Ben (The Sherwood)

“Disa invited me. She didn’t really know what she was inviting me to, but she said to dress formal. I couldn’t turn that down.”

She too was wearing a dress that I was pretty sure she had worn to either homecoming or prom with AJ. The dress was black, form fitting with spaghetti straps and a slit that was nearly to her waist. Her short legs looked long in this number.

I turned to Disa with a smile. “This love is your homecoming or prom that you never had, whichever you want it to be but the sign over the bar says prom.” I pointed to the bar where Mom and Dad were ogling each other. If this continued, we would find them making out in the storage room.

She laid her hand on my arm and whispered to me, “You did this for me? Simon closed the bar early on a Saturday for me?”

“He did, and I did.” I told her about Seth’s plan for dinner. Dancing after the meal although if there were fast songs she had to dance with the ladies. She laughed at me.

“I’m so excited,” she declared. “Ben, thank you.” Disa stood on tip toe, she drew me to her so that she could kiss my cheek.

It was the best night of my life. After dinner I was going to propose to her.

We sat down to eat a half hour after Disa arrived. Mom and Dad, Danni and Walker sat at my table. I noticed that somehow, Daisy had to sit with AJ, Matt and Seth. She didn’t sit by AJ, but she was too close for his comfort.

Seth had prepared a vodka sauce that smothered homemade noodles with shrimp and scallops as the main course. Disa tucked her napkin in the neckline of her dress. Then s

he glanced at me. “You know me, I’ll be wearing this vodka sauce. I don’t want to ruin my dress.”

I chuckled at her.

Mom and Danni monopolized Disa which was good since I was nervous about what Disa would say to my proposal. I know we hadn’t been together long this time, but I didn’t want to let her get away again. I wanted to start working on the future together.

A couple of the Dad’s servers were working tonight. They cleared our plates and took them to the back to be washed by our new dishwasher since Walker had quit. His name was Alec. He was younger than Seth. Desperate for a job and he worked hard.

We moved away from the tables and stood near the bar talking. I held Disa’s hand while she talked to my sister, Jenny and Daisy and I talked to my brothers and Walker. I couldn’t help but notice AJ’s eyes traveling over my shoulder to stare at Daisy from time to time.

If I had any advice for him at all, it would be to make up with her, somehow. Make her listen to him and forgive him for whatever led her to believe he had cheated.

I glanced at Disa and she smiled. “Want to dance?” She asked when the song was slow and something she liked.

“Sure.” I sat my drink on the bar and headed to the dance floor with her.

I tucked her into my frame and held her close, my hand around her waist and the other one holding hers to my heart. I kissed her cheek while we moved slowly about the floor. No one else danced with us yet. I didn’t know why. They could have. We wouldn’t have noticed them.

“Thank you, Ben.”

“For what? For this?” She nodded. “It was nothing,” I informed her.

“Ben, I got to dress up in a beautiful gown and go to a prom at Ike’s. It means everything to me. You don’t know how thoughtful it was.” Her beautiful eyes glistened with unshed tears.

She glanced around the room at all the things that I had put together to make tonight special. “You put so much thought into everything.”

“Danni and Dad helped me.”

“I am so happy,” she replied.

We were barely moving as we swayed together to the beat of the music. I closed my eyes. “I love you, you know.”

“I love you too, Ben,” she whispered.

I knew I should be on one knee. I knew everyone was watching us. My heart slammed against my ribs in anticipation of what she would say to me when I asked her to marry me.

“Disa,” I said her name. She tilted her face to me. Her eyes shining bright at me unnerved me.

“Ben, what’s wrong?”

“I have something to ask you,” I replied.