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After Wyatt successfully dragged the garter off Whitney’s leg, all the single men were called out onto the floor, and my eyes instantly locked with Kane’s. He was in the front of the group of about forty men standing between Brady Calhoun and his partner, Sam Whitlock.
I stood, holding the bouquet, as I watched the garter fly into the air. All the men jumped for it, and I found myself holding my breath. Kane’s hand reached just a little bit higher than Brady’s as he snatched it from his grasp.
Everyone applauded Kane’s impressive athleticism, I felt my cheeks getting flushed.
“Damn, he really wanted that garter,” Harmony commented beside me.
After waving me over, the photographer instructed Kane to sit on the chair that Whitney had previously occupied, and then for me to sit on his lap, holding the bouquet. He sat down, and I stepped between his legs before lowering onto his right thigh. His arm snaked around me possessively, and his fingers dug into my waist and tugged me closer to him. I felt my breath hitch.
As the photographer snapped pictures, my eyes locked with Kane. I knew that there was a crowd of people surrounding us, but it felt like we were the only two people in the room. I was so lost in his hypnotizing stare that I didn’t even notice Harper had joined us until Kane pulled her onto his lap. I heard a wave of ‘awes’ as we all posed for photos. In that moment, all of the uncertainty I’d been having about what I actually wanted was instantly clarified.
I wanted a family. And not just any family. I wanted this family.
“Okay, great! Now if I can get a few shots of you two dancing.” The photographer motioned for us to stand.
I handed my bouquet to Harmony, who gave me a little knowing wink, and I hoped no one would notice. I knew people had talked a lot when I first moved in with him, but the rumors seemed to die down over the summer. But as I looked around the room now, all eyes were on us, and I knew this dance would only fuel the gossip train.
Kane led me to the center of the dance floor, just outside the tent beneath the twinkle lights, and pulled me into his arms. As soon as he did, my entire body melted against his solid frame. Swaying on the dance floor transported me right back to the night at the Tipsy Cow. It was only a couple of months ago, but it felt like a lifetime had passed.
I still couldn’t believe how bold I’d been that night on his couch. So much had changed since then. That night, I felt like I had nothing to lose by telling him how I felt. I wish I still had that boldness in me. I wish I could tell him that I loved him, and that I wanted to stay in Wishing Well, take the job, and be with him. But now there was something to lose, because now I knew exactly what I wanted, and if he didn’t, it would be the greatest loss of my life.
As we swayed back and forth, his chest rose and fell against mine. The molecules swirling around us crackled with tension.
“You look so beautiful,” he whispered against the top of my head.
There was so much I wanted to say to him, but I wasn’t sure this was the time or the place surrounded by a couple hundred people. I could feel his heart thudding wildly as his thumb traced lazy circles, before his palm flattened and his fingers splayed on my bare skin. He flexed his hand, and the tips of his fingers dug into me. I tilted my neck back to meet his gaze. When I did, I saw a flash behind his head.
“Look!” I pointed up.
His eyes lifted up to the sky, and a whisper of a smile spread across his mouth as he softly stated, “A shooting star.”
A shooting star. Just like Grandad had seen. Was it a sign that this was the right time to tell him?
“Your grandad told me that he saw a shooting star the night he met your grandma.”
Kane’s chin lowered, and his eyes met mine. “He told you about that?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
As we continued to sway to the music, Kane stared down at me like I was a puzzle he was trying to solve.
“Is that okay…that he told me?”
“Yes. Of course, yes. It’s just…he doesn’t tell many people that story.”
“Oh.”
The energy around us shifted. In a matter of a few seconds, a dense covering of anticipation had rolled in, surrounding us like a heavy morning fog. It felt like we were on the precipice of something big. Something that could change everything. It felt like every moment in my life had led to this moment.
“What was Melody asking you about? Earlier, at the church?” he asked.
“She offered me a full-time position to head up an after-school arts and music program.”
“Here? In Wishing Well?”
I nodded.
“Are you considering taking it?”
