Chapter 11

"Oh dear, the chef is going to think we didn't like his food. I haven't had a bite have you?" she asked
looking at him and giggling. "Maybe we should ask for a doggie bag and take it back and warm it up."

"That's a good thought. Why don't we take them back to my place and we can talk, make plans, and eat if we're hungry later?"

"Then you would have to bring me all the way back into town. After that you'd have that long drive back home. Wouldn't it make more sense to just go back to my apartment and eat and talk there?"

"You could stay..." when he saw the look on her face he said, "I have a guest room! You could sleep there!"

"Tom, would it bother you to wait until we were married, before we made love?" she asked staring him deeply into his eyes. "If so please let me know."

"Not if that's what you want, Krystal, I've waited for you for ten years, what's a few more weeks or months till we're married?"

"I don't want to wait months. How about a week or two, making it a small wedding."

"What ever you like! I only have a couple of people that I can think of inviting, and one would be your new boss!"

"I hear the Admiral is a nice man. I think I'll enjoy working for him," she smiled, entwining their
fingers together. "Have you been friends long?"

"Yes quite some time now. I'd like him to be my best man. Do you think we could find your sister in time, so she could be there for you?"

"I've searched for her until I'm just about ready to give up. If she wanted to be found then I would have found her by now, if she were still alive. I wonder sometimes if she isn't dead. But I just don't feel it," she said placing her had over her heart. "I just don't feel it, in here."

"Why don't you let me see what I can find? Let me help you find her, darling!"

"I'd appreciate it, but I don't want to put off our wedding. I don't want to put my life on hold any
longer. I want to marry you and be your wife in every way," she blushed. "Please, lets just have a quick, short wedding and then plan on a longer honeymoon."

"You set a date, and we won't change it, whether we find her or not, okay?"

"How about a week from today?" she asked without looking up. "I think that would be romantic. Where are we getting married? And I'll need a dress."

"A week? Can you be ready in that short of time?" he was stunned, as much as he wanted to marry her as soon as possible he wanted her to have a wedding she would remember.

"Tom, it's only a wedding, and a small one at that. How long can it take? I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. It's been too long a wait now, lets just get married, and start our life at last," she begged with her eyes.

"Well, the weather has been really nice lately, would you like an outdoor wedding? I'm not sure we can get a chapel that quick."

"Outdoors is perfect! Under the blue sky and the sun, what more could any girl want, with you beside her?" she asked taking his hand and leaning her cheek against it. "Yes, I can see an outdoor wedding."

"You haven't seen my place yet, but I have a huge yard and the roses are in bloom right now...it would be a perfect backdrop for your beauty!"

"Oh, Tom, I can't believe you really love me, and I'm soon to be Mrs. Tom Boone. Maybe we should just run off and elope tonight," she sighed. "That way nothing can go wrong."

"Nothing will go wrong, my love, I promise you!" he laughed happier now than he had been in ten years. The years seemed to fall away as he looked at the lovely woman across from him and he could only think that in one week she would be his wife!

To be continued…