Deeper Water_Once and Forever 3

by Lauren Stewart

  “Please tell me he’s not about to confess his undying love for you,” Carson whispered. “Because I got there first.”

  I shushed him, not wanting to miss a second of this moment.

  He gasped. “Oh fuck, what if he’s going to propose to Anna? I gotta warn him! Or hurt him, maybe.”

  I put my hand on his arm and gave him a squeeze. “John’s gay, Carson.”

  “You say that as if it would stop her from manipulating him into marriage.”

  “So without further ado…” John looked at me. “Laney, want to come up here and get this thing started?”

  I nodded, glanced at Carson, and took his hand.

  “Go let everybody tell you how great you are, babe,” Carson said right before I started pulling him along with me. “Okay. I was going to heckle you from back here, but sure, I’ll come if you want me to.”

  “You’re not the only one who can plan a surprise,” I said quietly.

  “What’s going on, Lane?” He came with me because he trusted me, but his steps were wary and his eyes confused. He must have noticed my father getting settled next to the podium with Hayden on one side and Hillary on the other.

  “Look carefully at the benches and tables surrounding you, everyone,” John said. “The first time I saw Laney’s art, I thought it was beautiful, because… well, because I’m not blind.” Small chuckle from the audience. “But until she brought her sketches to me and we started talking, I didn’t know how much passion she had, how much of who she is she put into her work, along with her incredible skill.

  “And, before we go any further, I should tell you that Carson Bennett proposed to Laney in this very water yesterday.”

  Carson groaned as the crowd awwed and applauded.

  “Are your pants dry yet, Carson?”

  “Wow. I really wish he hadn’t said it like that.” Carson pulled me forward a few steps to get away from whoever had tried to pat him on the back. “Can’t wait to see the headline on tomorrow’s gossip page.”

  “Anyway,” John said. “When I heard about the proposal, I remembered an early conversation Laney and I had. She told me her design would represent the steps we all have to take to reach our goals.”

  I stood there nervously with Carson, listening to John explain the for-public-consumption meaning I’d told him after realizing I wanted to keep the real one between me, Carson, and the people who loved us. Now I wished I’d given John an even simpler version because it was taking him forever to explain it to the crowd. I saw a few guests lose interest and go to the bar or step outside. Fine with me—I didn’t want anyone to stay for what happened next if they didn’t want to.

  “And before we can move to the next lily pad,” John said, pointing to the tables one-by-one, “we have to find balance on each so we don’t fall into the water—i.e., make a catastrophic mistake—on our way to getting where we want to be. Each step…”

  “Are you sure he isn’t in love with you?” Carson whispered. “If I’d known how long-winded he’d be, I would’ve gotten another drink.”

  “Shut up.” It came out a little harsher than I’d wanted it to. I added, “And listen to how great people think I am,” so he wouldn’t notice how my nerves were gaining control over me with every passing second.

  “…even more blessed because…”

  “It’s nothing I don’t already know, babe. In fact, I think he’s playing your greatness down so Anna won’t slug him out of jealou—”

  “…wanted to marry him in front of all of us. Right now.”

  “Wait. What did he just say?” Carson asked loudly. But it was nothing in comparison to the gasps and applause from the crowd.

  I didn’t look, but I imagined Carson’s eyes ballooning out like a cartoon character’s. Okay, I had to peek to know for sure.

  No cartoon eyes, but he was turning in every direction, probably looking to see who John might have been talking about. But everyone was staring at us.

  “You never listen, do you?” I asked, my eyes filling up with water while I waited for it to sink in.

  38

  Laney

  “He wasn’t—?” Carson took one more look at all the eyes fixed on us, looked down at me, and then nodded his head. “He was. He was talking about us.” His eyes changed as he started to put things together. “That amazing dress. Why your folks were so busy today. Anna being nice. You set me up.”

  I shrugged. “I got impatient.”

  “In twenty-four hours?”

  “Are you mad?”

  “That I didn’t think of it? Nah, I love your surprises.” With the corners of his mouth slowly lifting into a grin, he took my face in his hands and leaned in close, cutting everything else off. “You’re sure want to do this? Because there’s no backsies.”

  “No backsies,” I repeated.

  He took a deep breath. “Well, then I guess we’re—”

  Hayden grabbed him from behind and dragged him toward the podium. “Shut up and marry the woman, little brother. Before she really gets to know you.”

  My dad appeared at my side, holding out his elbow for me to take it. He had the best timing ever, because I thought I was about to faint.

  My mom was already sobbing and hiding her face behind a tissue. I wasn’t sure if Hillary’s tears were from happiness or because she was biting her lower lip so hard in a vain attempt to hold them back. I assumed Eric was somewhere in the crowd taking pictures because that’s just what he did.

  When I saw a hand waving, it took me a minute to see through my overwhelming nervousness and realize the hand belonged to Andi. Sara, Emilia and Rob stood next to her smiling.

  Dear God, why was everyone smiling so much? All those exposed teeth made me feel like I was surrounded by a pack of growling wolves.

  I faltered, nervous as hell to stand up in front of all these people and do this. Sure, it had been my idea, but maybe it was a bad one. Maybe I could switch directions, grab Carson on the fly, and run for an emergency exit. Seriously, if this wasn’t an emergency, nothing was.

  Carson caught my eye and smiled. How could he be so calm? After telling me how long he’d been freaking out about proposing?

  He mouthed something I think was, “Get your ass up here so I can marry you already, woman.” I’d never been happier to have him take control. Stop me from making a mistake, from doing something I’d regret. From letting fear keep me away from something so good, I hadn’t even had the guts to dream of it.

  After a deep breath, I nodded. “Yes, sir.” I smiled at the surprised look on his face, hoping he knew that comment was as close to me obeying him as he’d ever get. Then I relaxed my shoulders and walked up to the front with my dad holding about half my body weight so I wouldn’t fall over.

  My dad, ever the traditionalist, even in such an untraditional setting, “gave me away” by putting my hands into Carson’s.

  Carson’s face flashed white when Dad whispered, “You hurt her, and I’m going to take you on a one-way deep sea fishing trip. Understand, son?”

  “I hate fishing, Bill, so we’re good.”

  While my dad introduced himself to the crowd and told them an embarrassing story from my sophomore year of high school, Carson and I just looked at each other, holding hands, me breaking into a goofy, lovesick grin occasionally.

  “My daughter never did like church much and, if I wasn’t so sure these two people were meant to be together, I might’ve questioned Laney’s plan. But they understand each other like no one else I know. They know how to make each other happy. And, just a guess here, but I think this is making them happy, don’t you?”

  The crowd laughed.

  I was more than happy. There were no goody bags, big cake, or months of planning, no time for last minute jitters or panic—other than what I was feeling right now—but everyone important to us was there.

  My dad pointed the microphone toward me. “Would you two like to say anything to each other before we get to the legal stuff?”

&n
bsp; “Not fair, Lane,” Carson said quietly. “You had time to plan out what you were going to say.”

  Yeah, tons of time, when I wasn’t doing three other things today.

  “Tell me the truth, Carson. In your entire life, have you ever planned out anything you’ve ever said?”

  He thought about it for a second. “I see your point. But you go first, so I know what I’m up against.”

  I would’ve loved to kiss the smirk off his face, but we had to save the kissing until the end.

  “When I was—” Hearing my own voice through the speakers, a second after I said something, threw me off. I scooted closer to Carson to see if that helped. I knew he didn’t mind—he moved one of his hands to my waist as if that’s where it was meant to be.

  I agreed. “When I was a little girl”—thankfully, the reverb was gone—“and believed in fairytales, I dreamt of a huge wedding hall with high ceilings and a big chandelier. A hundred beautifully dressed people would be there to watch me marry my very own prince charming.”

  Everyone looked up to the lobby’s giant glass chandelier. Everyone but Carson.

  “But only after I’d grown up and stopped believing in fairytales did I actually find one. The real kind. The kind that will keep going long after a happy ending kiss.

  “Now, standing here in front of a hundred people, all beautifully dressed, I get to marry my prince. Whether he wants to or not.”

  Carson was biting his lip, but his eyes were laughing.

  I lowered my voice and spoke only to him. “I mean honestly, if it took you as long as you say it did just to work up the courage to ask me, you’d never have been ready to set a date. Hope you don’t mind.”

  “Are you kidding? This is the craziest, best idea you’ve ever had.” Staring at my mouth, the hand on my waist pulled me forward and he leaned toward me. Unfortunately, he caught himself before he got too close.

  My dad flipped the microphone around and waited for Carson to start.

  “Oh. Is it my turn now?” He swallowed, took a deep breath, and then looked into my eyes. When he spoke, it was only to me. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the day we met lately. Remember? When I saw you in our café and decided I really wanted to”—quick glance at my dad—“spend the afternoon with you.”

  I laughed at his PG-13 explanation of that day. I couldn’t imagine what would’ve happened if he’d told the truth—the only thing Carson had wanted to do that day was get laid.

  “I had no idea what I was about to walk into,” he said. “Getting to know you, getting to love you, are the best things that have ever happened to me. When I was a little girl”—

  Laughing gave me a second to regroup, stop my lip from trembling and my eyes from tearing up.

  —“I didn’t know any fairytales. Well, I did, but I don’t remember any of them having a happy ending. The only ones I can remember were pretty scary, confusing to a kid. Lots of big bad wolves, you know?”

  I pressed my lips together to stop myself from whimpering, but I couldn’t control the tears. In a room full of people, only a few of us understood what he was really talking about. Hayden and Renee because they’d been there. Anna because she’d gone through a similar reality with her father.

  “When I grew up, I think I still believed in them a little. That’s what I figured my life would be—witches, and frogs, and no happy ending.”

  When he wiped away a tear I’d missed near my jaw, I leaned into his hand and rested my cheek in his hand.

  “And then you came along and, as hard as I tried to tell myself I didn’t care about you, I felt myself falling for you every minute of every day that we spent together. And I started to believe that maybe, because of you, there might be a happy ending or two in my future.”

  When he smirked at the double entendre, I held my breath, flicking my head toward my dad to remind Carson it wasn’t just him and me standing here. I knew he’d gotten my hint when his smile disappeared.

  “Anyway,” he said, readjusting himself. “I want to be the man you deserve, Lane. But being that great ain’t easy for anyone, and it’s next to impossible for me. So it may take me sixty or seventy years to do it, but if you stick around, I promise you that I’ll never stop trying.”

  I nodded. “I think I can do sixty or seventy years.”

  “Great,” he said, taking a deep breath and turning to my dad. “Do I get to kiss her now?”

  “Not quite yet.” My dad’s eyes were red, but his voice was controlled when he asked Hayden and Hillary to bring us the rings.

  I guess Carson and I said what we were supposed to because the next thing I really remember is each of us wearing a new ring and Carson’s hand cupping the nape of my neck and pulling me toward him.

  His lips were so warm and soft as they met mine. We’d kissed ten thousand times, and it never got old or expected. I never wanted to stop. I never got distracted. All I wanted was more.

  He pulled me in tighter, opening his mouth enough to taste me, to let me taste him. Every time we kissed felt like the very first time, a chance to discover each other, to be closer, to connect.

  I heard myself moan when it was too late to stop it from coming out. Carson’s lips pulled away from mine when he smiled.

  But the worst was when I heard my dad say, “There’s probably a better place for you two to finish that up.”

  I heard some clapping, yelling, and laughing. I was inundated with hugs from family, friends, and complete strangers as they congratulated me. But the only thing I could focus on was Carson’s beaming smile.

  Once the only ones left around us were our loved ones, Carson turned to Clare. “Can you plan a party for us? Whatever you want to do. Open bar, big cake, and a bouquet for Lane to throw. And make sure you invite everyone here and everyone from the Foundation—staff and families.”

  “Clare, I’d love to help you,” Anna said. “Whatever you need.”

  “Great.” Still smiling, Carson leaned toward his sister and kissed her on the cheek. “No poison apples though, right?”

  “I can’t make any promises.”

  “I’ll be keeping an eye on you, sis. But not until I get back from my honeymoon.” Carson swept me up in his arms and headed for the exit. “So where are you taking me? I’m thinking clothing optional.” I didn’t even have time to roll my eyes, before he continued, “Someplace we won’t see another person for weeks, months maybe.”

  I put my arms around his neck. “And no jellyfish.”

  “Definitely no jellyfish.” He spun me around and yelled. “Thanks, everybody. For guiding me to this moment and this woman.”

  I waved goodbye to the people I loved and was carried away by the man I’d be with forever.

  My frog.

  My prince.

  My husband.

  …there was a man who finally convinced the most beautiful woman in the world that they would live happily ever after. For “happily ever after” didn’t mean they’d never be unhappy, or irritable, or overwhelmed. Nor did it mean they would always know what the other was thinking before any words were spoken, or that they would never make a mistake.

  For this couple, as with all others who are destined to be, “happily ever after” means they will never give up… on themselves or on each other.

  * * *

  * * *

  Flip the next few pages to read the first chapter of Immaterial Defense (Once and Forever #4)

  Thank you so much for reading Deeper Water. If you enjoyed the book, please consider leaving a review. Reviews can make or break the success of a book, so they’re greatly appreciated.

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  Immaterial Defense

  (Once and Forever #4)

  * * *

  ~ Early Summer 2018
~

  * * *

  Two strangers meet in a karaoke bar.

  * * *

  She’s all alone in the darkness.

  He’s lighting up the stage.

  * * *

  It’s going to take a whole lot longer than one night to get all they need from each other.

  * * *

  Book four is a party-girl/rockstar twist on The Emperor’s New Clothes. Keep turning pages to read the first chapter.

  But first, this is how Sara’s fairytale begins…

  * * *

  Once upon a time there was a woman whose life had been blessed from the moment of her birth. She wore beautiful gowns, and went to fancy balls, and danced with handsome princes, and hated every second of it. For, though none but the woman knew it, these things were not real but imagined. And the reason the woman understood this was because she wasn't real either, having been unmade in a single moment in time…by an enemy she hadn’t foreseen…in a way that left her body wounded and her soul scarred.

  So the woman began a new life, apart from all others, even while surrounded by admirers, for she knew they were admiring someone who wasn’t real, whose truth couldn’t be seen by their eyes. Though outwardly people still believed her to be beautiful and blessed, inwardly she knew it wasn’t true. And though her appearance and wealth continued to bring compliments and accolades, she saw what none other could—that for the rest of her nonexistence, she would be invisible to all…

  Copyright © 2018 Lauren Stewart

  unedited draft, so please forgive any errors