But the kicker was that neither of them won the contest. I did! While sitting at my desk eating my lunch and surfing the internet, I hear Marianne gasp. I look up and Jameson is standing in front of my desk with a very large, clear glass vase filled with three dozen pink Stargazer lilies, my favorite! I can’t believe it! The sweet heavenly scent of the lilies immediately fills the office and I love it.
“Oh-my-god! Jameson they’re gorgeous!”
“Happy Valentine’s Day. I didn’t want you to struggle trying to drive home tonight with them in the car. I thought maybe you would want to keep them here. If you want to bring them home tomorrow after work I can try to find you a box tonight or something.”
“Holy crap, Jameson!”
“So are you saying you like them?”
“Yes! I love them! Thank you!”
“Good. Now, gimme a kiss so I can get going.”
I instantly reach around his neck and pull him in to a hard, tight lipped kiss. He on the other hand goes for an immediate ass grab and I don’t mind at all.
“Alright you two! Get a room!” Marianne yells.
“Oh, come on Marianne. I thought you were cool like that? You want a piece of this too? Is that it?” Jameson jokes.
“Ha ha! Don’t promise me a good time young man. I’ll take you up on it.” She jokes back.
“Should I leave you two alone and get back to work or…?”
“I’m leaving. I’m leaving. I’m leaving. I’ll see you tonight at Breakers. Bye Marianne. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
I didn’t even realize it until Marianne started laughing but after Jameson left and I sat back down at my desk I exhaled like a lovesick puppy.
“Why don’t you just start singing like a damn Disney princess to give the full effect?”
“Oh stop it. It’s not like that.”
“Oh – yeah – sure!”
“Come on Marianne. Let’s go outside for a cigarette break. My nerves are twitchy.”
BY THE TIME I GET HOME from work it’s already six o’clock. I had to meet Jameson at 7:30 p.m. at Breakers. That left me with an hour to eat dinner, freshen up and change my clothes.
I didn’t eat much for dinner. One reason, my mother cooked it. She cannot cook. She’s terrible. The other reason I’m not eating much for dinner is because I’m too nervous. My stomach is in knots. What if Jameson proposes to me again tonight? What if he doesn’t? Will my disappointment be obvious? I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. This is crazy! He’s not going to propose. He was drunk the night of the Christmas party. We haven’t even had sex yet. I’m not being rational. I need to just shake it off, relax and have fun.
Thirty minutes later I am pulling in to the open parking spot next to the white Mustang I know and love so well.
It is oddly quiet for a Thursday. I guess people had more romantic places to go tonight. I’m far from materialistic, I don’t need fancy romance. I like playing pool. I like Jameson. I’m cool with Breakers for Valentine’s Day. I spot him in the corner of the room and immediately smile. He’s so cute. Sometimes I swear I see a twinkle in his eye like they show in cartoons. Not often, but enough to remember.
“Hey. Guess what Bevan and I are doing tomorrow?”
“Well, hello to you too.” I say jokingly seeing the excitement on his face is too much to hide. “What are you and Bevan doing tomorrow?”
“Picking up my new motorcycle.”
“Oh-my-god! Seriously?”
“Yeah. I ended up taking the rest of the week off and we went looking today after I brought you your flowers this morning.”
“Wow! That’s awesome, but a motorcycle in the winter? It’s supposed to snow tomorrow. You’re going to drive it home in the snow?”
“I’m not worried about it. I’ll be fine. I have a surprise for you too. Close your eyes.”
Oh-my-god! Oh-my-god! Oh-my-god! Oh-my-god! This is it! He’s gonna do it!
“Open your eyes.”
He’s not down on one knee. He’s handing me an envelope. Okay. Don’t be upset. Don’t show emotion. Just open the envelope.
“What’s this?”
“Open it.”
Oh-my-god! He booked us a trip to New Hampshire! This is it! Time to seal the deal. Time to let my guard down and see if I can trust him one hundred percent. Time to pray that he doesn’t turn into Robert when it comes to sex.
“Jameson, wow. The North Conway Grand Hotel! It’s beautiful! Is this real?”
“I hope you’re okay with this. I called Marianne on Monday when you were at lunch and she put in for your time off for me as a favor. We leave Sunday March 3 and come back Thursday the seventh. I thought maybe one day we could drive to Maine too. I don’t expect anything Hillary. Please don’t freak out or over think.”