“Best Christmas I’ve ever had,” he mutters, meeting my lips gently.
“Me too, baby. Me too.”
Chapter 16
Dylan
I can’t believe I’m engaged. Looking down at the platinum band on my finger, I have to start believing. It’s been a week since I told Andrew I’d marry him—the start of the New Year. We had a party at the bar last night, announcing to the patrons that we were engaged and celebrated with our community.
The snowplows came through the day after Christmas, like they wanted me to enjoy the whole day of seeing the pristine snow. After they cleared the snow, Andrew went to his apartment to get my gift—the platinum engagement ring I have on now. The plan had been for us to stay at his apartment leading up to Christmas, but my heat threw a wrench in that plan, then the snow had us staying put all day on Christmas.
I smile, looking down at the ring. I should probably feel some kind of way that he proposed to me on Christmas like he did his ex, but I don’t. I know he wasn’t thinking about Carlton when he asked me to be his. It was all about our relationship, all about us. I’m honored to be his future husband.
“You keep looking at that thing like you think it’ll run off,” Andrew says from behind me, shaking his head as he gets our food on a plate. Andrew is an amazing cook. I love that he always wants to feed me.
Smirking, I turn away from the window and make my way over to him. “It might. You might wise up and find that you can do better than little ol’ me.”
I’m joking, but when Andrew looks at me, I can tell he doesn’t think it’s something to joke about. Wiping his hands on his pants, he comes over to me, taking my hands in his and kissing my knuckles. “That’ll never happen. You’re it for me. Now I just have to make sure I deserve you every day. You’ll never question that I want you, now and forever.”
“I know, Scrooge. I was giving you shit, but I know how you feel. Has it really only been three weeks?” It seems like we’ve known each other for years, a lifetime even. We’re still getting to know each other, but I have no doubt that I’ll never want to be with anyone else.
The kiss he places on my nose is gentle and I smile softly. “It has. With a lifetime to go.”
Just as we’re sitting to eat dinner, there’s a knock at the door. We’re at Andrew’s apartment and he said there will be friends coming over to celebrate the New Year. He opens the door wide and welcomes in the guests. Nervously, I stand to the side, wondering who’s arriving, but smile when I see two regulars, Miles and his boyfriend, Chris.
Chris rushes over, arms out and enfolds me in a warm embrace. “Miles told me the good news. Congratulations! Looks like our alphas had the same idea.” He shows me his hand, a diamond encrusted band around his third finger.
I jump up and down like a loon. “Oh Gods! Congratulations!” I hug him again. “Did they plan this?”
Chris laughs. “I’m not sure. We were at my parent’s house and my old man gets down on one knee.” He walks over to Miles and wraps an arm around his waist. “Only took five years to get him there. We heard about your party. Sorry we couldn’t make it. We were in Texas.”
I wave him away, walking over to where Andrew is standing. “It’s okay. It wasn’t planned. But when I showed Reese my ring…”
They both laugh, knowing how extra Reese is. I love him for it though.
Once I showed my very first Winchester’s customer my ring, he screamed his excitement, picked me up and spun me around. After that, he told anyone who came in that we were having a party for my engagement, so it became an engagement party. It was great though; we all had a good time. And my Scrooge got to meet some of the people that mean so much to me.
We all sit and enjoy each other’s company, Chris and I talking about wedding plans. He is the exact opposite of me. I’d rather go down to City Hall and sign some papers and be done with the whole thing. I’m looking forward to our marriage and our lives spent together.
Chris wants the whole fanfare—the white suits, the large wedding party, the decorations, and reception. He wants the special day and I don’t begrudge him that. And Miles is intent on making it happen, telling him he’s signing over a blank check so Chris can do whatever makes him happy. Jokingly, I pat Andrew’s arm and tell him he doesn’t have to worry about that from me since he has an eye for decorating.
“So,” Miles says, throwing his arm around the back of the couch and looking between the two of us, “how did you manage to get him snared, Dyl? He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but at the bar the last time I saw him.”
I chuckle, lacing my fingers in with my mates. “I tricked him with snowballs.”
“Is that a euphemism?”
“No, you dick,” Andrew says with a laugh. “He bet I couldn’t hit a sign with some snowballs and I lost.”
Miles looks surprised. “You did? How? You were a pitcher on the baseball team in high school.”
Andrew’s face turns red as I glance at him with a raised eyebrow. “I picked up a snowball that wasn’t packed well enough. And he cheated.”
I swat him on the arm. “I did not. I played to win. Big difference.”
He pulls me close and kisses the top of my head. “Yeah, well, I’m glad you did.”
Smiling, I meet his lips in a chaste kiss.