A Tiara Under the Tree

Waverly batted her lashes. She pressed a finger against her high cheekbone and pondered his proposal. Dominic yanked her down to his level. Waverly came down slowly, kissing his forehead, cheeks and lips.

“Of course I’ll marry you. I love you, Dominic.”

Dominic leaned Waverly back and brought her closer. She laughed beneath him and brought him down toward her face for another kiss. He loved this woman. “I promise we’ll go ring shopping.”

“I don’t have to have a ring,” Waverly said. “You bought me my freaking dream home. Maybe there will be something in Santa’s bag after the parade.”

All the parents attending the parade always received a gift in the town square for their children. After the parade Santa would pass out one final present.

“That was more of a Christmas gift,” said Waverly. “And speaking of the parade, rumor has it the current person scheduled to play Santa has to bow out due to some emergency dental work.”

“I’m not apologizing.” Dominic grimaced. “That bastard...”

Dominic’s words were drowned out when Waverly kissed him. She tried to roll him onto his back. When she succeeded, Waverly positioned herself right on top of his raging erection. “I wonder who we can get to play Santa.”

“Isn’t it bad enough I’m going to dress up as a soldier?”

Her pink lips parted. “Oh, crap, I didn’t get you anything.”

Dominic stroked her hair out of her face. The tiara untangled from her tresses and rolled next to the wrapped presents under the tree. “Trust me, you did already.”

Epilogue

One year later

Early-summer sun spilled onto Waverly Crowne’s face. She smiled at the memory of her place in life one year ago when she’d felt destitute and lifeless. Now here she sat in the rocking chair on her wraparound porch seated next to Marion Strickland from Pageant Pride Gazette, literally full of life. A small tray holding a pitcher of freshly squeezed lemonade and two now-empty glasses stood between them. Their time together had come to an end. Waverly tugged the hem of her pastel yellow shift dress and rose from her seat.

“Things certainly have changed for the better,” said Marion, tucking her pink sparkly pencil into the front pocket of her purse.

Waverly had welcomed Marion into her home that afternoon for a standard interview right before big pageants took place. Marion chose to do her report on Waverly, since she’d followed her pageant career for years. Waverly didn’t mind one bit that she been placed in the nostalgia archives. Her tiara days were over with and nothing made her happier. Well, maybe something did; she smiled at the way her heart melted when Dominic strolled up the walkway with Hamilton on a leash. When she and Dominic had married, they’d talked Alisha into giving them custody. She wouldn’t have time to properly care for

him now that she was in school full-time in Atlanta.

These days, when Dominic wasn’t participating in Union Blues reenactments to fulfill the two-year contract he signed with Mr. Harvey, he hung around the house in ballers and T-shirts. The coveralls and expensive suits remained in the closet on hiatus. Right now he was scouting places in town to expand his business. Since moving upstate into the Harveys’ home, Dominic turned the daily grind of Crowne’s Garage over to his family. The twins moved into the ranch home and Alisha kept her condo. They still traveled to Southwood on a weekly basis so Waverly could work with her students at Grits and Glam Studios as the vocal coach.

“Are you sure we can’t talk you into coming to the Miss Georgia Pageant? Everyone is dying to see you.”

Of course they are, Waverly thought to herself. Not one meme had been created since Dominic beat the mess out of Anson. Nothing was ever proven about Dominic’s accusations, but everyone had their answer. Anson wouldn’t press charges against Dominic because if he did, the truth would come to light. Marion stood and gave Waverly a hug.

“You know I can’t travel right now,” Waverly said.

Stepping backward, Marion hiked her purse onto her shoulder and offered a thoughtful smile. “Any regrets about not going after the crown?”

“Oh, I got the right crown, Marion.” Waverly chuckled.

“Make sure you spell crown with an e,” said Dominic from the bottom of the steps. Hamilton oinked in agreement. Dominic jogged up the steps, stood behind Waverly and wrapped his arms around her protruding belly.

“Any chance there’s a little beauty queen in there?” Marion asked.

After Christmas, Dominic dragged Waverly down to the courthouse and married her on the spot, just as he’d wanted to the first night he arrived at her place with the misdelivered pizza. Shortly after exchanging vows, they discovered they were expecting. Dominic went out and bought every car decoration for a baby’s room that he could find.

“It’s a boy,” Dominic blurted out.

Waverly elbowed him and shook her head. “He thinks if he keeps saying it, it will be true.”

Marion laughed once more and bade them goodbye, leaving the happy husband and wife on the front porch alone. Hamilton, tired from his walk, took a nap in the flower bed against the house.

Dominic took hold of Waverly’s hand and turned her around. “You’re missing the Miss Georgia Pageant this weekend. Any regrets?”