.  Their tongues were dancing and gently tugging on each other’s swollen lips.  He moved one of his hands down her arm, then to the small of her back pulling her quickly as close as she could possibly be to him.  He inhaled sharply, “I can barely breathe when I’m around you because you take my breath away.” He continued to kiss her. “But, when I was without you, I thought I was drowning.” 

She opened her eyes and looked at him as her lips formed a smile around his. 
“Me, too.”

He closed his eyes tightly, “Oh, Gabby.”  He started to move them back into the room.  Gabby giggled not knowing where she was going, “
I got you.
”

“
Mmmm
,
I know you do.”

When they reached the side of the bed, his hands moved to the back of her dress, finding the zipper.  He slowly started to pull it down.  He stopped kissing her and opened his eyes watching her.  Her lips were parted and her eyes were hooded with desire. 

“When can we set a date?” Gabby asked.

“Let’s talk wedding dates during dinner.”

Gabby’s
face turned red, “I want to get married as soon as possible.”

He smirked as he pushed the dress back and down to where it puddled in the floor around her feet.  She was so incredibly sexy standing there in a black thong, and a black strapless lacy bra.  She didn’t need to even wear sexy lingerie.  She could make the simplest bra and panties delectable.  Although, he fully intended to buy her plenty of lingerie once they got married. 
“Why as soon as possible, my love?”

“Because I can’t wait for you to make love to me, Bradley.”

He sucked in air as his her words.  He clenched his eyes closed and he was grinning devilishly when he opened them, “Then let’s
get
married tomorrow, then.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck
, smiling.
“I want a traditional wedding, the fairy tale.
  I’ve already got the prince.
”

He rubbed his nose on hers,
“We could elope and then have a big wedding.” He
began to sway
their bodies from side to side
to the quiet romantic music playing on the room’s sound system
.  He leaned in and began to kiss her cheek, then her ear lobe. 

“Okay.”

He continued making his way down her body, “Okay?”

“Okay.” She whispered.

He stopped and looked at her moving his favorite stray piece of hair behind her ear lobe.  “Not okay.”

Her brows furrowed and she looked at him confused.