Wishing I Was 23

↞chapter forty four↠

Lanie's POV:

*January 7, 2023*

After almost a year and a half engagement, Riker and I had finally began to finalize on our wedding plans. With another album coming out and following that album, a world tour, we had been set back. After tour, the Lynch family did quite a lot of moving. Ross moved into an apartment with Walker. Since it would be just me and Riker, we moved into Rydel and Ellington's house until we could search for a house of our own. Rocky and Justice moved into the band house, and Ryland and Savannah moved into a house right down the street from the old band house.
Lucky for me, I got to spend the majority of my twenty-third birthday house hunting with four of my favorite people: Riker, Rocky, Rydel, and Ellington. We first looked at a one story, two bedroom, and three bathroom beach house, but it was too far away as well as not having the amount of room we wanted. The next house we toured was a gorgeous house, but we didn't find it to be worth the price they were asking. We toured a few more house, but none of them quite fit what we were looking for. Finally, we were left with only enough time to tour one more house today. We decided on a four bedroom, four and a half bathroom home that was about a fifteen minute walk from the old band house. The outside itself was spectacular. From the front of the house, you could view a flower garden that seemingly wrapped around the entire house as well as having a pool in the back.
"Woah! This house is so beautiful," I said.
"Oh, this is just the beginning! The inside is the real seller," our realtor said.
I walked over to where Riker was standing in awe and interlaced our fingers. He sighed happily and rested his head on top of mine.
"I have a good feeling about this one," he said as we walked into the house together.
The house was truly incredible. Of course, there wasn't going to be literally everything you want in a house without building it yourself, but this is as close as you can possibly get!
"Babe!" I called since I had lost Riker somewhere along touring the house. He peeked into the room.
"Woah! Is this?"
"The master bedroom! It's so pretty!" I swooned. I sat down on the bed and realized how soft the bed was. I lied back and patted the space next to me.
"Please tell me this place comes fully furnished. This mattress is heavenly!" I said. Riker plopped down next to me and said, "Yep. Every bit of furniture but the washer and dryer is included." I sat down and began to bounce on the bed.
"Someone's happy," Riker smirked as he rose up into a sitting position. I grabbed his forearms in excitement and looked into his eyes.
"I think this is it," I said, biting my lip. I hope Riker loved the house as much as I did.
"I was thinking the same thing," he grinned. I squealed, and he pulled me into his lap. I hugged his torso tightly as he called the others into the room. Rydel, Ellington, and Rocky began asking questions the second they stepped into the room.
"Hey, hey, guys! We have an announcement," Riker said, raising his voice so they could hear him. Each of the three gave him their attention, and he spoke again.
"We're making an offer on this house!" he announced. The three began to cheer, whether it was of excitement for us or exhaustion for themselves one could not be sure.
Riker and I signed a few papers for the realtor, and we five made our way to Momma Stormie's house for my birthday dinner. As soon as I knocked on the door, the rest of the family was there to greet me with hugs.
"Happy birthday, sweetie! Dinner will be ready in half an hour," Stormie said as she made her way back to the kitchen. The rest of us sat down on the couch and talked about our house hunt as well as a few other upcoming subjects.
"Dinner, guys!" Stormie called. We all rushed to the table to check out what she had cooked for our hungry stomachs. I wasn't a bit disappointed (nor was I ever with this family.) She had made my favorite, chicken parmesan.
"Momma, you outdo yourself!" I said, wrapping her in a hug. She thanked me, and we got seated with the rest of the family. We ate pretty quickly, considering half of us hadn't eaten lunch. We talked, goofed around, and finally all congregated in the living room.
"It's time for Lanie to open her presents!" Mark said. I sat down on the floor while the couples handed me different bags and boxes. As I had opened almost all of my gifts, Riker got up.
"I have to use the bathroom," he said as he left the room.
"Oh, he's my last present to open," I stated.
"Go ahead and open it he knows what's in it anyway," Rocky said. I shrugged and began to open the present. Rydel's phone went off, and I noticed her rolling her eyes.
"What is it?" I asked her.
"Riker just asked me if you looked disappointed when you opened your gift," she said.
"Riker Anthony, get your butt in here!" I yelled. He came into the room, looking quite scared. "Sit beside me," I said. He did as I asked him to, and I pulled the present into my lap.
"I haven't gotten to open it yet." I began to pull off the wrapping paper to discover that it was a box with a removeable lid with a slot on the top. I opened it, and it had twelve different compartments.
"Ok, I'm a little confused now," I said, looking over at him. He shook his head.
"Ross, can you grab that Walmart sack over on the table?" he asked. Ross nodded and gave him the sack. Riker emptied the sack to reveal a crap ton of envelopes. He began to sort them out into the little compartments.
"Sorry. I meant to do this today, but you know," he stuttered. Once he finally finished putting each letter into a compartment, he turned to me.
"It's not much. I have so much stuff planned for our honeymoon that I kind of wanted to spoil you then, so this is really a pre but actually on your birthday guesture-"
"Riker, calm down. You're fine, but could you kindly explain what exactly my pre but actually birthday guesture is?" I interrupted.
"Hush! I was getting there," he smirked, "One year before our set date for our wedding up until now I've written a letter for you. Now, I still have more coming, but my plan was to write you a letter each day for one year before we get married to read for one year everyday after we get married."
"Aww, Riker," I said, almost tearing up. "You're so sweet. I love you, baby." I wiped my eyes. Grabbing his face, I leaned over and kissed him. He pulled me closer to him and kissed back. I pulled back and laid lazily in his arms.
"I love you too," he said.
"So, Lanie, how does it feel knowing this is your last birthday as an unmarried woman?" Rocky asked.
"It's so crazy! It's seems like just yesterday I was a little girl coming over to your house for the first time. Maybe it's the house. Man, this house has so many memories. I met you guys here, I realized my feelings for Riker here, I found out my parents passed away here, Riker asked me out here, we told each other we loved each other here, and just so many great and/or life changing memories happened here. A decade ago, I was in this house wishing Riker would turn his head my way, wishing I was 23. Well, guys, here I am. I'm enagaged to the man I've loved for so long. It looks like I got my wish. No longer am I wishing I was 23. I am 23.
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HOLY FREAKIN CRAP GUYS ITS OVER
IM SAD
I'm so sorry that I didn't update for so long!😱School kept me pretty busy, and summer has proven to be the same.
I would like to thank every one of you that have read, voted, and commented. Nothing goes unseen. I appreciate every single one of you! I began this book on May 17, 2015, in hopes that it would make someone happy, help my writing skills, or if nothing else to give me something to do. You all have shown me support throughout this book, and I couldn't be happier.
When I began to write this book I was thinking, "Maybe I can get two hundred reads! Man, that would be awesome!" As I write this I have 10.5k reads, and that's more than I ever dreamed of. Wishing I Was 23 has brought me so much joy this past year as I hope it has to you. I love you guys!!
~Elizabeth✌🏼️