Chapter 6: Dinner
"Sam! We are going to be late!" yelled Ainsley as she poured coffee into two mugs for her and Sam to take to work.
"I heard you the first time!" Sam yelled back from the bedroom.
"Hurry up!"
Sam appeared from the bedroom with his hair still wet from his morning shower. "Okay, I'm ready."
Ainsley opened the door of the apartment to the hallway. "Okay then. Let's go. I have the keys."
Sam fallowed her out the door and waited for her to lock the door. "Why are we leaving so early?"
"I told you why we were leaving early last night."
"Well, let's just assume you didn't and tell me right now."
"We are going to take CJ, Donna, Toby, Josh, and Charlie out for dinner tonight and I want to get to work early so I can leave on time for dinner."
"Oh."
"Do you remember me telling you that last night?" asked Ainsley.
"It's coming back," said Sam as the couple made their way to the car.
"Also, can you please remind everyone about the dinner? I made reservations for 8:00 so we should leave by 7:30."
"I'll remind them."
"Thank you," said Ainsley with a sweet grin on her face.
Ainsley was typing on her computer when her phone rang.
"Ainsley Hayes," said Ainsley as she answered the phone.
"Hey. It's me," said a voice from the other line.
"Hi, Sam. How are things going up there?"
"Everyone is good and said that they will be able to get out of work at 7:30 except Charlie who is going to meet us at the restaurant around 8:30."
"Yay! I'm so excited!" squealed Ainsley.
"Are we going to have a best man and a maid of honor? We didn't really talk about that."
"I don't know. I really don't want to pick. It's like picking your best friend. We can probably get by without one."
"Okay. I don't really need a best man. What are you doing for lunch?" asked Sam.
"I have a lunch meeting with some people from the House. Sorry I can't eat with you today."
"It's okay. I'll see you at dinner."
"I'll meet you guys up stairs by 7:30 and then we can head out."
"Alright. I need to get some of my work done. I'll talk to you later."
"Bye, Sam. Love you."
"Love you too."
It was almost 7:30 and when the staff started to shut down their computers and get their coats on. Ainsley made her way upstairs and was happy to see that everyone was ready to leave on time.
"Everyone ready?" asked Ainsley.
"Now that you're here," said Sam.
"I'm not late," said Ainsley.
Sam made a comeback to Ainsley. "I never said you were."
The staff looked on as the couple continued to tease each other.
Josh interrupted the little fight with a smirk on his face. "They are even cute when they fight."
Then CJ said, "If this is your worst fight ever, then I want to see what a small fight for you guys is like."
"Haha, funny guys," said Sam.
"How mad do you have to be at each other before you start to even raise your voice?" asked Toby.
Ainsley answered Toby's question. "We only raise our voices when we debate."
Donna said, "You two make my fights with boyfriends look like wars."
"Can we go now?" asked Sam. The group started to walk out to their cars to go to the restaurant.
They made it to the restaurant on time and took their seats at the table. They decided to order drinks for now and wait to order when Charlie arrived.
"So how's the wedding planning going?" asked Donna.
Ainsley answered Donna's questions. "It's going alright. We haven't really done much yet. We did pick a date and the colors."
CJ pulled out her pocket calendar from her purse and asked, "When is the wedding?"
"May 20th," said Sam as CJ marked the date in her book.
"What are the colors?" asked Donna getting excited.
"Blue and gold," said Sam and Ainsley together.
Toby then asked, "Are you using the Rose Garden?"
Sam took a sip of his beer and answered, "Yep. After a long lunch of deciding between colors and places, we decided on the Rose Garden."
"But we are using the East Room for the reception," said Ainsley.
"Hey, there's Charlie!" said Josh as he waved Charlie over to the table.
Charlie found them and walked over. "Did you guys order yet?"
Sam answered his question. "We were waiting for you."
Well into the dinner, Ainsley and Sam looked at each other.
"Do you think we should do it now?" whispered Ainsley to Sam.
"Yeah. You can do it."
Everyone was in a conversation with someone at the table when Ainsley just simply said, "We want everyone here to be part of our wedding party."
The short statement got everyone's interest and the table suddenly became quiet.
Donna was a little puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"She means," started Sam as he looked at Ainsley and then back to his friends, "we want Donna and CJ to be the bridesmaids along with Ainsley's sister, Nicole, and Charlie, Josh and Toby to be my groomsmen."
"Really?" asked Josh who couldn't hide the smile on his face.
"Yes," said Ainsley with a smile on her face as well.
"Do you want to do it?" asked Sam.
"Hell yeah!" exclaimed Donna.
"Hell yeah me too," said CJ.
Charlie was smiling too. "I'll do it."
"Same here," said Josh and Toby.
"Oh my God, this is so exciting!" squealed Donna who ran to the other side of the table to give Ainsley a hug.
"Nicole's two children are going to be the ring bearer and flower girl," said Sam.
"Are we going to get good tuxes?" asked Toby.
Sam laughed at Toby's question. "Don't worry, Toby. Ainsley promised me the tuxes will plain and simple black."
"So everyone is in?" asked Ainsley making sure no one will drop out.
"Yes!" said Donna, CJ, Josh, Toby, and Charlie.