Page 117 of Betting on You

I watched in disappointment as Scott grabbed the chair across from my mom.

“Okay,” he said, sitting down. “If you insist.”

He called over the waiter and ordered a bottle of wine, yammering about how it was his new favorite vintage because it reminded him of the night we’d gone to the steakhouse in Breckenridge. “It was such a special night to me because I had an epiphany while we were eating.”

I pictured Charlie and me, ruining each other’s food at that restaurant.

“What was it?” my mom asked, setting her chin on her hand.

“I looked at our table,” he said, lowering his voice so it was soft and sweet, “where every person was laughing, and I realized that was all I needed to be happy forever.”

Spare me, I thought.

“Of course, an hour later I knocked you on your ass on the ice,” my mom said, laughing. “So perhaps it was a premature epiphany.”

They shared a cute laugh, and I got out my phone, preferring to scroll mindlessly instead of listening to them enjoy each other’s company.

I knew I was being a baby but it just sucked.

We’d been having a great time without him.

Nowtheywere having a great time without me.

“Bailey.”

“Huh?” I raised my eyes.

Scott smiled and said, “Can I borrow your attention for a quick sec?”

“Um, yeah. Sure.”Isn’t it enough that you’ve stolen hers?I raised my eyebrows and said, “What’s up?”

“Well, here’s the thing.” Scott grabbed my mom’s hand, so hewas holding it on the table, and he looked at her. “Emily.”

Why the hell did he bother me when he’s talking to my mom?

He leaned a little closer to her, smiling as he said, “My life hasn’t been the same since I met you. Everything is brighter, louder, happier. My daughter taught me what joy is, but you, Emily—you’ve amplified that joy. A thousand times over.”

Wait.

My ears started buzzing and I felt a little dizzy.No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

There was absolutely no way this was what it sounded like, especially when they hadn’t even been dating very long.

NO.

My heart started pounding when he got out of his chair, dropped to one knee, pulled a box out of his pocket, and extended it toward my mother.

This can’t be happening.

God, please, no.Please don’t do it.

“Will you marry me?”

It felt like the breath was sucked out of my lungs when he said it. My hand raised to my mouth as my mom’s eyes filled with tears and she smiled like this was everything she’d ever wanted. I blinked fast, and everything in the restaurant got blurry.

Please say no, I thought, my heart breaking in my chest as he smiled at her with tears in his eyes.

“Yes,” she said, laughing and crying, and my chest ached as he took a ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger. “Oh my God!”

---