She walked into the bathroom. "Ed, your phone is ringing."
"Leave it."
"It says Greg, and since he was planning on proposing.." She heard the shower turn off and Ed got out of it, she handed him the phone.
"If that isn't Casanova calling me."
"Ed, thank god.. you've got to help me." He sounded a little panicked.
"Anything, you know that."
"You know how I was planning on proposing during dessert?"
"Yeah, ring in her dessert right?" He smiled at Veronica's eye-roll.
"Yeah, well I forgot the ring."
Ed's eyes grew wide. "You forgot the ring?"
"Yeah, it's at home, in my sock drawer."
"How covert of you."
"You have to go get it and bring it to me."
"Sure, spare key?"
"No, Veronica. She's at a friend'. I'll call her and tell her to go home so she can let you in."
"Okay sure, or you can give me her number and I'll do that and you can go back to dinner?"
"Even better, thanks Ed. Got a piece of paper?"
"Yep." He lied, he obviously knew her number already.
"Good. 555-238648, really thank you."
"Welcome, I'll text you when I'm at the restaurant." With that he hung up. He punched in Veronica's number in his phone. She smiled at him when it started ringing in the next room. "Go answer it."
She shook her head in amusement and walked out to answer her phone. "Ed, what a surprise."
"Yeah, I know. So, what're you wearing?"
He could hear her laugh both through the phone and from the other room. "Your boxers and dress-shirt, actually."
"Better change."
"Why's that?"
"Greg needs me to tell you to go to your house so you can let me in, he forgot the ring."
"What ring?" She smiled, she wasn't supposed to know he was proposing.
"Engagement."
"Wow, well better get dressed then. Don't want to ruin the surprise."
"See you in a couple."
"10-4, G-man."
He hung up still laughing and walked into his bedroom. "Stop watching old cop shows."
…
"Veronica!" Jessie called out excited as she and Greg walked into the house. "Veronica, are you still awake?"
"Yeah, coming." She walked down the stairs. "What's up?"
"Greg and me," She held out her left hand to Veronica. "He proposed!"
Veronica grabbed her hand to get a good look at the ring. "Wow mom, that's great." She looked at Greg. "Congratulations, must've been nervous." She smiled, already knowing all of it.
"I was." He smiled at her.
Jessie grabbed both of Veronica's hands. "We have to go shopping, I want you to be one of my bridesmaids, so that means a new dress."
"Sure mom, sounds good."
"And you need to find yourself a date."
She shook her head. "Nah, I'm good."
"Come on, you gotta have a guy to bring to our wedding."
She smiled at them. "No I don't. I've been single for 7 years.."
"And it's time to end that unlucky streak."
"I think I've been avoiding a lot of bullshit." She shrugged. "I'm sure one of the groomsmen won't mind dancing with me to a song or two."
"Well, yeah but I don't think Jules would like you dancing with Sam and the same goes for Wordy."
"Jules won't like me dancing with Wordy? Damn, pick a cop already." She smiled and looked at Greg. "Just two men by your side? Think you need more than that to keep you from getting cold feet."
"Yeah, well Ed's going to be my best man.."
Jessie shook her head. "He's told old for her, Greg."
"I think I'll survive a dance or two." Veronica smiled at them. "Sure he'll be a perfect gentleman." She looked at her watch. "I was actually on my way out.."
"Meeting up with Angela again?" She looked at her watch. "At half past 11?"
"Yeah. It got cut short this evening.." She smiled at Greg.
"You've been hanging out with her a lot lately."
"Yeah, we're friends."
"And you also see her every day at work. And you stay over at her place almost every weekend, out of nowhere."
Veronica shrugged. "We go clubbing, so?"
"Are you sure there isn't a guy?"
"Don't you know me at all?"
"The last time there was a guy.."
Veronica shook her head, getting a little annoyed. "What, he broke my heart because you threatened him?"
"He was your professor.."
Veronica shook her head and looked between her and Greg. "We can't all have normal lives."
"Honey.."
"No, my life isn't normal. Never has been." She shook her head and looked at her mother. "And it never will be." Her phone started ringing, she read the display 'Ed'. "And now I'm late." She let it go to voicemail.
"You are normal."
"No I'm not. I'm too smart which sucked when I was younger and it still does." She grabbed her coat. "But like I said, I'm late. I'll be going straight to work tomorrow." She smiled at them before walking out.
…
"Hi, I was getting worried." He smiled at her and kissed her gently.
She walked inside past him. "I'm fine."
"You sure?"
"Yeah." She lied.
"You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"
"Yeah, I know." She looked at the ground for a second. "So, we've got the night to ourselves.." She started unbuttoning his shirt. "I thought I'd get you out of these clothes, totally useless anyway.. take you to your bedroom and have my way with you, any objections?"
He smiled and shook his head. "Not at all, though I hope you're not thinking of taking revenge for yesterday.."
"The cuffs?" She smiled as she took off his belt. "Why would revenge be in order?"
…
She took a deep breath. "Why are you dating me?" She was staring at his chest.
He looked dumbfounded for a second. "Are you serious?" She nodded but still didn't look at him. He stroked her bare back gently. "Well, I'm dating you because you're nice, funny and cute. You made me fall in love with you and now I'm doomed." He smiled at her.
"Do you, love me?"
"Yes. I know I shouldn't.."
"Why not?"
"Because you're young enough to be my daughter, for one.." He sighed. "What happened today?"
"Nothing.."
"V, come on.. you were upset when you came in and now you ask me these questions."
She sighed and closed her eyes."Wake-up call or something. I don't know." She was silent for a second, her voice was barely above a whisper when she continued talking. "I've just been thinking about the thing I had with my professor.."
He started running his hand up and down her back. "Afraid your mom will make you end things with me?"
"She didn't exactly made me end things.." She shook her head. "Jeff broke it off."
"Why?"
"Angela says I dodged a bullet, but she never met the guy."
"Did you try to get a reason from him?"
"Yes, I've called, stopped by.. I've been trying to figure it out ever since."
"Why?"
She sighed. "Because whatever I did wrong, I don't want to do it with us."
"How did he break up with you?"
"He uuh, I met him at his place for dinner, we were going out.. He opened the door and told me it was over."
He looked down at her, she was still lying on his chest. "That was all?"
"No, but it was the most important." She looked up at him. "He also told me,"
She didn't get to finish the sentence as there was knocking on his door.
"They'll go away.."
"No, go get the door. I need to take a shower before going to work."
He kissed her and nodded. "I'll join you in a couple of minutes." He pulled on a pair of sweats before getting the door.
"Hi, Eddie." Greg smiled at him and walked past him. "Why are you dressed like that at half past 4?" He looked around the room. Ed's shirt was laying on the coffee table, his belt on the floor and two pairs of shoes were scattered on the way to his bedroom. "Are you having a woman over?"
Ed looked around. "I am, actually."
"Is this still this mystery woman you've been dating for the past month or so?"
He nodded. "That's the one.'
Greg smiled brightly. "Good, then you have a date to my wedding."
"She said yes?"
Greg nodded. "She did."
Ed hugged his friend briefly. "Congratulations man, I know how much you've been freaking out about that proposal."
"Thanks, again for bringing the ring.. So, what's her name?"
"Don't know your own fiancée's name?" Ed joked and shook his head. "Now that's bad.."
"No, the woman you're hiding in your bedroom."
"Oh, her.. I'm not sure.." He joked again, trying to joke himself out of answering.
"Come on Eddie, you can't keep her from me forever. I'm not going to steal her away, I'm taken."
Ed smiled. "I'm aware, she just.. she wants to keep it between us, for now."
Greg noticed the sad undertone in Ed's voice. "You'll tell me though?"
"Yeah, I will."
"Good." He turned to leave. "Oh wait, I want to ask, do you want to be my best man?"
"Anytime, you know that."
"Good."
He watched as Greg left and sighed before walking to the shower.
She turned around when she heard the bathroom door. "So, who was that at the door?"
He took off his sweats and joined her in the shower. "No one." He pushed her against the wall and kissed her roughly.
A/N They really solved their problems with sex in this chapter, didn't they xD? Please leave me a review?