Post by onyxfyrefly on Mar 29, 2012 6:57:25 GMT -5
The tour was finally over for the year and everyone was ready to head home and spend the holidays with their families. Once again Sharon had planned a huge wrap party that also doubled as a Christmas party since everyone would be going their separate ways soon.
By some unspoken agreement the cast and crew had decided to go all out and were dressed to the nines. Cori had shoved Ryan out of her hotel room earlier when he had tried to sneak a peak at her dress, laughing and telling him that it was nothing special.
“Nothing special my left foot!” exclaimed Julianne after seeing Cori’s outfit. The dancer wore a form fitting floor length dress that was black with a silver detailing draped over it. She had pulled her hair into a smooth bun on the side of her head and woven an antique comb Ryan had given her for her birthday through it.
“Please, it’s nice but it’s not much. You on the other hand will be prying them off tonight!” Julie wore a strapless coral colored dress that showed off her lean figure and made her blue eyes sparkle.
“So will you! And I don’t think that Ryan will like that!” the blonde dancer said with a wink.
Cori rolled her eyes then grabbed her purse to head downstairs. Unlike the previous wrap party, this one was in the style of a sit down dinner. There was a DJ and there would be dancing later, but Sharon wanted to make sure that everyone had a chance to eat and mingle before being deafened by the music.
Cori had just reached the table when someone gently grabbed her arm. Turning she met Ryan’s smile with her own. The singer had on a simple black suit with a gorgeous mint green shirt that made his eyes glow. A blush tinted her cheeks when she felt him slowly take in her outfit.
“You look amazing,” he said when leaning in to gently kiss her.
“Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself.”
Ryan smiled and pulled her chair out for her. They were joined by Neil, Ruth, Declan and Brendan a few minutes later and soon they were all chatting about their plans for the break. Everyone was heading home but Cori and Ryan were going to make a stop in New York for about a week before flying out to Ireland for the holidays.
As Cori talked excitedly about the wonders of New York at Christmas Ryan felt himself falling in love with her all over again. She was beautiful, smart, and acted like a three year old when she got excited about something. Her eyes would light up and she would sometimes bounce in her seat, unable to hide her excitement. After watching her for a moment Ryan smiled, he knew this was right.
He waited until there was a lull in the conversation before gently covering her hand with his. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
A slight frown appeared and she nodded. “Sure.” He led her away from the tables so he could be heard and tried to ignore the several sets of eyes that followed them.
Cori took his hands in hers, unnerved by the fact that they were trembling slightly. “Is everything okay? You’re shaking.”
Ryan nodded and forced himself to take a deep breath. “I’m fine, I just wanted to ask you something.”
“Of course.”
“I wanted to know if you’d come to Ireland with me for the holidays.”
Cori laughed and shook her head. “What are you talking about? I agreed to go with you weeks ago!”
“Well…I was wondering if you’d agree to go not as my girlfriend, but as my fiancé.”
As he spoke the last words he sank down onto one knee. Cori gasped and her hands flew to cover her mouth, her eyes widening.
“Cori, I have loved you practically from the day I met you. You are the most beautiful, talented, brilliant woman I have ever met and I can’t imagine living another day without you by my side. I know we’ve had to start from scratch but every tear and every heartache was worth it. I want to wake up to your smile every day and I want to be there for you like you have always been there for me. Cori Rea Johnson, will you marry me?”
Neither one realized that everyone in the room was staring at them and the room was so silent that you could hear a pin drop.
Cori forced herself to breathe at Ryan’s words. He loved her? And he wanted to marry her? The very thought was absurd but it made her stomach do flips none the less. After what seemed like an eternity she tried to speak but nothing came out. Instead she nodded her head, slowly at first, then vigorously as a smile threatened to crack her face in two.
“Yes!” she finally rasped. “Yes, of course, yes!”
Ryan felt tears sting his eyes as he slid the ring onto her finger. She had once confided in him that she didn’t really like diamonds, she liked stones with personality. He had remembered that when he had picked out the ring. The band was a white gold braid with a large ruby, her favorite stone, surrounded by tiny pieces of sparkling onyx.
Ryan started to stand but Cori slid to her knees, her arms wrapping around him as their lips met in a tender kiss. “I love you,” she whispered, her voice thick with tears.
“I love you so much,” Ryan replied before kissing her again. Pulling away he held her close until he heard a roar in the background. Lifting his head he was amazed to see that everyone in the room was on their feet cheering, clapping, and even a few were crying.
Ducking his head he shakily stood and helped Cori to her feet. Grinning with joy he picked her up and spun her around before kissing her soundly. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him and gently ran a hand through his hair. “Do we have to face them?” she asked with a sly smile after realizing that they had an audience.
“Nope, we can slip out the back and run off.”
“Run away into the night?” she asked while raising an eyebrow.
Ryan laughed and hugged her close before turning to face the crowd of people. Immediately they were surrounded by those who wanted to wish them well. Cori flew into Neil’s arms and was surprised to see he was brushing a few tears away. “You were in on it, weren’t you?” she accused.
“Guilty as charged. We all were and you have no idea how hard it was to keep Damian’s mouth shut.”
Cori laughed and hugged the guitarist tightly. “I will never be able to thank you enough, Neil, for everything that you’ve done for me.”
Neil smiled and kissed her cheek. “Just promise me one thing.”
“Anything.”
“You’ll save a dance for me at the wedding.”
Cori smiled and kissed his cheek in return. “I’ll save you two dances.”
Reluctantly Neil let her go and she was swept away in the madness once more. After what seemed like an eternity Cori had been hugged and kissed by everyone in the room and Ryan’s hand had been shaken at least a million times. Sitting down at the table Ryan pulled Cori onto his lap with a roguish grin.
She giggled then finally took a good look at her ring. It wasn’t your typical engagement ring but for her it was perfect. “It’s engraved,” Ryan purred into her ear and she slowly slipped the ring off. In simple slanted lettering the word “Forever” was cut into the metal.
Sliding the ring back on Cori turned her head to kiss Ryan once more, her eyes shining with fresh tears. After a long moment they heard someone clinking their knife against their glass. Looking up, the couple smiled when George stood and grabbed a microphone in one hand and his drink in the other.
“I would like to propose a toast. I know the relationship between you two has often been difficult but that is good. It shows that your love is strong and you can overcome any obstacle in your path. You two have one heck of a rollercoaster ride ahead of you so hold on tight but believe me it is worth every moment. I wish you all of the love and happiness in the world.” Holding his glass high the Scotsman roared, “To Cori and Ryan!” The group echoed his sentiments and toasted the couple, whooping when Cori leaned down and kissed Ryan until he blushed.
By some unspoken agreement the cast and crew had decided to go all out and were dressed to the nines. Cori had shoved Ryan out of her hotel room earlier when he had tried to sneak a peak at her dress, laughing and telling him that it was nothing special.
“Nothing special my left foot!” exclaimed Julianne after seeing Cori’s outfit. The dancer wore a form fitting floor length dress that was black with a silver detailing draped over it. She had pulled her hair into a smooth bun on the side of her head and woven an antique comb Ryan had given her for her birthday through it.
“Please, it’s nice but it’s not much. You on the other hand will be prying them off tonight!” Julie wore a strapless coral colored dress that showed off her lean figure and made her blue eyes sparkle.
“So will you! And I don’t think that Ryan will like that!” the blonde dancer said with a wink.
Cori rolled her eyes then grabbed her purse to head downstairs. Unlike the previous wrap party, this one was in the style of a sit down dinner. There was a DJ and there would be dancing later, but Sharon wanted to make sure that everyone had a chance to eat and mingle before being deafened by the music.
Cori had just reached the table when someone gently grabbed her arm. Turning she met Ryan’s smile with her own. The singer had on a simple black suit with a gorgeous mint green shirt that made his eyes glow. A blush tinted her cheeks when she felt him slowly take in her outfit.
“You look amazing,” he said when leaning in to gently kiss her.
“Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself.”
Ryan smiled and pulled her chair out for her. They were joined by Neil, Ruth, Declan and Brendan a few minutes later and soon they were all chatting about their plans for the break. Everyone was heading home but Cori and Ryan were going to make a stop in New York for about a week before flying out to Ireland for the holidays.
As Cori talked excitedly about the wonders of New York at Christmas Ryan felt himself falling in love with her all over again. She was beautiful, smart, and acted like a three year old when she got excited about something. Her eyes would light up and she would sometimes bounce in her seat, unable to hide her excitement. After watching her for a moment Ryan smiled, he knew this was right.
He waited until there was a lull in the conversation before gently covering her hand with his. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
A slight frown appeared and she nodded. “Sure.” He led her away from the tables so he could be heard and tried to ignore the several sets of eyes that followed them.
Cori took his hands in hers, unnerved by the fact that they were trembling slightly. “Is everything okay? You’re shaking.”
Ryan nodded and forced himself to take a deep breath. “I’m fine, I just wanted to ask you something.”
“Of course.”
“I wanted to know if you’d come to Ireland with me for the holidays.”
Cori laughed and shook her head. “What are you talking about? I agreed to go with you weeks ago!”
“Well…I was wondering if you’d agree to go not as my girlfriend, but as my fiancé.”
As he spoke the last words he sank down onto one knee. Cori gasped and her hands flew to cover her mouth, her eyes widening.
“Cori, I have loved you practically from the day I met you. You are the most beautiful, talented, brilliant woman I have ever met and I can’t imagine living another day without you by my side. I know we’ve had to start from scratch but every tear and every heartache was worth it. I want to wake up to your smile every day and I want to be there for you like you have always been there for me. Cori Rea Johnson, will you marry me?”
Neither one realized that everyone in the room was staring at them and the room was so silent that you could hear a pin drop.
Cori forced herself to breathe at Ryan’s words. He loved her? And he wanted to marry her? The very thought was absurd but it made her stomach do flips none the less. After what seemed like an eternity she tried to speak but nothing came out. Instead she nodded her head, slowly at first, then vigorously as a smile threatened to crack her face in two.
“Yes!” she finally rasped. “Yes, of course, yes!”
Ryan felt tears sting his eyes as he slid the ring onto her finger. She had once confided in him that she didn’t really like diamonds, she liked stones with personality. He had remembered that when he had picked out the ring. The band was a white gold braid with a large ruby, her favorite stone, surrounded by tiny pieces of sparkling onyx.
Ryan started to stand but Cori slid to her knees, her arms wrapping around him as their lips met in a tender kiss. “I love you,” she whispered, her voice thick with tears.
“I love you so much,” Ryan replied before kissing her again. Pulling away he held her close until he heard a roar in the background. Lifting his head he was amazed to see that everyone in the room was on their feet cheering, clapping, and even a few were crying.
Ducking his head he shakily stood and helped Cori to her feet. Grinning with joy he picked her up and spun her around before kissing her soundly. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him and gently ran a hand through his hair. “Do we have to face them?” she asked with a sly smile after realizing that they had an audience.
“Nope, we can slip out the back and run off.”
“Run away into the night?” she asked while raising an eyebrow.
Ryan laughed and hugged her close before turning to face the crowd of people. Immediately they were surrounded by those who wanted to wish them well. Cori flew into Neil’s arms and was surprised to see he was brushing a few tears away. “You were in on it, weren’t you?” she accused.
“Guilty as charged. We all were and you have no idea how hard it was to keep Damian’s mouth shut.”
Cori laughed and hugged the guitarist tightly. “I will never be able to thank you enough, Neil, for everything that you’ve done for me.”
Neil smiled and kissed her cheek. “Just promise me one thing.”
“Anything.”
“You’ll save a dance for me at the wedding.”
Cori smiled and kissed his cheek in return. “I’ll save you two dances.”
Reluctantly Neil let her go and she was swept away in the madness once more. After what seemed like an eternity Cori had been hugged and kissed by everyone in the room and Ryan’s hand had been shaken at least a million times. Sitting down at the table Ryan pulled Cori onto his lap with a roguish grin.
She giggled then finally took a good look at her ring. It wasn’t your typical engagement ring but for her it was perfect. “It’s engraved,” Ryan purred into her ear and she slowly slipped the ring off. In simple slanted lettering the word “Forever” was cut into the metal.
Sliding the ring back on Cori turned her head to kiss Ryan once more, her eyes shining with fresh tears. After a long moment they heard someone clinking their knife against their glass. Looking up, the couple smiled when George stood and grabbed a microphone in one hand and his drink in the other.
“I would like to propose a toast. I know the relationship between you two has often been difficult but that is good. It shows that your love is strong and you can overcome any obstacle in your path. You two have one heck of a rollercoaster ride ahead of you so hold on tight but believe me it is worth every moment. I wish you all of the love and happiness in the world.” Holding his glass high the Scotsman roared, “To Cori and Ryan!” The group echoed his sentiments and toasted the couple, whooping when Cori leaned down and kissed Ryan until he blushed.