[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
Nick immediately sprang into action and ran towards the rushing water, running downstream along the side a bit before he jumped in. He saw the ring sparkling in the sunlight and scooped his hand down into the water, just as it started to rush by him. His fingers barely grazed by the ring as it kept going downstream, so he turned around and lunged forward, slapping his hand over the ring as he fell onto his hands and knees. He could feel the hard metal pressing into the palm of his hand as the water flowed around it, and he stayed frozen in place, looking down at his hand in awe that he had actually caught it.

“Nick?” Annie stood up carefully, brushed her jeans off with her hands, and jogged over to him. “Did you get it?” She stooped down and he turned his head to meet her gaze.

“I, uh...yeah. I’m kind of afraid to move my hand, though. This current’s pretty strong for a mini--I mean putt-putt golf course.”

“Stay right there.” Annie sat on the ground and took off her shoes. Then she rolled up her pants legs and stepped into the water. “Which hand?”

“Left.” He gestured towards his hand with his head.

Annie crouched down and cupped her hands on either side of and slightly in front of Nick’s hand. For a moment, she thought about what a sight they must be to any onlookers. She didn’t care, though. This was her wedding ring. The one her Andrew had placed on her finger five and a half years ago. The one that, until today, she’d never taken off. Then, this happens. She blew a piece of hair out of her face and looked down at their hands. “Now, bring your hand into a fist around it. If it gets away from you, hopefully, I’ll catch it.”

Nick looked up at her and pursed his lips, then nodded silently. The both looked back down and he nervously pulled his fingers in, scraping them along the concrete beneath them. He sucked in a breath as his hand closed around the tiny platinum band and lifted it out of the water. “Got it,” he told her with a smile. With the ring still clenched in the palm of his hand, he stepped carefully out of the water onto the concrete. With his free hand, he reached out for Annie and helped her out of the stream. Then he led them several feet away, just to be safe, before he grabbed her hand, turned her palm upward, and placed the ring in it.

Annie was overcome with emotion. Her breath hitched in her throat and she brought her empty hand up to her mouth as she squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to quell the tears that were suddenly coming hard and fast. Nick watched her uncomfortably for a couple minutes, not quite sure what to do. “Annie?” he asked softly. “Are you okay?”

With her eyes still squeezed shut and tears still flowing, she nodded slowly and threw herself against him, burying her face in his chest. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He instinctively wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. “No problem.”

She clutched his jacket with one hand, still clutching her ring in the other. “I don’t know many men who would have done that for me,” she sobbed.

“I know at least five,” he commented quietly. He brought one hand under chin and turned her face up towards his. “You sure you’re okay?” He brushed a tear away from her cheek with his thumb.

She sniffled and hastily wiped the other side of her face with the back of her hand. “I feel a little ridiculous, actually.”

“Well, don’t. You might feel a little less so if you put your shoes back on, though.” He pointed to where they rested haphazardly near the man-made stream. She gave him a little laugh and marched over to her shoes. He watched her closely, still a little freaked out by her sudden catharsis. “Oh, ouch! We should probably get that cleaned up,” he said, gesturing to her leg

“What?” She looked down and noticed that the jeans over one of her knees was ripped and blood-stained. “Oh. I didn’t even notice it,” she said with a shrug.

“Do you want me to go ask if they have a first aid kit?” Nick nodded his head back towards the building.

“Actually, I have one in my purse in the car. I guess we’re done here, anyway.”

“Of course you do.” Nick gathered their balls and clubs, then pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and handed them to her. “I’ll just take these back and meet you there.”

After returning their balls and putters, he found her sitting sideways on the passenger seat with the car door open, digging through her purse. “A-ha!” She pulled out a little red plastic box and smiled weakly. Nick took the box from her and stooped down on one knee in front of her. He gently rolled up her jeans and tore open an alcohol pad. She hissed in pain as he dabbed at the cut on her knee.

“Sorry. That’s all I saw to clean it with.”

“It’s fine. That’s what I would have used, too.”

“Good to hear you approve, Dr. Morgan.” He chuckled and flashed a smile in her direction, then he went on with applying antibiotic ointment and securing a band-aid over the cut. “All done.”

“Thanks, Nick.” She watched him as he stood up and gasped. “Oh, look at you!”

He placed his hands on his hips and looked down at himself, then shrugged. “So I’m wet....and smurfy. Who knew they actually put dye in that water to make it blue? At least it’s pretty much just on the front, so Brian can’t kill me for ruining his seats.”

“What about the floorboards?” Annie looked down and saw clear plastic floorboard covers. “Oh. Nevermind.” Of course, Leighanne would have insisted on those.

“I’m probably going to need to change before we go to dinner, though,” Nick remarked as he got into the driver’s seat. “That is, if you still want to go.” He noticed she had slipped the ring back on her finger. “I was thinking Olive Garden.”

“Mmm.... I love Olive Garden.”

Nick laughed. “I don’t know a woman who doesn’t, so I figured it was a pretty safe bet. So, we’re still going?”

“Sure. You’re my hero this afternoon, Nick. It’s the least I can do.”

When they got back to Brian’s, Annie could see Leighanne, Baylee, and Drew playing in the backyard, so she went there first. Leighanne looked up at her from where she was rolling a ball back and forth in the grass, startled. “Well, that was quick.”

“We’re going back out, but we needed to come back and change.”

“What happened to your knee?”

“It’s a long story, but essentially, there was this incident that ended with Nick falling in the water at a putt-putt golf course.”

Leighanne winced. “Was it the blue water?” Annie nodded. “I’ll grab his clothes and see what I can do with them while you guys are gone, and I’ll try to get that blood stain out, too.”

“Peroxide works great,” Annie told her as tse gave Drew a hug and a kiss before going back inside to change pants.

“I guess you would know, wouldn’t you?”

Meanwhile, Brian found Nick taking his shoes and socks off at the back door. “What happened to you?”

“It’s a long story. And before you ask, your car’s fine.”

Brian breathed a sigh of relief. “Good to hear. You still taking her to dinner?”

“Yeah. That is if she doesn’t change her mind between now and then.” She slipped past them and his eyes followed her up the stairs.

Up in her room, Annie changed pants quickly, then took a long look at her left hand. She slipped the ring back off and tucked it into the top dresser drawer. After what Nick had done for her today, she felt like she at least owed him that much. He noticed that she’d taken the ring back off when she met him downstairs, but decided not to say anything about it.
_________________________________________________________________

“I didn’t imagine you drank,” Nick remarked as the waiter set Annie’s second sangria of the night on the table.

Annie took a sip then took a bite out of her breadstick and munched on it casually. “”Why do you say that?”

“I don’t know. I mean, Brian drinks. Not often, almost never excessively, and of course I don’t do much of that anymore, but I just figured...” Nick stammered.

She smiled knowingly. “If you’re asking if I think it’s a sin to drink, the answer’s no. I mean Jesus turned water into wine, right?”

“True....”

“But what the bible does is say is not to be a drunkard.”

“Been there,” he muttered.

“So, I will have a drink or two with dinner and let myself loosen up a little. I even have a glass of wine before bed about three nights a week, but I try not to make a habit out of actually getting drunk. It’s not pretty. I lose all my good judgement and inhibitions.”

“Remind me to get you drunk sometime,” Nick joked. “So, are you telling me you feel the need to loosen up a little tonight?” He leaned across the table and smirked at her.

“Truthfully? After what happened at the golf place? Yes,” she said seriously.

“That’s fair.” Nick took a sip of his water and smiled. “So, are you getting dessert?”

Annie groaned and placed her hand on her stomach. “No way. I think I’ve already gone up two pants sizes tonight.” He laughed and asked for the check.

“Thank you for today, Nick. Despite what happened with the ring, I really did have a good time,” Annie told him as they pulled into the Littrells’ driveway a few minutes later.

“I did too, Annie. Thanks for going. I know it wasn’t easy for you.” He turned off the engine and turned to face her.

“Oh my gosh, Nick! Listen!” She leaned forward and turned up the radio volume, happy that the radio in the car they were in was one of those that stayed on until the door was opened. Otherwise, they would have missed it.

Nick curved his lips up into a grin, his face beaming. “Don’t turn away, don’t close the door....” he sang.

Annie watched in awe as he kept singing “Just One Kiss,” even adding in hand motions directed at her and dancing a little in his seat. She stifled a giggle. “Are you seriously jamming out to your own song?”

“Hey, you’ll do it, too, one of these days.” He smiled and finished out the song before stepping out of the car and opening her door for her. She had to admit that he sounded even better in person. He clasped his hand around one of hers as she stepped out of the car and closed the door behind her. He stood facing her and pulled her other hand into his, so that he was holding both of them, and gave her a grin. “So what do you say?”

“About what, Nick?”

“Just one, just one...” he sang with a smirk.

“Oh.” She giggled. “Okay.” She stretched up on her tiptoes, aiming for his cheek, but he turned his head at the last second and captured her lips with his.

“Happy birthday, Annie.”