"Are you kidding me right now?" Wallace asked Veronica as he arrived down at the marina to where the private dinner yacht was sitting waiting tied up.
"Nope… all aboard for Romance central!" she grinned nervously.
"Where exactly do you think this thing is going?" Wallace quizzed her as he took in the sight of the large vessel. He was certainly underdressed for this. "You do know we have only been on a few dates?" he said in a hushed tone as Amira approached them.
This was going to be setting the bar for him to impress next time very high he thought as he crooked an eyebrow at his petite blond best friend.
"There's space… and you aren't alone. Parker and Piz are here… there's a whole mini casino night downstairs.. it's monopoly money but it could be fun?" Veronica replied sheepishly.
"A casino night? On a private yacht?" Wallace repeated.
"Dinner included… it's my treat!" she smiled.
"Isn't this the boat of that trust fund kind who lost his corporate phone a few weeks ago?" Piz asked as he stepped onto the slipway beside the ramp.
"Yeah, Zoe and Joel are on board as well" Veronica confirmed and turned to wave at their hosts.
"Cool… so is this like a secret case?" he asked giving her that too many perfect teeth smile. Who over the age of 12 still smiled like that?
"No… this is just… fun fun fun" she told him simply, as she held the small box in her hands.
She was nervous. Veronica Mars, getting down with the big romantic gestures… who knew she would such a Girl about this kind of stuff?
"Veronica… this is amazing!" Parker gushed as she came to join them.
"No Mac?" Veronica asked as she noticed her roommate hadn't come with them.
"Morning sickness AND motion sickness?" Parker replied, pulling an uneasy face.
"Point taken" Wallace laughed as he slipped his arm around Amira.
"Am I the only one who feels a little underdressed?" Piz said as he looked down at his attire, Wallace had told him it was casual drinks and something to eat… not 5* yachts and almost a private gala. The closest Piz had ever been to something like this had been the summer he had spent down in the Hamptons with his brother George working in the country club before his internship had started at the Radio Shack.
"It's fine…" Veronica assured him, even though she was dressed to kill. This dress had been chosen weeks ago, as had this little trip out to Catalina Island. She had spared no detail… tonight would be perfect.
"Are you guys ready to come get ready?" Zoe Galen asked as she called.
"There's like suit jackets and stuff downstairs if you guys wanna get changed" Veronica explained.
"You should have met these guys before Prom…" Wallace laughed as he was led towards the room where the Galen's family tailor was offering to get them measured for their Tux fitting.
"He's running a little late" Veronica sighed as she stood next to Parker.
"Does he have any idea what's going on?" she giggled.
"Nope.. it's a surprise" Veronica admitted.
"An overnight romantic mini cruise, and the touristy stuff on Catalina Island tomorrow?" Parker asked. "Why Catalina Island?"
"Sort of a… trip we didn't get to take one time" Veronica told her shyly.
"Well… you were right. Joel is totally Dishy" Parker agreed.
"Just a shame Mac cant make it" Veronica told her.
"Mac and Dick are working through their issues… several times… I was almost impressed" Parker giggled. "Some chick Mac met in Weller knows the headliners from that concert… they are heading up to San Diego for a private gig… sort of all the bands together having a jamming session"
"I'm surprised Piz didn't want to go" Veronica told her.
"And miss an opportunity to meet the Zoe Galen? One of the 25 to watch under 25 for Robotic technology?" Parker gushed.
"You know who she is?" Veronica smiled in surprise.
"I'm taking classes in Media and Communication.. public relations… these advancements are going to be everywhere in the next 15years… robotics is the future" Parker told her.
"You read Joel's company bio didn't you?" Veronica giggled.
"If you wanna get with a guy… get with his sister!" Parker smiled.
Veronica was interrupted when her phone rang.
"Hey" she answered.
"Hey… where are you? All I can see is this giant boat" Logan asked.
"I am the giant boat.. come on board" Veronica explained.
"This your way of trying to tell me you gave Berth?" Logan joked.
"Logan…" she sighed.
"I tried not to… but I'll never let go Jack…." He teased. What were they doing here?
"I'll meet you up on the outside part" she told him.
"What is all this?" he laughed as he looked at the waiters setting tables and the large pool behind them.
"This is long overdue.." Veronica answered him shyly.
"I don't understand" Logan said as she handed him a small box, she looked so beautiful in her grey silk dress. He felt a little underdressed in comparison.
"How do you feel about taking a little ride out on my friend Joels boat?" she smiled, but they knew this was more like a mini cruise liner than just a simple yacht. "Dinner and a movie?"
"In Neptune?" he joked.
"Catalina Island?" she answered finally.
A small look flashed over his face, a ghost of a memory of the morning she had stood him up for their first ever date at the beginning of their relationship.
"I think it sounds perfect" he told her quietly as he interlaced his fingers with hers as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
"That man is handsy… you better watch yourself" Wallace warned as he appeared back on deck in his new suit and sports jacket.
"Well… you tell him, the only one getting handsy with Wallace Fennel is me" Amira smiled as she reappeared wearing a stunning red crushed velvet dress. Veronica almost giggled when she saw the enamoured look on his face.
Wing man Veronica? High five for the Romance.
Logan took the small box and opened it, inside was a small set of cufflings and a tie perfectly matching the cerulean background where the letters were.
"Are these..?" he gasped as he recognised the small shiny pieces of metal with his initials on them.
"The one's you mother bought you with your initials the night of Homecoming dance?" Veronica told him.
"I thought these were lost in the fire…" he breathed, a lump forming in his throat.
"Apparently Havier, one of Weevil's drinking buddy's wanted a little souvenir from that night… thought they were worth something because of the setting" Veronica explained as she pointed out the small diamonds spelling out L.E.
He pulled her to him and kissed her. She had tracked these down for him.
A small piece of his mother that he had thought was lost to him forever.
"I love you.." he whispered, tears welling in his eyes.
"Oh but you haven't even seen the Casino yet!" she exclaimed as she pulled him downstairs towards the poker table where Piz and Parker were standing beside the Galen siblings.
