𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜 | 𝚓𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚊𝚗 𝚙𝚘𝚘𝚕𝚎

twenty-two: a million dreams

Arielle Stevenson

"Jordan, is this some kind of sick joke?!" I said, my hands shaking at my sides.

We were standing outside of the space I wanted for my salon. The space that had been taken away from me. I couldn't take my eyes off of it; I just stared at it.

Why would he bring me here?

"Not at all," He says, his voice more serious than it was before.

"So why am I here?" I asked. "Why did you..."

There was silence as Jordan stepped in front of me. He took my hand and used his free hand to motion to the place as a smile formed on his face.

"I bought it.." he says.
My eyes widened. "W-What?!"

"I bought it," He repeated. "I knew how much you wanted this space. You talked my ear off about it, and I wanted to show you that I believed in your dreams, too...so I bought it for you."

My jaw dropped in disbelief. There was no words coming out of my mouth—simply because there were no words to describe how I was feeling in this moment. There wasn't a word for the whirlwind of emotions I was feeling.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked up at him. At the man I loved. The only man my mother had ever approved of. The man who went out of his way to not only fix the mistakes he made, change himself for me, prove his love for me, but the man who constantly reminded me that I wasn't broken, I wasn't a failure.

I knew damn well that I wasn't perfect, but I was perfect and worth something in his eyes...and that said more than anything else ever could say.

"I can't believe that you actually did this.." I said, a wide smile forming on my face. "I-I can't accept this. It's too much—."

Jordan grinned. "Oh, yes you will. Because not only is it your salon, but it's our salon."

I raised an eyebrow. "Our salon?"

Jordan nodded. "I may have put the salon in the name of three people..."

"Three people? Jordan there's only me, you—."

"And your mother..." He finishes.

I froze again. "What..."

Jordan smiles softly, his dimples popping out. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a set of keys, grabbed my hand and walked to the front door of the building.

I watched anxiously as he opened the door. He stopped and turned to me, "Wait right here.."

I nodded, doing as I was told. Jordan stepped inside the building and flipped on a few switches, allowing me to see on the inside. There were several things that looked like they were being set up. There were several tarps and containers of paint, but there was a sign in the window whose words I couldn't quite make out.

"Ready?" Jordan asks.

I nodded, bouncing my knee in anticipation. I could feel my heart racing—damn near about to beat right out of my chest and fall right in front of me on the concrete sidewalk.

A few moments passed before Jordan flipped a switch and the light in the window brightened, showing forth the words written in pink neon.

I couldn't contain the tears that flowed down my cheeks as I read over the sign over and over again. I did everything I could to prove that this was just a dream—but it wasn't. Thank God it wasn't. This was all real. All real and too good to be true..

Laila's Crown.

That's the salon name.
Named after my mother.

He named the salon after my mother...just like I had always wanted to...but I never told anyone. Boy, can this man read my mind.

"You like it?" He asks, stepping outside.

"Like it?" I questioned. "Jordan, I love it! And you named it after my mom...how did you know I wanted to do that?"

He shook his head. "I didn't. I just knew that you dreamed of this, and your mother wanted this as much as you did, because she dreamed of owning a salon, too. I know she was your hero and figured this was what you woul—."

"I love you, Jordan Anthony Poole.." I blurted out.

Jordan smiled brightly—probably the biggest smile I have ever seen on his face. "So marry me."

Record scratch. Huh?!

"Pardon?" I said, my heart thumping in my chest.

My eyes never left Jordan as he reached into his pocket once more and pulled out a red velvet box. He grabbed onto my
hand, and got down on one knee.

I think I'm gonna throw up...

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. Not my career, not anything else. Just you. You make me feel complete. Like I am someone in this world. My world fell apart when you left...and now that you're back in it, I'm never letting you go. You're my world. You lift me up, you give me a reason to wake up in the morning, and a reason to look forward to going to bed at night just to dream of seeing your face again.

You taught me how to love. You taught me how to love myself. But most importantly, you taught me how to be a better man. I love you with my entire being. So, Arielle Renae Stevenson...will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

SPEAK ARIELLE DAMN!

I opened my mouth but no words came out. Never have I ever wanted to kick myself so hard until right now. My hands were shaking and I felt as if I was going to pass out right here and now.

Finally, once I regained control of my body, I nodded my head and let out a sob mixed with a laugh. "Yes! Yes of course!"

Jordan let out a breath that he seemed to be holding in and opened the box, slipping the ring onto my finger. My eyes widened. "Holy shit, Jordan."

Jordan grinned. "You know who's ring that is?"

I shook my head, examining it. "No, who's is it?"

"Your mom's. She gave it to me when we were in college. I've had it this whole time. Got it cleaned and now...it's yours." He explained.

Did I mention that I love this man?

I grinned. "Guess Mama knew what she was doing all along..."

Jordan kissed my forehead. "She sure did."

****

END OF CHAPTER TWENTY TWO