Page 112 of Brick

She floated through the day on autopilot. Ate lunch in the cafeteria. Then froze on the way back to her classroom, when Devon Lowry approached her in the hall.

Books clutched to his chest, he kept a respectable distance. “Can I talk to you a second, Miss T?”

Her mouth moved, but no sound came out.

“We can talk on the quad,” he offered. “Lots of witnesses.”

She nodded and followed him to an empty bench outside. His buddy, Justin, grinned and waved like a fool from a strip of grass a few yards away.

“I’m so sorry about what happened to you.”

Jonathan had told her how Devon helped him hide their relationship. If it wasn’t for Devon’s loyalty, things would have played out very differently. It was why he was nowhere near the bar when Jonathan cleaned house. Still, she had never really expected to see the young man again.

“It’s not your fault. You tried to warn me to leave it alone.”

He nodded gravely. “I did, and I know what happened to you was horrible, but you saved me. If you and Brick hadn’t done what you did, I would be working for Sucre the rest of my life. Because of you, I have a chance to get out of here. And if I can take it, I will.”

She still wanted a future for him. He’d been out of school for a while, but with some help, he could easily catch up. “I’ll help you any way I can.”

“You’ve already helped me more than I can say. I’m just glad I could help you a little too.”

***

Jonathan was already at her apartment when Liv got home from school. He swept her into a kiss but pulled away quickly. “Come out to dinner with me tonight.”

She took in his jeans and button-down shirt. “Dinner, huh? What should I wear?”

“You look beautiful in anything. It’s casual. Wear whatever you like.”

Warmed by his words, she took a quick shower and changed into her favorite jeans and a blue pullover top that matched her eyes.

They rode in his truck in comfortable silence, until she recognized their destination.

“Majestic!”

He smiled at her enthusiasm and parked the truck. They walked in hand-in-hand, straight to the booth where they’d sat so months before, making a memory. They didn’t even need to check the menu, both ordering the same thing: a Deluxe Burger for Liv and a Majestic Special for her man.

As they ate, she told him about her day and filled him in on what happened with Devon. Being with him here felt so natural. So right.

“I’m going back to work in a few days,” he said, dipping a French fry in some ketchup. “The Burgundy Street house is almost finished.” Chewing his food, he pulled out his phone and opened his photos. “Take a look.”

She flipped through the pictures, slowing down to appreciate the shots of the kitchen. “Those cabinets are beautiful. You guys have really outdone yourselves.”

“I want it to be ours.”

Her jaw dropped.

“I love you, Olivia Turner. I want to marry you and have kids with you. And I want to live in this beautiful house with you and grow old together.” He dropped to his knee, and the restaurant went silent. “Make me the happiest man on this earth. Marry me.”

His broad face was so earnest; his brown eyes, big and clear. There was nothing she wanted more than to see his face, kiss his lips, every day for the rest of her life. “Yes. Yes to the house. Yes to the kids. Yes to growing old and wrinkly together. I would love to marry you.” As one, they rose to their feet, and he spun her in a quick circle next to the booth.

The restaurant broke out in cheers.

“Only one condition,” she whispered in his ear. He froze. “You’ve got to give me a preview of our wedding night as soon as we get home.”

He relaxed and nipped at her shoulder. “Then we’d better get out of here right now. You’re in for a long night.”

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