Page 13 of Marry Me Tomorrow
“We’re engaged!” Jenny announces brightly. She rests her head on my arm, sending an electric jolt through me.
My mother’s eyes widen before she breaks into a grin that could rival the sun. “Trenton! How dare you not even tell me you were dating someone! And now you’re engaged to boot! Oh, I can’t wait to tell your father. He’ll be over the moon! Your grandfather too. And here you had me thinking that there was no hope for you taking over the marina.”
“Surprise,” I say weakly, forcing a grin. I’m trying to piece together everything that is happening, but my brain is currently working slower than molasses.
Well, if you can’t beat them, better join them. I plaster a grin on my face and press a kiss to the top of Jenny’s head for good measure. Her hair is warm under my lips, smelling faintly of lavender and sunshine. My mom nearly swoons, her hand fluttering to her chest like she’s just watched the most romantic scene in a movie.
“Oh, Trenton,” my mom exclaims. “I always knew you’d find someone! I can’t believe you kept this from me, you little rascal! Even with my pestering—it was all for naught!” She embraces Jenny and me. “You’re engaged,” she says excitedly, then glances at Jenny’s hand. “Well, let me see it.”
“See what?” I ask, still trying to fully catch up.
“The ring, obviously,” my mom says, placing her hands on her hips.
“Um . . .” I start, but Jenny effortlessly cuts in.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Mrs. Hughes, we had to get it resized. Trent didn’t want to spoil the proposal by asking for my ring size, so he guessed. He ended up getting a size too big.”
My mom pulls Jenny out of my arms and into a hug that’s as tight as a fisherman’s line when he’s reeling in his biggest catch. The moment Jenny is pulled away, I feel an odd pang of loss, as though some invisible tether has been momentarily severed.
Strange. Wonder what that’s about?
“Oh, don’t worry about it at all!” Mom says. “Getting the wrong size happens all the time. Oh! Jenny, dear, you must come for Sunday dinner. I’ll invite our friends, and we’ll make an engagement party out of the whole thing!”
Jenny pulls back slightly, her cheeks faintly pink, though my mom still has her hands clasped tightly. “That sounds wonderful, Mrs. Hughes,” Jenny says, her voice warm and genuine.
“This is the best news!” Mom exclaims, her smile widening. “I’ve always wanted a daughter. Not that Trenton isn’t the perfect son, but there’s something special between a mom and her daughter, don’t you think?”
Jenny hesitates, her gaze dropping to where my mom’s hands hold hers. “Oh, um, my parents weren’t around much when I was little, so I wouldn’t know much about the mother-daughter relationship.”
“Well,” my mom says, “don’t worry about that. We’ll start here with the two of us.” My mom wraps her in another hug, swaying slightly. Jenny stiffens for a fraction of a second before melting into it, her arms circling Mom’s back.
“No worries, Jenny,” Mom says, her voice tinged with emotion. “We’ll be two peas in a pod, the two of us!”
From where I stand, I catch the glimmer of unshed tears in Jenny’s eyes before she quickly brushes them away with a blink and a bright smile. Jenny shifts her gaze to the register. “Oh! Mr. Newman is here for his bait. I’d better go help him.” She releases my mom and heads back toward the shop. “I’m looking forward to Sunday!” she calls out.
Jenny waves to both of us before hurrying behind the counter, her ponytail bouncing as she scoops up a big bucket of worms for Mr. Newman. The older man tips his hat to her, a pleased grin spreading across his weathered face as she chats easily with him. The sight of her smile is like sunlight breaking through a cloudy sky, and for a moment, I forget the chaos swirling around me.
“Trenton, dear,” Mom says, pulling my focus back. “I can’t believe you’re engaged. I need to know all the details.” Her face is alight with maternal curiosity and uncontainable joy.
I glance at my watch, thankful for the steady flow of regulars keeping me busy. “Sorry, Mom, it’ll have to wait for Sunday dinner. I have to go help out the guys. We don’t want a bunch of cranky fishermen who can’t get out on the water.”
Mom, having worked at the marina for decades, understands and waves me off. “Of course not! But we have a lot of talking to do—and a wedding to plan!”
“Sure thing, Mom.” I lean in to kiss her cheek, her familiar floral perfume tickling my nose. “See you Sunday!”
With a wave, I grab my key ring off the board and head out to the docks. The air is crisp and smells faintly of lake water and freshly cut wood. The gentle lap of waves against the boats fills the silence as I take a deep breath, trying to steady my thoughts.
I don’t know what just happened. What was Jenny thinking telling my mom we’re engaged? She has no idea what she’s just gotten herself into. Because now that Mom has the thought of marriage in her head, there’s little that can be done to get it out. And now I’ll have to come up with some way to explain that it was all a joke. And if Jenny wasn’t trying to be comical, then why did she say we were engaged?
My brain whirls as I move from one boat to another, helping each person with their rentals. The usual banter with the regulars goes right over my head. My words are automatic, my thoughts elsewhere.
The weight of the morning presses down on me, and just as I’m about to attempt sorting through it, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out to see a message flash across the screen.
Greg: Man, have I got a story for you. You’ll never guess what I heard.
Another ping.
Gwen: You’re engaged? When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell us?
