“Caroline? You haven’t answered my question.” Turner’s mood had turned from excitement to fear, and his nervousness was apparent.
“Turner!” Caroline said softly, leaning into the table a bit.
“We met six months ago, we are still getting to know each other. We haven’t even talked about marriage!” Caroline explained, showing a bit of frustration.
“What are you saying, Caroline? We live together, we love each other.” Turner started trying to argue with her but she cut him off.
“Turner, I need a little time. Can I have a few days to decide? Please, this is just so unexpected.” Caroline said, looking down at the ring again. It was such a beautiful ring and she knew a life with Turner would be happy, but was that enough for her? She felt completely out of breath and shocked at the whole turn of events.
“Yeah, yeah okay. I understand, it was unexpected. I’ve had weeks to think about this and decide and you just found out. So, let’s just enjoy our time and take a week? Is that enough time?” Turner asked.
“Yeah, of course, next Friday I will know for sure. I mean probably before then, I’m sure.” Caroline said awkwardly.
“Okay, so next Friday. Seven days. Alright, we can work with this.” Turner stumbled over his words, clearly flustered and nervous.
Just then, the waiter arrived with the check and placed it on the table, interrupting their rambling. Turner grabbed the check and put some cash with it. The couple stood up and walked out of the restaurant, hailing a taxi. No words were exchanged for the entire drive and the silence continued as they walked into the apartment.
Caroline quickly changed into comfortable clothes and got into bed, leaving the ring box sitting on top of their dresser, and immediately pretending to be asleep before Turner joined her in the bedroom. They laid silently next to each other until they finally fell asleep, neither one of them having the answers they were looking for.
Chapter Eighteen
“Well, what did it look like?” Jackie squealed in a high pitch voice over the phone. She and Aralia were on a conference call with Caroline early the next morning. Turner had already left for work and Caroline was brushing her hair, attempting to put herself together for work as well. Her cell phone was propped up and on speaker phone on her makeup table where she was standing and looking in the mirror.
“Jackie, that’s not really the focus here! The focus is that he PROPOSED to me after only six months! Coincidentally right after Logan pops back into town and tries to throw my entire life out of whack.” Caroline scoffed at her friend over the phone, picking up her lipstick and slathering on a layer.
“Yeah, Caroline, but we still have to ask, I mean come on, it’s an engagement ring! We are curious.” Aralia chimed in through the phone, defending her cousin.
“Alright, I will take a picture of it with my cell and send it to you as soon as we hang up, okay?” Caroline said, pulling open the lid and looking at the ring again. It really was beautiful, even though it was very small. It was one small diamond on a silver band but the band was in a decorative pattern that was very eye catching.
“Great, well then what is the issue?” Jackie asked through the phone.
“Jackie, seriously, she doesn’t want to get married after six months.” Aralia spoke to her cousin.
“It’s not that I don’t want to get married, plus it’s only getting engaged. I am just surprised! We never even talked about it! Don’t people usually toss the idea around before actually taking the plunge?” Caroline asked her friends, picking up the phone and bringing it with her into the kitchen to put some breakfast together.
“Yeah, that’s definitely true.” Jackie chimed in.
“I can’t believe he never mentioned anything or even asked you about marriage. I thought all couples talk about it.” Aralia mused.
“No, not all couples talk about it. At least not in the first six months!” Caroline told her.
“Well, I have never dated anyone longer than a few weeks!” Aralia laughed.
“Yeah, this isn’t exactly Aralia’s area of expertise.” Jackie chimed in.
“Hey!” Aralia countered in irritation.
“Girls, can we get back to me, please?” Caroline said while spreading some cream cheese on a bagel.
“Right, so what are you going to do?” Aralia asked her.
“I mean, I told him I would tell him by Friday, so I literally have just a few days to think about it and tell him. We agreed to go out for a date night on Friday and talk about it. But, I mean, how awkward is it going to be this week? I feel like I have to say yes, don’t I? I mean I like him, I live with him, and he is such a sweet guy.” Caroline told them, biting into her breakfast.
“Caroline, are you crazy? You never HAVE to say yes to a proposal. It’s your choice and you really need to think about it.” Aralia told her.
“Yeah, I mean you have to know you want to spend the rest of your life with Turner and Turner only, no one else at all, ever. And you know who I am talking about when I say that, no one else ever again….ever, Caroline.” Jackie said.
“Caroline, you need to be in love. Head over heels in love.” Aralia told her.
“And what makes you think that I’m not in love with Turner or can’t be with Turner and only Turner for the rest of my life?” Caroline countered, arguing with them.
“Jackie, don’t answer that,” Aralia interrupted, “Caroline, we cannot answer that for you. You already know how you feel.”
Caroline was silent for a moment, finishing her bagel. She sighed and picked up her phone, switching it off speaker phone and holding it up to her ear.
“Yeah, I know. Thanks, girls, I really need to think this through.” Caroline told them and then said her goodbyes before hanging up. After she hung up the phone, she popped back into her bedroom and opened up the ring box that Turner had given her, snapped a quick picture with her cell phone, and texted it to both girls. She then finished cleaning up after her breakfast and headed out the door for work. She decided to skip the coffee shop today, she wasn’t sure why, but she just couldn’t face it today.
~**~
Monday went by uneventfully and fell into Tuesday. Turner had worked late last night and Caroline had gone to bed early, both trying to avoid each other and feeling awkward around one another. Tuesday went by the same way, except Caroline worked late and Turner went out with some of his friends to watch a sports game at a nearby bar.
Both nights the two only were around each other in bed while asleep and one of them was always gone before the other in the morning. Wednesday morning was Caroline’s turn and she was gone at least forty five minutes before Turner’s alarm clock went off. She headed straight to the coffee shop because she was exhausted getting up so early and had begged Aralia to meet her there.
Caroline had spent time over the last two days thinking about Turner’s marriage proposal but had not been able to get any further in the decision making process. She was hoping that another talk with Aralia might help her. She loved Jackie, but Jackie had never been able to understand her the same way that Aralia could. The cousins were very different personalities and Caroline tended to be more similar to Aralia which was ironic since the two lived extremely different lifestyles.
After a ten minute subway ride, Caroline arrived down the block from her work and the coffee shop and rushed the rest of the way. She opened the coffee shop door and immediately smiled when the smell of coffee beans hit her nose. Nothing could wipe away the stress that clouded up her mind like the wonderful aroma of freshly brewed coffee which was one of the reasons why she loved the Java Jolt so much.
“Hey, Caroline! Want your usual? We started selling holiday drinks though, want a pumpkin latte or peppermint?” George asked her.
“Ooh, that actually sounds great! Let’s go with peppermint. Has Aralia gotten here yet?” Caroline asked him.
“Yeah, she got the pumpkin and is already over there on the couch in the corner.” George nodded his head in
that direction and Caroline turned to see Aralia sipping her drink and flipping through the newspaper. She waved to her and then finished paying for her drink with George.
“Hey, girl.” Aralia said as Caroline walked up and sat down across from her in a stuffed chair.
“So, I’m going to tell Turner that I’ll marry him.” Caroline said, taking a big gulp of her freshly hot drink and then coughing when she realized how hot it was. Aralia looked up from the paper, alarmed. Caroline hadn’t been sure she was going to say that until she saw Aralia but when she did, she knew what she should do.
“Wow. What made you decide that?” Aralia asked, folding up the paper and putting it down on the low table between them.
“I just think it is the best thing to do. I mean my parents love Turner, he is the kind of guy they always wanted me with. He has a good and steady job and we live together already. He loves me and takes care of me. He is really fun and I enjoy being around him. It just seems to make sense.” Caroline explained.
“What about Logan?” Aralia asked cautiously, picking up a scone she had purchased earlier and taking a big bite.
“What about him? He picked Gina, Aralia. He didn’t pick me. He can’t just go try her on for six months and then decide to come back to me just because it didn’t work out with her. Hell, I don’t even know if that’s true. He wasn’t exactly forthcoming about her when we first met. He could still be with her for all I know.” Caroline shrugged as she explained herself.
“Caroline, they are definitely over. I mean you can Google it, she is working with some other band now or something like that.” Aralia said.
“She is? You looked her up? Why?” Caroline asked, furrowing her brow and crossing her legs.
“I was curious when he did the whole sit in front of the coffee shop thing all day last week. I mean I think it is pretty clear that he publicly claimed his affections for you with that whole thing.” she said.
“Not really, it was explained off as a promotion for his new art gallery.” Caroline told her.
“Well that was his agency that said that, not him.” she defended Logan to Caroline. She nodded in agreement, knowing Aralia was right.
“Caroline, tell me one thing. Do you love Logan? Not just love, but in love with Logan?” Aralia leaned forward and asked her. Caroline sighed and slumped back in her chair, crossing her arms.
“Aralia, what kind of question is that? I just told you that I am going to say yes to Turner’s proposal.” Caroline said.
“I know, but in that whole explanation you gave me earlier about why you are going to say yes, not once did you mention love. Not once did you say you loved Turner. However, we both know that you love, or at least did love, Logan. If I can be honest, I think you were in love with Logan and that you still are.” Aralia told her quietly.
Caroline was silent listening to her and squirmed uncomfortably in her seat.
“Well, it doesn’t really matter, Aralia. I can’t marry a rock star and run away with him, I mean I have built a life here that my family worked to give me. Turner is stable and kind and funny and he makes me happy. He is a really great guy and what more can a girl ask for than that?” Caroline told her.
“Okay, Caroline, but I want to go on record saying I don’t think you are thinking this through correctly.” Aralia put her hands up in surrender.
Caroline sighed and nodded, knowing she should take Aralia’s advice more seriously. It was just more than she could handle right now. Caroline and Aralia finished up their coffee and said goodbye, walking each other out of the shop and then parting ways. Aralia was heading back home since she didn’t have to go into the bar for work until later tonight.
Once Aralia got around the corner of the block and out of sight of Caroline, she quickly pulled out her phone and flipped through her contacts until she found the number that she wanted. She clicked it to dial and held the phone up to her ear quickly.
“Hey, it’s Aralia. I need you to come by the bar tonight. I have to talk to you. It has to be tonight, it’s really important. Okay, see you shortly.” Aralia said and then hung up the phone and headed back to her apartment.
Chapter Nineteen
“So, what’s the emergency? I didn’t know that you even had my number, honestly.”
Aralia picked up a glass and tossed some ice into it, looking at him.
“Let me guess, scotch on the rocks kind of guy? Nothing but top shelf?” Aralia asked him, ignoring his question.
“Bingo. You certainly know your way around a bar.” He told her, smiling.
“Hey, got to love what you do. I have a talent for guessing people’s favorite drinks, hazard of the profession, I guess. Here you go.” Aralia finished pouring the glass and slid it across the bar to him. He took a few small swigs and nodded in approval.
“So, talk to me, Aralia.” He said, putting down his glass and propping his elbows up on the edge of the bar, leaning against it. Aralia sighed and leaned against the other side of the bar, over the ice chest so that she could get closer. She glanced around the bar and then lowered her voice.
“Logan, I don’t know any other way to tell you this except to just flat out rip off the band-aid.” Aralia sighed and then continued, “Turner proposed to Caroline and she is going to say yes.”
The handsome rock star sat back in his chair, pushing off the bar and stared at her for a moment, as if he was trying to figure out if what he had just heard could possibly be true. He breathed out loudly and pushed his hair back with his hand, hen gulped down the rest of his drink and pushed the glass back toward Aralia. Aralia quickly grabbed it and emptied it out, refilled the ice and scotch, and then handed it back to him. He took another gulp.
“She is going to say yes?” He knew the answer but had to say it out loud anyways. He was staring at Aralia but looking past her into space as well.
“She doesn’t want to. I know she says she wants to, but she really doesn’t. I know she is still in love with you. You need to win her back.” Aralia said, wiping some glasses clean.
“You don’t think I tried?” Logan said incredulously, tossing his hands up in the air and then taking another few swigs from his glass.
“I know, but try again. She has been my best friend for longer than I can remember and I like Turner but he doesn’t make her light up the way she does when she talks about you. He is a really great guy but when she would talk about you, even when she was upset, there was a passion and excitement in her eyes that I only see when she is drawing in her sketch book.
She has spent all her life trying to be the person she thinks she is supposed to be based on other people’s opinions, like her parents. But even her mom was talking to me awhile ago after they first met Turner and said she was worried Caroline was making a mistake, all they really want is for her to be truly happy. I don’t know why she thinks she has to fit a specific mold but she really needs to just let go and follow her heart instead.” Aralia told him, continuing to wash and wipe clean glasses and lining them up on the bar shelf.
“She really lights up when she talks about me?” Logan asked, smiling at the thought of her beautiful smile just for him.
“Unbelievably.” Aralia nodded.
“Thanks, Aralia. You’re a really great friend to her.” Logan said and pulled some cash out of his pocket, dropping it on the bar. Aralia handed him a piece of paper with Caroline’s address on it, he read it then tucked it into his pocket. He smiled at her and headed out, leaving the bar. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling ear to ear and almost skipping down the Manhattan streets.
He felt like his whole body was jittery with caffeine or adrenaline. It was strange that he was in such a good mood for having just heard the woman he loves was planning on marrying someone else, but his heart was telling him something else. He had no doubts about what he was going to do next.
~**~
“Hey, have you seen my green t-shirt with the signet on it?” Turner stuck his head out of the bedroom and called to C
aroline. She was sitting on the couch watching one of the prime time drama television series that she loved.
“Yeah, I just folded it. It’s in the pile of laundry in the white bin. I haven’t put them away in the drawers yet. Sorry.” Caroline responded and then went back to watching her show. Turner went back into the bedroom.
Caroline looked back at the bedroom door and bit her lip. She had another day before the big talk with Turner. She knew that she had told Aralia that she had made up her mind, but now she felt like she was even further from a decision than ever. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands and sighed, leaning into the couch and trying to get comfortable. Her whole body felt tense and stressed, her chest was tight, and her throat felt closed. Sometimes she had to catch herself from letting a tear slip out because the stress was just overwhelming her.
Her television program clicked off and went to a commercial break just as Caroline heard a knock on their front door. Caroline looked over toward the hallway to see if Turner was going to answer it but didn’t hear any movement from the bedroom. She sighed and stood up, smoothing out her baggy t-shirt and ruffling her hair a bit, wondering who would be visiting at such a late hour. She trotted over to the front door in her small shorts and ankle socks, opening the door wide and then pausing in mid-motion.
“Caroline.” Logan said softly, standing in her doorway.
He was wearing a leather jacket over a thin t-shirt and tight jeans, looking her straight in the eyes with such an intensity that she almost fell over. She took a deep breath, trying to regain her thoughts, and then turned around to look and see if Turner was around. She didn’t see him and so she quickly stepped out into the hallway, made sure the door was unlocked, and gently closed it behind her. She was terrified that Turner might have seen him, she wasn’t sure how she would ever explain this to him.