283. Bring Your Boyfriend to Work Week

I always joked about how it should be "Bring Your Boyfriend to Work Week" every time Cayden was in town, but this time that was a reality. Well, minus the whole boyfriend part and add 'fiance.' A coworker had a Salesforce project he'd been working on for quite some time, but it was beyond his Salesforce knowledge. Lucky for him, my super nerdy fiance loved to geek out in Salesforce. Cayden sat two cubicles behind me while I retold the story of how he proposed. My coworkers jumped up and down with excitement.

"It's about time!" Jane said as she patted him on the back. I watched her expression change from excited to distraught as she came to a realization. "Oh, good. Now I'm the only one on the social media team that's not knocked up, engaged or married."

Granted, there were only four people on the social media team, but her statement still stood true. 

With Cayden hard at work only a few yards away from me, I felt like I could finally focus. I wasn't worried about how he was going to entertain himself all day. I didn't feel guilty about abandoning him. I didn't have to interrupt my train of thought to answer one of his messages on Gchat. And if I started to miss him, all I had to do was stand up. It was just me and my work. Well, and my ring. I'm not going to lie; it distracted me on more than one occasion as I typed away on my keyboard. The harsh, fluorescent office lights would catch it just so, begging for my attention. I was no stranger to jewelry, but my rings usually had the dull sparkle that came from a Forever 21 discount item and left a pukey green stain around my finger.

"Weird, isn't it?" Laine said when she caught me staring at it. "It's OK. I still look at mine, too."

She'd been engaged since November, and I'd caught myself staring at her ring from time to time. 

Cayden and I went to Laine's house after work for a few drinks with her and her fiance, Rhett. The four of us were going to the Bud Light Platinum Rock the Runway Show later that night to see my sister in all of her body-painted glory. 

Laine and Rhett's house was adorable. They lived in an East Dallas neighborhood called Little Forest Hills, right by White Rock Lake. The neighborhood was old in a charming way, not a run down way, and the interior of the house had been updated with comfortable furniture and wall hangings. It made me wonder what kind of house Cayden and I would end up in. 

In true Whitney and Cayden fashion, we brought a pre-packaged party tray of meats, cheeses and crackers we'd bought on our way over. In true Rhett and Laine fashion, they prepared a variety of vegaterian and chicken spring rolls complete with homemade peanut sauce for dipping. They were adorable. Even more adorable was the fenced in chicken coop in the oversized backyard. Laine brought fresh eggs to the office whenever she had extra.

Cayden and Rhett were like long-lost best friends. They talked about home ownership, soccer and work-life balance while Laine and I talked weddings. Cayden caught my eye and smiled every now and then, causing a flutter in my stomach. I couldn't believe how in love with him I was. I couldn't wait to have what laine and Rhett had. I wanted a house with Cayden. I wanted to cook dinner with Cayden. I wanted my life with Cayden.

June couldn't come soon enough.

Later that night at the Rock the Runway show, the four of us found ourselves surrounded by naked, body-painted models and an unlimited supply of Bud Light Platinum. I also found myself wishing I'd had time to go home to change before the show. Especially next to my sister. I looked so... conservative.

Cayden sat back with a smirk on his face.

"Free beer. Free food. Free boobs," Cayden said, nodding in consideration. "Yeah, I love Texas."