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Chapter 31

Tommy woke up before Jude and just watched her sleep. She looked so peaceful and beautiful. If the day went the way he wanted, they would be engaged before it was over. He carefully eased out bed so he didn't wake her. Looking over his shoulder to make sure she was still asleep, he reached and got the necklace box off the top shelf in his closet. Then he slowly crawled back in bed. She rolled over and placed her head on his chest. He couldn't help but smile thinking about their future. A lifetime of waking up just like this every morning.

She began to stir. He put the box on his stomach so it would be the first thing she saw when her eyes opened. This day was going to go in history as the day to make or break them. He prayed for the first one.

"What's that?" Jude asked sleep still evident in her voice.

"The next part of your birthday present."

"Next? How many parts are there?"

"You'll see." He said laughing lightly. "Open it."

Jude wondered what it could be. She sat up taking it in her hands. The red velvet box was so soft. She opened it slowly. It was beautiful and looked expensive. "Oh Tommy." She gasped.

"Do you like it?" All Jude could do was nod. "It was my MaMere's. When she passed away she left my brother and I some of her jewelry. She wanted us to give them to someone special. " He didn't want to say future wife because he was planning that part for after her party. "I thought you could wear it tonight. Unless you already have something…"

"No. Of course, I'll wear it tonight. Tommy, thank you. It's perfect." She thought she was going to cry. Tommy was giving her a piece of his past.

"I'm glad you like it. Tristian sent it to me a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was the perfect gift for you."

"It is." She said leaning in to kiss him. It was quick and she pulled back. "I would love to stay here all day, but I have dress fittings with Portia and Sadie."

"It's okay. I have stuff to meet with Darius about anyway. You take a shower first we don't have time to be late today."

On the drive to G Major, Tommy thought about Jude's party that night. He couldn't wait to officially escort her. The world could quit speculating and see they were together and happy. He thought about the one friend she really wanted there, and he hoped to see him sometime during the day. Maybe since he knew how Jamie was feeling, he could convince him to go to the party.

His mind drifted to the night after Patsy's wake.

He felt horrible that he was late for the wake at the beach. When he got there it was almost over. His heart broke watching her break down in Spied's arms. He wished there was something he could do to ease her grief.

He felt her sigh against him on the way back to her house. He knew riding the bike always calmed her. When they got to her house, it was just them. Her dad had gone back to work, and Sadie was still with Kwest.

"You want to lie down?" He asked her.

"If you lie with me."

"Of course."

He held her close to him. "I want to take you to dinner tonight."

"That sounds good to me." She said drifting off to sleep.

He watched her sleep a while before getting up. He left her a note again, and slipped out of her room before she could wake up. He was glad she seemed to be sleeping soundly.

When he came back to pick her up, she was sitting on the front steps looking a bit lost. "Hey. What's wrong?" He asked sitting beside her.

"Jamie just got home. I tried to get him to talk to me, but he said he couldn't."

"Give him some time. He needs to grieve properly."

"Did you shut your friends out?"

"Yeah. Kwest tried all he could to get through to me. Portia tried to act like nothing happened. She thought we could just go back to normal."

"But you're better now."

"Yeah, but it took years and meeting you to really get over it. And really you are never over it. I mean a life was lost."

"Yeah. I think I'll miss Patsy for a long time. So, what happened today when you were late?"

"I went by G Major and tried to talk to Darius about treating her memorial service like an album release. I thought maybe I could reason with him, but he wouldn't see it the way I was seeing it."

"You really did that?"

"Sure. Why not? I mean everyone knew how Patsy felt about that place. You and I can handle G Major because we can compromise with Darius. Compromising wasn't Patsy's style. It was what made her so great."

"I never knew you thought that way about her."

"I envied her to an extent. If I had stood for what I believed maybe I would have had a solo career. But after meeting you, I haven't wanted to do anything but produce. Also Patsy was your friend and I respected her for that."

"Why are you always doing that?"

"What?" He asked confused.

"Amazing me."

"Come on let's go eat." He said rolling his eyes.

He took her to a small diner, and then to the coffee shop they used to go to earlier in their relationship. She was smiling every time he looked over at her.

"That smile looks good on you." He said kissing her hand.

"It's only because you make me smile. You've been so good to me over the last couple of days, I don't know if I could have gotten through with out you.'

"You'd do the same for me. I have somewhere else I want to take you before taking you home."

"Okay."

They went to the pier, where he took her right after they met. The whole drive he was thinking about everything they'd been through, and how much he wanted to spend forever finding out what else like had in store for them.

"Wow. It's a starry night." She said when he helped her out of the car. "It's so beautiful."

"Sure is." He responded but he wasn't looking at the sky.

He walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. They just stayed like that staring at the sky in silence.

"Did you see that shooting star?" Jude asked breaking the silence.

"I guess Patsy is watching you after all."

Suddenly her lips were on his, He could feel her release her stress of the day into the kiss. It was gentle and full of love. Her tongue slipped into his mouth and it tasted like coffee and sugar. His fingers dug into her hair pulling her closer to him. He wished he never had to stop kissing her. He felt her arms wrap around him and her hands went up the back of his jacket. Their bodies molded together as neither one pulled away from the kiss. All he wanted to do was take her home to his bed. The bed he hoped one day they would share.

He knew if he didn't pull away, he wouldn't be able to stop. He'd end up taking her right there. "I better get you home." He said with labored breath.

"Do you have to?"

"Come on. Your dad is probably waiting."

The drive to her house seemed to take forever. More that once he thought of just taking her to his place. But he had too much planned to piss off her dad right now. He had to do everything he could to keep Stuart on his side

"I'm not going to be able to asleep." Jude said when they were sitting out side her house.

"Come on, Harrison, you've got to be exhausted. You'll be asleep before your head hits the pillow.

"But you won't be there." She whined. She was making it harder for him.

"Here." He said shrugging off his jacket. "Sleep with this. Maybe it will help."

"Doubt it, but I will try. Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Of course. You know I can't stay away."

"Good. I want to plan a benefit in Patsy's name and I'm going to need help."

"Well, you've got mine."

He kissed her lightly. If he did more he'd for sure put the car in drive and take her home with him. "Good night, Babe."

"Goodnight. I love you."

"I love you too."

Walking into his apartment alone pained him. He never wanted to be away from her. He hoped she was sleeping soundly when he climbed in bed and went to sleep himself.

He could hardly believe the day had finally arrived where he could ask her to spend her life with him. He couldn't wait until after her party.

"Where's your head?" Her voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"Just thinking about your party."

"I can't wait to perform Love To Burn. It's such a beautiful song."

"Just like you."

"Stop." Jude turned away blushing.

"You still blush when I complement you. Even after what we did last night, a compliment still makes you blush."

At that she blushed even brighter red. "What can I say, you get to me."

They walked into G Major hand in hand. The whole place was crazy. People were everywhere getting things ready to take over to the hotel the party was being held at. It was going to be a hectic day.

"Go to your dress fittings. I have to find D."

"Okay." She said before he kissed her. She'd only been eighteen for a few hours, and he was already showing more PDA. She loved it.

Please Review. I know it is shorter than most, but I think it is good. Stay tuned to see how her birthday will unfold.