Page 46 of Break: Vol. 2

A blush stole over my cheeks. Of course it wasn't a problem, and it wasn't like he'd stop doing stuff like this once I was married … because I wasn't just marrying Dex.

"Jamie, wait up, dear!" My mother rushed to catch up with me, her low heels clicking on the hard airport floor. Why anyone would wear any level of heels when flying was beyond my comprehension.

We headed out into the traffic, and amidst the screaming, horn honking, and whistle blowing, we found our way back to the temporary parking lot where Cody and I'd parked several minutes before. Lugging my parents' stuff into the trunk of the car, they slid into the backseat as Cody and I took the front.

"Gosh," my mom said, fanning herself with her hand. "It's a lot warmer here than I expected."

"It won't get cold for a few more weeks yet," Cody replied with a smile as he backed out of the lot.

"So, where are we heading?" Dad asked. "Are we staying in the same hotel?"

"Oh, well … we're not staying in a hotel anymore," I answered awkwardly, casting Cody a look.

As serene as ever, Cody nodded. "We moved into a suite on the lower West Side yesterday."

"The West Side..." My mom sounded surprised. "That's an expensive area, isn't it?" In my rearview mirror, I watched as she looked my way, concern etched into her features. "Are you renting?"

I turned and looked behind me. "No, Dex bought it," I admitted with a wince.

"Is that … so?" The worry didn't disappear. In fact, it deepened.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Houston," Cody said. "Dex is very good with money. When he graduated, his trust fund was opened to him. He's already got a job lined up with the Giants."

"Yes, that's very impressive," Dad said with a grin. "I'm proud of you, Honey. You hooked a real good one."

I rolled my eyes and groaned as I thudded my head against the seat. He had no idea. I'd hooked more than one.

"So, what else is there planned?" my mom asked, switching topics. "Dinner tonight. Wedding and reception tomorrow. Then..."

"Uh … that's it," I said with a wince. "I mean, of course you guys can stick around, but—"

"No, no," she cut me off, leaning forward. "What about your honeymoon?"

"Oh, um." I met Cody's gaze before turning to look forward. "We haven't decided where we're going yet."

"Actually," Cody said, drawing my attention, "Dex has a plan, but it's a surprise."

I pivoted in my seat and glared at him. "My, my,he'sfull of surprises lately," I said, emphasizing 'he' with the intended meaning ofthem. I had no doubts that they were all in on it.

Cody laughed. "That he is."

"Now, I don't know about you, dear," Dad said, "but I can't wait for this dinner tonight. I've never been to New York, but I hear the food is to die for."

Right,I thought.Dinner.I sighed and sat back against the seat. Every minute was counting down until the final reveal. I only hoped they’d take it as well as they’d taken my move to New York City. Concern, obviously. Fear. Worry. The natural inclination to protect one’s child and yet, at the same time, acceptance and love. That’s all anyone wanted in the end, anyway.

Acceptance and Love.

Chapter 6

TheLancasterwas a beautiful Italian restaurant with arching pillars and ivy dangling from the ceiling. Golden lights lit the place up and I gaped in awe at the intricate carvings in the walls as Dex, Cody, Darren, Taylor, and I were led to a private room on the second floor of the building.

"This is a … lot," I finally said after the concierge had disappeared back into the main part of the restaurant.

"I think I'm going to have to agree with Jamie on this one," Dare said as he, too, stared open-mouthed at the room we'd rented for the evening. "How expensive was this place?"

Dex waved a hand. "It doesn't matter."

"Dex." I turned and strode towards him. He looked at me as I approached and when I reached up to take the lapels of his suit coat into my hands, I rose on my tiptoes so that I could look him in the eyes when I spoke. "It is a big deal. You don't need to spend a lot of money on this. They're either going to accept it or not. No amount of money you spend on where we tell them will change anything."

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