Second Chances

Chapter 42

I crossed my legs in the chair in the corner of our bedroom and smiled to myself as I watched Jimmy button his black dress shirt. “You always complain about me taking too long to get ready, and yet here I am, fully dressed, hair done, makeup done, waiting on you. Why? Because you were playing Twisted Metal.”

Jimmy smirked and stuck his tongue out at me in the mirror as he started tying his deep red tie that matched my empire waist, flowing one shoulder dress perfectly. “One time I’m not done a half hour before you and this is what you do?”

“Damn right it is, Sir.” I replied, trying my hardest to keep a straight face as I crossed my arms and stared him down as he turned around.

Jimmy’s face softened and he slowly walked towards me and placed his hands on the arms of the chair on each side of me. “You look stunning, Madelyn.”

I sat back in the chair and smiled back at him and gently tugged on his tie, pulling his face closer to mine. “You don’t look so bad yourself, James.” I leaned up slightly and brushed my lips against his softly before pulling away and rubbing my thumb over his lips, wiping away the red lipstick that I left behind.

He winked at me and stood up straight again and pulled me to my feet. “Can you help me with these?” He asked as he stepped over to his dresser and grabbed the white gold and red cufflinks that matched his tie.

“Of course, my love.” I replied as I took one from his hand and turned his wrist slightly so I could fix the cufflink onto his sleeve. I took the second cufflink from his palm and held his left hand as I turned it slightly, my thumb gently rubbing his ring finger, and I got butterflies in my stomach thinking about how it would feel to slide a ring down his long finger and be able to call him my husband. I shook my head slightly, he hasn’t even proposed I need to stop thinking about this.

But I couldn’t, if I wasn’t working my mind was filled with two things, our baby and our wedding. I know in my heart that will happen eventually, but I can’t help but think that Grams would be disappointed that we’re expecting a child together before we’re even engaged. I finished affixing the cufflink and straightened out Jimmy’s sleeve and smiled up at him.

“What’s on your mind, Mads? I know that look, something’s bothering you.” Jimmy said, his voice filled with concern.

“I’m fine,” I told him. “Just trying to figure out your plans for tonight.”

I felt bad lying to him, but I didn’t want to bring up my wedding concerns to him on Valentine’s Day, especially because Maya is one hundred percent convinced that tonight will be the night that he asks me to marry him. I’ve been trying not to get my hopes up, because I want to just enjoy our date, but I’d be lying if I said the thought hadn’t crossed my mind more than once.

Jimmy looked at me for a moment, and I could tell that he wasn’t convinced, but he simply shrugged. “Well, you won’t. But you’ll see soon enough, we should head out though.” Jimmy brought his arm up and shook it slightly to move his sleeve out of the way so he could see the white gold watch on his wrist. “Our reservation is in a half hour, and traffic is a bitch.”

“Sounds good, let me get my coat.” I said as we headed towards the front door. I opened the closet by the door and reached for my knee length black coat, but before I could pull it from the hanger Jimmy’s hand reached past my own and slipped it from its resting place. He winked at me as he held it out for me to slip my arms into. I smiled as I turned around, buttoning up the coat as I did. “Thank you.”

“You’re quite welcome.” Jimmy replied as he slipped his own jacket on. He then held out his elbow. “Shall we?”

“We shall.” I replied as I slipped my hand into the crook of his elbow and let him lead me out of the apartment and once he locked the door behind us, down the hall to the elevators. I looked up at him in question when he pressed the button for the underground garage rather than the street level lobby. “We’re driving? I thought you called a car?”