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Bailey - Valentine’s Day
I pulledthe black dress I had purchased earlier in the week from the closet and lay it out on the bed. It was a little sexier than what I'd normally go with, but I figured tonight called for a little more. Okay, it was a lot sexier, I thought to myself as I looked at the low-cut neckline I was more than a little nervous to wear and giggled to myself, thinking back to the conversation I had with my friend Justine.
"I have a feeling that he is going to pop the big question to you on Valentine’s Day,"Justine whispered excitedly to me one night at our book club.
"Really? What makes you say that?"
"Oh, I saw him in a jewellery store downtown the other day. I was going to wave, but then I noticed he was looking at engagement rings." She grabbed my hands and squealed with excitement.
I acted casually, even though I was busting inside. As the weeks passed, I shrugged off the idea. I didn't want to get my hopes up because we'd never really talked about marriage. Then one night a month ago, Jim started asking me questions about types of diamond cuts and ring settings. He even asked me to flip through a few web pages and show him which ones I liked and which ones I didn't. As I surfed through the pages, I couldn't keep my thoughts from drifting back to the conversation with Justine. A week later, he started asking me about vacation spots."Could be anywhere: Aruba, Antigua, Grand Cayman?"
I was convinced and knew it was possible that Valentine's Day would be the day. As the date drew closer, he'd suggested having dinner at an upscale steakhouse just outside of town. That was when the excitement really began to build. I was so sure that tonight would be the night that he would indeed pop the question I had run out and spent close to two hundred dollars on this dress. Being recently out of work, I really couldn't afford to purchase it, but I wanted to look amazing for him.
I ran my hands over the silky material, then grabbed the towel that lay beside it on the bed and was about to wander into the bathroom for a shower when the phone rang.
"Hello."
"Hey, beautiful! What are you doing?" a familiar voice sang into the phone.
"Cara! What a great surprise. I'm good. How are you?"
"I'm great. I was just getting ready for our date tonight, and I thought I had better call and wish my girl a happy Valentine's day." She giggled.
"Well, sweets, Happy Valentine's Day to you as well. Do you guys have any special plans for tonight?"
"Dinner and a movie. You know, the usual. You know Ryan, he likes to keep things simple."
I giggled. "Nice, well, say hi to Ryan for me."
"Will do. What about you? Any special plans?"
I blew out a breath and tried to decide if I should mention anything or not, but my excitement got the best of me, and before I knew it, I blurted everything out. "Okay, don't laugh, but I think tonight may be the night that Jim asks me to marry him."
The phone was silent as I waited for Cara's response. I was wondering if we hadn't gotten cut off when I heard her clear her throat.
"Whoa, Bailey, are you sure you're ready for that?"
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
"How do I say this without sounding like an awful friend?"
"You just say it," I answered.
"Well, honestly, I never thought it would happen. I never thought that you would get over Jackson. I guess I was wrong."
"Wrong about what?"
"I just thought that time would heal things and you'd eventually find your way back to him."
I closed my eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply. "Cara, it's been five years. It's been three since I started dating Jim. This is the natural progression: date, get engaged, get married."
"Of course, you're right, it is the natural progression. I just think that after all you've been through with him you would have given it more time. Make sure that Jim really is the one."
"I've given it time, Cara. I've given it lots of time. I'm happy."
"Are you? Are you really?"
