Page 54 of Mending Me
“It’s in two weeks, the first Saturday of August.” The words spilled out of him with so much relief and excitement that I knew I had made the right choice.
The thought of going to a major event like this one opened up old wounds, but seeing how happy it made him made dealing with it bearable. I knew that as long as I was with him, I was safe.
As long as he was with me, I would be okay.
1 beautiful
31
HANK
The next two weeks—between the time I asked Bailey to attend the veterans benefit and it actually happening—flew by. Work was insane preparing for the event since Kolbi’s firm was running security and half the VIP client’s my team catered to were attending. I asked him several times if it was okay that I attended, since I was the person who typically oversaw these kinds of events, but he assured me it was.
Knowing I couldn’t take us to the benefit on my bike, Kolbi lent me a company car again so I could drive us both there. I knew Bailey liked my bike, but there was no way I was going to be able to drive us both to a black tie event on the back of it. The Annual Veteran’s Benefit was one of the city’s largest fundraisers for veterans and this would be the first time I would be attending. My insides buzzed with excitement because I got to see some of my old Army buddies again who were traveling to the city for the event.
When I asked Bailey to come with me as my date, she seemed nervous to say yes. I tried not to dwell on why that was and tried to focus more on the fact that she had agreed to come with me.While we had only known each other since the start of June, it felt like we had known each other forever. She completed me in a way I didn’t know I needed and I couldn’t wait to show up with her on my arm. How I had managed to score such a beautiful woman I will never know, but I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
I was sitting at my desk waiting for five o’clock to roll around so I could head out for the day. I still needed to pick up my uniform from the dry cleaners for the benefit and get home to shower and shave so that I wouldn’t have to do it tomorrow. It felt nice to pull out my dress blues from the back of my closet after not seeing them for a few months. When I came home, I carefully packed all my uniforms away for safekeeping. Yesterday I had dropped off my service uniform to get dry cleaned so it was pressed and up to standards. As I stared at my computer, checking off all the last minute details for the event, my phone buzzed. I looked down at the screen and read the notification.
1 New Message: Blondie
I think I found the dress.
I smiled at her message and started to type back. She told me she was worried about finding something to wear to the benefit because she didn’t want to embarrass me. I assured her time and time again that she would never embarrass me and that I felt nothing less than the luckiest man to have the opportunity to take her with me.
Oh yeah? Send me a picture.
No way, I want it to be a surprise.
Come on, just one peek.
Not a chance.
Can you at least tell me what color it is?
…fine I’ll tell you what color it is.
It’s red.
I’m sure you look stunning in it.
And sexy as hell.
Hopefully not too sexy, I don’t want to embarrass you.
I’ve already told you that’s not possible. I can’t wait to show up with you on my arm and show you off in front of everyone.
You’re going to be the most beautiful woman there, I already know it.
Thank you, soldier.
I’m still not showing you the dress.
I laughed at her second message and could picture the face she was making as she sent it. My girl was hard-headed when she wanted to be and I loved that about her. There were many things about her that I loved. But really I just loved that she was mine.
Mi hermosa.?1
I pulledup in front of her building promptly at 6:15 p.m. as promised. Before getting out to walk to her door, I reached across the center console of the company Bronco I’d borrowed and grabbed my jacket. Once out of the car, I slipped my navy blue dress coat on and buttoned it in front of me. I nodded to a couple walking past me as I walked towards the front door of her building and headed inside. It wasn’t very often you saw people in their dress uniforms, so I wasn’t surprised by their stares.
