Warning: PG-16
The Engagement
Part Three
The girls are commiserating at Haley and Nathan’s home while having snacks and watching movies.
“Boys night out doesn’t usually go on for days,” Hales says.
“It is a tournament, you know how they are about Tree Hill basketball,” Peyton says.
“It is the first time that team has been winning for years, I hear,” Mandy adds.
They have all gathered together to keep from being alone for the fourth night in a row.
Nathan, Lucas and Jake have all been hanging out in Tree Hill watching the Ravens in the basketball finals.
Mandy had hesitated to come tonight since she didn’t want Lucas to know how lonely she had been the last few nights. The first night of the tournament the girls had gone to play volleyball on their own. The second night they all endured a night alone though they ended up in a three way conversation by the end of the night. Last night they met for dinner and drove into Wilmington for their own night out.
“One thing I hate about all this is Jake is so tired when he gets home he goes straight to bed,” Peyton says with a giggle.
Mandy and Haley laugh as they agree.
The next day Lucas calls Mandy at work to let her know he isn’t planning to go to the final night of the tournament so they can have time together. She assures him she doesn’t mind him going since she has plans to do things around the house. He says he will decide for sure after work. When he arrives home Mandy is on the phone with Haley and he finds out they have made plans to go out clubbing that night. He is concerned about Mandy lying to him when they have an agreement to always be honest since she is afraid of being unfaithful to him because of her past.
“I’m sorry, I should have told you no matter what everyone else was doing,” she says holding back her tears.
“Mandy, I love you and I never want to lose you but I do need to be able to trust you,” he says wrapping her in his arms.”
“I love you too, but please don’t tell Hales my problem, I will do better,” she says into his chest.
“Of course, I won’t say anything that is between us,” he says kissing her.
That night everyone goes to the basketball game.
After the big win the guys go back to see their old team members and Peyton takes the girls to talk to the cheerleaders.
That night they discuss the lying issue again.
“It’s too easy to fall into that trap,” she says.
“I don’t want you to feel like you have to report to me; I’m not your father.”
“I know,” she says laying her head on his shoulder."
Baby, I don’t want to be with anyone but you,” she adds with a sigh as she closes her eyes.
“Sweet dreams,” he says. I don’t want anyone but you.
Planning for the wedding begins right away, they agree that spending a lot of money on the event is not as important as having a long happy marriage. Lucas tells her he will buy her whatever dress she desires but Mandy wants her mother to make the dress, if possible. Just for kicks she and Haley go dress shopping to see what the popular styles are. They leave early on a Saturday morning hoping to make a fun day of hanging out and shop looking.
The first problem they run into is they have a fender bender getting onto the expressway. Mandy stops but the person behind her doesn’t see her in time and hits her. After exchanging insurance information they are on their way again.
“Hopefully, that’s all the bad luck we will have,” Hales says trying to stay upbeat.
Mandy agrees glad she wasn’t in the wrong in the accident.
At the first bridal shop the attendant assumes Haley is the bride and Mandy the maid of honor because she does not ask questions despite the fact that Haley clearly is wearing a wedding ring and band. Mandy is used to the way people treat those that look Afro-American and is not offended but after a few minutes they leave the shop without correcting the person helping them.
Once they are at the mall things finally start looking up. The mall is fairly full and an unusual amount of people are in the Bridal stores since it is February. They find a couple of possible dresses that look good on Mandy. She prefers the lacy look but is concerned about looking too old fashioned. Haley agrees the look is elegant and seems to suit Mandy who looks like a teenager despite the fact that she is almost twenty three to Lucas’ twenty one. There is another dress that interests them that is strapless with a silky over wrap on the bottom half and beads on the bodice.
There next stop is where Mandy finds the dress she absolutely has to have. It is an off the shoulder silk gown with lacy sleeves and embroidery on the bottom. The bodice is heart shaped and fits Mandy perfectly. Haley agrees it is the right style and fit for her small figure. They leave the store with all the information on the dress and other places it is available in case they run out before she decides what to do.
“That’s the dress,” Haley says grinning.
“I know I love it and price is nice too,” Mandy adds.
They go for lunch before the continue perusing the mall for Lucas’ ring. Mandy has let Haley know that her maid of honor dress can be anything she chooses.
“Lucas and I want a beautiful ceremony but we don’t believe it should cost a lot to get married.”
”The relationship is what is important,” Haley says agreeing.
“Exactly, I do want to find him a nice ring though,” she says giggling.
Haley laughs. Lucas is lucky to have such as sweet girl.
Haley tells Mandy about her and Nathan renewing their vows after they got back together. It was our first real wedding with a cake and all since we were originally married on the beach. They wanted to marry on the beach again but their spot has been destroyed and they weren’t sure if they could re-enact that anywhere else. At the last minute they were able to find a hotel on the water that allowed them to have their service there.
“Lucas was there and it was right before you moved in; I could see in his face that he had found the women he wanted to be with, he was so much happier.”
Mandy blushes, “That is a nice story and I’m glad you and Nathan are making things work.”
They aren’t lucky enough to find a ring that Mandy would buy for Lucas that day but they do have a good time hanging out and talking about wedding stuff. Since her wedding band/engagement ring is platinum she wants his to be also though she realizes it will cost more.
“The ring will last forever so I expect to spend more on that,” she says.
After dropping Haley off at home she goes to the townhouse to meet Lucas.
“Hi Baby, how was the shopping?”
She smiles and bites her lip.
“Uh Oh, how much will this cost me?” he asks pulling her into his arms.
“It is so beautiful, Lucas and only three hundred dollars.”
“The dress right?”
She nods.
“If you really want it you can get it, okay,” he says kissing her gently wanting to feel her soft lips against his own.
She wraps her arms around his neck as she runs her tongue over his teeth and explores his mouth as their kiss deepens.
“Thank you,” she says as he continues to hold her though they have stopped kissing; he has the hungry look in his eyes the one that leads to Saturday afternoon loving.
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