Page 135 of Still Here

“It doesn’t,” I tell her, squatting down so we’re eye level. “After you left, I made them tell me the whole story. What we knew was true. They grew up next door to each other and were best friends. Then they had a falling-out. The part they have been leaving out of the story is exactly what our moms said. They agreed not to ask Elaine out. Here’s where it gets a bit complicated. The three girls were roommates. So when your dad confided in your mom that he was going to ask her roommate out, she made a comment about how it must be nice to be as popular as Elaine, since both the sheriff and my dad had already asked. Apparently your father lost his mind.”

“Can you blame him? They had an agreement! Although, he still plays poker with Sheriff Smythe, so…was he not in on the deal?”

“I guess not. But that poker game is part of this too. Your dad, in his semi-legit anger, uninvited my dad from the poker game. And that’s why they’ve been fighting for thirty years.”

“Because my dad can’t get over the fact that your dad asked out a girl who said no, and your dad can’t get over my dad telling him he can’t play poker?”

“Yup.”

“That’s the stupidest fucking thing I have ever heard!” Aimee screams, pushing up from the swing, nearly knocking me over.

Recovering my balance, I take the couple of steps needed to catch up to her, grabbing her hand and pulling her into me.

“It is. It really fucking is.”

I can’t defend them. I understand where Bob is coming from—an agreement was an agreement, and my father should have kept that. But in my father’s defense, Bob was planning to do the same thing; he just hadn’t been as quick on the draw. The holding it against each other for three decades, however, that’s where they lost me. Thirty years is a long time to be angry at someone over something so petty, especially when the woman in question didn’t go out with either of you. They’d married her roommates for crying out loud.

“Six, we’ve spent the past two years sneaking around, lying to everyone, all because of…this!”

“I know, I know. And it sucks. And as they stood there telling me all this, all I could think about was all the years I didn’t get to spend with you because our dads are jackasses. All the things we could have done together, growing up next door to each other, hanging out on the farms, all of it. Missed.”

“That’s…that’s what you thought about?” she asks.

I can hear the emotion laced in her words. Like she is somehow surprised. My heart squeezes at the thought that she could ever entertain my mind going anywhere else. I love her, more than anything, and deep down am pissed that I missed being a part of her life then.

“Yes. Aimee, I meant it when I told them earlier that I love you and I want to marry you. So yes, I do feel like I was cheated out on the chance to be your childhood sweetheart, and then your high school sweetheart, and missed getting to take you to prom, and football games, and all that nonsense. Because I would have loved the chance to experience all that with you.”

“Me too. It would have been perfect.”

“It still is perfect. Because you and I are proving that love is stronger than anything else. You and I can end this whole thing.”

“How?”

“By saying yes.”

Dropping to one knee, my heart starts to race. Had I been asked earlier in the day about my plans for tonight, this would not have been included. Hell, this was not how I saw this going, period. I’ve had something much grander planned in my head. A plan that included us both being dressed up and somewhere I could show her off to everyone once she agreed. But after the events of today, this seems like the most perfect plan ever.

“Aimee Jennifer Silver, you are the love of my life. You are everything I could ever want, and so, so much more. And while we might not have gotten our childhoods together, I hope that you can still see spending the rest of your life with me. Let’s be the glue that binds our families. What do you say…will you marry me?”

Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the ring box her mother gave me, flipping it open. Even in the dim light, the antique ring sparkles, like it’s calling her name. Aimee gasps, hands flying to her mouth.

“Is that…?”

“Your grandmother’s ring? Sure is, baby. Your mom gave it to me. Right before my mom gave me my grandmother’s wedding band to go with it once you say yes and we actually do this thing. So, make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife?”

“Of course!” she squeals, launching herself at me.

I hit the hard ground with a thud, Aimee’s body landing squarely on top of me. The weight of her isn’t enough to steal my breath, but her kiss sure is. Her lips meet mine hard and fast, with so much love and excitement, I think I’m going to burst on the spot.

“There’s just one problem,” she says, pushing up a moment later. Dusting herself off, she helps me up, holding her hand out for me to slip the ring on.

“What? Everyone is on board, I promise.”

“No, it’s just…” she trails off, distracted by her left hand. “I’m going to be Aimee Silver Sharpe.”

“Hell yes, you are!”

“That means my monogram is going to be A-S-S!”

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