Infatuation

A few weeks later... Nick came home just in time to see Mandy and her sister, Chelsea. Nick tried to hide his exhaustion. After all the years of working the graveyard it was beginning to catch up with him. Mandy and Nick thought they had it beat. Lily was in kindergarten and Mandy's mother took the boys during the day while Nick slept. However the schedule was ever changing now with the wedding close and Lily's school on break.

"Hey babe, how was work?" Mandy asked giving him a hug and kiss.

"It was fine. How are you ladies?" Nick asked with a smile as he hugged Chelsea.

"We're good. Just getting some last minute decorations for the shower over to the hall." Mandy said putting her hands on her hips. She looked stunning as usual. Her shoulder length hair curled and she wore a high neck salmon colored sundress. She saw him just looking at her. "Eyes up here, Stokes." She said to him. Nick smiled wide.

"You wanna take my truck? It's got more room, and I just fueled it up. Besides isn't your car still making that noise?" Nick said looking at her poor battered Jeep Compass.

"Daddy!" Lily squealed as she ran out to him arms wide.

"Hi baby girl. Don't you look beautiful." Nick said picking her up. "Take my truck so Junior and I can look at your jeep."

"Okay, can you help us move the decorations over?" Mandy asked and Nick nodded. "I'll have Frank come over and take a look. Get some sleep."

"I'm fine, babe." Nick said loading his truck.

"Thanks, I'll text you." She said giving him a kiss.

"Have fun. Love you." Nick said helping her in the truck after she buckled Lily.

"Daddy, Mason pee." Beau said pulling on Nick's pant leg. Nick looked up to see Mason peeing on Mandy's flower garden.

"Mason... Come on, boy." Nick was unsure how to react. They had just started potty training the boys. So Nick was happy he didn't pee his pants.

Liam kind of dropped off the face of planet after the showdown at the uptight party at his place. Mandy was upset that he felt that he could just walk in and out of her life. Be his absence, yet again, she got the answers she wanted. She was happy, and relieved. She was as stressed free as she could be with her wedding in two months.

"You know for someone who didn't want a traditional anything. This bridal shower..." Chelsea teased as she looked around the gorgeous hall.

"It's a little late for Nick and I to be traditional. This is all Catherine and Jill." Mandy said as lily danced around twirling a piece of ribbon.

"Is Nick's mom going to be here for the shower?" Chelsea asked as they began decorating.

"Yeah. Nick is picking her up at the airport." She said as her phone vibrated.

"Are you guys writing your own vows?"

"Yes. I just haven't told Nick yet." Mandy said as they heard the door open followed by the some small foot steps.

"Wow, Catherine was right. This is beautiful." Jill said in awe as she looked around. Nick followed behind her holding a big box.

"Happy birthday!" Beau announced smiling big.

"It's not my birthday baby." Mandy said confusing all of the children.

"Then why is everyone giving you presents?" Lily asked as Mason stole her ribbon.

"Because mommy and daddy are getting married." Mandy explained. The simple explanation seemed enough for Lily as she chased after her brother. "Nick, I got talk to you." Mandy said as Nick put the box down. Nick just looked at her as if still asleep. She went over and took him by the hand and let him outside.

"Is everything alright?" Nick asked concerned.

"Yeah..."

"Are you pregnant?"

"What, no? I think we should write our own vows. What do you think?" She asked smiling at him. Nick smiled back putting his hands on his hips.

"I overheard you saying something about it the other day. I figured that's what you wanted to do. I've started." Nick said and Mandy squealed as she hugged him.

"I'm so excited." She said smiling.

"Since we are talking... I wanted to tell you something before you hear it from someone else. I got a job offer out in San Diego." Nick said. Mandy smiled. She continued to hold him as she leaned back some to gauge his reaction.

"Oh yeah. That's exciting." She said continuing to smile. She thought that Nick was underutilized at the lab. He was so smart, and a hard worker. She felt his talents were sometimes wasted. "What's the offer for?"

"Lab Director?" Nick said slightly unsure of her reaction. Her eyes lit up and she smiled wider. "I told them that I wouldn't consider anything until after the wedding. I don't have a lot of details."

"It sounds like it's worth investigating." She said, Nick smiled and kissed her.

"Maybe." He said in between kisses.

"Easy you two." They heard Catherine say behind them. Mandy blushed hiding her face in his chest.

"I'll get the boys and get out of here. Let you ladies play your games." Nick teased. Nick wrangled the two boys and left.

The food was amazing. They even served Lily her own children's meal. Lily insisted on sitting next to Catherine. She thought Catherine was the coolest. Catherine always gave Lily some candy and a few bucks for being so well behaved.

"Hey, miss Catherine, do you know my mommy and daddy are getting married?" Lily asked excited.

"I sure do. It's about time." Catherine said buttering a roll.

"I know that's right." Jill said finishing her wine. Everyone shared a laugh. Chelsea began passing out a blank bingo sheet. "What's this dear?" Jill asked.

"We are going to play purse raid bingo." Chelsea said revealing that she swiped Mandy's purse. "Fill out the squares with items you think that are in her purse." Chelsea said and Mandy blushed.

"Oh yeah!" Catherine chuckled.

"Chelsea, are you sure this is appropriate?" Mandy asked red as a tomato.

"You got something in your purse you don't want us to see?" Chelsea replied. The wait staff removed everyone's plate as they prepared to play the risqué bingo. Chelsea opened the purse in front of Mandy. "Is everyone ready? Go ahead,"

"Okay, okay. It's okay. Only my daughter, mother, and future mother in law are here... Ahh, here a diaper." Mandy said holding up the diaper.

"Grab another." Chelsea said smiling. Mandy released a sigh before pulling out her wallet. "Go again." Mandy went back into her purse digging around before turning red. "What is it?!" Chelsea asked as everyone laughed. Mandy decided to play along and pulled out a pair of her cheeky underwear.

"I knew I should've left my purse in my car." Mandy said. Mandy became angry with Nick. It was his fault that her underwear were in her purse. Who knew a quickie in his truck would have led to such embarrassment? Only her! A quickie led to the birth of their first born, and they've only ever almost been caught every time, and now this. There was a mixture of gasps, catcalls, and giggles. "Is it time for another?" Mandy asked still red.

"Sure," Chelsea said fighting giggles. Mandy continues to dig around and pulled out a lipstick. Mandy seemed quite relieved. Mandy waited for people to mark before pulling out another item. A tampon, or dynamite according to the boys.

"What the hell is this?" Mandy whispered to herself before pulling out an old condom. Mandy had no idea how long this had been inside her purse.

"Is that a condom?" Patti, Mandy's mom, asked. Chelsea smiled wide while nodding.

"You guys use condoms?" Catherine asked surprised.

"What's a condom?" Lily asked looking up from Mandy's phone.

"Obviously, not." Mandy chuckled. Everyone laughed. This was definitely not her proudest moment but she was honest. Mandy was truly unsure if her and Nick ever used a condom. If they did it it never became a reoccurring thing.

"Bingo!" Jill yelled raising her arms victoriously. Everyone stopped and looked at her before laughing again.

Afterwards they play more games, and open some gifts. It was surreal also, Mandy thought. She was truly enjoying the experience. Mandy was even more excited about marrying Nick. Not so much the wedding, but just finally being able to call herself his wife, and have Nick be her husband.

After the shower Nick, Greg, Frank, and Junior came today help load the vehicles. She was unsure what the men did during the shower but she appreciated them. Mandy felt a new sudden infuriation with her husband to be. Watching as he interacted with Beau, and her family. Nick was so much more than eye candy. He was a phenomenal father, and he was already a loving husband. Nick was a great man, and she was excited to spend the rest of their lives together.

"I love you." She said hugging him from behind. Nick took her hand and kissed it.

"Love you too... Babe, I'm sweaty... I'm going to mess up your hair." Nick said holding her hands.

"I can't wait to get married." She said still holding him.

"Me too." He replied. Even though she could not see his face she could feel his smile. Nick comes by afterwards and helps load the presents. Mandy hugs him and just tells him how excited she is to finally marry him.

I am sorry for the unreasonably long wait. For some reason the writer's block for this story just left. This is one of my favorite series and I will finish it. Thank you for reading it. Please Review! What do you think?