Sidecar Crush

“Says the girl who won’t get engaged until she’s thirty.”

“Don’t start with me, Jameson Bodine. Do you want my help or not?”

“No, I don’t want your help.”

She grinned at me. “Of course you do.”

I glared at her. “Don’t make a scene. I’m just nervous is all.”

Scarlett put her hand on my arm and smiled. Not a smile full of sass and mischief. A sweet smile, with a little hint of sympathy. “Don’t be nervous. You love her, and she loves you, and that’s all that matters. You’ll know when the moment is right.”

“Thanks, Scar.”

She punched my arm. “Love you, Jame. Go get your girl.”

I rubbed my arm where she’d hit me—Scarlett hit hard—and watched her walk off toward Devlin.

“I think everyone’s going down to the lake,” Leah Mae said behind me.

I jumped and spun around.

“Sorry,” she said with a soft laugh. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

I ran my hand down her bare arm. “It’s okay. Do you want to join ’em?”

“Yeah. I think your brothers are already building a bonfire.”

“Let’s go, then.”

Leah Mae took off her heels and let them dangle from her hand. I put my arm around her and we walked down to the beach. My brothers had wasted no time in getting a good blaze going. A few people backed in their pickups and put down the tailgates. Took out coolers. Someone turned up the music and the party continued in the moonlight next to the water.

The ring was in my pants pocket, so I took off my suit jacket and draped it over the back of Gibson’s car. Leah Mae loosened my tie and slid it out from the shirt collar, then unbuttoned my top button. I grinned at her.

“I like you undressin’ me.”

She smiled and slid her finger down the rest of the buttons. “You looked great tonight.”

“Thanks. You look beautiful all the time, but tonight? Darlin’, you’re stunning. You shouldn’t look so pretty at a wedding. Ain’t fair to the bride. Although I reckon Betsy didn’t mind.”

“Betsy was beautiful.”

“She and your dad looked mighty happy.” I put my hands around her waist and we started swaying to the music. “You threw them a very nice wedding.”

“It was lovely, wasn’t it?”

The light of the fire reflected in her eyes and her skin glowed. It reminded me of the bonfire at Scarlett’s place last summer. That was a year ago, now. I’d gazed at Leah Mae that night, wishing things had been different. Wishing she could have been my girl.

Now she was. And I was ready to make that a permanent arrangement.

My anxiety melted away as I looked at my beautiful girl. And I knew it was time. I brushed her hair back from her face and my mouth turned up in a smile.

“Why are you giving me your little boy smile?” she asked.

“Little boy smile? I didn’t know I had one.”

“You do.” She slid her fingertips across my lips. “It’s my favorite of your smiles.”

“I reckon there’s a reason.”

“What’s that?”

“Darlin’, I’m about to get down on one knee. And when I do, I’m going to ask you to marry me.”

She gasped, but I touched her lips with my fingertips and drew her closer.

“When I do, everyone’s going to look. It’s going to get all quiet and all those eyes will be on us. And I’d wait until we have a chance to be alone, but honey, this ring is singing to me and it won’t stop. I need to see it on your finger, and I need that now. So here’s what I’m fixin’ to do.”

She bit her lip and nodded.

“I’m going to ask you here first, right now. Real quiet, so no one can hear me—so it’s just for us. And when that’s finished, I’ll do it right, on my knee like a man should.”

Her eyes shone with tears. “Okay.”

I looked deep into her gorgeous green eyes and leaned closer so our noses touched. “Will you marry me?”

She shifted even closer, letting her lips brush against mine. “Yes.”

I kissed her sweet lips while I slipped my hand in my pocket. When we separated, I slowly lowered. I heard gasps and murmurs as I got down to my knee and looked up at her, holding the ring.