Chapter 21: Date Night

SLOAN

^FIVE MONTHS LATER^

Kade and I have been dating exclusively for five months, and everything just keeps getting better.

We haven’t spent a night apart; although we’re both working really hard during the day, so most days, that’s all we see of each other.

After the LILAC party, Marlene created a new position for me: lead brand designer. I now handle the entire public image of the brand, oversee fashion articles, and I’m in charge of planning events.

It came with a considerable pay bump too.

Kade has been going into the studio almost every day with his band, trying to finish their album. Their manager wants them to do a soft tour soon, but I feel like Kade and I can make it anyway.

Nothing about our relationship has been slow; we’re completely in sync, and nothing can change that.

I have barely seen Kade all week because our schedules haven’t aligned, but we have a date night planned tonight and I can’t wait.

As soon as work is through, I rush home and take a shower. I put on the hot dress I promised Kade I’d wear and wait for him to show up.

When the doorbell rings, I excitedly fling the door open to find my sexy boyfriend smiling from ear to ear. He smashes his lips into mine and holds me tight until I sigh.

“I missed you,” he whispers.

“Me too. I don’t like this whole not seeing each other during the day thing.”

“I’m sorry, baby, but we have tonight, so let’s take it.” He offers me his arm, and I let him walk me to the car.

Once we’re inside, I can tell Kade is a little off.

“Where are we going tonight?” I ask.

“Secret.”

“Well, are we eating dinner?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. That’s all I get?”

“That’s all for now.”

Kade continues to drive until he gets to the suburbs, and now, I’m even more confused.

“Is this, like, one of those secret underground places?”

“Sure.”

“Kade…”

“Just give me a minute.” He smiles. “Remember when I was insufferable, and you still liked me?”

“Okay, I’m waiting.”

Kade snakes a few streets, and I can’t help but let the butterflies in my stomach take over. He pulls into the driveway of a beautiful house.

“We’re here, come on.” Kade comes around and opens the door for me, takes me by my hand, and pulls me to my feet. “Come on, Sloan.”

“You’re really excited. Whose house is this?”

He drags me up the steps and to the front door.

“Where are we?” I insist.

He smiles. “Sloan, since the minute I saw you in that purple cloud, I knew that I needed you. Every minute we’ve spent together just makes it clearer. I brought you here to tell you that I love you.”

“Wow, I love you, too, Kade.”

He pulls me in and kisses me hard before he breaks away. “Well, I have something else to show you.” Kade takes a key out of his pocket and unlocks the front door.

“Babe?”

He pulls me inside; the house is beautiful, albeit sparsely decorated.

“So, this is our new house, because I want to live together, so we can see each other every day.”

“What, really? It’s beautiful! Oh, my God!”

“You like it, Sloan?”

“It’s so pretty.”

“There are four bedrooms upstairs and an unfinished basement, so we can do whatever we want,” he explains.

“Did you buy this house?”

“I did. I sublet my apartment and live here now but I was hoping you’d live here, too, and move in with me.”

“Of course, Kade! Yes, ~yes~!”

He kisses me deeply again. “You don’t know how scared I was that you would say no.”

“Of course not, I love you; I’ve loved you for so long, I can’t even tell you when it started.”

He chuckles. “Really? Why didn’t you say so?”

“I guess for the same reason you didn’t until today.”

“You’re going to love this house, and you get complete control over its design, I promise.”

I giggle. “Wow, that’s, like, all I want for Christmas.”

“Good. Wait until you see the deck, you’re going to pass out.”

I excitedly walk to the back of the house. When I walk into the kitchen, I see beautiful French doors that look like they lead outside.

I place a hand on each knob and thrust them open to see a ton of people in the backyard lit up by string lights. When I turn to look at Kade, he’s down on one knee.

“Kade?!”

“Sloan, I told you earlier, I’ve known since the moment I laid eyes on you that I belonged to you. I love you, and you said you love me.”

He smiles. “Let’s do this, let’s get married and have a family, here, in this house. Say yes.”

A familiar voice whoops over the crowd, and I turn to see my mom standing there with my dad. She’s smiling like a proud parent.

I focus my attention back on Kade and search his face for answers, but he’s dripping with sincerity.

“Sloan, will you marry me?”

“Yes, Kade, of course.”

He smiles so brightly, it could light the sky, then slides a ring onto my finger. He pulls me into him and kisses me deeply before letting me break away.

My parents run up to us and offer their congratulations, followed by Kade’s family and the band.

Marlene and Jess are here too. In fact, it seems like everyone who has had any influence on our relationship is in attendance.

“Kade, I kind of don’t believe this,” I admit. “I’m in shock.”

“Once I knew for sure I was in love with you, the rest came easy. It made sense to do it all at the same time.”

“So, you’re my fiancé?”

“If you’re mine.”

“Wow, yes. Again, yes.”

He smiles. “If you hop on the 92, you can be at LILAC in fifteen minutes.”

“Really, babe, it’s perfect.”

“I can’t wait to show you the bedroom,” he says, flirting with his eyes.

“Well, considering that our parents are here, we should probably wait.”

He grins. “Oh, yeah, I forgot to say, welcome to our engagement party.”

“You’re so efficient.”

“Sloan!” Marlene squeals.

“Hey, Marlene! Thanks for being here.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

Kade has had someone cater a full dinner buffet, and there is music playing. He pulls me to the middle of the deck and puts on a show of dancing with me when “Crimson and Clover” starts to play.

I realize I haven’t even had a moment to look at the ring he got me, the night has been such a huge whirlwind. I give him a kiss and find somewhere to sit so I can center my thoughts.

The ring is really beautiful; everything about tonight is. I can’t believe he did all of this for me.

Part of the reason I was so excited to see Kade tonight was that I have news for him, too, but now doesn’t seem like the time now.

After I spend the rest of the night hanging out with our friends and family on the deck of my new house with my fiancé, everyone takes their leave, and I’m left alone with Kade.