Page 35 of One Foggy Christmas
He takes Sadie’s hands, facing her. “I fell in love with you in the third grade. Back then, you had two long pig-tail braidsand buck teeth, but I thought you were the cutest thing I’d ever seen.”
“Awww.” Harper sighs from the corner.
This sounds like the beginning of a proposal or some kind of love confession. I straighten, hanging on Stetson’s every word.
“But the woman you are today is even better than anything I could’ve imagined. Sadie, I’ve shared every big life moment with you since I was eight, and I want to share every other moment with you for the rest of our lives.”
Oh, crap, it’s a proposal.
Stetson drops to one knee, and the weight of my feelings for her sinks my heart down in despair. He pulls out a gigantic diamond ring and holds it up. My eyes shift to Sadie. It’s hard to tell with all the zombie makeup, but she seems surprised, maybe even torn.
“Sadie, will you marry me?”
I’m a guy, and even I know this is the least romantic proposal ever.
Her eyes flick to me, and everything I’ve ever wanted, my future happiness, hinges on her answer. I’m inwardly screamingdon’t do it, but it’s not enough. She dives into Stetson’s arms, saying yes on a whim.
I’m shocked.
How did Stetson go from akind ofboyfriend she barely thinks about when she’s with me to her fiancé? None of it makes sense.
The guests cheer while I escape to the kitchen.
I’d leave, but Lindy dropped me off and took my car to her work Halloween party and will come back to pick me up.
I’m completely heartbroken and stuck.
I spend the next hour doing Reggie’s dishes, cleaning up the mess throwing the party caused him.
“I’ve been looking for you.” I turn, already recognizing Sadie’s voice behind me. “I thought maybe you’d left.”
“No.” I chuck my dish rag onto the counter. “I’ve just been helping Reggie clean up a little.”
“Oh.”
“I guess congratulations are in order.” A better man would do a better job feigning happiness or excitement.
“Yeah, it was a total shock.”
“You’re telling me.” I hate the edge of bitterness that escaped with my words.
“I didn’t know he was coming.”
“You couldn’t have foreseen that he’d propose to you on Halloween? The most romantic holiday of the year.”
She must sense my mockery because she fires back, “I love Halloween, and Stetson knows that. It’s perfect for me. For us.”
“Bull crap. No woman on the planet wants to get engaged dressed like a freaking zombie.”
“I put a lot of effort into this costume and?—”
“Why did you look at me right before you said yes?” I step toward her.
“I…I…didn’t. You must’ve imagined it.”
My body pitches forward, closing in on her space as I whisper, “Why did you say yes?”
Her head lifts. It would be so easy to hook my finger under her chin and pull her lips toward mine—make a mess of that ridiculous zombie makeup and her stupid proposal.
