Page 33 of Rim Shot Rebound

She couldn’t finish her po-boy half, so she wrapped it up and handed the leftovers for him to put in the bag for later. “I should probably get back to the store.”

“Wait.” He turned to face her and took both of her hands in his. “Thanks again, for letting me back into your life and for giving us another chance.” His thumbs nervously grazed the tops of her fingers. “I’m in this for the long run.” He took a deep breath, then released her hands to pull the box from his pocket and open it. “You don’t have to say anything right now. I know you weren’t expecting this, and I know you like to have time to think about things.” He took out the ring and slipped it on her finger. “But I want you to hang on to this while you think, to remind you that I love you, Kelsey, and I plan to be by your side for as long as you’ll have me. Forever, if that’s what you want.”

She blinked hard and fast at the ring on her finger. She looked terrified, but he couldn’t tell if he was projecting his own terror onto her or not.

When she still didn’t say anything, he added, “I just want to make sure you know that I’m going to be here for you. That I’m here for both of you.”

Kelsey finally looked up, and when their eyes met, his heart sank. He wasn’t imagining that terror.

“I need to get back to work.” She stood and briskly dusted off her pants then grabbed her half-empty soda.

“Kel, wait, can we talk?”

“I need to get back.” She was already halfway down the steps. “Thanks for lunch,” she called over her shoulder.

This was not how he envisioned this going. Not even when he imagined her rejecting him. At least in his imagination she stuck around to do so. “I’ll see you at rehearsal tonight.”

But she didn’t reply. She only gave a quick wave over her shoulder.

He watched her disappear down the block and around the corner, while he sat alone on the stage steps, wondering where he went wrong.

But he knew the answer to that. He went wrong last year, when he’d screwed everything up. He’d been a fool to think she could ever forgive him for that.

 

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