mansions on standby in case this one doesn’t come through.”
“Wait, we have a database of haunted houses in our system?” he asked, rubbing his forehead to massage his temples as several heads around the table nodded at once. “Pray tell, may I ask why?”
“You know, it’s really better that you don’t overthink it. Just drink your beer and forget about it.” Stacy smiled sweetly and Nathan opened his mouth to argue, but shut it and nodded his head.
After the group called it a night and headed home their separate ways, Nathan followed Stacy to her car, pinning her back against the driver’s side door and slipping his hands around her waist. He kissed the side of her neck and was most of the way to biting gently on her earlobe when she cut him off.
“Nice try, Romeo, but work comes early. My boss wouldn’t like it if I was late.”
“I have it on good authority that your boss would love it if you were late since you’d have to marry him sooner.” Nathan looked up and gave Stacy a smirk at his own play on words. She rolled her eyes in response.
“Nice. A period joke. The class just oozes and oozes. You be careful what you say around a lady, or I’ll tell my boss you’re using uncouth manners.”
“Your boss is a complete and total ass. Ignore him,” he breathed against her skin, sending a really pleasant chill up her spine. “Come home with me instead. We can talk about our wedding for a change.”
“Yeah right, the only details you’d want to talk about tonight are the honeymoon. Besides, I can’t. I’ve got to find a haunted mansion that doesn’t mind letting me throw a party inside. Call me tomorrow?”
He narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched his fiancée’s face. “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked quietly.
“What, you mean go home by myself?”
“No, I mean… are you sure you want to marry me? Because if you’ve changed your mind, I promise, there’s no hard feelings. I’ll be completely crushed, but—”
“Nathan! What are you saying? Of course I want to marry you! I’ve just got a lot happening right now, especially since I’m running your company!” She fought to take the angry edge out of her voice. The least he could do was understand how much work was involved in this job.
“And you’re sure it’s not just because… uh, never mind.”
“Oh no you don’t, you don’t throw it out there and then not tell me what you were going to say! I hate that!” She put her hands on her hips and waited for him to continue. Nathan looked away first.
“Are you sure it’s not because you’re afraid I’d fire you if you broke up with me?” He regretted the words as soon as he said them, but it was a thought that had been eating at him ever since the first time she’d put off making any plans for their wedding.
“I cannot believe you just let those words fly out of your mouth. Is that really what you think of me?” she said, struggling to keep the anger and the tears at bay.
“No! But I gotta admit, every time you throw yourself into planning everybody’s wedding but ours, it hurts a little! I take that back… it hurts a lot! Everybody’s special day comes first with you!”
Stacy opened her mouth to argue, but snapped it shut before she could say anything they’d both regret. It was a carefully honed skill learned at the feet of her wonderful mentor, and it had served her well almost every single day of her professional life. She just never thought she’d need it with the man she loved.
“I love you, and I want to marry you. But the time to talk about this is not in the middle of the night after we’ve both had a long, trying day. I’m going home, but we’ll talk about this when we’re both calm and awake.”
Nathan stepped back, frustration showing through his boyish but adoring grin. “Sure. But call me when you get home, let me know you made it, okay? Please?” She agreed and kissed him one last time before getting in her car and
“Wait, we have a database of haunted houses in our system?” he asked, rubbing his forehead to massage his temples as several heads around the table nodded at once. “Pray tell, may I ask why?”
“You know, it’s really better that you don’t overthink it. Just drink your beer and forget about it.” Stacy smiled sweetly and Nathan opened his mouth to argue, but shut it and nodded his head.
After the group called it a night and headed home their separate ways, Nathan followed Stacy to her car, pinning her back against the driver’s side door and slipping his hands around her waist. He kissed the side of her neck and was most of the way to biting gently on her earlobe when she cut him off.
“Nice try, Romeo, but work comes early. My boss wouldn’t like it if I was late.”
“I have it on good authority that your boss would love it if you were late since you’d have to marry him sooner.” Nathan looked up and gave Stacy a smirk at his own play on words. She rolled her eyes in response.
“Nice. A period joke. The class just oozes and oozes. You be careful what you say around a lady, or I’ll tell my boss you’re using uncouth manners.”
“Your boss is a complete and total ass. Ignore him,” he breathed against her skin, sending a really pleasant chill up her spine. “Come home with me instead. We can talk about our wedding for a change.”
“Yeah right, the only details you’d want to talk about tonight are the honeymoon. Besides, I can’t. I’ve got to find a haunted mansion that doesn’t mind letting me throw a party inside. Call me tomorrow?”
He narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched his fiancée’s face. “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked quietly.
“What, you mean go home by myself?”
“No, I mean… are you sure you want to marry me? Because if you’ve changed your mind, I promise, there’s no hard feelings. I’ll be completely crushed, but—”
“Nathan! What are you saying? Of course I want to marry you! I’ve just got a lot happening right now, especially since I’m running your company!” She fought to take the angry edge out of her voice. The least he could do was understand how much work was involved in this job.
“And you’re sure it’s not just because… uh, never mind.”
“Oh no you don’t, you don’t throw it out there and then not tell me what you were going to say! I hate that!” She put her hands on her hips and waited for him to continue. Nathan looked away first.
“Are you sure it’s not because you’re afraid I’d fire you if you broke up with me?” He regretted the words as soon as he said them, but it was a thought that had been eating at him ever since the first time she’d put off making any plans for their wedding.
“I cannot believe you just let those words fly out of your mouth. Is that really what you think of me?” she said, struggling to keep the anger and the tears at bay.
“No! But I gotta admit, every time you throw yourself into planning everybody’s wedding but ours, it hurts a little! I take that back… it hurts a lot! Everybody’s special day comes first with you!”
Stacy opened her mouth to argue, but snapped it shut before she could say anything they’d both regret. It was a carefully honed skill learned at the feet of her wonderful mentor, and it had served her well almost every single day of her professional life. She just never thought she’d need it with the man she loved.
“I love you, and I want to marry you. But the time to talk about this is not in the middle of the night after we’ve both had a long, trying day. I’m going home, but we’ll talk about this when we’re both calm and awake.”
Nathan stepped back, frustration showing through his boyish but adoring grin. “Sure. But call me when you get home, let me know you made it, okay? Please?” She agreed and kissed him one last time before getting in her car and
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