Preview:
Wrapping his arms around her, Danny pressed another kiss against her hair, happier than he could ever remember being- yet there was one thing he that was still bothering him.
"So... uh.." he began, trying to sound casual. He failed miserably as he spoke in a pitch higher than usual. "Do you?"
"Do I what?"
"You know…" Danny swallowed, suddenly feeling very nervous. "Do you love me?"
"Danny, Danny. I have the sickest idea."
"Hmm…" Danny turned his head away from his Ludlum the moment he felt Mindy pulling away from his chest. They were tangled up together against his couch, and he instantly missed the feeling of her pressed up against him. "What are you scheming now?"
"I'm not scheming. I think we should buy an island."
"What?" Her strange thoughts shocked him, as usual, in the best of ways. He put down his book, and struggled to hide a smile. "This plan sounds crazier than usual. Did you learn nothing from that Lifetime Marooned movie you made me watch?"
"It is not crazy!" she insisted. "I was thinking about it, and I know you hate traveling and anywhere you can't listen to a Jets game on the radio, but if we pooled our money together, we could buy an island in the Caribbean."
"Absolutely not."
"Nothing big, Danny!" Mindy stubbornly yanked on his arm the moment he began shaking his head. "Just five or six square acres. That's all I'm asking."
She smiled up at him, and Danny felt his heart flutter. He was willing to give this woman anything in the world, anything she truly wanted, but he knew she was teasing him.
"We haven't even left my condo yet," he reminded her. The two of them had only reunited on the top of the Empire State Building the night before. After taking her to her favorite burrito place, they had spent the night showing each other just exactly how "all in" they were. To no one at work's surprise, they had each called in sick that morning, and had spent the day lounging around, never out of each other's arms, peacefully enjoying their reunion.
"We will eventually, and wouldn't it be nice to have an island to call our own?" Mindy asked. "Somewhere warm and private- a place just for us." She playfully ran her fingers across Danny's chest, drawing shapes that suspiciously seemed to spell her name. If she was trying to brand him, there was no need. He had been hers for a long time.
"My bed is warm and private," he murmured, placing a hand against her cheek and running his thumb down it softly.
"So is the hot pipe room, but you don't see me asking for that," Mindy quipped dryly. "This is a great idea! Both Leonardo DiCaprio and Lenny Kravitz have islands. We can be their neighbors."
"Is that supposed to convince me?" Danny frowned. "The only benefit of having an island would be not having any neighbors. We wouldn't have to make small-talk in the hallway or listen to them play their boomboxes after nine."
"Ok, you old-timer, then think of this as a chance to prove your undying love." Mindy prodded him in the chest accusingly. "Last night doesn't quite make up for you putting my heart through the shredder. You're lucky I'm so gracious and forgiving, because you should be on the ground groveling right now."
Her words would have been a punch to Danny's gut if not for the mischievous gleam in her eye. Instinctively, he grabbed her hand, relieved to feel her close. "You think it wasn't bad for me? These last few months have been the worst of my life," he confessed. "Besides, I've already told you I love you like three times. Do you need me to say it again?"
"Obviously." He could not help but to smile as she nodded up at him eagerly. "And for the record, you should want to say it every second of every day."
"Alright fine." Still smiling, Danny slowly pulled her closer. "I love you, you little nutjob. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead and leaned back to watch her. She looked so content, he thought his chest might burst. "Are we good now, or do I still have to buy you an island?"
"We'll discuss it again at Christmas." Mindy snuggled up against his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, Danny pressed another kiss against her hair, happier than he could ever remember being- yet there was one thing he that was still bothering him.
"So... uh.." he began, trying to sound casual. He failed miserably as he spoke in a pitch higher than usual. "Do you?"
"Do I what?"
"You know…" Danny swallowed, suddenly feeling very nervous. "Do you love me?"
Mindy pushed herself up instantly. "Danny! Do you seriously have to ask? Of course I…" She suddenly stopped talking, and eyed him impishly. "You know what, nevermind. I'm not going to say it."
"What?" Danny scowled, indignant. "Why?"
"I told you, last night doesn't make up for everything. I kinda like the idea of making you wait for it."
"Mindy! That's cruel."
"You were the one who said I wasn't a nice girl."
"I also told you could try to be more like them!"
Mindy watched him for a moment and slowly scooted forward. "You're right. Danny Castellano, I…" She wrapped her arms around his neck, "love…"
Danny swallowed again, his heart beat speeding up as he stared into her eyes.
"…grill cheese sandwiches. Especially when you add that fancy ham, proshoeso, or whatever. Can you make me one later?"
Danny's jaw dropped as she laughed, pressing her head against his shoulder.
"Mindy!" Annoyed, he tried to un-tangled himself from her but she held on tight, clearly enjoying herself.
"Hey, you knew what you were getting into, pal. If you wanted boring, you should have bypassed the Empire States Building and gone straight for the organic lettuce aisle at Whole Foods."
Danny begrudgingly looked down at her. Any irritation he felt drained away as she smiled at him playfully. She was right. He did know what he was getting into, and he couldn't wait. "I don't want boring. St. Raphael in heaven help me, I want you." Without another word, he pushed her backward onto the couch, climbed over her, and kissed her deeply.
"I love it when you talk Catholic to me." Danny smirked as Mindy let out a breathy sigh, and pulled him closer.
Over the next few days, the two of them spent as much time together as they could, and Danny couldn't deny it: he was giddy- the sort of love-struck idiot he used to mock. Yet there was still that niggling that stung him from time to time as Mindy still refused to say the words he wanted to hear. While she let Danny know she loved him with every flirt, smile, and touch- he still yearned to hear her voice it out loud.
One afternoon, on their mutual day off, they decided to head to Staten Island together, because Mindy wanted to see Danny's favorite place growing up. He hadn't grown up in the best of neighborhoods so there weren't too many options, but he decided to take her to the old diner he once loved. He and Stevie used to hang out there with their friends, fighting over a single chocolate shake whenever they could scrounged up the cash.
"Danny, this shake is delicious," Mindy declared happily as she took a sip from the chocolate shake they shared, one that he could so easily afford now.
Danny jabbed at it suspiciously with his straw. "It's thicker than I remember," he complained. "I might as well drink concrete. It didn't used to be this way."
Mindy rolled her eyes. "Just try it." Without warning, she grabbed a spoon, dipped it in, and held it against Danny's lips. Reluctantly, he tasted it.
"Good, isn't it?"
He had to admit, it was a good, and he enjoyed it much better once he accepted the spoon Mindy handed him. She knew without words that he needed it, or else he'd complain every time some shake got stuck in his straw.
"Yeah, it not so bad," Danny admitted, glancing around the diner he once knew so well. While it had new owners and the insides had all been redone, he still felt a sense of nostalgia remembering all the time he had spent there. He placed a hand over Mindy much smaller one and gave it a squeeze. "It's nice to be back."
"Did you come here often?" she asked him.
It was usually hard for Danny to open up about his past, but not with Mindy. He quickly found himself telling her about the days where he and eight or nine of his friends would try to fit into one booth. Her big, beautiful eyes widened when he told her they used to take turns trying to distract the waitress so they could sneak sodas.
"Danny, you rebel! You used to steal? Next you're going to tell me you went around shanking people and stealing their organs."
"I did not shank people," he nudged her playfully, "and even though you really need to lay off those crime dramas, I'm glad you came here with me today," he said sincerely. "It means a lot."
"Of course. Like I would miss this. You know I love…" She stilled, just as Danny did. His heart began to race. "...your stories. I love your stories," she said quickly. "I'm still trying to figure out how you grew from a tiny convict into an enormous square."
"That's not what you were going to say!" Danny exclaimed, pointing a finger at her accusingly. "You were going to say you-know-what."
"No, I wasn't," Mindy insisted.
"Yes, you were!"
"Ok, maybe I was." She shrugged.
"If you were going to say it, then you should say it." Danny looked at her expectantly.
"Min, say it." He prodded her with his elbow.
"Nope." She smiled and shook her head. "Not yet, delinquent."
"Soon?" he asked hopefully.
"Maybe."
To get her back, Danny grabbed the shake out of her hand and playfully held it out of reach. Instantly, she cried out that she was being robbed by the Staten Island Shanker until he stopped her with a kiss.
Mindy's special brand of torture didn't stop there. She found numerous opportunities to tease him. After a particularly passionate night together, he had panted the words against her ear, still inside her, only to hear back "and I love u…kuleles."
He took her to the zoo one day, and after being forced to watch penguins hobbling around for an hour, Mindy rewarded his patience by telling him, "I love u…nicorns. I wish they existed. I'd want to see that exhibit."
Danny knew she was having fun teasing him, and he probably deserved it for ever breaking up with her, yet that didn't stop him from wanting to hear the words. The truth was, he had imagined Mindy saying "I love you" to him so many times and for so long- even when he shouldn't have. Danny could still recall feeling like a pathetic idiot when caught himself imaging it back when she still with Cliff. Then he felt like a jerk when he found himself doing it after he had broken up with her. Now that they were finally together, Danny didn't want to imagine anymore. He wanted the real thing…desperately.
And of course, because it was Mindy, he got it what he wanted when he least expected it.
He was in the break room with Peter one morning, reading his newspaper and eating his usual bowl of cereal, when Mindy came in.
"Hey," he said, smiling without thinking. One of her friends had come into town to visit the night before, and he hadn't had a chance to see her.
She smiled back immediately. "Hey."
"Ok, you two, save the bedroom eyes for the bedroom," Peter complained. "Some of us prefer to watch our pornos at lunchtime. I should be able to enjoy my Egg McMuffin without choking on the sexual tension.
"Shut up, Peter," Danny and Mindy said at the same time. He slapped his shoulder as he got up while Mindy yanked his hair. They turned and looked at each other as soon as Peter left.
"I can't stay long," Mindy warned him when Danny began to fold his newspaper. "My patient came early and I need caffeine."
Danny shot her a disapproving look as she cracked open an early morning diet coke- a look she ignored completely.
"I'll see you later though at the hospital, right?" She had a delivery scheduled later and he had promised to hang out with her in the breakroom, like they often did when the other was on call.
"I'll be there."
"Great." She dropped a quick kiss on his lips and scrambled out the door, before quickly darting back in. "Oh, and Danny, are you bringing Chinese?"
"Yep. I'll pick it up on my way."
She smiled at him and disappeared again, before hurrying back. "Not from Tso's though, right? You know how I feel about that place."
"Yes. No Tso's," he responded. "Having only vegetarian eggrolls is an unforgivable offense in your opinion."
"I might as well eat air!" Mindy exclaimed. "So you'll go to Jade House?"
"Yes."
"Perfect." She disappeared again, and seconds later, she ducked her head back in. "And you'll order extra plum sauce?"
Danny could not help but to shake his head in amusement. "Yes, Yes! I'll get you the Jade Combo, non-spicy, which l'm sure will shame your Indian ancestors, with pork eggrolls and extra plum sauce. Is that all?"
"Yep."
Mindy darted away, and Danny smoothed his newspaper, still amused, when she reappeared yet again. "And Danny…?"
"You're going to be late for your patient."
"I know, but this is important."
"What is it," he said, still eyeing the paper.
"I love you."
Danny jolted, his head snapping up. "You what?"
"Ok, bye," Mindy waved and disappeared.
Stunned, Danny stood up. Unable to think coherently, he completely forgot he was still holding a bowl of cereal and spilled it all over himself. Milk soaked through his shirt and pants. "Damn it!" he cursed, but he could not truly find it in him to care. Stumbling, he ran out into the reception area just as Mindy was opening the door to her office.
"Wait right there, Mindy Lahiri!" he called out to her. "Say that again." He was surrounded by co-workings and waiting patients, and he could feel the milk pooling into his underwear, but none of it mattered. "Min, say that again," he demanded.
She turned slowly and eyed at him coyly. "Say what, Danny?"
He stared her down. "Say it."
"I don't know what you are referring…"
"Say it!"
She sighed. "Alright fine. Daniel Castellano…" She took a step forward, looking at him straight in the eye. "I love you. I really love you, like in a way that's bigger, better, and more real than anything I've seen in a movie, even ones starring Meg Ryan." There were a few whoops at her announcement, mainly from Morgan, and the office began to clap. She smiled at them and looked back at Danny. "Happy?"
He swayed in place, feeling a rush of emotions as he stared at her. Rather than being embarrassed her words had been declared in front of all his coworkers, he found himself proud they knew he was loved by such a woman. "Yeah," he said, nodding. "I'm happy."
They exchanged a meaningful glance before Mindy turned and disappeared into her office. Danny remained in place, still smiling stupidly, drenched in milk and bits of soggy Wheaties. His coworkers swarmed him. Beverly pinched his cheeks while Morgan noogied his hair and called him Doctor Rome-ano.
"Alright everyone, that's enough," he said, finally snapping out of his daze. "Be mature. And professional."
He walked over to his own office, and paused in the doorway. "You're going to have to get used to that kind of talk now," he announced, trying hard to fight another smile. "You'll be hearing it a lot."
As Danny replayed the moment in his head a thousand times in the privacy of his own office, he could barely wait.