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Courtney shakes her head slowly side to side before answering, “I will tell you that she’s had a couple offers in the city recently, but has yet to accept a single one. I think her hesitance comes from you, though she’s yet to actually admit that to me.”
“And the boyfriend?” I question, arching my brow at her.
“He accepted a job last week—in New York City. I don’t know what that means for Tess, but I do know she’s been acting very restless the past few weeks. Again, something I’m fairly certain has to do with you.”
“I told her I would wait until she graduates.”
“And now she has,” Courtney interjects.
“Which is why I’m here.”
Courtney opens her mouth to say something else, but then quickly snaps it shut when she sees Tess emerge from the house at the very same moment I do, her douche bag boyfriend following directly behind her.
“Shit, I’m gonna go hide now,” Courtney whispers. “Good luck,” she quickly adds before slinking off into the crowd before Tess has a chance to see us together.
I watch Tess stop and talk to a handful of people on her way to the far side of the yard where I see Courtney now standing next to Bree, a child—who I presume is her son, running circles around the two of them.
The little boy is laughing hysterically, his little giggles echoing across the space, but when Tess swoops down and hoists him over her shoulder, he squeals and laughs even harder. She spins him around a few times before finally lowering him to his feet, clearly becoming dizzy in the process.
I can’t help the smile that stretches across my face as I watch her with the little boy. Visions of her playing in the backyard withourchildren flash through my mind and it’s honestly the best fucking motivation to do what I know I have to.
I take a deep breath and finally step fully into the backyard, ready to take what I came here for. Tess.
My plan quickly gets thwarted when Timmy and David, a couple of guys from high school, stop me just a few feet from where I was previously standing. We shoot the shit for a minute or two before I finally manage to excuse myself, my eyes locking on Tess once more.
I’ve almost reached her—so close that less than ten feet separate us—when the world seems to come to a screeching halt, my legs right along with it.
The next several moments happen in slow motion, like they’re being captured in snapshots, each one a still frame.
Snap—the boyfriend asks for everyone’s attention.
Snap—he says something that sounds an awful lot like what I was about to say. Love of his life, not able to live without her; every word is muffled by the white noise suddenly ringing in my ears.
Snap—he’s lowering himself down onto one knee.
Snap—there’s a ring box in his hand.
Snap—he’s opening it, saying what I can only presume iswill you marry me. By this point, I’ve completely stopped processing the actual words being spoken.
Snap—Tess raises her hand to cover her mouth, her beautiful face contorted in surprise.
Snap—she hesitates, a blush running up her neck and onto her pale cheeks.
Snap—she swallows hard. I watch the way her throat bobs as she does.
Snap—she nods yes.
Snap—he slides the ring on her finger.
Snap—her eyes find mine and every ounce of color drains from her face.
