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“Ah, then I am overqualified.” I chuckled politely as I sat down, ignoring the sting of the wordmatein my ears. Who said stuff like that anymore? “My real passion is engineering and architecture. I’m working on the gym building’s renovations.”
“It’s quite a hefty project,” Floyd regarded. “You know our family has been doing woodwork for Silverdawn since its inception?”
My brows rose with interest. “Is that so?” I looked at Sadie. “You didn’t say your family was rooted in this land.”
She blushed while lifting her champagne flute. The woman was going to get drunk if she didn’t get a damn bite of food into her stomach. Without hesitation, I took her glass and pushed her plate toward her.
“Eat, darling. You’ll make yourself sick if you consume more alcohol than food.”
Another round of blushing turned her delicious cheeks into bitable beets. She scooped her fork, plunged the tines into the potato salad, and placed it in her mouth. The beets ballooned, enhancing her cuteness by a thousand. I kissed her hand with a grin.
The look in her eyes told me the performance was going well. But there sat in those round, hazel-yellow fields a great sparkle I never wanted to see fade. Just that look alone made it hard to think about what would happenafterthe luncheon ended. Surely she would move in, and then our commitment would be on a maintenance routine.
Until when? Our lives went in different directions?
That was unacceptable. I didn’t want Sadie to leave me. I didn’t want her to lose sight of a better life, and I knew in my heart I could provide the template upon which she build something greater. These ties with her family were strong, evidenced by how much the people around us were weighing in on her happiness.
Simultaneously, I understood that part of the reason Sadie clawed after this PA position was because it was different than what she was used to doing. She craved variation. She longed for adventure.
I could very well give her that, and so much more.
It occurred to me then precisely how I could keep Sadie in my life. Grand charm was even more achievable by my status, so I stood up with a champagne flute and tapped it gently with a knife.
The resoundingtinkof the glass hushed the crowd. Sadie swallowed her food, dabbed her lips dry, and sat back, smiling expectantly. Everyone else did the same.
“My dear friends, I am so honored that I get to be here with you today,” I expressed. “Thank you for inviting me to this marvelous luncheon where I’ve been able to get to know every single one of you.”
When I raised my glass, everyone else did the same, noises of approval circulating the crowd.
I looked at Sadie’s parents, my smile growing. “I’m happy that we’re all gathered here because I have—wehave an announcement to make.”
Sadie’s eyes grew round while her smile remained still.
Don’t worry, darling, I assured her silently.You’ll be mine in the best way possible.
The entire porch held a collective breath. Heartbeats trembled through the air, practically matching the rumble of the drums in the classical ensemble that the Turners had chosen to play over the porch speakers.
Such anticipation made me salivate. I must have been a performer in another life.
My smile widened as I raised my glass higher. “Sadie and I are getting married.”
Applause shattered the air, erasing any other sound in the vicinity for a split second as the crowd jumped to their feet. Energy burst the bubble around me, and then I heard the wonderful agreements circling us, the encouragements and well wishes warming my heart significantly. Warming me in ways that I’d never felt—and it was an addictive feeling I never wanted to cease.
Sadie finally stood and grabbed my hand. Her eyes were rounder than an owl’s, and there were tears there, though I couldn’t tell the fashion of her tears. Happiness and shock typically looked similar for her. Though the distinct throb of the vein in her neck told me she was getting ready to start speaking rapidly.
This announcement had solidified her future. As Angelica wept and hugged her daughter, Floyd tearfully clapped me on the back. My mother watched gleefully as we were swarmed with hands, hugs, and more praises. Sadie sat frozen in the middle of it all like a buoy floating with the tides of the ocean. She bobbed and swayed, moved when prodded, and then returned to my side at once.
She was speechless for good reason. I just hoped when she recovered her voice that she would be onboard with the plan.
The alternative wasn’t even worth imagining.
***
Later, I glanced furtively at Sadie as we walked side-by-side toward her apartment. Some kind of frigid silence had sealed her mouth since my announcement. Other than the occasional gratitude and agreement, she’d kept to herself, flowing with the oceanic throng until it was time to leave.
My mother had parted from us several steps back. Both of them appeared as exhausted as I felt, and this was something I was used to doing for a living. Dealing with people, of course. Not the engagement.
When we reached her apartment, she quietly unlocked the door and let me in. I stepped around large boxes, dodged fallen books, and inspected a series of skating figurines lining the small counter. Sadie dropped her keys next to them—and then dropped her hand into her face.
