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Then he set the phone aside and cuddled me close again. Adrenaline had shot through me at his casual response about marrying me.
“You have to ask me first.”
He pressed a kiss right under my jaw. “I will.”
Then we went back to watching TV till we fell asleep together on our sofa.
Epilogue
~REED~
“A huge thankyou goes to my boyfriend, Reed Robicheaux, and Hale Broussard with Hale Building Company for making the renovations. And again, thank you to Beauville Chamber of Commerce for your support.”
Anna stood in a pale blue dress and dark denim jacket in front of the red ribbon beneath the new sign,Dream On Studios. She was talking softly to the representative from the Chamber of Commerce. With a nudge from Hale, whose father was a friend of the representative, they’d set Anna’s grand opening—noting that her building was in the historic district of Beauville—with a ribbon cutting and publicity. Everyone applauded and glanced toward me and Hale standing off to the side as she took the scissors and cut the ribbon.
A loud roar of cheers and applause went up with the sudden sound of Bruno Mars filling the blocked-off area in front of the dance studio. Her summer camp students—now her fall semester students—all dressed in matching black and pink polka-dotted leotards, started a high-energy routine they’d learned at camp.
The crowd cheered as they performed with near-perfect accuracy, zipping and hip-hopping, or whatever it is they called it. All I knew was they looked amazing, and there were smiles on every parent who came out for the cutting and the performance.
My girlfriend’s face was beaming, and I couldn’t imagine life getting any better than this. Actually, I could. It was too soon, but I was hoping by Christmas I could call Anna my fiancé.
“Nice job, son,” said Mr. Jimmy next to me, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “I know I had my doubts, and honestly, I still do, but…seeing Anna’s face lit up like that and so happy, I guess I need to just hope she knows what she’s doing.”
“Yes, sir.” I wasn’t about to tell the man who’d been a father to me my whole life that he had been wrong in ever doubting her.
He chuckled. “What you really mean is, ‘Shove it, old man. Anna will succeed no matter what she does.’”
I laughed then. “Not exactly, but I do think she knows what she’s doing. And if she doesn’t, I’ll be here to catch her.”
“You’ll see one day. When you and Anna have a daughter of your own.”
A spike of shock hit me as I turned to him. I’d never told anyone but Jonah that I hoped and intended to marry her.
Mr. Jimmy smiled. “Come on now, son. You’ve been in love with my daughter for years now. And better yet, you two suit each other. She’ll keep you from being too quiet and isolated and you’ll keep her grounded and focused. It’ll be a good life together.”
A lump lodged in my throat as I said, “I’d hoped to ask you for her hand around Thanksgiving. Didn’t want to ask her too soon.”
“Nah.” He clapped my shoulder and then dropped his hand. “She’s been waiting for you since…I’d say that time you picked her up when she fell off the trampoline.” He shook his head. “I went to help her, but she went to you instead of me that day. I knew then you’d likely end up together. Jonah might’ve brought you home, but it was Anna who kept you there.”
Then he walked off toward Ms. Dinah, talking to a dancer’s parent in passing as if he hadn’t just shocked the hell out of me.
“Okay, man.” Jonah popped up beside me, Hale moving closer. “Let’s head to the Drunk Pelican after this. They’ve got two-for-one margaritas, and nothing draws the ladies like a margarita happy hour.”
“I’m down,” said Hale. “That bartender is hot as fuck.”
“I’ll check with Anna.”
“Damn, you’re so pussy-whipped.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “And a mighty fine p—”
Jonah clamped a hand over my mouth. “Don’t you even fucking say it. I might’ve agreed to all this shit, but you will not talk about my sister’s…body parts.”
Laughing, I shoved him off. “Fine. We’ll have to ask Emma, too.” She was chatting up Anna as they watched the dancers pop a final pose in their routine.
The cheers escalated again, then everyone was milling around. The girls, and even a few male dancers, ran up to Anna excitedly for her approval. She shot me a smile across the lot that hit me right in the heart.
“Yeah, Emma can come,” agreed Jonah, hissing in a breath and checking Emma out. “She’s looking fine this afternoon.”
