Whiskey Lullaby

Chapter Forty Six Emma

I drove us to the restaurant. I know Andy hates when I drive. He always complains how bad women are with driving. How he's never met a girl who was a good driver. And how he didn't want to have a heart attack in the way to dinner. He's told me I'm the worst driver he's ever met. He says I ride people's bumpers, cut them off, go way over the speed limit, honks constantly, and that I have "God awful road rage". Which is the truth. I've threatened someone with death before because they were going too slow. Grant it, that said person didn't even know I was yelling at them because I do it with the window rolled up.

He reached up and grabbed the -what my aunt always called it- oh shit bar. "Emma! Can you slow down?" He yelled at me.

"No! We're late! And I'm not even going that fast." I motioned to the speedometer

"You're doing 50 in a 30 zone! I've always wondered how you get places so fast in LA. Now I know!"

"Well whatever. We're here anyways." I pointed out the window, "and if you don't like my driving you can drive home!" I yelled back at him

"I was going to!"

I whipped into the parking lot sharply just to aggravate Andy and snatched a parking spot from someone who was about to pull into it. They honked clearly annoyed and I honked back. As soon as I cut the engine Andy leaped from the car and took a deep breath.

After he collected himself, he walked around a took my arm and started walking to the doors. "Have I told you how stunning you look tonight?"

"Ya know, I believe you mentioned it." I laughed. He's told me over a dozen times.

We reached the door and it was opened by a man in a tux.

"Good evening." He said to us. Andy nodded at him and kept walking to the podium.

"Hi" I said, "We have a reservation for midnight."

He looked at his paper, "name?"

"Biersack." Andy looked smugly at me and I blushed.

"Right this way." He lead us through doors and into a big patio type thing outside where a round table with a white table cloth sat by some plants. A little band of violinists stood to the side and played quiet music. Andy pulled my chair out for me and pushed it in when I sat then sat in his chair directly in front of me. "A waitress should be here shortly to give you the house bread and menus."

"Thank you, sir." Andy said and the man walked away. "This place is so- so--"

"Stuck up?" I said and a rich old couple at the table next to ours whipped us a dirty look making us both laugh.

"Exactly." He stared into my eyes for a long time before saying, "Do you like your ring?"

My eyes widened as I realized I haven't even looked at it yet. Not because I don't want to but because I didn't need to. I know I want to marry Andy. And not because he bought a huge rock for me but because I love him. I looked at it now and was taken aback at how beautiful it is. It's a think silver band circles with diamonds. "I love it."

"I know it's not much. And I'm being honest with you, the wedding ring won't be much either."

"I don't need much." I said looking back to him with a smile. He took my hand and kissed it.

"They won't be much because I don't believe in giving a huge ring right away. I always had this idea that if you give a girl a smaller ring for the actual wedding, she'll appreciate it more. She'll brag to her friends about the man not the rock. Then once you know the marriage is going to survive, which ours will, on the 10 or 15 anniversary you give her the ring of her dreams."

I was quiet a minute as he looked at me, "I like it." He smiled at me.

"So when do you want to get married?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Soon! Like in the spring though. So maybe April of May?"

"Sounds perfect." He kissed my hand again.

The waitress finally made her way to us, "Hi my name is Riley, I'll be your waitress for tonight." She placed the bread down and handed us our menus, "can I offer you some champagne?"

"We'd love some." Andy said to her. She poured some in the empty glasses that sat on the table and set the bottle in the middle.

"I'll be back to take your orders when you're ready." And she walked away.

I sipped the champagne slowly an opened my menu at the same time Andy opened his. I looked up and watched him. His eyes scanned the menu and I said, "This place is--"

"Stuck up?" He finished and I laughed.

"Yeah." I looked at the menu. The prices were high and the plates were tiny.

"You wanna get out of here?" I looked at him with wide eyes.

"Please!" He laughed.

I pulled out my purse and set a 50 dollar bill on the table for the waitress unfinished glasses of champagne and we scurried out through the fence on the patio.

Andy picked me up in his arms and carried me back to the car while I kissed his neck all the way there.

When we got to the car he put me on the ground by the door and went to walk away but I caught his tie and pulled him closer to me, "I love you." I said.

He smiled and ran a finger over my cheek, "I love you too." I kissed his lips once then released his tie.

We both got in the car and looked at each other.

"Well?" I said, "What do you want to do now?"

"Its technically not my birthday anymore."

"Shut up and pick something to do."

He thought for a second, "anything?"

"Anything." I replied. I knew what he was thinking. He clearly wants more sex.

"Can we go camping?"

I looked at him surprised. That's not what I thought he would want, "camping?"

"Yeah. I haven't been in years and I wanna go again."

"I've never been camping so sure. Let's go camping." He cheered happily and headed home so we could pack.