My shift is over in three.two.one."I'm off!" I screamed, my voice happier
than it should be. Tonight was our seven month anniversary, and John had
"something special" planned for just
the two of us. Emily was coming over to baby sit Molly again. I was looking forward to it so much. I love my daughter, but I love my alone time with Carter too. I clocked out, then
grabbed my coat out of the lounge and waited for John at the admit desk. Carter motioned for me to wait just a minute as he walked into the lounge to grab his stuff.
**
I told Abby to wait right there as I walked into the lounge to grab my jacket. "Hey," Susan said. "What's tonight? Abby was all in a rush to get out of here."
"It's our seventh month anniversary," I said, unable to suppress a grin that crept across my face.
"It's only been seven months?!"
I looked at her with confusion. "What do you mean 'only'? Seven months is a long time!"
"It must just seem like longer since you two had been dancing around each other for the three years before that."
I smiled. "That must be it." I sighed. "She's just.amazing, you know? I can't stop thinking about her. I could just watch her all day and never get tired of her. She has the cutest laugh,
an adorable pout, the most beautiful eyes.and then she smiles.and my world just falls apart and I'm lost in her. She's perfect. She's.everything to me."
Susan looked at me with a little grin. "What?" I asked.
"She's the one for you, Carter."
I was dumbstruck. "What do you-what-really? Do you think so?"
"Carter-she stole your heart. And honestly, I don't think she plans on giving it back."
I grinned. "Thank you, Susan." I gave her a hug and then rushed out the door to get Abby,
who was probably wondering what was taking me so long.
**
"Are you ready?"
"Almost," I called back, perfecting my makeup and looking myself up and down in the mirror for the millionth time. I walked down the hall to say goodbye to my daughter. Carter was in
there with her.
"I gotta go, sweetheart. Be good tonight," he said, kissing her forehead.
"I will. Wait, before you go can I ask you something?" Molly said.
"Sure, anything."
"Do you love me?"
"What? Of course, Molly. I love you more than anything."
"How much?"
"To the moon and back. And back again."
"That's a lot!"
"I know, sweetie. That's how much I love you."
"I love you that much too, John!" He leaned down and kissed her one more time, then stood up and saw me. Tears were streaming down my face, and my mascara was starting to run. He
chuckled. "Are you going to need another couple minutes?"
I sniffed. "Yeah, but it won't take that long. Just come with me. Bye Molly! Be good! I love you!" I called, then walked over to her and kissed the top of her head.
"Bye Mommy! I love you too!"
We walked down the hall together into our bedroom and I walked into the bathroom to fix my makeup. He followed me in and wrapped his arms around me from behind. A couple more
tears slid down my face. "Do you really?" I whispered.
"Really what?"
I turned around in his arms and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Do you really love her that much?"
His face was serious. "I love her more than you could ever know, Abby. There's only one thing I love more in the world and that's her amazing mother. She has part of you in her, and
anything that you're in I love." He leaned down and kissed me to confirm this statement. Tears involuntarily left my eyes again and he brushed them away. "Fix your makeup and let's
get out of here," he said with a grin before kissing me one last time and then leaving to go wait for me out in our bedroom. I kissed him again, then tried to make myself beautiful. I
walked out and grabbed my coat, and the two of us left.
**
"Full?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, let's go."
"Go where?"
"You'll see."
"Does everything have to be a surprise tonight, Carter?"
"Yep. It's more fun that way."
"If you say so."
"I do."
I looked up at him and rolled my eyes. He grinned and kissed me as we left the restaurant.
"This way." He led me to the dock, where a private yacht sat waiting.
"Really? It's for us?" I cried, my voice squealing.
"Really." He helped me aboard, then climbed in after me. He walked down to the captain and talked to him for a minute before joining me at the front. "Alright, we're all set to take off."
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see." He smiled down at me, then wrapped his arms around me again as we leaned
against the rail and watched the sun start to set. "Wow," I breathed.
"What?"
"It's just so beautiful."
"It's only half as beautiful as you."
"You're the only one that thinks that."
"No, you're the only one who doesn't." I rolled my eyes at him again, but his face was serious.
I wasn't sure why, and it scared me a little. "Okay, we're here," he said after awhile.
"Where's 'here'?"
"Here." He helped me off the boat and I found that we had sailed into a private bay, away from all the hubbub of the city. I had never seen it before. He led me to a beautiful garden
with thousands of flowers and trees and ivy. It was what I had always imagined the "secret garden" from the book was like. He turned to me. "Close your eyes." I closed them and held
his hand tightly as he led me through the garden, my heart starting to beat faster and faster. "Stop here." I stopped. "Open your eyes," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
I opened my eyes and stared in amazement. We were in a clearing in the garden, but the clearing was filled with a thousand lilies and white roses, all of which were capturing the last
few rays from the sun. I turned around, trying to take it all in. Finally I turned back to him, my eyes questioning. He spoke.
"I love you, Abby. I love you more than anything in the world. I love everything about you. I love the way you walk, the way you look, the way you laugh, the way your eyes light up when
you're happy, the way you smile, the way you kiss, the way you make my mind go blank by just being there, the way you've taken over my life, the way I am when I'm with you. I don't
want to spend another day without you. I don't want another day to go by without you as mine. I don't want to live my life without you by my side. I'm helpless without you, Abby. I
want to wake up next to you everyday for the rest of my life. I want to make coffee for two people in the mornings, not just one. I want to help you raise your daughter. I want to coach
the soccer team. I want to be there when she goes off to college. I want to walk her down the aisle someday to give her away. I want.to be her Daddy." He gazed into my eyes and took
both of my hands into his. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He let go of my hands as he reached into his pocket and got down on one knee. "Abby." he whispered as
tears rolled down my cheeks. "Will you marry me?"
I smiled and nodded. "Yes." I sniffed, then laughed. "Yes. Yes!" He beamed as he slipped the ring on my finger, then stood up to kiss me. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him
back with more passion than I ever had. After awhile we broke apart for air and both of us grinned. He kissed my forehead and then held me tightly as I rested my head against his
shoulder. And we stood there, the two of us, locked in the moment, until darkness fell over the enchanted garden and we had to leave. Hands interlaced we walked down the path, never
taking our eyes off each other. The boat ride back was the same, as was the car ride. We never stumbled or tripped. I guess that's how we always are when we're together.
**
We opened the door to the house, ready for the next part of our night to begin. "I'm going to go kiss Molly goodnight real quick. You pay Emily and I'll meet you in our room." I said,
kissing him deeply to let him know of my intentions for the rest of the evening.
"Don't be long."
"I wouldn't dream of it."
I walked down the hall, cracking open the door of my daughter's room. The moonlight fell across her sleeping face, and I bent over and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight my angel."
I stood up to leave, but a little voice stopped me. "Mommy?"
"You aren't asleep?"
She shook her head. "Can you tell me a story?"
"How about Cinderella?"
"Emily just read me that one. Tell me another one."
I sat down next to her on the bed and put my arms around her as she laid her head against my chest. "Okay. Once upon a time there was a beautiful lady named Abby and a handsome
man named John."
"Mommy?" she asked, interrupting me.
"Yes?"
"Do all stories that start with 'Once upon a time' end with 'Happily ever after?'"
I looked down at her and smiled. "No honey, not all stories do. But this story, this one does."
She smiled and laid her head down again, eyes starting to close. I looked up and saw him leaning against the doorframe, eyes twinkling. He walked across the room and kissed Molly's
forehead. "Time to go to bed, sweetheart. We'll see you in the morning."
"But Mommy was in the middle of a story!"
"Don't worry. She'll finish it another night," he said, looking at me.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Okay. G'night Mommy." she said, her eyes drooping shut as she began to drift off to sleep.
".and Daddy."
I looked at her, and then looked at him, who was staring at her with astonishment. He looked at me and smiled. Then he took my hand and pulled me up, leading me down the hall to our
bedroom.
**
I rested my head against his warm chest as I began to drift off to sleep. One of his hands was interlaced with mine, and the other was holding me tightly against him, as if he never wanted
to let me go. His chest rose and sunk rhythmically, assuring me my soulmate was asleep. I smiled at the thought of spending the rest of my life with him, of waking up everyday curled up against him. I never thought I would be so lucky as to fall in love with my best friend, but I guess I am. It's every girl's dream. And I guess sometimes dreams do come true.
**********
Well ladys and gents, that's it! Stay tuned for the sequel!
Thanks to all the reviewers and to my co-writer Sara, the best author in the whole world!!!
the two of us. Emily was coming over to baby sit Molly again. I was looking forward to it so much. I love my daughter, but I love my alone time with Carter too. I clocked out, then
grabbed my coat out of the lounge and waited for John at the admit desk. Carter motioned for me to wait just a minute as he walked into the lounge to grab his stuff.
**
I told Abby to wait right there as I walked into the lounge to grab my jacket. "Hey," Susan said. "What's tonight? Abby was all in a rush to get out of here."
"It's our seventh month anniversary," I said, unable to suppress a grin that crept across my face.
"It's only been seven months?!"
I looked at her with confusion. "What do you mean 'only'? Seven months is a long time!"
"It must just seem like longer since you two had been dancing around each other for the three years before that."
I smiled. "That must be it." I sighed. "She's just.amazing, you know? I can't stop thinking about her. I could just watch her all day and never get tired of her. She has the cutest laugh,
an adorable pout, the most beautiful eyes.and then she smiles.and my world just falls apart and I'm lost in her. She's perfect. She's.everything to me."
Susan looked at me with a little grin. "What?" I asked.
"She's the one for you, Carter."
I was dumbstruck. "What do you-what-really? Do you think so?"
"Carter-she stole your heart. And honestly, I don't think she plans on giving it back."
I grinned. "Thank you, Susan." I gave her a hug and then rushed out the door to get Abby,
who was probably wondering what was taking me so long.
**
"Are you ready?"
"Almost," I called back, perfecting my makeup and looking myself up and down in the mirror for the millionth time. I walked down the hall to say goodbye to my daughter. Carter was in
there with her.
"I gotta go, sweetheart. Be good tonight," he said, kissing her forehead.
"I will. Wait, before you go can I ask you something?" Molly said.
"Sure, anything."
"Do you love me?"
"What? Of course, Molly. I love you more than anything."
"How much?"
"To the moon and back. And back again."
"That's a lot!"
"I know, sweetie. That's how much I love you."
"I love you that much too, John!" He leaned down and kissed her one more time, then stood up and saw me. Tears were streaming down my face, and my mascara was starting to run. He
chuckled. "Are you going to need another couple minutes?"
I sniffed. "Yeah, but it won't take that long. Just come with me. Bye Molly! Be good! I love you!" I called, then walked over to her and kissed the top of her head.
"Bye Mommy! I love you too!"
We walked down the hall together into our bedroom and I walked into the bathroom to fix my makeup. He followed me in and wrapped his arms around me from behind. A couple more
tears slid down my face. "Do you really?" I whispered.
"Really what?"
I turned around in his arms and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Do you really love her that much?"
His face was serious. "I love her more than you could ever know, Abby. There's only one thing I love more in the world and that's her amazing mother. She has part of you in her, and
anything that you're in I love." He leaned down and kissed me to confirm this statement. Tears involuntarily left my eyes again and he brushed them away. "Fix your makeup and let's
get out of here," he said with a grin before kissing me one last time and then leaving to go wait for me out in our bedroom. I kissed him again, then tried to make myself beautiful. I
walked out and grabbed my coat, and the two of us left.
**
"Full?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, let's go."
"Go where?"
"You'll see."
"Does everything have to be a surprise tonight, Carter?"
"Yep. It's more fun that way."
"If you say so."
"I do."
I looked up at him and rolled my eyes. He grinned and kissed me as we left the restaurant.
"This way." He led me to the dock, where a private yacht sat waiting.
"Really? It's for us?" I cried, my voice squealing.
"Really." He helped me aboard, then climbed in after me. He walked down to the captain and talked to him for a minute before joining me at the front. "Alright, we're all set to take off."
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see." He smiled down at me, then wrapped his arms around me again as we leaned
against the rail and watched the sun start to set. "Wow," I breathed.
"What?"
"It's just so beautiful."
"It's only half as beautiful as you."
"You're the only one that thinks that."
"No, you're the only one who doesn't." I rolled my eyes at him again, but his face was serious.
I wasn't sure why, and it scared me a little. "Okay, we're here," he said after awhile.
"Where's 'here'?"
"Here." He helped me off the boat and I found that we had sailed into a private bay, away from all the hubbub of the city. I had never seen it before. He led me to a beautiful garden
with thousands of flowers and trees and ivy. It was what I had always imagined the "secret garden" from the book was like. He turned to me. "Close your eyes." I closed them and held
his hand tightly as he led me through the garden, my heart starting to beat faster and faster. "Stop here." I stopped. "Open your eyes," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
I opened my eyes and stared in amazement. We were in a clearing in the garden, but the clearing was filled with a thousand lilies and white roses, all of which were capturing the last
few rays from the sun. I turned around, trying to take it all in. Finally I turned back to him, my eyes questioning. He spoke.
"I love you, Abby. I love you more than anything in the world. I love everything about you. I love the way you walk, the way you look, the way you laugh, the way your eyes light up when
you're happy, the way you smile, the way you kiss, the way you make my mind go blank by just being there, the way you've taken over my life, the way I am when I'm with you. I don't
want to spend another day without you. I don't want another day to go by without you as mine. I don't want to live my life without you by my side. I'm helpless without you, Abby. I
want to wake up next to you everyday for the rest of my life. I want to make coffee for two people in the mornings, not just one. I want to help you raise your daughter. I want to coach
the soccer team. I want to be there when she goes off to college. I want to walk her down the aisle someday to give her away. I want.to be her Daddy." He gazed into my eyes and took
both of my hands into his. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He let go of my hands as he reached into his pocket and got down on one knee. "Abby." he whispered as
tears rolled down my cheeks. "Will you marry me?"
I smiled and nodded. "Yes." I sniffed, then laughed. "Yes. Yes!" He beamed as he slipped the ring on my finger, then stood up to kiss me. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him
back with more passion than I ever had. After awhile we broke apart for air and both of us grinned. He kissed my forehead and then held me tightly as I rested my head against his
shoulder. And we stood there, the two of us, locked in the moment, until darkness fell over the enchanted garden and we had to leave. Hands interlaced we walked down the path, never
taking our eyes off each other. The boat ride back was the same, as was the car ride. We never stumbled or tripped. I guess that's how we always are when we're together.
**
We opened the door to the house, ready for the next part of our night to begin. "I'm going to go kiss Molly goodnight real quick. You pay Emily and I'll meet you in our room." I said,
kissing him deeply to let him know of my intentions for the rest of the evening.
"Don't be long."
"I wouldn't dream of it."
I walked down the hall, cracking open the door of my daughter's room. The moonlight fell across her sleeping face, and I bent over and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight my angel."
I stood up to leave, but a little voice stopped me. "Mommy?"
"You aren't asleep?"
She shook her head. "Can you tell me a story?"
"How about Cinderella?"
"Emily just read me that one. Tell me another one."
I sat down next to her on the bed and put my arms around her as she laid her head against my chest. "Okay. Once upon a time there was a beautiful lady named Abby and a handsome
man named John."
"Mommy?" she asked, interrupting me.
"Yes?"
"Do all stories that start with 'Once upon a time' end with 'Happily ever after?'"
I looked down at her and smiled. "No honey, not all stories do. But this story, this one does."
She smiled and laid her head down again, eyes starting to close. I looked up and saw him leaning against the doorframe, eyes twinkling. He walked across the room and kissed Molly's
forehead. "Time to go to bed, sweetheart. We'll see you in the morning."
"But Mommy was in the middle of a story!"
"Don't worry. She'll finish it another night," he said, looking at me.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Okay. G'night Mommy." she said, her eyes drooping shut as she began to drift off to sleep.
".and Daddy."
I looked at her, and then looked at him, who was staring at her with astonishment. He looked at me and smiled. Then he took my hand and pulled me up, leading me down the hall to our
bedroom.
**
I rested my head against his warm chest as I began to drift off to sleep. One of his hands was interlaced with mine, and the other was holding me tightly against him, as if he never wanted
to let me go. His chest rose and sunk rhythmically, assuring me my soulmate was asleep. I smiled at the thought of spending the rest of my life with him, of waking up everyday curled up against him. I never thought I would be so lucky as to fall in love with my best friend, but I guess I am. It's every girl's dream. And I guess sometimes dreams do come true.
**********
Well ladys and gents, that's it! Stay tuned for the sequel!
Thanks to all the reviewers and to my co-writer Sara, the best author in the whole world!!!