Rachel moved around the loft busy with the task of finishing getting ready. She was starting to get antsy considering Santana was supposed to be home already, but she was nowhere to be found. At least Rachel knew that she was on her way, apparently something major had happened at the meeting. Rachel could tell from the excitement in Santana's voice when they spoke on the phone that major things were about to start happening.
Sitting down on the bed, Rachel was careful not to wrinkle her dress that was laying next to her. She looked over at her silver and black dress, it was her favorite dress, a Christmas present last year from Santana. Rachel had been worried earlier about what Santana was going to wear but thanks to some quick thinking, Santana had asked Rachel to pick out her outfit based on what she was wearing so that they complimented each other. Rachel looked at the choices she had made when she stood up from her sitting position on the bed. In Santana's closet she had found a lovely black dress and an outfit of grey dress pants with black pinstripes and a flowy grey top, either outfit was perfect, but what Santana decided to wear would depend on her mood when she got home.
"Rachel!" Santana yelled as she threw open the front door. The dogs danced around her feet happy now that their owner was home, they had really missed her today. Santana bent over to greet them with soft pets so they didn't knock her over in their excitement. Maybe I should take them to a doggy daycare with work about to get hectic, Santana thought as she stood up and smiled at Rachel who was looking down at her from the loft in just her underwear.
"What's going on? You need to get ready. We can talk while you shower and get dressed." Rachel really need to light a fire under Santana's ass if they were going to make their reservation at six this evening.
"I have so much to tell you! Okay, okay." Santana spun in circle while trying to gather her thoughts and figure out what her next move was going to be. Shower. Date night. She really needed to get going, she was supposed to be home over an hour ago and now she would only have about an hour to get ready. "I will get in the shower, will you bring my clothes down?" Santana shouted as she took off towards the bathroom stripping and leaving clothes scattered about the living room and kitchen. Today had went so much better than she expected and after hearing how determined Santana was to work with The St. Lawrence Children's Home, Peter had signed a contract with Santana to pay top dollar for her paintings. He could tell that her passion for art was out of this world and after looking at her newer work he was more determined than ever to get her involved in his projects.
Rachel smirked and started to giggle as she came down the stairs and caught a glimpse of Santana's bare ass as she stood there waiting for the water to warm just a little bit. Sometimes Rachel wondered where Santana's sense of modesty had went. Santana knew she needed to hurry but she didn't want to freeze her tits off if she didn't have to. She heard Rachel's approaching giggles and spun around giving Rachel a full show. Rachel stumbled a bit not expecting that. Santana cackled before she shut the bathroom door and jumped into the shower before Rachel could regain her bearings.
Huffing, Rachel walked closer to the bathroom and sat Santana's clothes down on a little end table that sat outside the bathroom door. She knocked on the door instead of going in so that neither of them would get distracted and lose even more time. "Santana?! I sat your clothes down out here in the hall. You didn't come upstairs to choose what you wanted to wear, so I brought both outfits down okay?" Rachel listened for Santana to acknowledge her before she walked back upstairs so that she too could get ready. Rachel looked around the living room as she made her ways upstairs, her eyes lingering on the clock over the mantel. They were going to make it on time as long as Santana got ready as quickly as possible.
They were late. Sure it was only ten minutes but to Rachel it felt like hours. She was just so excited to give Santana her ring and the photo album she thought she was going to explode. Santana pulled into a parking spot and looked around, she had a feeling that a few certain security guards were around but planned to make themselves invisible. She was also pretty sure that a certain asshole named Jasper was lurking around here too. Wait...what if he tried something tonight knowing they were all going to be in the same building. Santana began to panic a little, she was sure that Leroy and Bayani was here as well.
"Rachel." Santana spoke barely above a whisper as she looked out of the windshield. She flexed her fingers on the steering wheel. "What if Jasper tries something while we are all here? I mean, I can protect you and I know Duncan's guys are around as well...but what if."
The slightly panicked tone of Santana's voice had Rachel looking around in every direction. Had she seen Jasper or something? She was sure he wasn't here and hadn't been here, the guys had actually been updating her today since Santana was so busy. However, Santana didn't know any of that. "He's not here baby. He hasn't been here all day. If he was here or if he shows up the guys will move in. We're okay." Rachel was curious as to where this panic was coming from. This was the first time Santana had showed a real sliver of fear about what could happen. Mostly she had just played off being mad most of the time and taking charge of the situation that way.
"We're okay." Santana took a deep breath and released her grip on the steering wheel. She wasn't going to tell Rachel that while she had been in the bathroom, Santana had put on her holster. She was glad that the pants that Rachel had picked out for her were longer and they flared at the bottom creating a perfect hiding spot for her pistol. "Are you ready to eat? I am starving and I have to tell you about everything that happened today."
"Let's go." Rachel smiled and squeezed Santana's hand before she leaned over the center console and gave Santana a quick kiss before stepping out of the jeep.
As Rachel and Santana approached the hostess of the lodge restaurant, both women scanned the area as discretely as possible. Jasper was nowhere in site, but there was at least two familiar faces sitting at tables close to the front of the restaurant. There were also two familiar faces sitting at the main lodge entrance. Good, Santana thought in her head. There was no way that Jasper could get in here unseen.
Rachel kept Santana's left hand in her own as her left hand rested protectively on the bag she had chosen to carry tonight. It was bigger than normal considering it did have a photo album in it. Rachel was beginning to feel her giddiness come back to a full one hundred percent. Both women smiled and thanked the hostess as she waited for them to sit down. Rachel breathed a tiny sigh of relief when they weren't questioned or told they had to wait because of their tardiness. To be fair, the lodge wasn't super busy and the booth was reserved for her and Santana anyway, she just didn't like to be late.
"Ms. Berry would you still like a bottle of the house wine or something different this evening?" Rachel looked over to Santana who merely shrugged her shoulders. This date night was all Rachel's planning so she would be happy with whatever Rachel had ordered.
"The house wine please. Also can we just have the Chef's Choice menu." Rachel asked politely. The hostess pulled out a black leather file book with the words Chef's Choice painted in gold on the front. Rachel thanked her as the hostess walked away to get the waiter that would be handling Rachel and Santana's table.
"I'm glad you asked for the chef's menu. I want to see what Frankie has up his sleeve tonight." Santana scooted closer in the round red booth so that she could look at the menu with Rachel. She also just wanted to be closer to her fiance'.
"Ooohhh, it looks like he has two, three course meals going on tonight. This sounds pretty good, appetizers are French Cartines, main dish Caquilles St. Jacques and dessert is of course his special french silk pie. I think that's what I want." Rachel looked up at Santana who was staring at the menu with a pensive glare trying to decide.
"I think...I want the same. I don't want anything super heavy because we have a lot of celebrating to do tonight." Santana whispered in a sultry tone that caused a pleasant chill to run down Rachel's back.
"Yeah? What all do we have to celebrate?" Rachel responded equally as sultry. She knew one thing for sure they were going to be celebrating, but that was still under wraps for right now.
"First we are going to celebrate the auction I am donating paintings too to help raise money for The St. Lawrence Children's Home. Then we are going to celebrate the two point two million dollar check that will be written in my name after I do four paintings and two sign designs for Reed Productions. That's just my contract though, I got this guy to cut a production deal with Artie annnndddd the ladies from St. Lawrence Children Home agreed to let me and some of my friends decorate rooms. I have to call Artie, Mr. Reed and Mrs. Stidham after I figure out who all wants to do one so we can figure out movie royalties. I personally wrote that I didn't want any form of compensation for being in the documentary. I mean Mr. Reed is already paying for their sign and they need all the help they can get to cover renovations and start up costs for the new home. It's huge! Of course it's huge though, I mean it used to be a sister campus for Tisch. It's relatively small for a college campus though, it doesn't matter though, there are at least two other homes combining with St. Lawrence so they need the space." Santana waved her hands around excited. "Those kids are going to be in heaven, I mean I can't imagine how bad it must suck to be in the system. But, if I was their age and I had no where else to go, the new home would be the best place. Agh, there's just so much to tell you!"
Rachel watched in fascination as Santana went from being a teasing flirt to bouncing in her seat. She was radiating with such happy energy that Rachel felt like this was the best time to break out the photo album. They hadn't even ordered yet. Santana's happiness was just so contagious.
"I got you a present." Rachel blurted. Santana stared back at her with wide eyes in shock.
"You got me a present? What for? Oh my gosh..did I forget an anniversary or a birthday? Wait no, it's not either of those things." Santana continued to rambled, she was trying to figure out why Rachel had gotten her a gift.
"No, you didn't miss anything. I just got you something that I think you deserve. So here." Rachel reached over in bag and pulled out a baby blue box that had white ribbon tide around it.
"Rachel...you really shouldn't have got me anything. I don't have anything for you and now I feel bad." Santana pouted as she looked down at the box that was now sitting in front of her.
"Technically you already gave me the gift that goes with this one. So open it." Rachel motioned towards the box. She was going to rip it open herself if Santana didn't get a move on.
Santana began to tentatively open the box with a shy smile on her face. She was glad that Rachel had opted to get the private booth for them tonight, if whatever was in this box made her cry no one would know except for Rachel. Santana gasped as she saw the photo album laying there in the box. Running her hand over the cover she carefully picked it up so that Rachel could move the box out of the way. "Rachel this is beautiful."
"Look inside." Rachel scooted closer so that she could see the pictures as well even though she had looked at them countless times.
Santana was in awe as she began to flip through the photo album. She chuckled at one of the pictures of her and Rachel being typical tourists at The Leaning Tower of Pisa. They were so off in the picture. That had been a great mini vacation when Santana was ask to speak to several art classes thanks to a recommendation from an old professor. "Rachel..this is amazing. I notice a bit of a pattern here..is this our entire relationship? You're not breaking up with me are you and this is your twisted way of documenting it or something?"
"No silly. Keep looking. Go all the way to the end." Santana began to flip through the pictures faster...she really wanted to see what was in the back. Her hand froze when she finally reached the last page and saw a wedding invitation. It was royal blue embossed with silver swirls and writing. Confused at first, Santana took the time to read through the invitation. She paused when she reached the bottom and saw the question Will You Marry Me?
Turning to look at Rachel, tears began to fall as Santana saw a beautiful black diamond princess cut ring being held up by Rachel who was grinning from ear to ear. "I know you already proposed and gave me a beautiful ring, but I wanted to do the same for you. You're my forever love and you deserve to wear a ring as well. I want everyone to know that you are mine as much as I am yours. I love you so much. So I, Rachel Berry formally ask you Santana Lopez, will you you marry me?" Rachel now had tears spilling from her eyes as Santana nodded her head quickly with a strangled yes. She couldn't stop her hand from shaking as she removed the black diamond ring from it's box to place it on Santana's hand. It was perfect. They were so lost in their own little world that they hadn't even noticed the waiter that had brought their wine and was lingering around waiting to take their order.