Marry Me || Nicole

Nicole smiled when Danny said that. "Mum has out done herself." she said to him and her family. Scott and Mark both nodded in agreement, as did Erin, who had her hair back in a pony tail at this time. The youngest Byrne stood across from Danny and Nicole after coming up to the table. She looked at Danny and smiled a little, which Nicole noticed. "I believe my baby sister fancys you." she said, causing Erin's cheeks to turn bright red.

Danny noticed Erin looking at him, even though he was actually looking around the room. He didn't say anything though, but he looked at Erin, after Nicole said that to him, seeing her blush.

"Does she now?" he asked, raising his brows. But he smiled a little at Nicole's younger sister. "Well then. I don't bite."

Nicole nodded a bit in reply when Danny asked that. "Aye she does" she replied. Erin blushed even more when Danny smiled at her. Alice noticed it as she watched her children and smiled a little. Erin composed her self after a few seconds, then looked at her father, who was ready to start the meal.

Danny smirked and shook his head a little in reply. It would take just a little while to get Erin warmed up, that much he could tell. At least if she was anything like Nicole, although Nicole seemed to be more adventurous than Erin, but that didn't matter. All it took were the right words and signs that she had reason to hold back and could just be herself.
"I bet she's just as sweet as you are." Danny said in a soft tone.

It took only a few moments before the meal was officially started. For some reason, even though he knew that Nicole's family wasn't religious, the thought of him being raised that way when he was younger came back into his mind. He had no idea why. Maybe because a prayer before each meal was a ritual in his family. But he pushed that thought aside before anyone could notice that he was thinking about something.

Nicole nodded in reply, then listened to her father. After he spoke, the food got passed around. While that was happening, Nicole looked at her family and smiled a little. It was clear that she was glad to be home and with her family again, Alice noticed when she looked at her oldest daughter. "We are glad to have you home again." she said to Nicole. Nicole looked at her mom and smiled in reply. "Thanks ma" she said to her in reply.

Danny could tell that Nicole was happy to be home with her family again. He smiled a tiny little bit, watching her for a while. This was her home, miles away from his own home and yet she had moved all that way to Las Vegas and met him. Now, she was back home to let her family meet the man she was going to marry.
Somehow, Danny felt lucky to have met a woman like Nicole. Everything about this relationship felt different.

"I wish you could come visit us more often." Alice said to her daughter. She knew that wasn't possible, but she still had to say it.

Nicole looked at her mom when she said that. "I wish I could too mum." she said honestly while sitting there. Nicole took a bite of her food after saying that. "We can always skype mum" she said to her after finishing with the bite she had in her mouth. Nicole knew it was the fastest way of reaching them when she couldn't come to visit.

Alice smiled a little and nodded at her daughter's words. Of course they could Skype. And they actually did that quite a lot, just to keep up with her and know what's going on in their lives. And sometimes Alice or her siblings would write an e-mail to Nicole, too. Because that way they didn't have to consider time-differences.

"I know." Alice said, getting back to her meal.

Danny, watching them interact, just smiled a little to himself. He would make sure that they got to travel back to Australia to visit her family every now and then. Not that they made a fortune, but if they saved some money for a little while, they could easily afford a trip like that, even though Danny didn't really like flying, but for Nicole he would put up with it.

Nicole smiled a bit at the same time. As she did, Erin looked over to Danny and smiled a little. my sis got a handsome bloke she said to herself while sitting there with him. Nicole noticed her sister looking at Danny and smiled a little as well. Erin noticed it and looked away, a slight blush on her cheeks at the same time.

Danny did notice Erin looking at him, he could feel her looking over. But for her sake, he acted like he didn't know. But he kept his eyes on the younger sister the whole time, knowing that Nicole had been right about Erin liking him. At least a little, but she blushed when she was caught looking at him, so Danny figured it was something that made her uncomfortable.

However, Danny didn't know that he wasn't the only one at the table who noticed Erin's behavior. Someone else kept an eye on the young woman, too. Someone, who wished the youngest Byrne child would come out of her shell a little bit more.

Nicole continued to eat, talking with her family at the same time. After the main meal was over, she helped her mom bring the desert over to the table. Erin watched them, not knowing her brother Scott had been watching her. There was a friend of his he wanted to introduce his sister to. Nicole looked over from the kitchen and noticed Scott looking at Erin while they talked.

Danny kept quiet for most of the meal, just listening to the others talk and watching them interact. Of course, when spoken to he'd reply and gladly so, but for the most part he'd just quietly finish his meal. Well, maybe because he actually felt the long journey take its toll on him, but for now he could hide that quite well. Maybe Nicole would notice, but the rest of them probably wouldn't. It took someone who knew him very well to see the signs of him actually being tired.

While sitting on his chair and watching the family interact, Danny did notice that Scott was glancing at his younger sister from time to time. He noticed that there was something on his mind, but being only a guest he didn't say anything about it. That wasn't his place.

After dinner, Nicole and Erin helped their mom clean up while their father and brothers stayed with Danny. Mark and and Scott were asking Danny about his job and how he met Nicole. Their father listened at the same time, wanting to know more about the man who was going to marry his daughter. It was not lost on him that Danny was a strong man and would protect Nicole, even though Nicole could hold her own.

Danny was a little more relaxed and a little more himself by now. He didn't mind all the questions they were asking, especially since they never actually met him before. Of course they wanted to know all about the man who was going to be their brother-in-law not too long from now. And Danny was glad that they didn't ask too many personal questions.

Right now, he was telling Scott and Mark how he met Nicole at a bar close to her apartment and close to his working place and how they just talked for a little while and he walked her home after. He left out the details of him being there in the first place and the somber, dark place he had been in back then, just about a year and a half after Anna left him. He left her out completely. For once because sometimes it was still hard on him to talk about it and because it wasn't important right now anyway. They didn't need to know that he was engaged before. It was enough that Nicole knew.

Nicole looked over to Danny as she helped her mom clean up, Erin was with them as well. "Can I be the cool aunt if you and Danny have a ankle bitters running around?" she asked her sister. Nicole smiled a bit, then looked at Erin. "Of course sis.....you can teach them how to surf." she replied. Erin smiled and giggled, letting her spunky side show when she did that.

A little while after dinner, the family had gathered in the living room, sitting around the small coffee table talking and catching up with each other. Especially with Nicole, since they hadn't seen her for a while. Except for Skype of course.
Danny was mostly just watching them interact, listening as they exchanged stories of what's been going on since Nicole left the last time. He didn't mind being quiet, for once because it was her family and he wasn't exactly a part of it, yet. And he was getting a little tired from the long journey they had behind them and the time difference did its part, too. For now, he didn't show it that much, though.

Nicole held Danny's hand as she talked with her family, telling them more of what its like to live in America. While talking to them, Erin looked over to Danny and smiled a little. She was happy for her sister that she found Danny and was going to be marrying him. You'll find a bloke like him Erin she said to herself while sitting there.

Danny noticed that Erin looked over and he saw the small smile, when he turned his head to glance at her. He could tell that she was happy for her sister Nicole, but also that she was a shy young woman. But Danny didn't worry about that, because he knew that Erin would find a nice guy, someone who would draw her out and care about her, loving the young woman just the way she was. She would find someone like him, who was naturally curious and yet sensitive enough to take little steps, charming and caring. Someone who wouldn't hurt her in any way, but help her past her shy nature.

Not really having spoken to Erin, Danny decided to do it now. She would be his sister-in-law, soon so he might as well get to know her and maybe loosen her up a little, so she wouldn't blush when he gave her smile.
"Your sister tells me you're a great surfer, Erin." he said to her, his voice casual and friendly.

Erin looked at Danny when he said that to her, then nodded slowly. "Ye...yes I am" she replied. "I....started when I was 6." Erin added, clearly nervous and shy. Nicole noticed it as she looked over to her. "I'm...also a mem...member of Surfing New South Wales." Erin added. It was clear she was trying to stay composed, but failing at it.

Danny just smiled softly. He had expected something like that and he noticed how shy she was, even though he was going to be a part of the family some time from now. But he would just keep his voice casual and try to draw her out a little more. He didn't bite after all.
"That's a long time you've been doing it then." he replied, clearly interested to learn more about it. "Sounds like a fun kind of sports."

Erin nodded in reply when Danny said that to her. "Yes....yes it is" she sad before getting up and walking rather quickly to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. "Oh globits Erin, what is wrong with you?" she said while standing there. Nicole knew why she ran off like that, but was still worried for her sister.

Danny watched Erin and slowly shook his head when she took off like that. Somehow he had the feeling that something was off with her. She wasn't just shy and reluctant. Something else seemed to be off. Usually shy women didn't take off like that, or stuttered like Erin had.
But Danny knew that most of all, Erin needed a little more confidence.

As he looked down onto his hands, waiting for Erin to come back, Danny tried to figure out a way to help her. But he didn't know how to do it. She seemed to be just as smart as her sister Nicole and as spunky, but how could he draw that side more out?

Nicole looked at Danny, then leaned over to him. "When she comes back ask about the surfing tour she's going on this summer." she whispered into Danny's ear. She knew that getting Erin to talk about about the tour would get her to open up more and not stumble over her words.

Danny looked at Nicole after she told him that and shrugged a little. Maybe he would do that, but maybe he would talk about something totally different to make Erin open up. Maybe Danny would tell her something about himself. He used to be shy as a kid, too. Maybe he would tell her about it. That would be something they had in common.

But the fact that she rushed out like that still worried him. There was more to this than just the usual shy girl. To him it was a little silly, but he would keep that to himself. Questions probably weren't going to make her feel comfortable around him.

Erin soon came back to the table, clearly more relaxed then before. "Forgive me for that" she said to everyone. "No worries Erin." Nicole said to her. "Danny has something to say to you." she added in a gentle tone, smiling a little at the same time while saying that her and Danny.