No-one saw Lenny until the day of the barbecue, when she popped round to help out with the food. Kevin spotted her straight away and narrowed his eyes, but instead of rushing towards her to attack her as she had expected, he just sent her a cold, calculating smile. It had the ability to make her worry more than if he had actually started hitting her and she looked quickly away from him.
Amy smiled and pulled her into the kitchen where she was busily preparing different dishes. "I'm so glad you came, I didn't think you would," she said.
"I wasn't sure if I should, actually. But I'm not going to be scared away by that big idiot, no matter what I did," Lenny said, looking around the kitchen. "So, what can I help you with?"
Amy gave her some things to be getting on with and they spent the next couple of hours making bowls of salad, pasta salad, potato salad. Then she started on wedges and jacket potatoes, knowing how much Mark and Kevin could put away and thinking of the big men that would be coming there that afternoon. She only hoped she had done enough food. Still, with all the steaks and burgers that Mark had bought, there should be enough to feed a small army.
The time was passing incredibly quickly because there was so much to do and before she knew it people had started arriving. "I haven't even put my dress on yet!" Amy grumbled, staring down at her jeans and T-shirt and thinking of the nice summery dress she had put out on the bed. Okay, she thought, so the weather wasn't so hot, but it wasn't cold outside really, so she would be fine.
Stephanie came in and gave her a hug, her eyes flicking to where Paul Wight was standing and then quickly looking away when he caught her staring. "Hey sis, how's everything?"
"Just great," Amy answered, grinning.
"Well, you certainly look good, I must say," the older girl said, studying her. "I'm looking forward to my stay here, it's a lovely place."
"I'm looking forward to you being here," Amy said, almost bouncing around with excitement. She introduced Steph to Lenny and the three of them rushed off to get themselves ready, Lenny having to run back home to get changed. By the time Amy and Steph were ready, most of the guests had arrived and they were greeted by several people on their way to the kitchen. Mark turned to look at Amy as she came back downstairs and he had an odd sparkle in his eyes, a smile curving his lips when he saw her. He excused himself from where he was talking to Glenn, and Jeff Hardy, and came over to her, drawing her close to him so he could give her a gentle kiss. "You look stunning," he whispered, grinning at her pleased expression.
"It's only an ordinary dress," she murmured, looking down at herself.
"Yeah, but on you it looks stunning." He framed her face in his big hands and stared at her strangely. "Yes, I think it's time," he murmured and then kissed the tip of her nose, turning and walking away before she could ask what he had meant by that. She shook off the confusion and went straight into the kitchen, finding Steph, Tammy, Linda and Lenny all in there setting bowls of food out on the big wooden table.
"Hey, sweetie," Linda said, giving her a quick hug and then returning to what she was doing. "This all looks fantastic. It's a good job Vince hasn't seen it yet, or half of it would be gone. We've had a problem keeping them lot out of here as it is. You know what they can be like when they smell food!"
Amy frowned. "Has anyone started the barbecue yet?"
Linda nodded and gave her a smile. "Mark's already got everything going, don't worry. I guess you've been too busy to notice?"
"Yeah, I have a bit," Amy murmured and looked over at Lenny, her eyebrows going up when she saw her. She had only seen the other girl in jeans and T-shirts, and Mark had said she was a bit of a tomboy. But today she was wearing a gypsy style blouse and skirt with a fringed sash hanging around her hips and her hair cascading down her back like a curtain. She had even put on a touch of makeup. Amy smiled at her. "You look really pretty," she said honestly, watching as the other girl shifted with discomfort. "I love the outfit."
"It belongs to Rachel, but she can't fit into it right now so she said I could borrow it. I wanted to wear jeans," Lenny said, looking plainly disgusted with her attire.
"Well, I'm glad she did. I tell you what, I bet a few of these wrestlers will be looking at you today!" Amy laughed at the other girl's expression and then started helping put the food out.
In no time Mark was bellowing to her to bring some plates, as the meat was cooked, and she rushed outside to take it from him, laughing uncontrollably as the food was instantly taken from the plate she was holding and eaten. It was like being in the midst of a bunch of Piranhas.
Linda came out with a mixed plate for Amy, grinning and rolling her eyes. "Here, I managed to get this before they tried to eat me too. I knew we'd have a problem as soon as they sensed the food was done!"
Amy took the plate and added a burger to it before finding a spot to sit down with the other girls. She had been right about one thing, there were some men giving Lenny a few appreciative looks, and the other girl was constantly blushing under the scrutiny. What was surprising though, was that Kevin Nash hadn't taken his eyes off her since she had emerged from the house, and he looked dazed. Amy looked at him and then back at Lenny, seeing her try and avoid that heated look, and she smiled. She just knew things were going to get really interesting today.
The party progressed well, and when Mark put music on she found herself dancing with Vince. "Do you like it here, Peaches?" he asked her suddenly, looking serious about something.
She studied him for a second and then nodded. "I love it here. Why?"
"Oh, just wondering, that's all. I only want you to be happy, God knows you deserve it," he said, swinging her around to the music and then lightening up and grinning. "Mark doesn't know how lucky he is."
She frowned with confusion, but didn't say anything. It was probably just Vince being Vince, he was always picking at Mark in jest, so she chose to ignore it and just enjoy the dance. When the song finished, Kevin tapped Vince's shoulder and she had to dance with him next, looking around for Mark and wondering where he had got to. She didn't see him for another four dances and then he finally broke in, pulling her gently against him and wrapping his arms around her. "It's about damn time," he murmured, smiling down at her with wicked eyes. "I've had to sit there watching you being held by all those other men. It was killing me!"
"Then why didn't you come and get me sooner? I couldn't see you anywhere," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck when he bent down. "Where were you?"
"I had to go and get something out of the study," he said, pursing his lips.
She stopped moving and stared up at him suspiciously, her eyes narrowing. "What?"
"You really want to know?"
"Yes, I really want to know! What have you been doing?" she asked him, folding her arms across her chest and staring up at him with amusement.
"Well, if you really want to know," he said and grabbed her hand, pulling something out of his pocket as he did so. "I was getting this." He straightened her fingers out and then slipped a ring onto her engagement finger, running his thumb over it before kissing her hand and releasing it.
Amy looked down in shock at the delicate gold ring she was now wearing. It had an intricate lace design with tiny diamonds and emeralds all surrounding a bigger green stone that sparkled up at her, and it was a perfect fit. Her breath caught in her throat and she stared up at him, waiting for him to say something.
"You might consider us engaged now," he said, raising his eyebrows and shrugging, almost as if he were embarrassed.
"What?" she asked in a hushed voice, still shocked.
"Hmm, I guess I didn't go about that the right way, did I? Okay then, how about this," he said, grinning suddenly and then dropping to one knee in front of everybody and grabbing her hand. "Amber Travis McMahon, I love you with all my heart and I've come to realise that I can't live without you. Will you please marry me?"
Amy's lips fell open and she felt her eyes fill with tears as her hand came up to cover her mouth, unable to believe what he had just said, or that he had announced it in front of all his friends and her family. When she said nothing he frowned. "Come on, baby, you have to answer me one way or another. But I'll tell you right now, if you say no I'm going to throw myself under the wheels of a truck!"
Amy pulled herself together with some effort and nodded. "Of course I'll marry you, I love you," she whispered and he closed his eyes in relief, pulling her hard against him and squeezing the breath out of her.
"Oh thank God," he murmured into her neck, and a shudder passed through him. "I thought you were going to say no."
"I couldn't say no to you, I love you too much," she said softly, stroking his hair. She looked up as people started to approach them and smiled when she saw Vince and Linda.
"Congratulations Peaches," Vince said, tapping Mark to make him let go of her and then pulling her into an embrace. "I hope you'll be very happy together. I just wish I'd had you with us for a bit longer."
"Well she isn't leaving this house," Mark said, frowning at Vince when he let her go. Linda instantly hugged her then, and Stephanie, Tammy and Lenny crowded her, blocking her from Mark's view.
Vince put his hands in his pockets and grinned at the bigger man. "Don't worry, I'm not taking her away. I don't think she'd go with me anyway, do you? You just make sure you treat her well," he warned.
"I love her, Vince, I couldn't treat her any other way," Mark admitted, his face softening when he caught sight of her again. He received well wishes from his friends and had to almost fight his way back to her, waiting until everyone had started partying again before he picked her up and started dancing with her again.
Amy stared into his face and leaned in to kiss him, dropping small kisses all over his eyes and cheeks before settling on his mouth. "I love you so much."
"I love you too, darlin'," he murmured, staring into her eyes from an inch away. "Are you sure you want to marry me?"
"More than anything in the world," she said, still staring at him in the same warm way.
He smiled at the look and nuzzled her neck. "I only hope I can make you happy," he said, his worry evident in his voice.
"Hey, you've already made me happy. I love it here, I love being with you. You're the most perfect man I've ever met," she said softly, stroking a hand down his face.
"I don't know about perfect, honey, I'm just a man," he said, laughing at her rapt expression.
"Yeah, well you're just my man now," she told him, grinning and then hugging him to her as he covered her mouth with his, kissing her with all the love he felt for her.
Vince watched them as he and his wife danced together and he smiled, happy in the knowledge that Amy would always be safe and protected from now on, and more importantly she would be loved.
THE END
****Okay, it's corny I know, but I had to finish it somehow, and this seemed appropriate. Hope it wasn't too rushed! Now I can get on with my other ones!! Which reminds me, should I write one on Kevin Nash and Lenny??****