Page 59 of Handling Skylar
“Of course, we weren’t sure you’d want to.”
“I do. We’ll make it all a family affair.”
He nodded, and his face went solemn. He looked at my momma again, she smiled and rose. She came over to my daddy and slipped her arm around his waist. “We’ve also made another decision that affects you all. We’re selling Majestueux.”
Stunned silence followed her words, and she cleared her throat. “It’s been in our family for generations, but it was built on blood money and we’ve been very uncomfortable in this house ever since we discovered the truth about the Colonel. We will build a home closer to the boat business with plans to construct a marina and golf course. It’ll add jobs to the area and a little posh as well. I have to admit it. I love the posh. We’ll still be close enough to Suttontowne.”
I turned and met my brother’s eyes. He inclined his head and as the conversation ebbed and flowed around us, I walked over to him. “Did you tell them yet?” I whispered.
“No, we were waiting for you.”
“Now then. Do it now. It seems to be the day for it.”
He laughed and nodded. He picked up his glass and clinked it with a fork from his dessert dish. The conversation halted and everyone gave him their attention. He reached out and pulled Samantha to him. “We’ve set the date.”
Our momma said, “It’s about time.” Her face beaming. “When?”
“December thirty-first.”
“Oh my,” she said, her hands on her hips. “We’ve got some planning to do. Ladies, let’s go gather at the kitchen table and get this show on the road.”
“There’s more,” he said. This time he was the one who got emotional. My throat tightened. “Jake is going to be my best man.”
My momma came over and kissed me heartily on the cheek, wiping at her tears. “That is such amazing news.” She sniffed and took Samantha’s arm. “Let’s go young lady.”
Chase let Samantha go, chuckling no doubt at the look of consternation in her eyes.
“It begins,” I murmured.
Chase chuckled again. “Hey, how about a flying lesson?”
“Now?”
“Good a time as any.”
“You’re on.”
Hours later we were back and Chase was still complaining.
“I didn’t say you could do a loop-de-loo, Jake. Christ on a cracker, it was your first lesson. How did you even know about that?”
“I’m a genius, don’t you know that yet?”
Chase stopped walking, and I looked at him, his face had frozen. He looked at me, his eyes suddenly shining. “What? What is it?”
He nudged me and pointed.
I turned to look, and my heart thundered in my chest. Sky stood at the end of the dock, a small box in her hands. Chase reached out and shoved me when I didn’t move. I started walking in a daze, praying I wasn’t dreaming.
“Hey, Sky,” Chase said walking past me and heading for the shop. “Welcome home.”
She flashed Chase a warm smile, her face contorting a little, her eyes going moist. “Thank you, Chase. This is home.”
She turned her attention to me. “Jake, will you marry me?”
I was stunned speechless.
“It turns out I can’t breathe without you. I can’t, won’t live without you. Whatever comes our way, I promise, I will never bail on you again. She lifted the box and opened the flap. Removing the items inside, she held them up, clutching them and a small card with a bayou sunset on the front. The sun glinted off the blue glass. Two howling coyotes exactly like the picture she’d shown me on her phone.
