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I’ve seen that face. It’s the one she uses when she’s trying to do math in her head. “I thought Megan was planning Dixie and Leo’s party.”
“She is. I need your help with a different one.”
“Nash, you hated all the events I planned.”
“I never meant to make you feel like that. The truth is the bar was better when you were here. I’ve been doing a lot of the things you wrote on the business plan you left. They’re solid.”
She beams like someone just crowned her Miss America. “Thank you.”
“This party has to be perfect.”
“I’ve never planned an engagement party before but if I get any ideas, I guess I can call you. Who is getting married?”
“I am.”
Her smiled dims and the color drains from her face. “Oh. You want me to help you plan your engagement party.” Her eyes cool and she goes aloof. “Who are you marrying?”
“Well, I haven’t gotten her to say yes yet. It isn’t going to be easy. She’s been hurt before and I’ve made a mess of things.”
“I don’t think I’m the right person to help you.”
I point to the wall where a plastic sandwich bag is filled with scraps of paper inside a shadow box. “Do you see that?” When she looks, I tell her, “That’s the contract I never signed. The one where you gave me your portion of the bar. Ironwing is still yours. Mostly.”
“You didn’t...what does this have to do with getting married? Are you leaving Brazen Bay, too?”
“How do you think I should ask her? She’s so beautiful and smart, and she knows a lot of romance language stuff and poetry, I’m only good at plain speak. Boring words.”
She whips her head back to me. I wait a beat.
“I’ve done just about everything wrong with her. Made a real ass out of myself.”
She swallows hard. “Well, to be fair, you are an ass. It would be unfair to expect otherwise.” She’s trying to read my expression. “She’s probably not perfect, either. Maybe the two of you can come to an understanding. You should use your plain, boring words. I’m sure that’s what she’d prefer.”
“Should I get down on one knee?”
“Um, well, if she’s nervous, she might need you to hold her up. Maybe put your hands on her hips, like this.” She places my hands on her hips and my heart starts thudding in my ears.
“Like this?”
She nods. “Yeah. And then maybe she would put her arms around you. For support. Like this.” She loops her arms around my neck and her eyes lift to my face.
“And then just tell her that I need her? That my life is shit without her?”
“I’m sure she’d like to hear that.”
I wonder what she would do if I pressed my lips to hers. “Should I tell her that I think she’s literally the bravest person I’ve ever met? That I’m in awe of the way she just tackles whatever life hands her, even when she’s scared? That I’m the one who needs to learn how to be courageous?”
“She might not believe you.”
“It’s true. I shut out anything that might change my life because I was afraid to take a chance on making it better. My life was fine, but it wasn’t good, Tru, not until you came into it.”
Here goes nothing.
I take one hand off her hip and pull a ring out of my pocket.
Her eyes round with shock. “My grandmother’s ring...how did you...”
“Perry helped me track down your lawyer. He gave us a lead on some of your personal things. Some of the liquidated items were sold off to different places, but I found this still in New York. You told me once it was the only thing you wished you could get back.”
