Chapter Nineteen - A stranger...
1410 Words
Ryker
Alena and I were in the hotel room, getting ready for our celebration dinner tonight. It would be good for us to have a break and enjoy a night off and finally get to celebrate our engagement. As we were getting ready, there was a knock at the door. I let Alena pull a dressing down on before answering.
I opened to see Natalie standing there.
“Can I talk to you both for a minute?” She asked.
I nodded, stepping aside and letting her come in, and she closed the door.
“Is everything OK?” I asked.
“Do you know that name, Jonah Briggs?” She asked.
“No, should I?” I asked.
“He is the one that has been texting you,” She said.
“Could he be a fan or something?” Alena asked.
“We aren’t sure as of yet. All we know is his name, and that he stays in L.A, it is still being looked into. He doesn’t seem to have any social media so we can’t even find him that way,” She said.
Jonah Briggs? That doesn’t even ring a bell. I have not heard that name before. I racked my brain over and over again, but no matter how much I thought about it, nothing came.
“What happens next?” Alena asked.
“As for right now, nothing, until we find out more,” Natalie said,” The moment I hear anything, I will let you know,” She added.
“Thank you,” I sighed, sitting on the bed.
We had a name, but we were still no further along it would seem.
“I know it doesn’t seem like much, Ryker, but we were one step closer than what we were,” Natalie said, “But, tonight isn’t about any of that, it is about you two and the engagement, so don’t think about it,” She added.
Alena and I nodded. Natalie headed out and let us get back to getting ready.
“You OK, my love?” Alena asked, kneeling behind me and nuzzling my neck.
I turned around to face her. She looked as worried as I felt.
“I don’t know,” I said, “I have not heard that name, and it is bothering me that it may be a complete stranger doing this,” I added.
“I know, but at least they have a name, with that hopefully we can get to the bottom of it all,” She said, kissing me softly.
I kissed her back, for a moment and pulled away.
“Hopefully, but tonight isn’t about that,” I said, “Let’s forget it for now,” I added, smiling.
Alena agreed with me. I wasn’t letting that bastard ruin anything for us. Whoever he was! I pushed it all to the back of my head and got up from the bed. Tonight was all about Alena and me.
We finished up getting ready, as we were meeting everyone soon to head out. We were booked into one of the best restaurants in town, and then hitting the bars and clubs after. We were going to make a night of it.
“How do I look?” Alena asked from behind.
I turned around, and my jaw about hit the floor, and my eyes went wide. She looked absolutely stunning! She had a beautiful red dress that hugged her body in all the right ways. It wasn’t too tight, but she honestly looked incredible in.
“Wow! You look beautiful, more than beautiful,” I smiled.
“Aww, thank you, babe,” She cooed, “And you look very handsome,” She added, smiling brightly and pecked my lips.
I will be the envy of many men tonight with Alena on my hip. And I will probably be as smug as heck when that happens.
“Thanks, sweetheart,” I smiled, “Shall we go?” I added.
Alena smiled, and I slipped my hand into her, and we headed down to the lobby to meet everyone else. Everyone seemed to be on a high, all happy of a day off, I believe. I smiled as I listened to them all chatting and laughing. I don’t know where I would be without any of them. They had become the family that I did not have and craved when I was a child.
We greeted everyone, and all piled out, heading to the waiting cars. I was looking forward to the night. I think we all were.
***
Everyone was seated, and the waiting staff were pouring us all a glass of champagne to start the night off, before leaving us to it, until we were ready to order.
“To Ryker and Alena, congratulations on the engagement, and we wish you all the best,” Natalie said, raising her glass, “And to the proof that miracles can happen,” She added, laughing at the last part.
By that she means, she didn’t think she would ever see the day I would get into a relationship, never mind fall in love and be engaged to be married. I guess everyone believed the same, and until Alena, I thought it too.
Everyone raised their glasses, cheering us.
“Thanks, everyone,” I smiled.
Alena was giggling and blushing because she wasn’t one for having so much attention on herself. I was used to it, so I was OK with it. I chuckled, wrapping my arm around her and pulling her into me.
“Thank you, everyone,” Alena said softly.
“So when is the wedding?” Maddie asked.
“They haven’t been engaged even a week, give them time,” Natalie laughed.
“We don’t have an exact date, but next year for sure,” I smiled.
“Yes, that gives us time after the tour comes to an end to plan,” Alena said, “We don’t want anything too big and fancy, something simple and beautiful,” She added.
“We still need to look into venues and things, but we will do that soon,” I smiled.
“It will come around in no time,” Natalie smiled.
I hope so. I don’t want the next year to drag in. I would marry Alena tomorrow if I could, but there is a lot to do before that can happen. That is alright, though. The only thing that matters than within the next year or so, Alena will be my wife, which is enough to keep me a happy man.
“And then, babies?” Maddie asked.
“Yes,” Alena and I said in sync.
“Yay!” Maddie said, excited.
I was glad that everyone was happy for us. It made everything that much better. I kissed the top of Alena’s head, and she looked up at me, that beautiful smile pressing on her lips.
“I love you,” I said, pecking her lips.
“I love you too,” She said.
We heard everyone gush and coo. We choose to ignore them. You would think they would be used to us by now. It has been months. I am sure they will stop it eventually.
Alena rested her head on my shoulder, and I kept my arm around her. We all got chatting about the wedding, the rest of the tour and all the plans for tonight.
I was a lucky guy to have all these people around me. I just wish it didn’t take me so long to realise it. I think it was only when I fell in love with Alena and changed my way it opened my eyes to how lucky I was. I don’t know how they have all stuck by me after some of the crap that I have pulled.
That was then, and this is now. The past doesn’t matter. I wasn’t that person anymore, and I don’t plan on ever going back to being that person. I have too much to lose now. I have reasons to fight the demons now.
Tonight was a celebrating of all of that.
- Writer
