Page 353 of Under Her Skin
I see a misty expression on my father’s face. The first of its kind. “Are the tough times really behind us,Delaney?”
With a nod, I take his hand, too, help them up, and take them to Blaine. His brother and sister have left him alone to show one another and their dates their newhomes.
“How do you like the place?” he asks myparents.
“It looks beyond my comprehension of what a house is,” mom says, then reaches out for him and pulls him in for a hug. “Thank you. Thank you somuch.”
Dad clears his throat and mom steps back. “Well, Vanderbilt, you have surprised me. I have to say this is one heck of a home you’ve given us. We’ll have to relocate. Change our lives upcompletely.”
“Yes, you will,” Blaine says, then wraps his arm around me and pulls me back to him. “And I hope we’ll be welcomed visitors to your newhome.”
I had taken my engagement ring off so they wouldn’t ask any questions and had given it to Blaine to hold. He pulls it out of his pocket and holds it up. “I gave this ring to your daughter last night. She’s agreed to marry me. We’re going to be married on New Year’s Eve. We’d love it if you stayed with us until then so you can be at the wedding.” He slips the ring back on my finger. The weight of it wasmissed.
I sigh as I look at it, then at my parents. Mom’s hands are over her mouth and dad’s eyes are very narrow. I hold my breath to see what he’s going to say or how he’ll act with thisnews.
When his face blooms into a smile, I can breathe again as he says, “Well,congratulations!”
Mom’s crying as she says, “It looks like things are changing for usall.”
Blaine and I are pulled into a group hug as mom cries, and I pat her on the back. “Things are changing. Don’t worry. All the changes are going to bepositive.”
“I can’t believe this,” dad says as he ends the hug. “Yesterday, I hated this man. But now that I’ve actually met him and see how happy he’s made you, that feeling has left me. It’s so odd how something you’ve felt for a long time canvanish.”
I’m overjoyed to hear him say that, and I fall back into Blaine’s arms. I run my hand over his cheek and smile at my parents. “Things can change in a flash. I, for one, am glad that can happen. And, now, we need to get to the chapel at the hospital where Blaine and I are going to be baptized by the preacher who will officiate the wedding ceremony in aweek.”
“Oh, Lord!” Mom says. “Next week! There’s so much to do. How will you ever get that all done intime?”
“Hopefully, with your help,Mom.”
“Count me in,” Kate jumps up and says as she raises herhand.
Tiffany joins her. “You can count on me too,Delaney.”
Kent and Randy look at each other and shrug, then stand up as Kent says, “You have us too,guys.”
Then it’s me who starts crying with the show of solidarity to help Blaine and I become one. “You guys are all thebest!”
Blaine laughs and pulls me into his chest to help hide my tears. His kiss on top of my head comforts me. “I think she’s saying she really appreciates your help. With it, this little wedding of ours should go smoothly, and then we can all get on with our lives. There’s so much to get done this week. But with everyone’s help, we’llmanage.”
“We need to go change our clothes. Whoever wants to come with us is more than welcome. And whoever doesn’t, we understand. You all have lives too. I know we’ve taken up a lot of your Christmas day,” I tell them as I turn back to look at everyone and wipe myeyes.
Tiffany tugs at Kent’s hand. “I should stop by my parents’ place. Would you like to come withme?”
His smile says he would. “Yeah. Then we can go look at my newhome.”
Blaine further surprises him. “It’s furnished and there’s even food in the kitchen. My staff took care of everything. Take some clothes and stay there. Everything is on and ready for you. And the taxes are paid for the upcoming year too. There are noworries.”
Tiffany’s smile spreads even further across her pretty face. “Wow!”
“Wow is right,” Kent says. “Thanks, Blaine. I’ll do that. We’re going to head outnow.”
With a wave, they leave, and Kate says, “I should let Randy go see his family too. Is everything on at my new house too,Blaine?”
“It is. Get you some clothes and go check it out,” he tellsher.
She looks at Randy, then back at Blaine. “Is it okay if Randy comesover?”
Blaine laughs as he looks at his sister. “Kate, the house is yours. And you’re a grown woman. If you want him over, that’s your call, notmine.”
