"Preston, we're going to be late if you don't put a little pep in your step." She grins up at him as he saunters down the staircase slowly.

Chuckling he says, "We are not going to be late. Besides I've got something for you."

Mackenzie watches as he slides the black suit jacket on before reaching into the inside breast pocket and pulling out a small, black velvet box.

"What is that?" She asks him as he steps closer to her with a wide smile.

"Just a little something I saw that reminded me of you." He holds it out in the palm of his hand. "Open it."

Her eyes dance back and forth between the black box and his face for several long seconds before reaching out with slightly shaking hands and lifting the lid. Her breathing catches in her throat when she finds pair of beautiful emerald cut diamond earrings. The size of the each diamond is completely overwhelming to her and in the back of her mind she's a little fearful they'll be heavy in her ears.

"They're 5-carat Harry Winston's." He says softly as she stands there just staring at the box. "They're a brilliant cut and perfect clarity. They're stunning, much like you are my dear."

With wide eyes she looks up at him and finds a warm smile on his face. "I....this is too much Preston. I can't accept this."

"You wouldn't break an old man's heart would you?" He says reaching out and plucks the stones from the box. "I'd be honored if you wore them tonight."

She opens her mouth to object but the look on his face as he holds them out stops her. He looks like if she were to say no and deny him, it would crush him. He looks so happy to be giving her a gift that to him, represents something. What that something is, she's not sure and if she's honest with herself she's not sure she's ready to find out.

"Thank you." She says quietly as she attaches them to her earlobe.

"You're welcome." He leans in and presses a kiss to her cheek. "Now, let's get going before we're late."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Great, we need to get the lighting and ceiling draping up as soon as we can do I can see what else we're going to need before the party." Mackenzie tells Grace, who's quickly jotting down notes as they walk the room. "Also, have he finally picked the caterer?"

Grace opens her mouth but is cut off before she can say anything.

"He, has a name Mack." Justin's voice booms from the doorway of the warehouse. "And yes, I have picked a caterer. Lay off poor Gracie a little bit."

Grace lets out an undeniably girly giggle and Mackenzie can't help but roll her eyes. The last thing she needs is for Grace to get a crush on him. It would only make him more unbearable.

"That only took three days longer than necessary." She mutters under her breath as he survey's the room, slapping a rolled up newspaper in his hand. "Have you picked out your DJ's yet?"

"Yep. I already left a message with the girl at your office." He spins to face the two women. "Lemme ask you something, how do you like your new title?"

"Excuse me?" Mackenzie quirks and eyebrow at him.

"You've been dubbed the new Princess of ATL." He unrolls the paper and points at a photo of her and Preston at the event from the previous night. "I like that. Princess of ATL. Has a nice ring to it."

"Are you kidding me?" Grace snatches the paper out of his hands. Her eyes scan the page quickly and she lets out a laugh. "This is insane! Look at this?" She holds the paper out to Mackenzie who rolls her but grabs hold of the paper.

There right in the middle of the social section is a photo of herself and Preston at the opening for the new wing at Saint Joseph's Hospital. The photo caption read ‘The King of ATL takes a new Queen...or maybe a new Princess'.

"So tell me Princess, where are those new earrings?" Justin smirks. "I'd like to see those bad boys up close."

Grace's head snaps back to the photo and a small gasp escapes her lips when she sees the earrings. "Holy shit Mackenzie. How big are those things?"

Justin leans over to sneak another look at the picture. "I'd take a guess at maybe 4-carats or so. How close am I?"

"Four carats?!" Grace turns to her wide eyed. "Four fucking carats?"

Justin laughs when Mackenzie blushes and says, "Five carats."

"Five!?!" Grace yells and Justin laughs harder. "When's the wedding?"

"There is no wedding!" Mackenzie snaps and quickly moves across the room to double check the bar that has just been installed. "And you, what pleasure are you getting out of this?"

"I just like watching you squirm." Justin shrugs. "Makes my day a little brighter."

"You better stop messing with her." Grace bumps his shoulder. "She's gonna go all crazy girl on you one of these days."

"Mack doesn't have an angry bone in her body. She'd never hurt anyone much less shock anyone."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Grace sneaks a look at Mackenzie who's busy flipping through her planner and pulling out her cell phone. "I've known her a long time."

"You sound like you know something that I'd love to know." He gives her a look that she's sure is one he's used before when charming a girl. "How ‘bout you share that information with me? It'll be our little secret."

"I don't think she'd be very happy with me if I did."

He waves a hand. "Hey mom, Grace is gonna fill me in a little on your friendship. You don't mind do you?"

Mackenzie holds up a free hand, the other holding the cell phone to her ear. Waving him off she walks outside still chatting with whoever's on the other line.

"See? Go ahead." Justin grins at her. "Let it all out."

Grace bites her lips and looks at the door where her boss just walked out. "Well, she just, she's not what she appears. She's got a whole other side to her that she keeps wrapped up that it the polar opposite of what you see every day."

"Go on."

"Look, there was one time, after finals our junior year, that she went a little wild."

Justin was practically bouncing with excitement. He's known Mackenzie for a few years now and she has always come off as very straight laced and proper.

"She never went to parties with us or did anything fun. But I had finally convinced her to come out with me this one time and she got hammered." Grace giggles at the memory. "So when the party is slowing down and everyone's leaving? There's just a few of us left, one of the guys suggest we go to a strip club and Mackenzie was all for it. She couldn't get there fast enough."

"Oh my God."

"Oh it gets better." She smiles at him before shooting another look at the door. "They were having amateur night."

"No." He says, eyes wide and a giddy grin forming on his face.

"Yes." She nods. "Just jumps on stage and lets it go. I mean, I have never in my life seen anyone like that. She was just.......she was hurting the next morning but I have never seen a person so happy before."

He lets out a hearty laugh, his head thrown back, hands over his stomach and unable to get control. "That is fucking awesome!"

"You can't ever repeat that!" She scolds him.

He mock zips his lips and hands her the key. "Your secret is safe with me."

"I swear Justin. She'd kill me if she knew I told you that." She chews nervously on her bottom lip. "This can never leave this room."

Justin looks towards the door and cannot help the smile on his face as he watches Mackenzie pacing back and forth outside. The phone pressed to her ear, her black pants snug around her hips and stopping just before touching the ground. The blouse she's wearing covered by a black vest. Sure, she's a pretty girl but she's not exactly the type of girl he pictures dancing at an armature strip.

He knows he's made a promise to never mention this to her but the devil sitting on his shoulder is already thinking up way to torment her.