Chapter Twenty-Six

                                    

                                          
Cameron
I'm watching as Ethan twists side to side in the full-length mirror in front of him, a seamstress measuring his pant leg. We're buying our suits together today for the wedding, but I never thought he'd be pickier than a bride. It took almost two hours for him to find something he actually liked.
"Maya will like this, right?" He asks as he stares at himself in the reflection of the mirror. He's doubting his decision again, but there's no way in hell I'm going to watch him try on any more clothes. 
"Maya would love you if you wore a burlap sack," I joke, but then I realize he's become annoyed. This is a big moment for him, so rather than tease, I sigh and reply, "Anything you wear is going to look good to her. I guarantee it."
The seamstress finishes up her measurements and instructs him to change back into his clothes. He dips behind the curtain to undress, poking his head out for a second to look at me.
"I know I'm being extra," he admits, "but you'll be the same way when you and Maddie get married. It's unreal that I ever scored Maya, to begin with, and I guess I just want everything to be perfect for her. She deserves it, you know?"
I'm quiet, too quiet, and I watch him raise an eyebrow as he's waiting for me to reply. I don't want to bring this up here though. This is his day coming up in a month, not mine. Plus, I have slight PTSD from when I told him anything about Maddie and me being remotely more than friends. I don't want him to react that way again. 
"What?" He asks. "Oh god, are you going to break things off again with her? Cameron, I swear you make it so damn hard sometimes to-"
"Bro, I'm not ending things with Maddie." I chuckle, figuring that now I have to say something or else he'll punch me anyways from piecing things together incorrectly. "I'm going to propose to her."
I can't hide the smile on my face when I say it, and I hold my breath as I search his face for a reaction, feeling a ton of bricks fly off my chest when he breaks out into one of his goofy grins. 
"Ah, man!" He claps his hands excitedly, shaking his head in disbelief. "Is that why you pulled my Dad off to the side at her birthday dinner?"
I nod before he dips behind the curtain again and changes back into his clothes. He comes out in about a minute or so and brings me in for one of our hugs, slapping me twice on the back.
"I'm so fucking happy for you guys," he says. "It's about damn time."
"Thanks." I sigh, scratching the back of my head. "I'm just hoping she's going to say yes."
"Why wouldn't she? Cam, I know my sister. She is fucking crazy about you. It's been her dream to marry you since we were in middle school. Looking back on it now I don't know how I didn't realize it. It was more than obvious."
It might be obvious, but I still don't know if she'll say yes. We both agreed to take things slow, and this isn't exactly doing that. I'm jumping the gun, but I just can't wait anymore. I don't want to. 
"You have a ring yet?" He asks.
Pulling out my phone, I go into my private folder so that Maddie wouldn't find it and flip the screen around to show him. I bought it yesterday. It's an enormous pear-shaped diamond displayed on a diamond-encrusted rose gold band. What I love the most about this ring is I customized it to have mine and Izzy's birthstones combined with hers on the back of the band. I wanted to make it special for her.
"Please for the love of god tell me that's the item number and not the price." Ethan points to the number of zeros on the screen, gulping loudly. 
"You don't think your sister deserves it?"
"I'm not saying that, but way to make me look cheap." He laughs, clearly joking. 
"Whatever you got Maya I'm sure she loves more than anything. And besides, you know I  already told you that I've got you if you need money. You just keep refusing me."
"Because I don't need it," he replies defensively. "You're my best friend. Not an ATM."
We've had this conversation countless times, so rather than fight him on it I throw my hands up in defeat. "Okay, just throwing it out there again." 
"I appreciate it, but I don't need it," he reiterates as we make our way to the front of the store to pay for his suit. I already paid for mine. I found one in less than ten minutes of being here. "When are you proposing?"
"That I haven't figured out yet. The last time I proposed was such a rash and spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. I didn't have a ring, and I really wish I had. Maddie deserves a dream proposal, so I don't want to do it until I have everything planned out. I want it to be perfect."
"She's going to freak out when she sees that ring," he says. "That thing is unreal."
As we reach the register, my phone starts to go off. I quickly fish it out of my pocket, my agent's name flashing across the screen. "Shit," I mutter. "I have to take this, okay?"
"No problem. I'll just check out and meet you upfront." 
Dipping away from the register, I swipe my finger across the screen and bring the phone up to my ear. "Hello?"
"Hey!" Thomas exclaims. "How was the flight?"
The flight?
What flight?
"Um..." I trail off and clear my throat, hearing him sigh on the other end. "Was I supposed to be in LA this weekend? I thought the GQ shoot got rescheduled for next month?"
"It did, but you have to be here this weekend for the Stars for Kids charity gala. Normally it wouldn't be a big deal if you didn't attend, but there are some kids from St. Jude's that will be there for their make-a-wish, and one of the kids really wants to meet you."
Oh, hell. I can't say no to that. How could I? Especially after I have Iz. I couldn't imagine my little girl being sick, her only dying wish to meet some famous football player only for them not to show up. I'm not going to do that to whoever's son or daughter this is, and Thomas knows that. 
Plus, it does give me some possible time away with my girl.
"Okay, okay," I tell him. "Book another flight please for later tonight. Actually, book two please."
"Two?" Thomas tries to pry. "Is your daughter coming?"
As if I'd ever expose Izzy to fame like that. I wouldn't bring her within a ten-foot radius of that place. 
"No. I'm bringing my..." I trail off, realizing that this is the first time that I've had to put a label on things. "My girlfriend," I finish, even though more than anything I want to say my wife. 
"Alright," he replies, but I can hear him smile through the phone. "Two tickets it is. I'll text you the details in a few." 
Ethan walks up to me just as I hang up the phone, and he can tell from the look on my face that I'm about to ask him for a favor.
"What?" He groans.
"Oh, nothing..." I trail off as I open up the front door for us. "Just wondering if you miss your niece is all. Maybe you'd want to watch her tonight? And, you know, maybe the weekend so that I can take your sister to a lovely function with me?"
With a roll of his eyes, he digs out his keys from his pocket and lets out a laugh. "Come on." He sighs. "Let's go pick her up."