"Here's To Us" {Sequel to Fall For You}

Chapter 8: Always

Jacklyne's POV

This was a bad idea. Somehow I got the job for Front magazine and now they want me to be naked.

I paced the dressing room, holding the blanket over my naked body. I was so stupid, so self-conscious. Why did I think that this would make me feel better about myself?

"What are you doing here, Jacklyne?" Lydia asked from behind me.

I turned around, my eyes wide. "How did you find me?" I asked, holding the blanket more tightly around me.

"I was texting Mike and he told me you were here. He can be so dumb sometimes," Lydia said, shaking her head. "Come on, get dressed and we can get lunch."

I shook my head. "No, I want to do this."

"Doing this won't make Mike love you more. Sure, he might want to show you off a bit but he loves you for who you are. He's crazy about you, Jacklyne," Lydia explained.

"Then where is he?"

"He's right here," Mike said, coming around the corner. "Why are you doing this, babe?"

I sighed as I sat down. I immediately burst into tears and Mike quickly sat beside me and wrapped his arms around me.

"Don't be afraid to talk to me," he said, kissing the top of my head.

"I didn't want to ask you if you were cheating on me because I didn't want you to get angry and leave me. I figured if I looked and acted more like the girls you're known to like, you wouldn't want to cheat on me," I confessed.

He sighed, kissing the top of my head. "I would never want to cheat on you. From the first moment I saw you, I knew I would always be crazy about you. Now let's get dressed and I'll take you out to dinner."

I nodded, looking up at Lydia. "Can you tell them I quit?"

She nodded and left, leaving me alone with Mike.

___

"Wow, this is fancy," I commented as we sat down at a table. The restaurant had a very dark ambiance and it was full of rich people.

We left my mom at home so we could have some alone time. There was something really weird about this last minute dinner request.

Mike nodded, taking a sip of the water on the table. "You deserve it. I've been a real idiot lately."

"You haven't been an idiot, you can't know anything if I don't tell you," I explained.

"But I should know you better by now. I should know when you're feeling uneasy. I'm sorry and I love you," he said, reaching across the table to hold my hand.

"What can I get you two tonight?" A waitress interrupted.

___

"Thank you for that, Mikey," I said with a smile once dinner was over.

"No problem," he said, getting up and coming over to my side of the table. "There's just one thing I need to ask you," he added, giving me a kiss.

"What is it?" I asked, my heartbeat increasing dramatically.

"Jacklyne, I love you more than anything," he started, getting down on one knee. "You are the most important person in my life and I can't picture myself with anyone else. Will you marry me?" He asked, showing me a diamond ring.

I was crying so much, I probably looked like a raccoon. Through my tears I managed to nod and Mike slid the ring on my finger.

"I love you so much," I managed, giving him a passionate kiss. I heard a chorus of cheers and applause behind us as I kissed him harder.

"Let's get out of here," he murmured against my lips.

I nodded and he led me out of the restaurant. Once we were in the car, I admired the ring. It was absolutely stunning.

I took out my phone and took a picture, posting it on Instagram with the caption: omg is this real life

I texted Austin next, saying,

Mike and I are engaged!!! Austin I'm seriously crying rivers rn

Austin quickly texted me back,

That's amazing, Jacklyne :) Lunch tomorrow?

I smiled and replied,

I'll meet you at that sushi place we always go to at 1:30?

He answered,

Sounds great <3

Things were finally turning around for me. I had a feeling that everything was going to be alright.

Once we got home, my mom and I wouldn't stop smiling at the diamond ring on my finger. Mike held my other hand and laughed at our conversation.

"Well, I'm off to bed," my mom said, getting up and going to the guest bedroom.

"Let's watch TV in our room," I suggested, leading Mike into our bedroom. I started taking my clothes off, including my bra and grabbed one of Mike's Drop Dead tank tops to sleep in. I put it on and lied in bed.

Mike hopped into bed, only wearing his boxers. He put an arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.

I smiled at him and put my hand on his cheek, giving him a kiss. "Goodnight," I murmured.

"Hmm, I'm not quite tired yet," he replied, kissing up my neck to my lips again. He suddenly went on top of me and kissed lower and lower down my collar bone.

I giggled. "Mike, my mom is I'm the other room," I managed through laughs.

"Then we better be quiet," he said with a smirk.

___

"Hi Jacklyne," Austin said, giving me a hug when I met him at the restaurant. We both sat down at the table.

"It feels like I haven't seen you in forever. You must be busy planning your wedding and stuff," I said, taking a sip of water.

"We haven't really. We've mostly been fighting and making up and fighting and making up and that's about it," he explained, sounding a bit disappointed.

"How long has it been since you've had sex?" I asked, looking at the menu. I already knew what I was going to get because I got the same thing every time. Six California rolls with a side of sticky rice.

"I don't know, Jacklyne. Does it matter?" Austin asked.

"Sex is the product of a healthy relationship. It brings you closer together and it's fun," I explained.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I mean, not having a lot of sex isn't a bad thing. We just respect each other."

"Mike and I respect each other too. Just because last night we had to cover each other's mouths because my mom was in the other room doesn't mean we don't respect each other."

"Too much information," Austin said, still chuckling. We always told each other too much. He used to always rant to me about his one night stands and kinky Halloween nights while I ranted about the latest Supernatural episode.

"I miss this. Promise we'll never stop talking to each other, ok?"

"Promise."