Authors: Alexis Lauren
"The next person is someone you have all heard of in one way or another. She was awarded the Commercial Architect of the Year, and also works for a firm in New York. She is my pride and joy, my daughter Willow Fox, or better known as Billie Fox." Willow stood and waved as everyone sat there in awe.
As Willow sat down, the ignorant guy said "Yeah, and they're also known as Micah and Brody's girlfriends. What a way to get in good with the boss, sleep with her daughters." He didn't realize how loud he had said it, but everyone in the room heard it. Brody pounced out of his seat and took off after the guy. Willow jumped in front of him and stopped him.
"It's not worth it Brody." She said and he stopped charging after the guy. Brody glared at the guy and went to sit back in his seat.
"Jackson, I will see you in my office after this meeting." Lauren said sharply to the ignorant one. "Yes, Willow and Sierra are dating Micah and Brody, but I can assure you it all started before I took over here, not that it's anyone's business. You will show them all the respect they deserve. They have offered to help anyone who has questions on commercial designs or interior designs, but they also have their own work to do this week. Feel free to ask them for help, but don't abuse their generosity. Any questions?" Lauren asked. No one said anything. "Thank you for your time, you're all dismissed. Jackson, meet me in my office, I will be there in a few minutes."
Brody turned to Lauren and said "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to act out like that or cause any trouble. I just got upset when he made it sound like we were with the girls to advance our careers."
Lauren waved her hand as if to tell him not to worry about it. "Actually, I'm quite happy that you jumped to defend us all. Jackson has a file a mile thick of behavioral problems. This was just the final nail in his coffin. I'm sorry if he embarrassed anyone, he should have been gone long ago." Lauren said. She started walking to the door and stopped. "I forgot to tell you, all of your stuff is in the Think Tank at the desks next to Brody and Micah. That won't cause you to be distracted, will it? I can give you private offices too."
"No, that's fine Mom. I think we're all old enough to be able to get our work done. It’s not like we're going to slack off just by being near each other." Willow said, then thought 'I hope!'
"Do you need us to come with you to handle Jackson?" Micah asked.
"I think I'll be ok, but you might want to hang around my office, just in case. Thanks Micah." Lauren said and left the conference room.
Willow looked at Brody and gave him an apologetic look. If she hadn't been there, no one would have had a problem that day. She felt like she was intruding on Brody's 'turf', and she felt bad for that. Once Sierra and Micah had left the conference room leaving Willow and Brody alone, she told him how she was feeling.
"Willow, don't be ridiculous. You aren't invading at all. I'm actually really happy to have you here, especially since there's some ideas I want to run by you. Besides, I think you could really help some of the people here with their designs." He said. "Besides, this just means I get to spend even more time with you." Brody told her, his eyes dancing with joy.
"Ok, just as long as you're cool with this. If not, I'll leave." Willow said, still a little doubtful.
"No, I'm definitely cool with this. You're not leaving!" Brody replied, then gave her a quick kiss. "Come on, we've got work to do!"
The rest of the afternoon, Willow and Sierra fielded questions from different people in the firm. Their input seemed to help the people that asked. Willow even got to help Brody and Micah on a couple of their designs. Jackson left willingly, and Micah's muscles weren't needed.
Lauren sat back and watched her daughter work a few different times during the day. Willow reminded Lauren of herself when she was younger, only her daughter had more talent that Lauren ever did. She hoped that her daughter would see reason and move down to Texas. She didn't need to stay in New York to be successful anymore, especially with the rate of commercial developments in the area lately. Maybe by the end of the week, Willow would finally see that.
*****
By the end of the week, Willow and Sierra had made a lot of new friends at work. Even though they were only supposed to be there for a few hours a day, they ended up putting in full workdays. The guys didn't mind because they enjoyed having the girls near them, and the same with Lauren. And, even though the girls were technically on vacation, they were more than happy to go into work. They got to see a lot of what Lauren did running the business, and got to help out the staff to share and gain some fresh ideas.
When Friday came, the girls were sad to say goodbye to all the people they had met. They promised to come back and visit soon, and then left the firm to head back to Brody's. At his house, Brody headed up to his bedroom with Willow. When he shut the door, Willow fell back onto the bed, a sad look on her face. Brody went and laid down next to her so they could talk.
"Are you upset that you're going back to New York soon?" He asked.
"Yeah. I never thought I'd feel that way though. Your office is so different from ours. No one really talks much to each other in our office, and no one is super-friendly. It's unreal how easily I made friends here with everyone, and how much fun I had at work this week. I'm not looking forward to going back to New York, and it scares me to say that." Willow explained.
"Not that I'm trying to pressure you or anything, but would you ever move here?" Brody wondered.
"I don't even know how to answer that. I used to think my mom was crazy for wanting to move down here, with all the accents, and country music and stuff. It's so against everything I've ever known, and now, I just don't know what to feel. I mean, my mom's here, you're here, and I have a feeling I'm going to lose Sierra to Texas too. But I still feel all this loyalty to New York, and I don't know if I can give that up, but I don't think I can give you up either." Willow confessed.
"First of all, I would never ask you to give me up. We'll work something out when the time comes, I'm not worried about that. I won't lose you, even if I have to move to the dreaded New York myself. No matter what happens, when the time comes to decide, just know that everything will work out in the end. Don't let where we live make any judgments for you. I would do anything for you, and I just want to see you happy, do you understand that?" Brody asked.
"I know you would. I love you so much and I know we can work this out, I'm just confused right now." Willow said.
"Well, there's nothing we can do about it tonight, so get up and change, I'm taking you out to dinner." Brody said.
"Just me, or are Sierra and Micah coming too?" Willow asked.
"Just us. We need to go on a real date for once." Brody said. What she didn't know was that she'd be seeing everyone after dinner.
Brody was quiet as he and Willow drove to the restaurant. Willow didn't take much notice of it because she was busy thinking about what she really wanted to do, move here to Texas or stay in New York. She agreed with Brody, that it wasn't something that could be decided tonight, but she couldn't help but think about it.
During dinner, Willow noticed that Brody was a little distant. He was talking to her, but it just seemed as though his mind was elsewhere. She wondered if he was thinking about their living arrangements. She hoped that he wasn't having second thoughts about their relationship, because she didn't know what she would do without him.
After they finished their meals, the waiter came to clear their plates. When he came back from the kitchen, he was carrying a birthday cake with lit candles. He walked over to the table followed by the other waiters, singing 'Happy Birthday' to Willow. Willow's face got red and she gave Brody a look as if she was going to kill him. The waiters put the cake on the table and walked away.
Brody reached across the table and tilted Willow's chin up so that she was looking him in the eye. He took her hand and said, "You didn't think I knew it was your birthday?" Willow shook her head. "Well, I did, you can't put one past me." He laughed and Willow smiled. "Willow, I know we haven't know each other very long, but I know that I could never live without you. You are so special to me, and I never thought I'd feel so strongly about someone. My mama always told me that when you find someone special, don't let them go." Brody got up out of his chair and kneeled next to Willow. "Make a wish and blow out your candles darling." He said to her.
Willow blew out her candles, and as she did, she saw a ring around one of the candles. Brody took the candle off the cake and picked the ring up. "Willow Fox, I love you so much. I don't ever want to let you go, I want to wake up holding you every morning for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?" Brody's eyes filled with tears as he looked at her tenderly, waiting for her answer.
"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Willow asked softly.
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I want you as my wife and I want to have kids with you, and get old and gray together. So, what do you say?" He said breathlessly.
"YES! Yes, I'll grow old and gray with you!" She shouted. Brody stood up and kissed her and everyone sitting at the tables around them laughed and clapped.
Brody cleaned the icing off the ring and slipped it onto Willow's finger. She looked at it for the first time and saw that it was a 4-carat princess cut diamond, with smaller princess cut diamonds channel set into the band. It fit her finger perfectly, and it was exactly what she would have picked out herself. "Oh, Brody! It's beautiful! Did anyone help you pick it out?"
"Um, no. The only one that knew what I was doing is your mother, and that's because I asked her permission first. No one else knows." Brody said.
"Well, this ring is perfect, exactly what I'd have chosen myself." Willow gushed. "Wait, you asked my mom's permission?" She asked.
"Yeah, I respect your mother, and I know how close you two are. I wanted her to realize how much she means to me too, so I had to do this with her permission." Brody said.
Tears were freely flowing from her eyes now. "That is the sweetest thing Brody! You are so kind and thoughtful! Is this why we had that talk earlier?"
"No, we had that talk earlier because it was bothering you at the time and it was something you needed to talk about and get off your chest. I guess it was just a lucky coincidence." Brody said and smiled at his fiancé. He looked at his watch and gestured for the waiter to bring their bill. "There's someplace else I want to take you, is that ok?" Brody asked.
"As long as its home to celebrate, then I'm fine with it." Willow teased.
"Not yet. Be patient for that, it'll happen soon!" Brody said and paid the bill. He stood up and grabbed Willow's hand and walked with her out to the SUV. He opened her door for her and shut it once she got in. She leaned over and unlocked his door for him while he walked around the front of the vehicle to the driver's side. 'Ah, one of the great ones!' Brody thought as he watched her unlock his door.
Brody held Willow's hand as he drove, and a few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of the bar where Brody first met Willow and Sierra. He looked over at her and said, "You still never beat me drinking. I think it’s time for a rematch." He teased her.
"Not that I'm wimping out, but I kind of want to remember my first night being engaged. I think tonight is a night to take it slow with the alcohol." She said, hoping that he wasn't disappointed.
He walked around to her side of the vehicle and opened her door. After he helped her down, he pulled her body close to his and kissed her deeply. "Tonight is definitely a night to remember." Brody said lustfully. He reluctantly pulled away from her and escorted her to the front doors of the bar.
When they walked into the bar, Willow was shocked to see everyone from her mother's company there. Sierra, Micah, and her mother were there standing in front of everyone, along with Brody's family. "Surprise!" Everyone yelled. A banner hung over the bar saying "Happy Birthday Willow." Willow turned back to Brody and he grinned guiltily. He kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear, asking if she was ready to tell them. Willow nodded and squeezed his hand.
"Wow, thanks for coming everyone. I thought I was going to be able to slip by my 28th birthday without anyone noticing, I guess I was wrong." Willow laughed.
Someone from the crowd shouted "You have your boyfriend to thank for that one. Now we all know!"
Willow laughed again and said, "Well, he's not my boyfriend anymore." The crowd went silent, and everyone looked at the couple in shock.
Brody let that sink in for a moment, then yelled back at them "I'm her fiancé now! I asked her to marry me at dinner tonight, and she took pity on me and said yes."
The crowd was stunned and then all at once, they surrounded the newly engaged couple, hugging and kissing them, patting Brody on the back and congratulating them.
"Nice birthday present!" Sierra teased as she gazed at Willow's ring.
Maggie, Brody's mom made her way through the crowd and found Willow. "I am so happy for you and Brody. I couldn't have asked for a better daughter-in-law!"
"Thank you Maggie! That means so much to me. I know it’s kind of fast, but it's not like we're going to get married tomorrow or anything. Besides, he told me that a wise woman always told him when he found someone special not to let them go. Any idea who that wise woman was?" Willow asked.
"I think I have an idea." Maggie said and hugged Willow. "Thank you for making him so happy!"
Brody's sister Brighton came up and pulled Willow away from Maggie. "Finally, I have a sister!" She shouted and hugged Willow. "I am so happy for you, we're going to have so much fun together!" Willow laughed at her. They walked up to the bar together to get some drinks. Lined up across the bar were little shot glasses with red liquid in them.