Part 15-Texas Part 2 and Diamonds

<---Part 14

Tapping my fingers on my knee I smiled as we piled into the back of the big red truck. Kevin Sr. had just finished hooking up the boat and had joined Denise and Frankie in the cab. The bed of the truck had benches along the sides for riding in it. Somehow we managed to fit me, Katie, Joe, Nick, Kevin, and Danielle into the back comfortably. Last to join us was Elvis, who happily jumped up into the back among our legs.

It wasn't a long ride to the lake but needless to say it was fun. I mean, we were all crammed in the back of a truck!

As we pulled up to the lake Elvis lifted his head off of Nick's lap, where it had been for most of the ride, and looked longingly at the small waves breaking on the bank. I couldn't help but thinking I probably had the same look on my face.

After we completely stopped and the truck was turned off, Kevin put down the tail-gate. We all started to stand and I hopped down first, Elvis right on my heels. With a small smile I threw my arms up and yelled "Water!"

I started for the lake at a dead run and was not surprised to find Elvis bounding along beside me. We hit the water at the same time, sending splashes all over. Laughter echoed from the direction of the truck as I bounded through the waves with a golden retriever at my side.

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With a sigh, I greedily shoved enough pieces into my mouth and swallowed them, scraping my throat.

I desperately wanted to reach out for more, but I resisted knowing I just needed time. I normally wouldn't have resisted and just done it with no one to tell me any different, but Nick was sitting next to me.

I momentarily imagined him smacking my hand as I reached for the bag again, but was too worn to let the amusement of the image show on my face.

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I played with one of the ruffles on the front of my shirt as I flipped my ponytail around. Glancing over my appearance I giggled. Katie always said I was a country girl at heart. My shirt was hot pink and black plaid, my shorts had a big cuff and hit right above my knees, my hair was up with a few wavy strands hanging down, and to top off the look I had on cowboy boots. It was perfect for Texas .

Danielle walked in to see if I was ready. "Oh, you look so cute!" She said as she took me in. Smiling she asked, "Do you and Joe plan to match? Or does it just happen?"

I hadn't seen Joe yet, hadn't spoke to him since lunch actually. His family was treating this like a really big thing. It reminded me of a prom scene in a movie. "I didn't know we were matching. It seems to just happen." I laughed a bit.

Katie walked in then carrying my newest brown ruffled purse. "I got your things together." She said smiling. "You look cute."

"Thanks." I beamed. They were the only two who I had seen since I was ready and they both approved. "Everything else ready?" I asked as I took my bag and slung it over my shoulder.

"Yup. Everyone is waiting down stairs." Danielle said as we left the room headed to the stairs.

I looked over the railing before I headed down. Kevin and Nick sat casually in a couple of chairs across from each other, playing a game of cards with Frankie standing over them. Joe leaned against the wall watching them without any interest in what they were actually doing. Kevin Sr. and Denise stood in the doorway to the living room, watching their boys with soft smiles on their faces. It seemed so normal you would never guess this was the family of rock starts.

I smiled down at them, so happy to be as accepted into this as I was. Danielle and Katie walked up behind me and looked down too then Danielle coughed to get their attention.

Immediately, all eyes snapped up to the stairs and Joe stood up straight and stepped forward. Now I really thought of that movie as I started down the stairs with everyone looking at me. The reason I had come up with for this being such a big deal was that it was really the first time we had gone on a one on one date leaving his house. Normally he picked me up from my house or we met somewhere. The only time we had left from his house was when we where going somewhere with his brothers.

Stepping off the last step I rocked up on my toes and waited as Joe walked over to me. He leaned down and pressed his lips quickly to my cheek. "Shall we?" He said as he stepped aside. I couldn't leave the room without saying goodbye to everyone so first I went over and gave Kevin Sr. a hug. "Thank you." I said smiling up at him. He shook his head with a smile.

Then I turned to Denise. "You look great." She said, smiling big and holding open her arms for a hug as well. "Thank you." I told her.

As I turned to Nick and Kevin to give them a hug and mutter goodbye Joe walked over to his mom and gave her a kiss on the cheek. My heart melted as that picture froze in my head. He was a close to his family as I was to mine.

Last I turned and waved to Katie and Danielle who had remained at the top of the stairs. Joe came up beside me and waved as well.

"Do you have your house key, Joe?" Kevin Sr. asked.

I hadn't known we would be out late enough for him to need his key so I was a bit surprised and looked at him. "Ya, Dad. I have it." Joe sighed with a small smile directed at me.

"Oh wait." Denise said as she turned and grabbed a camera from the table next to her. "Smile!"

"Mom!" Joe murmured with distaste.

In response I turned to the side and pushed myself in to his arms, my hands on his chest, and a big smile on my face. Joe couldn't help but smile and Denise snapped the picture. As a joke I threw up one leg behind me with a laugh. Everyone else laughed too as Denise took another picture.

Lost in my sudden playfulness Joe rested his cheek on the top of my head for a few more pictures before he said, "We good now?" to his mom.

"Yes, Joseph, we're good. You can go now."

"Thank you." Joe smiled at his parents and with one arm around my waist lead me out the door.

"Drive careful in my car!" Kevin Sr. called as Joe shut the door behind us.

"His car? We're not taking your car?" I said, wondering how many surprises I was getting this evening as we walked down the driveway.

"I thought we might take the truck." He said with a smile as he opened the passenger door for me.

I jumped in and slid into the middle as he walked around and climbed into the driver's seat. He hadn't expected to find me sitting in the middle so he smiled down at me for a second before her stuck the key into the ignition. We slipped our seatbelts on as he pulled out of the driveway.

The radio rang out a country song and I smiled and rested my head on Joe's shoulder. "Where are we going?" I asked casually playing with the rolled up sleeve of his blue and black plaid shirt.

"It's a surprise." He said as we pulled out the gate of the community.

"You're really not going to tell me?" I asked pouting out my lip and blinking my eyes.

His smile grew as he sighed and shook his head. "No. You'll just have to wait and see."

"Fine." I said sticking my tongue out at him.

Laughing he wrapped one arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to his side as we drove out of town.

We had been on country roads for a good twenty minutes both of us singing along to the radio. His arm was around my shoulder again and I had one hand on his knee as we turned onto a dirt road. My interest peaked.

"Really Joe, where are we going?" I said, leaning forward and trying to see something.

"I told you you'll see." He said more excited as we pulled up to an old ranch gate. He put the car in park and hopped out. I watched him in wonder for a moment, and the thought crossed my mind that I really loved him in those blue jeans. The black boots weren't bad either. Realizing he was opening the gate to let us in I slid into the driver's seat and pulled the truck through so he could close the gate behind us.

Jumping back into the driver seat he drove us down into the ranch and up to a big barn. It wasn't the old red barn you would think to find, but rather a nice, up kept brown one. Joe put the truck in park and turned it off. "What do you think?" he asked with a smile that could melt anyone's heart.

"To be honest, I don't really get it." I said, not able to take my eyes off him as he ran his hand threw his hair.

"Come on. You'll see." He said as he jumped from the truck and started jogging towards the barn.

I climbed out the other side and called after him, "You keep saying that!" before I followed.

Walking slowly in the direction I smiled to myself, Joe's smile still in my mind. I hadn't quite reached the door before Joe came walking back out, leading two fully saddled horses behind him.

A gasp escaped me as I looked at him. "What are you doing?" I asked. "Are we riding those?"

He smiled at me. "You like it?"

"Well, ya. But you rented horses? I would have been fine jus-"

He cut me off. "We're not renting them. Family friend." He said as he tied off the horse's reins to the side of what I now knew was a stable. "Let me help you up." Joe said as he took my hand and led me to the side of a beautiful deep brown horse.

After he helped me into the saddle he untied the reins, handed me mine and then climbed onto his horse, who was a soft tan with dark black mane and legs. The light caught in his hair and danced on his skin as he turned to look at me. "You ever done this before?" He asked.

In response I tapped my heels into the horse's side and called "Yaah!" leaned in and dashed forward into the rolling fields. Laughing I glanced back over my shoulder to see Joe bent over racing after me, a smile lighting up his whole face.

We rode around for hours just laughing and chasing each other through the rolling hills that made up the ranch. As the sun started to set Joe asked me to follow him and we went deep into the ranch and over a large hill. Stopped at the top Joe looked down at something and I slowed and walked up to his side. We were looking out over the most amazing view. Tall grass blew around all over the hills and caught the light of the setting sun. Below us a river snaked by, glistening.

We sat in silence for a minute, looking out over the beautiful landscape before us. Out of the corner of my eye I caught Joe watching me so I turned to him. I tried to tell him it was beautiful but I couldn't find words as I stared at him.

"I love you." He said softly.

My heart beat wildly and I felt tears building but I forced them back. "I love you, too." I said smiling at him. "I'm so lucky."

Our horses were so close that our legs brushed together then. Like the force of a magnet I was pulled to him, and he to me. One of his hands found the back of my head as our lips found each other's.

After a minute he pulled away and looked at me. "Let's get outta here." He smiled and took off fast back down the hill. Laughing yet again I followed him.

We made it back to the stables and put the horses back. Then we jumped in the truck and headed out of the farm but when I expected to turn back the way we had come, Joe turned the other way.

"Do I get to know where we're going now?" I asked.

"To watch the sun set." Joe smiled at me.

We drove up some hills and into a slightly wooded area that told me we where near water. Sure enough we pulled right up to the edge of a river, probably the same one as before, and Joe put the truck in park parallel to the running water. The area we where parked in was mostly surrounded buy trees but the area next to us over the water was clear and gave us a perfect view of the setting sun.

Joe got out and I followed him as he climbed up into the bed of the truck. The benches that had been in there on the way to the lake had been removed so we sat on the side of the truck, looking out over the water. After a minute Joe stood and went over to the ice chest that I hadn't noticed until now. He returned with a couple of sandwiches and brown-bottled root-beers.

I chuckled as I took mine from him. "Real classy," I said as I examined my sandwich. "We go on a big date and for dinner we have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and root-beer."

Joe looked at me with worry in his eyes. "Are you disappointed?"

I laughed. "No! Joe, I'm not disappointed. I love it. It's perfect." I said in complete honesty. "Really fitting. And yummy." I said as I took in a mouthful of the sandwich.

Joe smiled as he took a bite of his. "Good." He said with relief. "I tried to think of something else, but it was all too hard to try to keep until now."

"Ya, I get it." I said as I took a swig of my root-beer. I couldn't help but laugh again. "But I bet we look really country right now!"

Joe laughed. We ate and joked as the sun in front of us set. Looking at me Joe smiled. "You know, that is the shirt you were wearing the first time we met. Of course at the time you were covered in blood…" He trailed off looking at me.

That was something I hadn't noticed and it made me smile. "Wow, you remember that?"

He laughed. "Well, you kinda fell into my arms covered in blood. That's a pretty memorable thing. But honestly," He said through the laughter. "I like that shirt a lot. Of course at that time I didn't know I was going to fall in love with the girl wearing it."

As the light started to fade away the fireflies started to come out and I was excited about that because I had never seen them in real life before. The mood of the whole place brought to mind a song so I jumped down from the bed and went to the cab.

I didn't turn the car on all the way, just enough to roll down the windows and turn on the radio then shut it off. After a second I realized I was stuck. If I opened the doors the radio would shut off so the only way out was through the open window. As I was climbing out I heard Joe laughing. "Couldn't you have got out and restarted the radio through the open window?" He asked with a mocking smirk.

I furrowed my brow in frustration. He was right. "This is much more… sexy." I couldn't come up with anything else.

Joe laughed more. "Well, I would have to agree, but I'm a bit bias."

After I had successfully climbed from the cab, luckily without injury, I scurried back up into the truck bed. Somehow I managed to slip doing that. Quickly grabbing my elbows before I fell to the ground Joe pulled me up and into his arms.

The world seemed to be inline with us at that moment because as my feet rested onto the truck a soft song came on the radio and Joe smiled down at me. Without a word I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my head on his chest. He already held me to him and we started to sway back and forth, slow dancing in the dark.

As we danced I took in a deep breath and sighed as his scent filled my nose. Then his voice drifted softly to my ears as he sang to me, nearly inaudibly. It sent a shiver down my spine as he harmonized with the girl on the radio. My head was still rested against his chest and I felt the tears from earlier return. This time I couldn't hold them all in and a few rolled down my cheeks.

Joe kissed the top of my head and left his lips there, mumbling the words into my hair. I couldn't help but say the one thing that clouded my mind. "I love you." I whispered, barely loud enough to be heard.

He pulled back a bit and looked into my face. I didn't want him to see me crying but it was too late. The smile faded from his face. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing." I said smiling up at him. "Nothing could be wrong right now. I just- I love you so much." Wiping my eyes I sighed. "I'm sorry. I just didn't know I could ever feel like this about someone."

Joe smiled softly down at me. "I know. This-" He sighed trying to find the words. "I have never felt this strongly before. Didn't know I could."

Smiling up at Joe I though back to Turlock . I thought about an older lady and her husband. And in that instant I knew how true it was when she told me that the realist, truest love was the most impossible, the most incredible, and the deepest.

It was just after midnight when we pulled back into the driveway of the house.

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"Katie, I've been around long enough and have had enough of my own relationships to be able to see real love when it's there. … You have that with Rob and it's not going to change how much you two are supposed to be together."

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My book was getting interesting. Sitting on the couch I had hunkered down under my big blanket and continued the novel I had picked up at the store a few days earlier. Thumbing through the soft, new pages as I read I lost myself in the story.

The doorbell rang and I looked up from my book in surprise. I wasn't expecting anyone and Katie was working her last shift of the week. Crawling out from under my blanket I went to the front door and was shocked at who I found on my doorstep.

"Rob. Katie's at work and…"

"I know. I was actually…" he was staring at his feet and he ran a hand through his hair as he quickly glanced up to my face. "Well, I was actually hoping to speak with you. If I could that is…"

"Of course. Come in." I stepped aside and let him in. I followed him into the living room where he turned to me.

"I-" He couldn't seem to find any words and he turned from me and went into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Folding his arms in front of him he sighed and rested his head on his arms.

Without a word I went to the cabinet and pulled out two large mugs, making us some hot chocolate. After they were done I walked over to the table and sat his in front of him.

"Thank you." He mumbled as he sat up and took the warm mug in his hands. After a moment he took a long sip. We sat in silence for a while and I tried to be silently supportive of whatever he was going through.

As I sat there staring at Rob I smiled. I had known this complicated man for nearly two years now and in that time I had the privilege of watching him grow. He had taken it upon himself to be better for Katie. I loved him for that.

But more than that I had also grown close to him. He was my friend and as much as I would be there for him, I knew he would try to be there for me. And I trusted him. I trusted him with my biggest secret and he trusted me with his, and I knew we would both protect the other.

These thoughts rolled around in my head as I watched him struggling to tell me what he had come to talk to me about. Without thinking I reached out and placed my hands on one of his. This brought his eyes up to mine and I saw a layer of stress melt away, but just one layer.

Taking a deep breath he put his other hand into his pocket and pulled something out. Silently he placed a small box into my hands and he closed my fingers around it. Slowly I brought it closer to me and looked down into my palms. It was a soft velvet box, black, and I was pretty sure I knew what was in it.

Still I had to open it. Inside was a sparkling diamond ring that made the breath catch in my throat. It was a larger center diamond with two slightly smaller diamonds set on either side of it. The silver band came up on the sides and to the middle of the center diamond before it came out a bit, forming little rounded wisps on each side. "Oh, Rob." I sighed.

"It's bad isn't it?" He said sitting up on edge.

"No!" I quickly responded, reassuring my friend. "No, Rob, it's perfect. You did amazing."

He looked at me. "I'm going to ask her to marry me." He seemed scared to admit he had even thought of it. His eyes shot back down to his own hands as he lowered his head a bit. "I just- I don't know why she would say yes."

I raised my brow and laughed softly. "Rob, she has no reason to say no."

He looked up at me again, a bit more hopefully. "You think… You think she would want to marry me?"

I had to pat his hand again. "I know she does Rob."

His eyes gleamed and I realized something. "But Rob, I can't answer for her. I don't know if for some reason she would hold back. She might, but I don't know why she would."

The doubt clouded his face again. "I should just wait then, until she's ready."

I didn't know how to approach this. "No, Rob. If you feel the time is right, then ask her. You alone know the depths of the turbulent raging waters of her heart."

He still looked at me doubtfully.

I sighed. "Rob, you two are perfect for each other. All of us know that. Trust yourself and you'll know. She loves you, know that."

Softly he smiled at me. "Thank you." He said, and I knew he believed me.

Smiling I smacked his arm. "So, how are you gonna ask her?"

He laughed a bit, trying to shake off the nerves. "Don't know yet. I planned to think about that while I'm gone and ask her when I get back. Just figured I should have the ring approved first." He joked with me. Our laughter died down and he looked around. "So, what were you doing before I showed up?"

Rob was a fellow reader so we soon found ourselves chatting about books over our cooling hot chocolate. Eventually we ended up back in the living room, me reading my book and Rob at the other end of the couch flipping endlessly through the TV channels.

After a few hours, Katie walked in. 

A Possible Change
 Animations
Part 16--->