“Dude, stop staring at my cousins tits, that’s so not cool, I will beat you man, don’t do that, Gabe will kill you, I’m serious.”
Josh looks from Ava’s chest to Lou, back to Ava’s face, he’s blushing the same colour as Ava’s lips and although she now has her back to me, I’m sure she is beet red too, poor thing. Josh takes a pie, mumbles a sorry and a thank you and turns back to his game; Ava turns and starts making her way over to us. “Tell her how nice she looks” I whisper into Gabe’s ear. By the time she gets to us, Ava has only a couple of pies left on the tray, I’m starving but leave the last two for Zac and Gabe, he looks at me. “You sure you don’t want it?”
I shake my head. “You’ve not eaten much all day babe; I don’t want you pas…”
“I’m fine Gabe, honestly.” I interrupt him. Zac is watching us with a little too much interest and I watch his eyes wander from Gabe to my boobs, to my belly. Keeping this pregnancy secret for another four or five weeks is not going to be as easy as I thought.
“I love the dress, you look beautiful Ava” I say, to change the subject.
“Thanks Lauren, I love your outfit too.”
“Both my girls look beautiful tonight, you look gorgeous Ava.” He kisses her on the cheek and as embarrassed as she is, I know she’s also relieved that he hasn’t caused a scene and made her go and change.
We had decided that as soon as everyone was here and had a few drinks, we would announce our engagement to everyone so once the barbie is lit and warming up, a few trays of appetisers have been served and everyone has at least two or three drinks inside them, Gabe pulls me over to an empty spot away from everyone else and calls out for everyone to please be quiet, everyone is looking at us slightly confused as Gabe stands with his arm around me and starts to speak.
“Ten weeks ago, my world was rocked when I walked into the pub for a beer with my brothers and my eyes landed on this short, sexy red head, who at the time was singing into an empty beer bottle to the words of The Clash – Should I Stay Or Should I Go.”
He looks down at me and smiles, I can’t believe he remembers that… I don’t even remember that… It’s probably because of my outstanding vocal skills that it’s stuck in his mind…
“For any of you that have had the pleasure of hearing Lauren sing, I’m sure you are wondering why I didn’t run far, far away.”
“Coz then you noticed what a great rack she had.” Trust Zac.
“Well yeah, there was that too.” Trust Gabe. “But there was so much more; years ago a very wise woman told me that one day I would fall in love and when I did it would be like boom and I would feel like the world was falling out from under me.”
He tilts his beer bottle towards Sam in a cheers gesture. “Well that night ten weeks ago, it happened. At the time, I’ve got to say, I actually thought I was suffering from indigestion, heartburn or food poisoning but I realised within a few short days it was quite possibly love, it had finally happened, after so many years of me thinking that it was something that wasn’t meant to be for me, when I least expected it, that boom happened. Now, you people here are all aware of the circumstances, you all know what an unconventional start we have had to our relationship and you are all aware of what we have been through in just ten short weeks, despite all of that, we are here, now, together, to let all of you, the people we love most in the world, that what we have is forever and I am honoured, privileged and over the fucking moon to be able to share with you all tonight, that Lauren Marie Day has agreed to become my wife.”
There are cheers and tears from all directions, Gabe pulls me into him and slides my ring back onto my finger, I had taken it off earlier because I knew my friends would spot it in an instant, as soon as it’s back on, my eyes search out Ryder but he is already at my side, not only to give me a kiss and a cuddle but also with a man hug and a handshake for Gabe.