The Audition – Chapter 6

Zoey stopped at the market on the way home to pick up something for tonights dinner. While she wandered the aisles, she thought about inviting Loren for dinner. Since she wanted to impress him with her cooking skills, she decided to make chicken with orange sauce and orange pecan rice. Since she already had the orange juice at home, she got 2 free-range chicken breasts from the meat counter, a package of quick cooking long grain and wild rice mix, a small bag of chopped pecans, a small can of chicken broth, and a bag of mixed salad greens along with other veggies to put into the salad and a small box of fresh red raspberries from the produce section, a small carton of heavy cream from the dairy section and lastly she grabbed a small wedge of parmesan cheese from the deli for the salad. For dessert, she decided she would serve the chocolate raspberry mousse she had made the day before with sweetened whipped cream.

Loren pulled into the parking lot behind Zoey's building, glanced around looking for Zoey's car, and realized he had obviously made it there before her. So, he parked his black Mercedes-Benz S550 sedan in one of the available spaces and waited until he saw her blue Toyota Prius park a couple spots away. He decided he would wait and surprise her after she got upstairs rather than now in the parking lot. As she gathered up the groceries she bought, she thought she saw Loren's car parked a few spots away but she paid it no mind. Groceries in hand, she made her way to the front door, pulled it open and headed for the elevator up to the 3rd floor. As she got off the elevator she readied her key and made her way down the hall. Opening the door, she went straight to the kitchen to put the groceries and her clutch on the island counter, went to the answering machine to check for messages, and hung her coat in the hall closet. Just as she was making her way back to the kitchen, the buzzer for her apartment rang. She wondered who that could be, as she wasn't expecting anyone right now.

Turning around, she went back to the intercom by the door and asked who it was. Loren answered in his smooth, silky, sexy voice and Zoey immediately buzzed him in. As he made his way up to the 3rd floor, Zoey began running around the apartment making sure it was neat and orderly. Thankfully, it was, and she was at the door to greet him as he knocked. As she opened the door, she was surprised by the huge purple bouquet Loren had brought for her. She thanked him for the beautiful bouquet, and invited him in. Zoey went to the put the flowers on the island counter, and hurried back to Loren to take his coat and put it in the hall closet. As they walked to the kitchen, Zoey told him that she thought she'd seen his car but wasn't sure. He laughed lightly, and told her about the sudden desire to buy her flowers to surprise her. She told him about her wanting to make him dinner, and he gladly accepted her invitation.

Zoey offered Loren a drink which he gladly accepted. He took a seat at the island counter while she put away the groceries. After she finished putting away the groceries, she poured herself a glass of fresh fruit juice and invited Loren into the living room. They sat down on the love seat and started talking about their second audition. They talked about the scene they had been asked to do, and about the surprisingly sweet and intense kiss at the end of it. As they talked about it, Zoey's mind wandered back to the image of her and Loren kissing at the audition. Although the heat of the kiss had been more than they expected, neither Zoey nor Loren had considered spilling their feelings for each other, at least not yet anyway. But no sooner had the thought crossed Zoey's mind, then she opened her mouth and the words just rushed out like water over a broken damn.

"Loren, I think I love you! Your smooth, silky, sexy voice just makes me melt every time I hear it and I don't want to be without you again!" she said hurriedly.

Loren was stunned. He knew he was falling in love with her all over again, but he wasn't in a hurry to tell her. He had wanted her to decide for herself before he said anything. But all of a sudden, there was it plain as day... She loved him. Loren pulled his thoughts together quickly and then spoke.

"Zoey, I've loved you since I first saw you 9 years ago, and I never stopped even after I left the House of Night. You've been on my mind all this time in some form or another. I didn't want to tell you too soon and scare you off, but you've just put all that out of my mind with your sudden declaration of love." he said.

Now, it was Zoey's turn to be stunned. She had never known Loren had loved her all this time. Had she known, her declaration would have come much sooner. They both sat in silence for just a minute, both trying to gather their thoughts before speaking again. Neither could believe what they'd just heard. Loren was the first to speak again. He pulled a small box out of the pocket of his pant, and handed it to her as he spoke.

"Zoey, this is for you. It was my grandmother's ring and now I'm giving it to you with the promise that I will love you forever and that we will never be apart again."

Zoey was stunned by his words, and even more stunned when she finally lifted the lid of the box with her trembling fingers. Zoey gasped as the lid opened revealing the treasure held inside. Inside the box, was a beautiful engagement ring with a round faceted sapphire, and 6 diamonds, 3 on each side of the platinum crown setting nestled in white satin. Seeing she was speechless, Loren took the box from her and slid the ring on her all too important finger.