Fireworks 1 and 2

Chapter Ninety-Two

    Shortly after Shawn left the studio, Drake filled Mia in regarding Shawn's plans to propose. She was ecstatic, and wanted to help plan the event.

    Bri wanted to get out of the house and go exploring around Calabasas and Los Angeles with Shawn. Shawn apologized for not being around to help more with the planning.

    "Mia and I got this, don't worry about it," Drake told him. And he wasn't lying. Mia took her planning duties seriously, and she was like a locomotive. Nothing could stop her when it came to planning the engagement party. She knew Bri's favorite foods, favorite music, and favorite colors. He had an endless amount of money to spend on the event, and was generous with it. He even came up with an idea here and there. They were a planning duo made in heaven.

    Mia's excitement fascinated him. There were times when they were sitting on his bed writing out plans, or in the studio, and she would squeal when she came up with an idea for the party. There were times when he would stop whatever he was writing and just watch her come up with ideas or scribble notes. There were times when he felt like he was getting a peek into their future, a peek into what she would be like when planning her own wedding.

    She caught him staring at her and gave him a crazy look. "What?"

    He shook his head, tapping his pen against his bottom lip. "Nothing."

    She gave him a doubtful look, but lowered her eyes back to the sheet of paper she was writing on.

    And his mind played tricks on him, then, because he came up with crazy ideas. Her friend is getting engaged? We could have a double engagement. While Shawn is proposing to Bri, I could propose to her... But he immediately stopped that train of thought. It was one of those wild, insane ideas you spontaneously come up with, one of those nutty ideas that you knew you weren't actually going to follow through with. It was way too soon for him to think about marriage right now. He hadn't known Mia long enough. They hadn't been committed to each other long enough. Yes, he was a romantic, and yes there was a part of him that was certain she was the one for him - but timing was everything, and the timing was not right for a proposal.

    But still...that didn't stop him from imagining it throughout the day. That didn't stop him from staring at her and wondering what if? That didn't stop him from dreaming about it that very evening. Dropping down on one knee, ring box in hand, her soft little hand in his, and all.

                                                                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "You don't have to worry about Bri. She's taking a nap upstairs."

    Drake, Mia, and Shawn stood out in the pool area. Drake stood at the edge of the pool, gesturing across the water. "We install a plexiglass cover over the majority of the pool. That is where you are going to stand and propose," he explained to Shawn.

    "The trees up above the waterfall are going to be strung up with lights," Mia chimed in, pointing above the waterfall. "Lights will also be scattered in other places, like the bridge railing, and the lounge area."

    "Soft music will be playing," Drake said smoothly, picking up where she left off.

    "Once you take her outside, and once you're close enough to the pool, we're going to gather everyone in the living room, where we are going to wait for you to pop the question," Mia informed Shawn. She walked over to Drake and linked arms with him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

    Shawn looked between the two of them, his eyebrows arched so high, they were nearly touching his hairline.

    "After you propose, we're going to give you some time," Drake told him. "We won't come out right away. We want to let Bri have some time to just...live in that intimate moment with you. So keep her out here. We'll come out maybe, say...what...ten minutes or so after you propose?"

    Shawn nodded. "Ten minutes sounds good, yeah," he said. "You two are...unbelievable."

    Mia beamed and looked up at Drake.

    Drake's lips curved into a smile as he looked back down at her. "You can thank this little lady right here. She came up with most of the ideas."

    "Stop it," she chided, nudging him. "You came up with a lot of ideas. Like I could come up with putting a plexiglass cover over a swimming pool."

    Shawn shook his head at them. "This is going to be amazing," he said, turning to stare out over the pool.

    "A night to remember," Drake said softly, his eyes still on Mia.