Part 7
When it Rains
"I think Alex is seeing someone else!"
Isabel's sudden announcement was met by one gasp, two coughs and a choking sound. Four pairs of eyes all widened and stared at Isabel in complete shock' four mouths moved but no words came out.
Liz was the first to recover and after making sure that Serena wasn't choking to death she turned to Isabel and asked "Why?".
"He's been acting so strangely recently," Isabel said, remembering the 200 candles, the romance novels, the secret phone calls and unexplained credit card bills.
"You mean stranger then normal?" Maria asked, raising a blonde eyebrow in disbelief.
"Maria, I'm being serious." Isabel sighed, maybe she should have just kept her thoughts to herself because it was obvious her friends weren't going to be much help.
"Izzy, Alex would never cheat on you," Tess stated. "He worships the ground you walk on."
"Things change," Isabel said sadly, her heart almost breaking just at the thought of losing Alex.
"Alex loves you Iz." Serena said "You'd have to be an idiot to miss it."
"I'm sure everything will have worked itself out by tomorrow," Maria said and patted Isabel's hand.
"Do you know something I don't?" Isabel asked.
"Oh the baby just kicked!" Tess gasped, taking all the attention away from Isabel's question but Isabel didn't miss the meaningful glares that Liz and Serena sent Maria.
"We should get going," Serena said. "Maria and I have to meet Michael and Sean for something or another."
"We should get going too," Liz said standing up as well. "I promised Kyle that I would drive Tess home before she tired herself out. Remember dinner at my place tonight. Don't be late."
Isabel nodded and frowned as she watched her four friends make their escapes as quickly as possible. Something was going on.
Tonight was the night, the night Alex had been painfully planning for the last two weeks. Everything was ready: Liz had bought Isabel a new dress, Maria had arranged the music, Serena had set the scene, and Tess had ordered the food. And Alex, well Alex had been a nervous wreak since the moment he had woken up yesterday to this very moment.
"How do I look then?" Isabel asked from behind him.
He turned around and nearly fainted at the sight that met him. It was a well known fact that Isabel Evans was a goddess but if it was possible she exceeded goddess status tonight. The dress Liz had chosen for the night was simple in style but hugged Isabel's curves like a glove. It was amazing that a plain black dress could be transformed into that sexiest black dress Alex had ever laid eyes on. Of course, it helped the dress that Isabel was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. For a moment he contemplated carrying her back to their room and not letting her leave for the rest of the nightmaybe even the whole of tomorrow. Alex shook his head, "Bad thoughts, must keep mind out of gutter."
"What are you mumbling about?" Isabel asked with a frown on her face.
"Nothing," Alex said opening the front door. "We should get going."
"Uh huh" Isabel said clueless to what was going on. "Liz said she would kill us if we were late. Apparently there's something huge going on although she didn't tell me what."
"Just wait and see."
'Just wait and see,' Isabel snorted to herself. All this waiting and seeing was driving her insane. If she didn't find out what was going on soon she was going to tied Alex to the bed, no wait he would enjoy that too much, she would tied him to something that poked him and she would get the truth out of him.
"Izzy, are you coming?" Alex asked
Isabel nodded quickly and followed him out to the car.
"Alex, where are we going?" Isabel asked as Alex silently led her through the dark park. "This isn't the way to Liz's place."
"Shush."
"Don't you shush me Alexander Whitman, I want answers and I want them…" she trailed off, speechless at the sight that reached her eyes as they turned a corner. Scattered over the ground were dozens and dozens of candles, two hundred in fact Isabel realized as she remembered the conversation Alex had been having when she had walked into the living room the other day. Along with the candles were enough red roses to fill up two florists, their sweet scent floating on the air.
"Surprised?" Alex asked with a grin when Isabel hadn't spoken a word.
"This is what you've been planning for the last week?" Isabel asked.
Alex nodded, "Don't you like it?"
"I love it Alex," Isabel said wrapping her arms around his neck in relief as all the pieces began to fit together. Alex had been acting strangely because he wanted to surprise her with a romantic evening. "I love you."
"You're about to love me even more when you see what we've got for dinner," Alex grinned, leading her to the dinner table set for two.
Alex cursed as the heavens opened. "For God's sake this is New Mexico!" God hated him. Alex reached for Isabel's hand and the two of them ran for shelter under the nearest tree.
"I don't think we'll be much drier under here!" Isabel stated as she looked up at the sky.
Alex watched with a keen interest as her wet dress clung to her like a second skin; apparently it was possible for her to look hotter in that dress... if only it had been white.
"Maybe we should head back to the car."
"No!" Alex said, grabbing her around the waist before she could leave. He was going to propose tonight even if it killed him. He fell onto one knee "I wanted everything to be perfect but I can't wait any longer."
"Alex, what are you doing?" Isabel asked, kneeling down in front of him.
Alex took one of her hands in both of his and took a deep breath. The time was now.
"Isabel, I love you. I love you so much that sometimes I forget to breathe. I can't believe how lucky I am to have you in my life; there has never been anyone else in my life like you and there will never be anyone that can replace you."
"Oh Alex," Isabel sighed. As it finally dawned on her what was going on, she reached out, touching his cheek in a feather light caress. He turned his head and pressed a tender kiss to her palm.
"I want us to be together always, I want us to have babies, I want us to grow old together. Izzy, I want you to be my wife." Alex tightened his grip on Isabel's hand, scared that she might try to run away. "Isabel Amanda Evans, will you marry me?"
Isabel nodded, too choked up on emotion to even form the simple word 'yes', and threw herself into his arms, knocking them both to the ground. It didn't matter that it was still pouring down with rain or that the grass was wet. All that mattered was that moment and that they were together.
