"Hey, you okay?" Oliver held my back with one hand, and led me towards the group. If there was one thing Will didn't get wrong, it was that this night was about Abby. The last thing I wanted was to make this all about myself again.

"Yeah. Where's James?"

"Arthur and Adam and the whole family are outside waiting for them to come out. Give me five minutes to turn on the lights and get James, please. Don't forget to have him cover Abby's eyes when they come out."

Oliver nodded and we split up. I grabbed some drinks before heading back out and giving them to the waiting family. I plugged in the fairy lights and they lit up the entire backyard. The photographer took the hint and got ready on the sidelines, and the band of classical musicians stood prepared.

"Do any of you have a lighter?" I asked around. I just needed to light the candles. The younger Newman family stood off to the side, out of direct sight from where Abby would be walking out.

"I never leave anywhere without one." Arthur stepped forward and tossed it to me. "Thanks." I breathed, quickly lighting the candles as I heard everyone inside quiet down.

"I have something for you." I heard James' voice as the sliding door opened and he walked out with his hands over Abby's eyes. Friends and Family spread out around them, watching from behind. Nicole was right, we did have a front row view, it was like the fourth wall was taken down.

James removed his hands from Abby's eyes, leaving her frozen in awe at everything in front of her. I heard the suppressed shutter release as the photographer took photos, and the musicians began playing softly. Abby's hands flew to her mouth as she moved forward, along the photos.

If she was going to look at all of the photos I'd printed and set up we'd be here for a while. James must've understood that because he opened and closed his mouth a few times while on his knee. His cheeks were turning pink, before he tucked his lips, mustering up all the confidence. Come on James. Just like I showed you.

He glanced at me and I gave him an expectant nod with a huge smile on my face. "Abby," I saw his lips move, but I couldn't hear him. She didn't either. She moved along the line, and he almost looked like he was begging me for help.

"Louder." I mouthed. He nodded, determined. My eyes shifted to the group behind James, Will caught me eye, but there was no sign of Madison.

"Abby," He called out, and she spun around, slowly taking him. Another shutter release went off, and the photographer moved around for different angles. She wiped the tears away, watching him expectantly, just like everyone else was.

"I love you, Abigail Newman. You're my best friend, and I want to have the honor of calling you my wife." He pause as if that was a question. When she didn't answer he got it, "Oh. Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" Abby almost cut him off, and she squeezed the life out of his neck. Everyone erupted in cheers as James slid the ring on her finger.

"I'm not sure he could've been more nervous." Adam laughed next to me. Nicole clutched her chest as she leaned into Adam, her face was soft and she looked like she was going to cry too.

"I'm never gonna let him live that down." Arthur chuckled, still clapping along with the other guests. James glanced at me over Abby's head as they held each other, and mouthed, "Thank you."

I nodded, and soon enough the guests circled around the couple congratulating them. "Should we go over to them?" Nicole asked me.

"James is gonna bring her over." I assured.

After a few more guests, James pulled her away and they began walking towards us. Before making it half way, Abby looked ahead and saw her brothers. Her face lit up and she ran to Arthur who lifted her up so easily, like she was a little girl.

"I'm going to make sure the food is ready to be served." I dismissed myself, getting caught by James' hand.

"Thank you so much. I mean it." The brightness in his eyes touched me, made me want to be that happy- or want someone to be this happy with me.

"No problem, I'm just doing my job." I smiled back.

The food was ready, and Abby was over the moon to find out the night only got better with Maggiano's. The night went on beautifully, and smoothly with the music, guests moving in and out of the house to see the line up of their relationship. I also managed to avoid Will the majority of the night, slipping away when I saw him moving towards me, telling him I was 'working at the moment'. He got the hint after a few times and left me alone.

Hours passed by quickly, and by the time most of the guests had left, I started helping Mrs. Newman clean up. She couldn't stop raving at how everything came together, and how perfect James and Abby looked together. They were undeniably cute together, but that only hurt more.

I could've been like them, maybe. I'd pushed so many guys away, and some of them felt right. Nicky was patient with me, Brandon was friendly no matter what was happening, Susie's cousin was persistent. But even thinking about these guys felt like futile efforts because Will was the only one that seemed to linger in my head, especially after that kiss.

"You can go home, Samantha. The rest is just dishes and taking out the trash. I would offer you a room, but my sons are taking up the house." She paused grinning to herself, "Unless you wouldn't mind sharing a room with Arthur. I wouldn't mind keeping you in the family."

We held eye contact before we both let out a good laugh. "No thanks, Mrs. Newman. I'll see you around."

"I hope so, Samantha, you're a sweet girl." Mrs. Newman sent a soft smile my way and I slipped off to my car. Before I could get in, I noticed the large canvas on my passenger seat. I shoved my belongings in my car and took out the gift I had for Abby.

I moved around the backyard, catching Abby still talking with her brothers. "This is just an engagement gift."

She pulled me off to the side, and gave me a hug, "Thank you, for everything." I nodded, not wanting to discuss what she saw earlier. "James told me he hired you to plan all this, and Arthur told me you picked them up from the airport." I nodded again, hoping she was almost done. "Oliver told me you're not really his girlfriend, and Will told me he's not dating Madison anymore."

She tilted her head down, trying to reach my gaze, I smiled, "Not too sure about that, but I really hope you like it. I did it myself." Her eyes lit up, and like a kid on Christmas she tore through the breathable wrapping.

"This is beautiful." She lifted the painting of her and James. I'd gotten the inspiration from one of the hanging photos, it was by far my favorite. They both looked into each other's eyes, his arms wrapped around her, and her hands on his chest.

"I'm never going to forget this night. I loved everything about it." Abby whispered when she pulled me in for another hug.

I was able to slip away again, this time making it home. I opened the wine cabinet, and pulled out some Merlot. This, this is what I needed.

*

"Who is that?" Susie laughed as my phone rang for the fourth time this evening. I shrugged, fully aware of who was trying to reach me. Will had called me last night after I left, and even this morning. Fortunately, I'd gotten too drunk last night to wake up early enough to hear my phone go off.

"Please don't tell me you've finished both bottles last night." Susie sat up from her laying position as I passed her a glass. She nodded to the bottles of Merlot.

"No, that's both last night and this morning." I grinned.

"Oh god." She rolled her eyes, "Just- don't drink any more. You'll be a wreck tomorrow when Isabella bring you in for that meeting."

"What meeting?"

"Oh yeah. On Friday she pulled in the whole board, and after sending us that picture, you definitely got the position. You freaking pulled off an amazing engagement party by yourself."

"Thanks. I did have some help though." I mumbled, glancing at my phone as it lit up with another missed call notification.

"I already know the answer, but in accordance with your monumental win, can we watch The Bachelorette?"

I shrugged. Susie stopped, muted the tv, and turned to me completely, "What did this job do to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Samantha, you hate The Bachelorette-"

"You can just call me Sam." Samantha sounded too formal for a friend like Susie, she was the closest one I had.

"See?" She whispered, her brow furrowed with concern, "You never let anyone call you anything other than Samantha. We've been friends for years, and I rarely got away with the occassional Sam."

She paused, "Is this what happens when you don't get your conquests? I can get-"

I groaned, "I don't want another hook up, Susie." I frowned, I didn't want another night. I wanted what I saw this weekend. I wanted to be around people who loved me so much they'd travel just to see me get engaged. I wanted my own James, too. He came in with a 'no expenses spared' attitude, and he even snapped on me when he thought I'd screwed everything up. The scariest part was that I wanted it all with Will.

I wiped a tear away as Susie took my other hand, "Sam, what's going on? Who keeps calling you, and why have you been drinking since yesterday?"

I told her everything. How Will and I had been best friends, and we told each other absolutely everything. How I was by his side through all those girls he slept with, how I asked him to be my first since I was so in love with him. How everything fell apart when he left and my parents finally divorced because they just didn't love each other anymore. I told her every detail of this whole thing and we laughed and cried together.

The doorbell rang, my throat was dry and the tears were dried on my cheeks. "Maybe he didn't go back to Houston." My head shot off her shoulder to look at her. "He has been calling and you haven't been answering." Susie smiled as she watched me rub my palms against my jeans, "Go check."

I got up and hesitated by the door, just like I had been when he dropped off Abby's album. I leaned on the door carefully and opened one eye to look out the peephole. I frowned.

"It's the chinese food we ordered."

Susie had a full blown grin on her face, "Sam, you are absolutely, one hundred percent in love with Will."