The Pick Page 14

  “Sooner the better, Ty,” Kylie said as Ally walked back in the room and said she was ready to go.

  “Sooner the better,” Kylie hollered as Tyson and Ally walked out the door, neither of them acknowledging her plea.

  As Tyson and Ally drove up the canyon, she couldn’t help but be happy. She loved being with Tyson and how he made her feel beautiful even when she didn’t feel beautiful. Even though they had known each other for a long time, they never seemed to get tired of each other and she dreaded having to say goodnight each time he dropped her off at her apartment. She loved each moment that she got to spend with him.

  Tyson pulled off the road into a little clearing and helped Ally out of his truck. He told Ally to close her eyes and she could hear him moving things around in the truck bed. Eventually, he walked back over to where Ally was and led her to where he had laid out a picnic.

  “One of my favorite memories is when you brought a picnic to my apartment. That night I realized that you hadn’t given up on me and I am so grateful that you didn’t. You helped me see that I could balance everything in my life. That is one of the reasons I love you. You are my rock.”

  For a brief moment, Ally couldn’t help but think that Tyson was going to propose. But instead he helped her into the back of the truck and once they were settled Tyson pulled out Village Baker sandwiches and a bottle of sparkling cider.

  “Don’t worry, I opened the sparkling cider a couple of days ago,” Tyson said with a wink.

  “Good. That’s the way I like it,” Ally said as she laughed away her hopes that Tyson was going to propose.

  Once they had finished eating, Tyson pulled a book out of the picnic basket. “Remember that book of emails I made for my mom for Mother’s Day?”

  Ally nodded her head.

  “Well I made one for you too, except it has just the emails between you and me.”

  “Really?” Ally asked as she scooted over next to Tyson and grabbed the book from his hands. “This is such a wonderful gift. Thank you!”

  They settled against a pillow Tyson had brought along and they both skimmed through the emails.

  “This is my favorite email,” Tyson pointed out. Ally noticed that it was the email she had sent in the middle of the night when she couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed to write Tyson. “I hadn’t gotten an email from you in months. Then this email came at the time when I needed it the most. I was so discouraged and well, you know the rest.”

  Ally couldn’t help but feel her stomach turn at the real reason why she hadn’t written during those months. Justin. She didn’t want to tell Tyson about him, but she knew that she needed to.

  “Ty?” Ally asked. “I need to tell you why I didn’t write you during those months.”

  She started to explain when Tyson interrupted her. “It’s okay, Ally. You don’t have to explain.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “No, it’s okay. I already know.”

  “You know?” Ally said with obvious relief in her voice as she looked up at Tyson.

  He shook his head. “Some of the guys on the football team told me.”

  “They did?” Ally asked.

  Tyson nodded his head.

  “And you aren’t mad?”

  “No, I’m not mad. That is, unless you still have feelings for him.”

  “You have my whole heart, Ty.”

  “Then I don’t have any reason to be mad.”

  “You’re sure?” Ally asked still a little suspicious.

  “Yes,” Tyson laughed. “I promise.” As Tyson kissed her, she felt relieved to know that he already knew and he still loved her.

  That night when Ally got home, the first thing Kylie asked when she walked in the door was if Ally had told Tyson about Justin.

  “Ya, he said that he already knew. Can you believe that? Here I was worried about how Tyson would react and he knew all along.”

  “Wow,” Kylie said surprised that Tyson wasn’t even a little upset over it. “I didn’t realize that he knew either. But at least you know that he knows, right?”

  Ally sighed. “Yes, it feels great.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Over the next month, Tyson took Ally around on dates reminiscing about his favorite memories of Ally and he always told her something that he loved about her. Each time, Ally got her hopes up but the proposal never came. Other times they went on double dates with Kylie and David who were getting pretty serious. However, she had a feeling that tonight’s date was going to be different than the others.

  “Kylie, does my dress look okay? Does my hair look okay?” Ally took a deep breath. “Do these shoes look okay?”

  “Yes, Ally you look fine. Tyson would like what you were wearing even if it was sweats.” Kylie turned around in her desk chair.

  “Okay,” Ally said as she turned back toward the mirror and wiped her sweaty hands on her dress.

  “Why are you so nervous?” Kylie asked. “It’s not like this is your first date with Tyson.”

  Ally put a little more hairspray in her hair. “Well, I just think that maybe he might propose tonight.”

  “And why do you think that he will propose tonight?”

  “Because he told me to get all dressed up.”

  “That seems like a dead giveaway…” Kylie said as she rolled her eyes. “Anyways, I’ve got to go. I’m meeting David at the movie theatre.”

  “Maybe there is a proposal in store for you too?”

  “At the movies? I doubt it. Plus, I really hope he proposes somewhere better than a movie theatre,” Kylie said as she grabbed her purse. “But I hope Tyson does propose tonight, Al. Good luck.”

  Ally looked at herself in the mirror again. It was the best she had time for since Tyson was picking her up any minute. She paced into the kitchen and back to her room, as the butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She didn’t know why she was so nervous. This was what she had been waiting for and wanting more than anything for almost 2 years. She reached for her phone hoping a distraction would keep her mind occupied. Ally picked up the phone just as she received a text from Tyson.

  “I’m running late, I was helping my dad move some things. Will you meet me downtown? Park in the City Creek parking and text me when you get there.”

  “Okay.” Ally pushed send as she felt the disappointment creep in. Maybe he wasn’t going to propose after all. Plus, Kylie didn’t know anything about the proposal. Tyson would have told her, gotten her involved. He knew that Ally wanted their families to be there.

  A couple of seconds later, Tyson sent her directions to the parking lot. She smiled. At least he knew that she was directionally challenged.

  Tyson breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Kylie round the corner. She waved when she saw him. He mentally checked off everyone who was there. Ally’s family, his family, and David were all standing around him waiting for the signal to hide. He patted his suit pocket for the millionth time to make sure the ring was there.

  “You ready?” Kylie asked when she reached him.

  “Ya. I think so. Does she have any idea?”

  “You mean does she hope you are going to propose tonight? Of course she does. She has been waiting for this day for months,” Kylie responded with a laugh as she straightened his tie.

  Tyson felt his phone vibrate and his stomach turned in a knot.

  “She’s here,” Tyson said, as he read Ally’s text. His entourage scattered to their hiding spots. He quickly sent the text he had drafted giving her step by step directions to the location where he was standing with the Salt Lake Temple in the background. All Tyson had left to do was remember to breath and ask the most important question of his life.

  Ally opened Tyson’s text and the butterflies in her stomach made an encore. Maybe tonight was finally the night. She quickly locked her car and headed toward the nearest elevator. Once she got out of the elevator she read Tyson’s text again.

  “When you exit the elevator, turn right and take approximately 15 st
eps until you reach a green bush. You might find something special there.”

  Ally only took about 8 steps before seeing the bush and something red in it. She walked as quickly as she could, considering the fact that she was wearing high heels, and pulled the red rose out of the bush.

  “Now continue straight until you come to a post with directions.”

  The post was only a few yards away with a rose at the base. Ally bent down and picked up the rose. She continued following the directions until she found herself on Temple Square with more than half a dozen roses in her hand.

  She was a bundle of nerves as she read the last sentence of the text. “Walk toward the temple until you reach the first opportunity you have to turn right. But turn left instead. I’ll be there waiting for you.”

  Ally kept glancing to the right for the designated turn off. Once she reached it, she took a couple steps to the right just to make sure it was really a sidewalk that went to the right and not just an entrance to a building that was set back further than the rest. She read the text one more time then turned around and headed in the opposite direction.

  She didn’t make it far before she heard someone calling her name. Ally stopped and looked around to see who it was. She had to blink twice to make sure she was seeing correctly. Justin Hawthorne was jogging toward her.

  Ally found herself frozen in place. What was he doing here?

  Before Ally could say anything, Justin swept Ally up in a hug and swung her around in a circle. “What are you doing here?” Ally asked flustered as Justin set her down.

  “My family and I are going to Brio. I sent you an email to tell you that we were going there for dinner once I made it off the plane and got released.”

  “You got home today?” Ally asked still trying to process what was happening.

  “Ya, I sent you an email that you obviously didn’t get. Anyways, we can talk more about all that later. Come eat with us,” Justin pressured as she recognized his parents approaching.

  “I can’t,” Ally stuttered. “I’m…” And with that Justin leaned in so quickly Ally couldn’t pull away. His quick motions had Ally feeling like she was going to fall as he dipped her and planted a kiss on her lips. She instinctively threw her arm around Justin’s neck to keep her balance. His strong grip on her made it so she couldn’t pull away even though she tried.

  After what seemed like an eternity, he finally pulled her upright and let go. He tucked a piece of hair behind Ally’s ear as he walked past her. “I’ll text you.”

  Ally felt like she was rooted in her spot. What had just happened? Why did Justin have to come home today? She glanced at the roses. He had just ruined her perfect day. But Tyson was expecting her. She untucked the hair behind her ear, straightened the flowers in her hand, then walked toward the spot where she was hoping to start the rest of her life with Tyson.

  Tyson felt like he was going to throw up. He was grateful that there was a bench next to him, as he sat down to steady himself. He placed the single rose he was holding in his hand on the bench, and rested his elbows on his knees. He placed his hands behind his head to try to get the nausea to pass.

  He couldn’t decipher between his emotions as the feelings of anger, confusion, sadness, jealousy, and hurt tore through his body. All he knew was that he had just seen the person he hated the most, make-out with his soon-to-be fiancée, and she had let him kiss her. She hadn’t done anything to stop it. He was rubbing the back of his neck when he heard her approach.

  “Ty, are you okay?”

  As he looked up at the person he thought he wanted to spend forever with, the feelings of betrayal and anger surfaced.

  “I don’t know. How would you be feeling if you just saw the person you were going to propose to making out with some other guy?”

  Ally took a deep breath and looked away for a moment before looking back at Tyson to see that his head was down again. “I wasn’t making out with him.”

  Tyson’s head shot up with piercing eyes. “It sure looked like it to me.”

  “He kissed me, I promise. I couldn’t pull away… I’m sorry,” Ally said as she touched Tyson’s shoulder.

  He bolted up and stepped away from Ally as if her touch had been fire. “And Justin of all people. You know how I feel about him!”

  “You said you knew,” Ally said quietly as the tears threatened.

  “How would I know that you were dating someone behind my back?”

  “I’m not, Ty. He just got home to…”

  “I thought you loved me! I thought you wanted to spend forever with me. I was going to ask you to marry me tonight,” Tyson said as he ran his hand through his hair.

  Tears rolled down Ally’s cheeks. “I do love you, Ty. Please, just let me explain.”

  “Actions speak louder than words. And to be honest Ally, I’ve seen enough.”

  Tyson stormed off past Ally heading in the direction of the parking garage. Ally ran after him, slipping off her high heels in the process. They were only holding her back.

  “Ty. Please. Wait. Ty,” Ally called after him, drawing the suspicious eyes of those around her.

  Tyson turned around with such abruptness that Ally almost ran into him. “Ally, I….” Tyson paused searching for the right words. “I can’t. Please don’t follow me.” Tyson turned back around and left Ally watching him until he turned the corner.

  Ally couldn’t go to her car, because it was the same direction Tyson went when he asked her not to follow. She found herself walking back to the spot where Tyson was going to propose to her. The tears fell silently as she noticed the rose that was still lying on the bench. She picked it up as she sat down and added it to her bouquet of flowers while she replayed the night over and over in her head.

  Two people sat down on either side of her. Ally realized it was her parents as her mom wrapped her arms around her.

  “Why did he have to be here?” Ally cried.

  “I don’t know, sweetheart,” Mrs. Parker consoled. “I know that you were worried about this happening. I don’t think any of us expected for the two of you to bump into each other tonight, and especially here of all places.”

  “You know I stopped writing him, right? I haven’t written him in months. I thought he could take a hint.”

  “I know,” Ally’s mom said.

  “Just give Tyson some time,” Ally’s dad said as he patted her knee. “He’ll come around.”

  Ally didn’t know how long she sat there until her dad suggested that she sleep at their house tonight. He would drive Ally’s car and she could ride with her mom. Ally agreed and soon she was tucked into her childhood bed. She had a pounding headache from crying and even though she kept replaying the night over and over in her head, she fell asleep quickly.

  She woke up the next morning with a tear stained pillow and her hair stuck to her face. Ally grabbed her phone to see what time it was, 10:30 a.m. She couldn’t believe she had slept so long. There were 8 missed phone calls and about twenty texts from Kylie asking Ally if she was all right.

  “I ended up staying the night at my parents. Sorry.”

  Kylie quickly responded. “You had me worried when you didn’t come home. But I’m so sorry. Let me know if I can do anything at all.”

  “Thanks, but I think I will just spend today at my parents.”

  “Okay, I understand. I’ll see you later.”

  Ally double checked to make sure that there wasn’t anything from Tyson. After a stop in the bathroom, Ally went out to the kitchen to find her mom making hash browns and the smell of cinnamon rolls filled the air. It wasn’t the typical breakfast, but she was touched that her mom made her two favorite breakfast foods even though they didn’t go together.

  “Good morning, Ally. How are you feeling?” Mrs. Parker asked as she hugged her daughter.

  “Wishing this was all a nightmare. But it seems that my tear ducts have dried up for now. So at least there’s that,” Ally responded.

  Ally spent the rest of Sa
turday lounging around the house. She watched a couple of movies. Got pampered by her mom and tried to avoid looking at her phone. Randomly, tears would escape, but she couldn’t help it. She felt horrible.

  She knew she couldn’t bear to see Tyson in church tomorrow, so she texted Kylie to let her know that she was going to stay another night at her parents. Tyson had asked for space, and even though she was worried that she might lose him completely, she was going to do her best to make sure he had time to sort things out.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Sunday morning, Tyson was awakened by Kylie turning on the lights and yanking the covers off his bed.

  “I’ve been worried sick about you and so have Mom and Dad. You don’t answer our texts or our phone calls. Luckily, David here is your roommate so at least he told me you were breathing.”

  “Sorry bro, she was determined,” David apologized from the doorway.

  “Now get up and get ready for church,” Kylie demanded.

  Tyson pulled the pillow over his head to block out the light. “I don’t want to,” he mumbled under the pillow.

  “What?” Kylie asked.

  “I don’t want to go.” Tyson surprised himself by how loudly it came out once his voice was no longer muffled by the pillow.

  “Why not?” Kylie challenged. It wasn’t the first time they had had argued as siblings.

  “I can’t.”

  “I see no reason why you can’t. You still have two legs and you’re still alive. What seems to be the issue?”

  “She’ll be there.” Tyson was regretting his decision to find an apartment in the same ward as Ally. He could be living in the nice on-campus housing with the some of the football team.

  “No, actually, she won’t be there. She’s at her parents. You have 10 minutes,” Kylie said as she stormed out of the room and shut the door behind her.

  Tyson sat up and rubbed his hand over his face. He walked to the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. He put some gel in his hair to calm the wild. Who cared if he showered? 5 minutes later he was in the car, wishing he was still in bed.