Page 153 of All of Me

“Let’s see the ring,” Jodi insisted, taking Lena’s hand. “Daaamn, Gabriel. You did good,” Jodi complimented.

“Yes, he did,” Lena’s mother added, as she and Lena’s father joined us.

“Hey, Ma, Daddy.” Lena pulled them in for a hug. “Thanks for coming.”

Her mother’s smile was genuine as she looked from Lena to me and back to her daughter. After the situation with Nate was revealed Lena’s parents had a change of heart on her ex.

“Congratulations on all your success,” Lena’s father added, looking over at the huge billboard achievement I had blown up for tonight’s event.

“Thanks, Daddy.”

Lena had also had a long talk with her parents and set some boundaries with them. While she continued to support them, she made it clear that they would now be on the hook for their own extraneous expenses.

Her father recently took up performing again. A few nights a week he performed with some old bandmates at clubs around New York, affording him some extra income. Lena’s mother took on a part-time doing administrative work at a small studio in the City.

So far, the change with them seemed to do them some good. Only time would tell how long it lasted.

I wrapped my arm around Lena, pulling her into me.

“I love you,” she said, staring up at me with that look that made me fucking melt.

I brushed my lips against hers. “Same here.”

We arrived back in Harlington a few days ago, and I’d taken Lena on another private hot air balloon ride to ask her to marry me. The best part about that was her crying as she nodded and told me she would marry me, right as the sun rose over the hills in the distance.

“Double congratulations are in order,” Preston said as he handed Lena and me beers from the bar.

“Thanks, Preston.” Lena pulled him into a hug.

She hugged everyone in attendance and thanked them all for coming out to celebrate.

“And you,” she said, taking both of my hands in hers, a few hours later, “your thank you is waiting for us at home.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “You already gave me more thanks than I could ever want by saying yes to marrying me.” I leaned down and kissed her.

We laughed and danced until I lost track of time. One by one, people trickled out, leaving only a few people behind.

When I was about to call it a night to take my fiancé home to celebrate, the bar door opened, and a woman entered.

I blinked and had to do a double take. It’d been years since I’d seen her, but I instantly recognized her.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize this was a party,” she said, looking disheveled and out of place. “I-I just need some help.”

“Hi, it’s not a problem. Are you from around here?” Lena asked. “What’s your name?”

“Savannah,” Ace said as he brushed past Lena. “She’s my wife.”

Lena laughed. “Do all of you say that whenever you meet a pretty woman for the first time?” She looked at me.

I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her from Ace and the woman, shaking my head. “No, Cin.” I paused, not believing that this woman from my brother’s past was there. “That really is Ace’s wife.”

I guessed we would have to see how my brother’s story played out.

The End