Moonlight House (Book 2, Lonstino & Greenwood Series)

Chapter 37 - (Un)Happy New Year

SAM

Everyone around me is in a celebratory mood and I'm sulking. I've been planning this moment for a while and never expected the turn of events. I wanted to go home, be alone and work through my disappointment, but Erin insisted I stay.

"Here you go, Sam," Rory hands me a beer and I can only mutter thanks.

"How are you holding up?" Erin places her arm around my shoulders, takes a sip of my beer and kisses my cheek.

"Same," I grunt.

"Will you call her tonight?"

"I don't think I should bother her. She went to the hospital earlier so she will probably be resting or spending time with her family."

Marisol got a call from her mother yesterday morning to say her father had a fall while trimming a tree. His health has been shaky in the past months and according to Marisol his stubbornness made him go back to his business before he was allowed to by his doctor. He felt lightheaded while working, couldn't hold the ladder properly and fell. He broke his hip and had a serious concussion. Marisol apologized for not being able to spend New Year's Eve with me and drove to Oakheart to help her mom. Before she left, I asked her if she wanted me to go with her, but she declined. I felt left out and wondering if she ever wants me to meet her family. 

I'm not the greatest at phone conversations, so it took all my effort to call the new hotel at the pier in Lonstino and talk about my plans with their events manager. She was more than eager to help me give Marisol an unforgettable evening. I booked a suite overlooking the water and arranged for an intimate dinner in the room. The hotel is hosting a ball with big band jazz which is Marisol's favorite music and I was looking forward to dancing with her, drinking champagne and watching the fireworks at the pier. That's the moment when I was planning to get down on my knee to ask her to be my wife. I had to cancel everything.

"Sam, everything will be alright," Erin moves a curl on my forehead back and I take in her outfit.

"You look really pretty by the way," I say to change the conversation topic.

"So do you. I'm glad you decided to stay here tonight. I know you had it all planned for her, and you will get your chance to ask her again."

Changing the topic didn't last for long, but who's better to open my heart to than Erin.

"I feel disappointed but also guilty for feeling like this. I completely understand that she needs to be with her family, but I gave so much thought about how I wanted this night to happen. It also annoys me that she didn't want me to go with her. If she accepts to marry me, they will become my family, in good and bad times."

Erin gives me a hug and while looking over her shoulder I see Matt walking in the club. He greets people and shakes hands with the staff as he comes in. He's in dressy black clothes like me, but looks ready to work as he rolls a small suitcase and has a camera bag hanging from his shoulder.

"Your guy is here," I say to Erin as we separate.

"You made it," she says to him after they kiss. My annoyance goes up a notch. "I was starting to get worried."

"Traffic to get here was mental. I'm grateful you saved me a parking space in the back lot, because there's no way I could have parked in the streets. The queue outside goes around the block. Aha, the screen is ready."

"We also started the beamer as the rental company suggested. Do you want to test now before we let people come in?"

"Exactly my thoughts."

Matt and Erin move to the small sound booth to connect his equipment to display a broadcast of the midnight countdown and the fireworks show from the Lonstino pier. Erin suggested the idea yesterday after I shared my failed plans with her, and even though it is a good one, it feels like a poke on my figurative wounds.