STP

Secrets Kept, Lies Told

Secrets Kept, Lies Told
©1999-2000
By Sarah
Chapter 43

     Alexa woke up to the sound of her hotel phone ringing. 'This better be good,' she thought as she reached for the phone.
    "Hello?" She asked sleepily.
    "Morning, baby, its time to get up," Nick said.
    Alexa groaned. "Nick, it's eight o'clock in the morning, even you wouldn't be up at this inhumane hour of the morning."
    Nick laughed. "Today is a special day, get up and get dressed, I'll be waiting for you downstairs. Love you."
    "Love you too, bye," Alexa said before she hung up the phone. She got up and took a shower, then pulled on a pair of black pants and a dark red sweater that used to be AJ's before she decided to borrow it.
    'Well, its mine now. I've had it for so long, I don't think he even knows its gone,' Alexa thought as she dried her hair. She pulled on a pair of black Mary Jane's and went downstairs. She met Nick in the lobby, he was holding something behind his back and smiling widely.
    "Morning, baby," Nick said cheerfully.
    Alexa smiled up at him as best she could and let out a small yawn. "Morning, gorgeous."
    Nick pulled a bunch of red and white roses out from behind his back and handed them to her. "Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart," he whispered.
    Alexa gasped. "Oh my goodness, I completely forgot! Oh, thank you, Nick, these are beautiful," she said, taking the flowers and smelling them. She closed her eyes in delight and looked up at him, opening her eyes again. "Happy Valentine's Day," she said, reaching up for a hug.
    Nick hugged her back and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Shall we?" He asked, holding his hand out to her.
    Alexa nodded and caught a glimpse of Brian as he came out of the dining room. "Hey, Brian, bring these upstairs for me, please?" She asked.Brian nodded, his mouth full of something, and took the flowers, walking to the elevator. Alexa smiled and let Nick lead her outside, pulling on her coat when he handed it to her.
    "Where are we going?" Alexa asked.
    Nick shook his head and pretended to zip his lips shut. "That, my dear, is a surprise," he said. He hailed a cab and gave the cabby instructions before letting Alexa get in. He held her around her shoulders the whole way and Alexa admired the city as it passed by. The cab finally stopped in front of a café that didn't look open to Alexa.
    "Nick, is this place open?" She asked as he got out and paid the driver.
    "To us it is," he said, opening the door for her. He led her to a table in the back and helped her sit after taking her coat.
    "Bonjour, and welcome to Paris' own Café on the Avenue," the waiter said with a French accent. He handed Nick and Alexa menus and disappeared. Alexa opened the menu and was surprised to see that the entire thing was in English.
   "Nicky, what on earth did you do, buy the café?" Alexa asked.
    Nick shook his head. "No, I rented it for the morning and found a waiter here that spoke English. They do have English menus on hand, so I requested them," he said.
    Alexa shook her head at him. "You know you shouldn't have gone to so much trouble for me," she said.
    Nick smiled and leaned forward. "Where would the fun be in that?" He
asked hypothetically. Alexa smiled as he kissed her gently and then pulled
away.
    "Indeed, where would the fun be in that?"

    "Ok, you ready?"
    "As ready as I'll ever be," Alexa said.
    "Ok, and, viola!" Nick exclaimed, untying the blindfold and whipping it away with flourish.
    Alexa looked around, amazed. "Oh my goodness, Nick! First breakfast, then a tour of Paris, then a walk in the park, and now this? Nicky, this is too much," she said. She looked around the rooftop of the restaurant again, amazed at what she saw. There were candles everywhere, all giving off soft, pale light, adding to the atmosphere that the little white Christmas lights provided. With ivy decorating the slightly raised walls and climbing up the sides of the white trellis pillars, the scene was very romantic. In the
middle of it all was a small dance floor and a small table for two set up with one lit candle in the center of the table. The night sky that was lit up with stars added to it all, being the final touch in perfection.
    "Nothing is too much for the one I love," Nick whispered from behind her, pulling her into his arms and twirling her around to face him.
    Alexa felt tears coming into her eyes and looked up at him. "Why did you do this?" She asked quietly.
    "Because I love you and you deserve only the best I can give you," he replied without hesitation.
    "Nicky, I would've been happy with just me and you in our hotel rooms pigging out on Butterfingers and watching movies, you didn't have to go to so much trouble for me," Alexa said, feeling a tear fall down her cheek.
    Nick smiled and wiped away the tear with his thumb. "I didn't go to a lot of trouble, I simply did what I thought would be right and I believe I actually did the right thing for once."
    "You always do the right thing."
    "I hope I do with you."
    Nick led Alexa to the table and helped her into the seat, then sat down himself. Alexa looked down at the empty plate in front of her, then up at Nick as he made a signal to someone behind her.
    "Where are the menus?" She asked.
    "No menus tonight, we get your favorite," he said, smiling at her and putting his napkin on his lap as a waiter came up with two covered plates. He placed one in front of Alexa and one in front of Nick and pulled the covers off at the same time.
    "Fetticcini Alfredo! Nick, just how much did you do for me?" Alexa asked, looking down at the perfectly set plate.
    Nick smiled. "Let's put it this way, if I knew it would make you happy, I did it."
    Alexa glared at him. "Nickolas, elucidate."
    Nick laughed. "Stop using those big words, Alexa, they aren't you. I didn't do much more than this, there's only two more surprises, ok?"
    Alexa looked at him warily and nodded after a few minutes. She started on her meal and by the time she was done, she was full and quite sure nothing could make the night even better.
    "Care to dance?" Nick asked, standing up and holding his hand out to her. Alexa nodded and took his hand, following as he led her the few feet forward and held her in his arms. They started swaying back and forth as soft piano and violin music floated through the air from a set of speakers off to the side.
    "This night is perfect, thank you so much," Alexa whispered, resting her head on Nick's chest, right below his shoulder.
    "I wouldn't have had it done any other way for you, I love you," Nick replied, whispering.
    "I love you too," Alexa said. She looked up at Nick and kissed him gently, then returned her head to its spot. She closed her eyes and let the music control where she and Nick moved, listening as he hummed along. She opened her eyes and looked up as Nick stopped moving with her about a half-hour later.
    "What's wrong?" Alexa asked.
    Nick shook his head and a small smile appeared on his face. "Nothing's wrong. I want to ask you something," he said, taking both her hands in his and standing in front of her.
    "What?" Alexa asked, looking at him strangely. He was up to something, she could tell.
    Nick kneeled in front of Alexa and pulled a ring out of his pocket, holding it in front of her. "Will you marry me?" He asked.
    Alexa couldn't breath, in front of her was the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen in her life, a man that anyone would've loved to be in her shoes for a day for, a man that she loved.
    A man that just proposed to her.
    "Yes," Alexa whispered.
    "You will?" Nick asked, excited.
    Alexa nodded and started to cry. "Yes, I will."
    Nick slipped the ring on her finger and stood up, kissing her deeply. "Thank you," he whispered.
    Alexa hugged him close, closing her eyes as tears fell faster and onto his jacket. "You're welcome." Back    Next