I slide the suitcase into the compartment above our heads and take my seat next to her as Natalie removes gum, crackers, her tablet, and her lip balm, and stores them in the pouch behind the seat in front of her.
My girl comes prepared.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’re about to taxi down the runway. Please store all loose items below the seat in front of you or in the bins above. Please keep your seats in the upright position, and your tray tables locked. Please refer to the pamphlet for this presentation.”
I look over to find my girlfriend staring out the window.
“They said look at the pamphlet.”
“I’ve read it before.”
“You said that on the way here. But Natalie, picture yourself standing up there showing us how to use a seatbelt when everyone knows how. Imagine how much that must suck that nobody is watching, yet you have to go through this process anyway.”
She frowns and inhales a deep breath, pulling the pamphlet out as three attendants take their positions in the far, middle and back of the plane.
Over the speakers comes the voice again, “In the case of an emergency landing, please look to Max Cocker for assistance.”
Natalie frowns, “Did they just say your name?”
One of the attendants is motioning for me to join her, and I’ve gotta go, right? I throw a confused look to Natalie. “I’ll be right back.”
“Max?”
“It’s okay. I’m sure it’s a prank.”
Standing up I meet the eyes of a dozen or more confused strangers. “Sorry, don’t know why they want me up here. Everything’s okay.”
I walk to the nearest attendant and mutter, “Hey, uh, I’m Max.”
She hands me her prop-mask and I turn around, not knowing what to do. Over the speaker the voice says, “And in a loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will drop and Max will give you the ring hidden inside it.”
Dropping the mask from one hand to the other I produce a diamond ring, holding it up and walking back to my seat.
The look on Natalie’s face is priceless as I bend my knee and hold it out for her.
Over the speakers, the voice says, “Natalie Noe, will you marry me?”
Her mouth falls open and she grips the armrests.
I repeat in my own voice, “Natalie Noe, will you marry me?”
“Yes!” she laughs, standing up and hitting her head.
I wince and reach for her, but she doesn’t care about the bonk.
The passengers burst into applause as I pull her close and whisper against her lips, “I love you. Be my wife.”
With tears hovering, she nods, “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe you did this. Yes!”
When I officiated his wedding Eric warned me I was next. I told him nope. And I was right—which I rubbed in his face—because less than a year later I was in Louisiana marrying Sofia Sol with her true love, the first time the Cockers and the Ciphers were all together. That was a fun weekend.
Natalie was there in the audience.
And the whole time she and I were there I planned to put her at the altar with me very soon. Just had to pick the right time to propose and make it special.
When you live with someone it’s harder to surprise them. Also, I found that as the days move on it becomes clearer that marriage will work, or it won’t. She and I get along better than I could have imagined. Natalie keeps me on my toes, and I amuse the hell out of her.
As we buckle up and lace our fingers together, we lock eyes. “I live to make you smile.”
The happiest grin bursts onto her beautiful face. “How did you get the airline to agree to this?”
We lean over the armrest to share a kiss, and I murmur against her smile, “It wasn’t easy to pull this off. But nothing good ever is.”
THE END-ish.
F or more Max and Natalie, turn the pages for the special Bonus Scenes normally only available to Club Cocky.
Each Cocker Brothers novel has these, because I used to ask myself, “What happens later to these characters?” when I watched Rom-Com movies or read romance books.
This answers that call. I’m including these special bonus scenes in Max and Natalie’s book (on the next page) because it’s the only one where those scenes occur pretty soon after their main story ends and I thought you’d enjoy them. Some readers don’t know that this series has these for ALL the books. Now you do. They’re the reason I started writing books about the kids. You’ll see why when you meet Max and Natalie’s child. Because it’s all about having a great time.
xx,
F aleena Hopkins
CHAPTER 42
BONUS SCENE 1
M AX
“He’s crying again,” I groan into Natalie’s back before throwing my feet down and padding to my newborn’s cozy crib that he hates.
“What’s got you so upset, Logan?” Tiny fists try to punch me as I lift the little guy up. It’s 3:33 a.m. and he’s losing his shit. I smile at his gurgling squalls, “I’m bigger than you, buddy. I can take you. But I like your fight.”
My wife groggily rolls over and reaches for him. “He’s hungry, Max.”
“You want the tit, Logan? Is that why you’re trying to punch your father? Jealous that I get to munch on them, too, huh?”
With an exhausted laugh Natalie says, “I’m glad he can’t understand you.”
“I understand him. Here I was in bed with you and he was two feet away from the only woman he’s ever loved.”
Her laughter grows as she shakes her head and coos, “Hello Logan baby, come to Momma.” She cuddles him close and pulls her nursing bra down. Instantly our son goes very calm, gazing at his mother like she single-handedly turns the planet on its axis.
“He just wants the tit!”
“Max,” Natalie mutters, “Don’t make it gross.”
Crawling into bed I cushion her back with extra pillows. “That better?”
“Much, thank you.” Logan’s little mouth latches onto the nipple, and
