by Lydia Cole
It wasn’t until my birthday, halfway through our tour, that things really started to look up.
Hayden took my arm and led me gently out of the hotel. “Come on, Angel. You look amazing, as usual.”
I growled. “I don’t want to be twenty-two. I want to stay twenty-one forever.”
He just gave me a wide smile and dropped me into the waiting car. “Well, that’s just too bad. It’s your birthday and I’m going to spoil the hell out of you.”
I rolled my eyes, but offered no more argument. We pulled into a restaurant and I let Hayden direct me into a private room in the back without so much as a wave to the dazed customers who saw us come in.
“Tonight’s about you, babe, not your fans,” he said in my ear when he saw my frown.
The spread was amazing. He’d obviously called the restaurant ahead and made sure it was just like he wanted it. Table cloth, candles, soft music. I was dating the biggest sap in history.
We ate and talked. It was nothing different, but I could tell Hayden was fidgety about something. Finally, we finished eating and moved out onto a balcony in the back of the restaurant. It overlooked a small body of water with the lights of the city in the distance. It was like a scene out of a movie.
I smiled and turned, leaning against the railing and pulling Hayden into a tight hug. “Thanks for bringing me out.”
He smiled slightly and kissed me. “No problem. But, really, it wasn’t just for your birthday.”
“What?” I quirked an eyebrow at him. “What else happened today that I don’t know about?”
“Well…” He strummed his fingers on my back. “It hasn’t really happened yet.”
I rolled my eyes. “What have you got up your sleeve, Hayden?”
His eyes sparkled with his smile. “You didn’t even ask for your present.”
“Well, give it to me then!”
He laughed and directed me to a chair, pushing me down gently and pulling a wrapped box out of his pocket. It was small and very…ring-like. My chest went a little tight, but I didn’t say anything. My shaky fingers peeled the wrapping paper, exposing a white box. Inside the white box was a ring box.
“Hayden,” I whispered.
He kneeled in front of me. “I love you, Lucy. I almost lost you once and I’ll never let that happen again. I need you in my life. I could never lose you. Marry me.”
My eyes filled with tears as I looked at him. I pried open the box and gasped. It was beautiful and it fit my personality perfectly. The stone was a big ruby and it was set in an antiqued silver band that had intricate designs running all along it. I took it out of the box and looked at it closely, speechless.
Hayden chuckled. “Are you going to look at it or are you going to put it on?”
The first tear fell down my cheek when I looked back at him. “You put it on me.”
“Is that a yes, Angel?” he asked, his voice a little shaky.
“Hayden. You’re my angel. Of course it’s a yes!” I waved my arms around. “Now put the damn ring on so we can get down and dirty!â€�