After almost losing her father, twenty year old Mya Harrelson decides to move back home to be closer to her family. Leaving behind her school and her job, Mya isn't really sure what her next step is- until an unexpected offer comes her way.
Forty-fi...
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"Great work out there today man." Deacon tells me as I slammed my locker shut. It's been a long day, the team and I chased after a team that stole almost 50 million in jewelry and for a minute there I started to believe that they were gonna get away with it, but I should've known better than to doubt 20 squad.
After a day like this though, I was more than happy that I was going to have the day off tomorrow, especially knowing that it meant I could spend more time with Layla.
Things have been great between the two of us, effortless even. After our first date surfing at the beach, we've been on a dozen other dates some as casual as cooking dinner together at home and watching a movie or some as extravagant as borrowing the chopper at HQ and flying to San Diego for a show. Each one more amazing than the last.
We haven't really seen each other these last few days though because Layla has been working with an author to edit as many chapters of the book as they could before the deadline.
But tomorrow wasn't just another day off, it was also's Layla's birthday. I was throwing her a surprise birthday party at Deacon's house after Mya graciously offered since their house was more bigger than the apartment.
The only problem was I had no idea what to gift her. It had to be something unique. Something that screamed Layla.
"Thanks man. Hey, it's still okay if I use your place for Layla's party this weekend right?"
"Yeah, absolutely." Deacon agreed easily. Aside from Luca, Deacon was the one of the kindest people I know. "Mya and I are both looking forward to it."
"Thank Mya again for decorating. She really didn't need to do that."
"You know Mya, she lives for these things. I wouldn't put it past her to become a party planner." Deacon joked. "I'm probably gonna ask her friend Taylor to help out though. All the work she's doing can't be good for the baby."
The baby.
"What?"
I can see it in Deacon's eyes when he realized he slipped up.
"Mya's pregnant?" I asked, just needing to make sure I wasn't making things up.
"Yeah," Deacon admits sheepishly.
"What? That's amazing! Congratulations Deac!" I pull him into a hug.
"Thanks man. But you can't tell anyone. Mya was hoping to get everyone together next weekend for a dinner to announce the news."
"You have my word. I won't say anything."
"Thanks. Alright, I better get out of here. I'll see you tomorrow for the party." Deacon said before he patted me on the back on his way out.
"Hey, I thought you'd be long gone by now." Chris said as she walked into the locker room.
"Me too but I caught caught up talking to Deacon," I confess. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"What do you think I should get Layla for her birthday?"
"Dude, her birthday is tomorrow. Are you telling me you still don't have a gift?"
"I know. I keep going back and forth on what I should get her. Jewelry seems too generic. This is our first birthday as a couple and I just want to do this right."
"Well, you're already throwing her a party."
"Yeah, but it's not enough. Maybe perfume?"
Chris visibly cringed. "Okay. I see you're gonna need my help. Why don't I come with you to the mall and help you pick something out?"
"Yeah? That would be great."
"You owe me a giant pretzel though." Chris tells me as I follow her out the door.
Twenty-five minutes later, we are pulling up to the mall. Coincidentally, it's the same mall Layla and I came to together to shop for a new wardrobe. Looking back at it now, it was easy to tell that my annoyance with the clothes she was choosing stemmed more from the fact that the clothes made me notice her in a different light and little to do with the fact that I didn't think she should wear it.
It's funny to see how far we've come from that moment.
Chris and I enter the mall and begin shopping around, going into different stores after different stores before we settle on a few pairs of heels Layla would like. I paid and Chris stayed back to flirt to the pretty cashier. I find myself wondering across from the shoe store to the Pandora despite what I said earlier about jewelry being basic.
It wouldn't hurt to look.
The store sparkles with different gems and diamonds, all of it enticing and calling out for me to buy them all. But if I was going to get anything it had to be beautiful and unique like Laylaz
It was fairly empty for a Pandora aside from the two teeenage girls, a young couple and a man who looked to be in his late twenties to early thirties.
"How the hell am I supposed to pick one?" I mutter to myself.
"Overwhelming, isn't it?" I looked up to see the man that was across the room a second ago. He's a good looking man; tall, brown hair, tan skin and blue eyes.
"You have no idea."
"A gift for the girlfriend?" He asked.
"Yeah. It's her birthday... it's our first one together as a couple so I just want to get the perfect gift."
"What about this one?" He directs my attention to the glass case where a beautiful cherry blossom pendant necklace sits.
The moment my eyes landed on it, I could picture it around Layla's neck and see the smile on her face when she saw it.
This was it.
This was the one.
"It's perfect." I turned to the man. "Thank you..."
"Colby." He finished for me. "Colby Bailey."
"My girlfriend is gonna love it." I turned back to stare at the necklace, happiness unfurling in my stomach that I found the perfect gift, all thanks to a stranger. I turn to Colby to thank him again but he was gone, nowhere to found in the store.
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Sorry for the long wait! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! 4+ comments for the next chapter. Thank you for reading! Authors Note: If you're on booktok, follow me! @bashfullybookishh 🌸
