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“What’s the problem?” I asked. Craig was a catch, and I was sure I wasn’t being biased; any girl in her right mind would be excited to catch his attention. “Have you asked her out?”
Craig ran his hands through his hair, his face baffled.
“She said no.”
I tried not to laugh at his shock over a girl telling him no, but he was beyond adorable.
“Don’t give up,” I encouraged. “You said she isn’t like other girls, so you can’t expect her to throw herself at your feet just because you asked her out. If you really want to go out with her, you may have to work a little harder.”
“How do I do that?”
“I don’t know … Pay attention to what she likes to do, maybe show up at a place that she likes to go. You said she likes poetry and art. See if there are any open mic nights, or talk to her friends and see if she likes museums. Do a little research and show her that you are interested in who she is and what she likes,” I suggested.
Craig nodded, his face breaking into a sunny smile. He looked so much like Cal at that age, it made my heart clench.
“Okay, I can do that. Thanks, Shel.”
“Anytime, really. And let me know what happens!”
He stood up, so I got up and went around the desk to pull him into a quick hug before he left.
“Hey, Shel?” he asked before walking out.
“Yeah?”
“I know that you have to make a decision that’s going to work for you, but I really hope you give Cal another shot. And if you don’t, I hope you’ll still see us as your family.”
Touched, I brought my hands up to Craig’s face and promised, “You’ll always be my family.”
Chapter 35 – Cal
“Thank you all so much for coming,” I said to the gang after the last person, Sasha of course, had arrived.
“Of course,” Gaby and Scott said simultaneously.
“What’s up?” TJ asked.
While Sasha just raised her perfectly manicured eyebrow at me.
I looked at all of them, my best friends, seated around the garage and watching me expectantly.
“As all of you know, this Saturday is date number eight. It’s my last chance to convince Shelly that she should trust me, forgive me, and continue to spend the rest of her life with me. If I fail, she is going to file for divorce. That’s a fact. Hell, she would have divorced me eight weeks ago if I hadn’t convinced her to agree to my plan. As promised, if that’s what she decides, I’ll sign the papers willingly. But … I’m going to do whatever I can to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“What are you going to do?” Gaby asked, sadness taking over her pretty face.
“That’s why I’ve called you all here, just like I did six and a half years ago …”
“Are you serious?” This came from Sasha, by far the most cynical of the group.
I nodded and looked around the room at my friends, as what I’m asking begins to register with all of them.
Six and a half years ago, we were all seniors in high school, but even then, I knew that Shelly was the girl that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I began to plan my proposal for the night of our graduation, and I enlisted all of our friends to help me make it as special as possible.
Sasha had been in charge of dressing Shelly, because I figured she’d want to look her best for the night of her engagement. Sasha had taken her shopping for a graduation outfit, and had ensured that she looked amazing for the night that was to come.
Scott and Gaby had been in charge of turning the roof of our gymnasium into a magical place. They’d covered it in twinkling lights, flowers, and candles, and had made it more beautiful than I ever could have imagined it.
TJ had been in charge of getting Shelly to the roof of the gym, where I would be waiting, in the middle of the flowers and twinkling lights, to ask her to marry me.
