Savior
Chapter 81
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Cate adjusted her ponytail as she descended the staircase. The last time they were in Chicago, their schedule had been so packed with family events that Derek was excited to have most of the day to show Cate where he grew up.
"You better not be late tonight." Cate grinned as she turned into the kitchen to see Derek being scolded by his mother. "Good morning," Fran offered when Cate stepped into the room.
"Good morning," Cate replied softly. "Thank you," she answered as Fran offered her a travel mug with coffee in it.
The redhead smiled and nodded as she turned back to her son. "I mean it, Derek. Five pm, sharp."
The black man nodded. "I heard you, Mama. We'll be on time."
Cate chuckled. "I'm usually the reason he's late," she offered.
Fran laughed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "When he is home, he gets caught up with friends," she warned. "He's known to stroll in late when we have made plans with his sisters."
Cate positioned a hand to her hip as she narrowed her eyes at Derek. "And you said it was always my fault."
The red head chuckled as she turned back to the sink. "It usually is, Cate," he answered and held his hands up defensively. "We've been on time to dinner at your parents one time."
She shrugged. "We've gotten there before dinner was served every time," she defended. "There is no set time to show up to my parents."
"Go," Fran called from the sink. "Derek James, I swear to God if you are not on time," she warned, but was cut off as Derek kissed the side of her head.
"We'll be on time, Mama," he promised. "We're going to grab some breakfast, and we're going to make our way over towards the hotel to check in."
The Morgan matriarch nodded and pursed her lips together. "Have fun," she offered as the two started out of the kitchen.
"So where are we off to?" Cate asked as she got situated in the passenger seat of their rental car.
Derek grinned as he slipped into the driver's seat and slid on his sunglasses. "Ziggy's for breakfast," he began. "It's my favorite place around here, but we didn't have time to get there last time." He reached across the center console to take her hand. "And I was thinking maybe we could swing by my buddy's jewelry shop." He saw her eyebrow rise out of the corner of his eye. "He should see who's wearing the beautiful ring he made."
Cate blushed. "You bought it when we came to Chicago? That was months ago, D," she exclaimed. "So much for 'watch browsing.'"
He nodded as he continued to drive. "I was honest with you when I said I went to check out his watch collection," he said all while keeping his eyes on the road. "But when I saw it, and it just so happened to be your size, I knew."
"What luck," she answered as a smirk crossed her face.
"I held on to it for a month before I had the balls to ask for your father's permission." His admission caught her off guard; she was not expecting the words to come from him. "And a lot happened in that month that made me realize that you are the one person I want to spend the rest of my life with."
She could feel his thumb run over the ring in question. For once, she was speechless. She absent mindedly reached for the end of her ponytail as she contemplated her response.
"Sarah knew," he said off hand. "She knew just by the way I looked at you."
Cate adjusted their hands so she could tighten her grip on his. "Who knew where we'd be in just a few months," she answered as she licked her lips.
He lifted her hand to press his lips to her knuckles. "I get to call you mine in just over a month."
"I've been yours since the second you looked across the bar at me," she said as she turned her attention to their surroundings.
Derek smirked against the back of her hand. "Is that so?"
Her smirk matched his, but he could not see the twinkle in her eyes behind her sunglasses. "We spent the better part of forty-eight hours together after meeting at a bar," she reminded. "I felt like I hit a gold mine. I was starting to think that true love was a load of shit."
She pursed her lips as he pulled into the parking lot. Derek killed the ignition and turned in his seat to face Cate. "That wasn't the first time we met, Cate." His words caused her to pull her lip between her teeth. "I kept visiting you in the hospital because I felt this pull towards you," he admitted.
Cate bowed her head. "Derek," she began.
"If only I got three more years to love you, Catie," he said softly. She slid her sunglasses to the top of her head as she lifted it to face him. "C'mon," he said as he shrugged towards the door of the car and the front door of the restaurant. "Let's go get some breakfast."
Cate nodded as she pulled her hand back from him. She grabbed her purse before stepping out of the rental car. Derek waited for her in front of the car and took her hand as they stepped in to the old school diner. "Wow," Cate muttered as they walked inside.
"Derek!" The two turned to the squeal behind the counter. He chuckled as an older heavy set woman started towards them from the register. "Look at you, Derek Morgan!"
Derek never dropped Cate's hand as the woman pulled him into a tight hug. "Rosa," he started as she pulled away. "Meet my fiancé, Cate," he said as Cate smiled and extended her hand.
"Fiancé?!" the black woman exclaimed. "Oh my!" she replied as she shrugged away Cate's hand and pulled her into a hug. "I can't believe it, Derek! You're getting married?"
He grinned and nodded. Cate felt him give her hand a squeeze. "We are," he answered. Cate could have sworn she saw his chest swell with pride. "Next month, as a matter of fact."
"Wow," Rosa said with a low whistle. "Martin," she called as she looked behind the counter to the grill. The man in question offered a wave as he went back to work. "Our boy is getting hitched!"
Derek winked in Cate's direction as her eyebrow rose. "We're staying for breakfast," he promised as he ushered Cate to an empty table. Rosa nodded and started back behind the counter to retrieve the coffee pot. He saw Cate shyly looking up from the menu. "This was my Pops' favorite place for breakfast," Derek said as he exhaled a small sigh. "I used to meet him here every Saturday morning after he worked the night shift."
Cate grinned. She pointed towards the counter with her thumb. "Were they close to your dad?"
Derek nodded. "Martin inherited the shop from his dad," he replied. "And he went to school with my Pops."
Rosa returned with the coffee pot and poured out two fresh cups for the couple. "Hank and Marty were inseparable," she said as she patted Derek on the shoulder before returning to the counter.
Cate grinned as she focused on the wall across from them. There were photos of several regulars covering the wall, but the picture frames in the middle caught her eye. "Is that you and your dad?" she asked as she pointed to the one in the middle of the set of three.
Derek could not contain his grin. From left to right was Derek's Academy graduation photo, a photo of him and his father at the counter, and his father's CPD portrait. "Yup, that's me and Pops."
Cate reached across the table to place her hand on top of his. "You look just like him," she said softly. He nodded but seemed lost in his thoughts.
"He'd be in here screaming that his baby boy is getting married," Rosa mentioned as she started back towards their table to take their breakfast order. "We're so happy for you, Derek."
He grinned. "Thank you," he replied softly. "I know Pops would have loved Catie, too."
The admission brought a smile to the brunette's face.
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