Page 143 of His Wounded Heart

I hear the toilet flush, and reluctantly release her.

She smiles up at me. “I have to redo my lipstick, don’t I?”

“Do I have to redo mine?” I ask.

“Perhaps you might want to check it out,” she chuckles.

“Bella is having a ball,” I whisper to Simon.

He looks over his shoulder so he can see what I’m seeing. Right now, Cullen Lyons is holding her up in one arm, with his other arm sticking out, holding her hand. They are twirling around the dance floor. I hadn’t met him until tonight. He was seated at our table and is a member of Nic’s team. He told the funniest stories.

“She couldn’t be having as much fun as I am,” Simon says as he kisses the top of my head and pulls me even closer. We’ve danced at least five songs in a row, and we both continue to keep watch for Bella, who is constantly entertained.

I’m sorry to see the party about to end, but I know the venue is closing at midnight.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to have your attention.”

On the dais with the disc jockey is Josiah Hale.

“The servers are coming around with new glasses of champagne. I’ve talked to Nic and Cami and they think this is a fabulous idea. So we’re going to have one more little thing to toast tonight.”

I look around and watch as Bella does a fist pump as a server gives her a glass of sparkling cider. I can’t remember the name of the man who is currently dancing with Bella now, but he has a son about her age.

“Let’s hear a hooyah, if you all have your champagne.”

The crowd goes wild with the sound of men crying hooyah. Josiah grins.

“Well okay then. I need the following people to come up here on the stage. Commander Simon Clark.”

I feel Simon tense in my arms. I know he doesn’t like being called Commander, because he feels that there were politics with the way he retired. But men like his former captain, Josiah Hale have said, they will always think of him as—and call him—Commander.

“I would also like to have one of the infamous Avery sisters take the stage.”

Simon grips my waist just a little tighter for a moment as he looks up at the ceiling as if he were looking for strength.

“And last but not least, the little spitfire, Bella Avery. Will she come up to the stage?”

I watch as Max Hogan—I finally remember his name—starts walking forward with Bella in his arms.

“Honey, we better go on up there. Max is taking Bella; I don’t want her up there all by herself.”

“Okay.” I smile down at Trenda. We start weaving our way to the stage, me shooting killer looks at Josiah the entire way. He knows damn good and well I have Trenda’s ring in my pocket; he asked to see it.

Bastard. He’s going to make me propose in front of everybody.

As I help Trenda up on the stage, I look at her baffled expression and think that if anybody deserves an over-the-top proposal with a hundred people toasting her, it is Trenda Avery. I look at Josiah again. He smirks, cause he knows I am now down with the program.

I had been intending to propose underneath one of the pretty lit trees in the lobby, with an abundance of flowers. This is going to be so much better.

Bella is still standing next to Max and holding her cider. Trenda is standing in front of me looking bewildered.

“Bella, can you come stand next to your Mama for a minute?”

“Sure,” she smiles.

“I’ll take this for awhile,” Max says as he plucks the flute of cider out of her hands. When Trenda sees that happen, she gives me a suspicious look, and I take her flute of champagne and hand it to the D.J.

When my two girls are in front of me, I smile, and they smile back at me.