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Apparently, they’d shown kissing.
“Yeah, I guess we do.”
His head tilted to the side. “Are you gonna marry my mom?”
Keaton hadn’t been expecting that question, and he wasn’t sure what the appropriate way to answer was. He and Avery hadn’t talked about getting married, but he absolutely wanted to marry her. He just wasn’t sure if he should tell her son that before they’d even discussed the topic.
“Do you want me to marry your mom?” Keaton asked because he was dodging the question, but also because he wanted to know. If he didn’t have Jacob’s blessing, then that would be a big problem for him. He knew that this was happening fast, or at least that might be how it looked to the outside world. But for him, this was years in the making. He and Avery might not have been in contact over the past years, but they’d been connected.
Jacob tilted his head to the side. “If you marry my mom, does that mean Mojo is my dog, too?”
“Yeah, Mojo would be your dog, too.”
“Then yes, I want you to marry my mom.”
As much as Keaton would have liked Jacob’s reasoning to have more to do with him than the dog, he wasn’t complaining. He’d take all the help he could get.
“Come on, Mojo!” Jacob ran off and Mojo chased after him barking.
“He really loves that dog,” Blanche said as she approached Keaton.
“It looks like that dog loves him back.” Keaton said as Jacob bent down and Mojo covered his face with kisses.
“Look, I’m just gonna cut to the chase, darlin, what are your intentions with my daughter?”
Keaton knew that cameras were rolling even though they were more low-key than normal, probably because they didn’t want to spook the families. He wasn’t sure if this was the right time to tell Avery’s mom how he felt. He never wanted her to doubt that what he felt was real and had nothing to do with the show.
When he hesitated to respond, Blanche asked. “Mr. Savage, do you love my daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, good.” Blanche nodded. “Now, since ya didn’t want to answer my grandson’s question, I’m askin’ again, do you wannamarryher?”
This time he didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
Blanche clapped her hands together. “Thank the lord in heaven.”
Keaton smiled.
“If that’s the case, then I reckon I better give you this.” Blanche pulled out a beautiful solitaire diamond ring and handed it to him.
“What’s this?” Keaton asked as he took it from her. He knew that Blanche had never been married, so he wasn’t sure where the ring had come from.
“That is Avery’s gammy, my mama’s, ring. I’ve had it for her since she was ten. My mama made me promise that I would only give this ring to a man who was worthy of her sweet pea, so I’ve kept it in my panty drawer until now.” Blanche’s eyes twinkled. He knew that was her way of telling him that she hadn’t offered it to Jude.
“Thank you.” Keaton looked down at the ring and felt honored, humbled, and happy that she’d entrusted it to him, just like he did that Avery loved him.
* * *
Avery took deep breaths to try and calm her nerves as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Today was Family Day. Each one of the cast was going to meet the family of their matches. She and Keaton hadn’t talked much about his family on the show, but five years ago, they had.
She knew that his aunt had taken him in when his mom remarried a man who basically didn’t want a stepson. He came home from school one day and she was gone. She’d packed up the apartment and just left. Avery felt horrible judging his mom since she’d lost her husband and the father of her son tragically, but she just couldn’t help wondering how someone could choose a partner over their child.
Julie came in to get Zara and she headed off to see Mario’s family, which of course she already knew.
Avery looked around. The dressing room seemed so empty now that only three girls were using it. Vic and Piper, Zara and Mario, and Keaton and Avery were the last matches standing and were all going to the finale.
The past six weeks that she’d been on the show had flown by. Keaton and Avery had been in a bubble of love. It was like five years ago but so much better.
