“And I know what you’re thinking… I’m probably the last man in the world you’d want to see her marry. But I’ve been thinking about it a lot since she came back, and I’m not excusing my behavior, but I think part of me pushed women away because I knew they weren’t her. And I never really felt like I deserved someone as incredible as your daughter.” I was talking fast, too fast. But I had to get it all in before he stopped me. “I knew the day she got engaged I screwed up, big time. But when they broke up, and she came home…” I took a deep breath. “It was the first time I thought maybe there was a shot for us. What I’m trying to say…”
Shit, this wasn’t coming out the way I’d practiced.
“She has feelings for me too, but I honestly didn’t think she wanted to stay in Cedar Falls. When she told me about the business, I was shocked.”
That wasn’t part of the speech at all. He was still smiling. Probably laughing at what a bumbling idiot he’d sold the bar to.Get back on track, Beck.
“I’ve been trying to think of ways to show Mae how much she means to me. The bar. An apartment. I’m ready to get serious with my life, and the best way I can think of to show her how serious I am about us, that is to say…”
Just. Ask. Him.
“I’d like your permission to ask Mae to marry me.”
I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. This was an entirely different experience than sitting across from my own father. This man’s opinion meant more to me than any other. He literally held my future in his hands. Mae was not the kind of woman you asked to marry you without the full support of her parents. I planned to call her mom too, but had to start here.
“Sit down, Beck.”
Aw, fuck. It was a no.
I sat without even feeling the leather chair beneath me.
He did the same, Mr. O’Malley’s hands on his knees as he leaned forward.
“Do you remember the day you moved?”
I did. Clearly.
“Yeah,” I said, not sure what he was getting at exactly.
“You came next door, just before you climbed into the moving truck, and gave Mae a handful of daisies.”
I’d forgotten about that.
“I remember.”
“You hugged her, and then turned away immediately.”
I remembered that too.
“But not before I saw your tears.”
Oh, man.
“I also saw you take the long way around the truck so you could wipe your eyes first. That was the day I knew you loved my daughter. And once you see something, you can’t unsee it. I’m just surprised Mae never figured it out, until now.”
Talk about a curve ball.
“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” We’d worked closely together for years. He’d had thousands of opportunities.
“It wasn’t my place. People have to figure things out for themselves for it to mean anything. I’ll admit, I almost did when she got engaged. I wanted to shake you, ask why you weren’t getting on a plane to France.”
Wait, what? He wanted me to break up her engagement?
“But I didn’t, because I knew Mae needed to forge her own path too. I knew she loved you but had no idea in what way. And now I do.”
What did that mean? How did he know how Mae felt?
He stood, so I followed suit.
