"This is a ridiculous seating plan."

Nathan turned to his disgruntled friend, Vren Parkinson next to him whose gaze longingly dragged over to the women's table. "It's fine."

"It's not." His cousin, Spencer, gulps down his wine.

Christian raises his glasses. "Hear hear."

Nathan glances around the sea of guests huddled on their own designated table. His eyes wandered over to Chassie two tables away. Starlet had been too eager to take charge on the seating arrangement for their parents' wedding anniversary. But it doesn't mean he agreed to look longingly toward Chassie the entire evening.

Their table had been Christian, Vren and his cousins Spencer, Reese, Colin and Walsh. They weren't great conversationalists, but he wasn't one to complain. He liked his cousins that way.

"This is fine if you don't want to get laid tonight." Colin sighed.

Reese drummed his fingers on the table. "I agree with you."

Nathan feels a jab on his elbow.

"Nathan won't agree to that." Vren wags his brows at him.

A smile crept up to his face, his eyes finding their rightful place. "No, I actually have other plans tonight."

Chassie meets his gaze, smiling with the most beautiful smile he's ever seen. Her hair was curled into soft waves around her slim shoulders, her makeup emphasizing her eyes more and her lips he'd like to kiss senseless.

He watched her put on her makeup earlier tonight. He also watched in great torment as she put on a dress he so badly wanted to take back off again. It was a dress with the right cut, right slit, right fit – hell, he's crazy about her.

Chassie then turns to Ethan on his grandparents' table. Both of their parents and siblings had been taking turns spoiling him rotten. He didn't mind though. It meant he had a lot more time with Chassie.

A server approaches her table with Kathie, Julie Montgomery, Andrei, France, Summer and Starlet. They all plucked red from the tray. Chassie refuses with a subtle shake of her head.

Nathan waited until a slow song came on – an excuse for couples to stand at least less than a foot next to each other without getting the stink eye from Starlet.

He stood up and walked toward their table, ignoring the crowing noises the guys made behind his back. He weaved through some guests making their way to the dance floor. And bumped with one of the servers. Annnnddd, unfortunately, knocked out a half empty glass on the tray, sloshing wine to his suit jacket.

Chassie who had sensed him coming over, stood up quickly from her chair and made her way to him. The server was jabbering away profuse apologies when she was finally in earshot.

"It's okay," he murmurs.

The server paled at the gorgeous woman putting her hand over her shoulder. Chassie smiles politely at her. "It's fine. Happens all the time," she glances down to her nametag, "Lily."

The latter flushed. She says another apology, offering to be of service but Chassie declined. When the server disappeared through a throng of crowd, Nathan finally had her full attention.

"Let's see what we can do about this stain." Her fingers traced the red spill of wine on his chest.

His lips twitched up as he closes his hand around her wrist. "Can we do it in private?"

"Nathan," she feigned a scandalized gasp, "we're at your parents' party."

He brings her hand to his lips. "Just let me take you away for a minute."

Chassie looks briefly over her shoulder. "Okay. I need to take these heels off anyway."

Moments later, they're at the bathroom of his old bedroom, both concluding the jacket is irreversibly stained.

"Maybe you can just not wear the jacket. And let's get rid of this bowtie." Her fingers unloop his tie. "You already look hot without it anyway."

Nathan gives her a crooked grin. "You find me hot?"

She leans in and kisses his nose. "You know you're hot, Nathaniel Forester. Modesty doubles it a thousandfold though."

His hand lodged on the small of her back. "Well, I'm thoroughly pleased that my girlfriend finds me hot."

She giggles, her arms going around his neck. Her fingers played with his hair, stopping when her phone rings. She looks over to the opened bathroom door and to his bedroom where she left her purse. "I have to get that."

"You're going to leave me all alone in here?"

"Yes, baby. Don't be too lonely." She rolled to her toes and peck on his nose.

Nathan stared after her. He took off his suit jacket, his hand going to the pocket of his pants. The Tiffany box felt enormous in his palm. As enormous as the courage he had to muster to pop the question. He planned on proposing tonight. He just doesn't know when the right time was or where the right place was.

It has to be right.

With his hand still in his pocket, he padded quietly to his bedroom where his parents kept it the way he left it. He leaned on the doorjamb and regarded his room with deep nostalgia. Everywhere he turns there was Chassie, the memories they built, the kisses they shared and the love they made.

Chassie's quiet laugh rippled through his fuzzy thoughts.

She was sitting on the edge of his bed like all those years ago. She ended the call and looks at him, a soft smile on her inviting mouth. She was his old Chassie, and so much more. she was then and now.

"Why are you staring?" Her head tilted to one side.

"Because you're worth staring at," he murmurs.

She made a face. "Can we stay here for a while?"

"What do you have in mind?" He teases.

"Taking these shoes off." She bats her lashes before reaching down to unstrap her heels.

Nathan strolls toward the bed, bending low to help her with the straps. When they were off, he looks up.

She stares down to him, her hair cascading down her shoulders like a river in perfect harmony. Her hazel eyes were soft and warm, the smile on her lips breathtaking.

Then it hit him.

He swallowed. "Chassie, marry me again?"

Chassie lets out a laugh but froze as soon as he dug his pocket for the ring and opened the tiny box. Her wide-eyed gaze was torn between his face and the diamond ring. "Oh, my gosh."

"That's not a no, right?" He asks, suddenly nervous.

Chassie lurched forward and flung her arms around his neck, propelling him all the way down to the floor with her straddling his lap. "It's a yes, Nathan."

"So, yes?"

She nods, offering him her ring finger. "Always."

He slid the ring to her delicate finger, planting a kiss on her knuckle. "God, I love you so much."

"I love you too. I have no culinary skills so I'm assuming it's my charming personality that did it."

"It's all you. All good and bad," he says.

"Especially my terrible culinary skills?"

"Especially that one." He slipped her fingers underneath her chin and tipped her face toward him. He kisses her, slowly, deliberately like he has all the time in the world.