“What’s with the long face, Billy?” I asked.
He took in a deep breath and then ran his hand through his hair. “I did something I regret.”
My heart dropped, and I looked away. So help me God, if he says what I think he is going to say, I will kill him.
I slowly turned and looked at him. “If you are about to tell me that you cheated on Margie, you should probably think twice before you do it.”
Billy’s face dropped, and he took a step back. “What? I would never cheat on Margie, you stupid fuck.”
I let out the breath I had been holding in as I ran my hand through my hair.
“Thank God. I didn’t want to kick my new brother’s ass.” I winked at him.
“Fuck you,” Billy whispered.
I started laughing and punched him on the arm. “What did you do that you regret?”
“I bought Dad tickets to a Johnny Cash concert,” Billy said as he glanced at our father.
I looked at him with a confused expression on my face. “Why would you regret that?”
Billy looked at me. “Because that’s his wedding gift.”
It took a few seconds for it to sink in before I started laughing. “Holy shit! I just moved into the top position as favorite son, and they haven’t even been married for two hours!”
Billy rolled his eyes and gave me a push. I couldn’t stop laughing.
“You want the tickets, don’t you?” I said in between bits of laughter.
“Do you really want a knuckle sandwich, Mathews?”
I held up my hands and tried to stop laughing.
“Garrett Mathews, are you rattling your brother’s cage?” Emma asked as she walked up and wrapped her arms around my waist.
Billy smiled and shook his head. “You are so lucky you’re my best friend, you jerk.”
I watched as he turned to Margie and asked her to dance.
The moment I heard Elvis singing “Don’t,” I grabbed Emma and led her to the dance floor. “Have I ever told you how much I love Elvis?” I whispered in her ear.
She giggled. “Maybe once or twice.”
I held her closer to me and took in how she felt in my arms. As we glided across the dance floor, I memorized her smell, her laugh, and her touch on my body. I began singing the words to her as she held on to me tightly.
“Garrett,” she whispered as the song ended, “I love you.” She pulled back and smiled.
I smiled back. “I love you more.”
Right when I thought I wanted to take her right there, “All Shook Up” started playing.
“Ah, hell yeah,” I said.
We took off, doing the jitterbug. Emma started laughing as I spun her around the dance floor.
This was my song to Emma, and she loved it when Elvis sang buttercup. When Emma and I danced, we commanded the floor. We fit together perfectly in more than one way, and I was totally lost in her. When the song changed to Nat King Cole’s “Send for Me,” Emma smiled as she raised her eyebrows. As we moved across the dance floor, I closed my eyes and thought about this afternoon.
“I love you, Em,” I whispered in her ear.
I looked over at her father. He nodded his head and winked at me. I got a sick feeling in my stomach as my heart started pounding, and I swore the room was spinning.
I’m going to throw up.
“Garrett, I love you so much,” Emma whispered back.
My nerves were immediately settled.
When I looked at Billy and Margie, they had huge smiles on their faces. Margie gave me a thumbs-up, and I smiled at her. They had both helped to set up my surprise for Emma. I was surprised Margie had been able to keep it a secret, but I’d made her swear on Billy’s life that she wouldn’t even tell Peggy.
Emma pulled back and looked into my eyes as she smiled. That crazy feeling I got in my stomach took off, and I wondered if my body would always have such a reaction to her.
“I wish we were alone,” she said in a hushed voice.
I quickly looked at the clock. My mother and David would be leaving any moment now, and then I was going to whisk Emma out of here and to our special place. I took her hand and led her over to my mother and David.
“Darling, you look so handsome,” my mother said as she placed her hands on my face. She gently kissed my cheek.
David was talking to Emma, but it was like I was standing in a tunnel. I couldn’t hear a thing.
“Are you nervous?” she asked as she pulled away.
I smiled and nodded my head. “Yes, ma’am, I am.”
My mother touched my arm. “Garrett, have one dance with me before David and I leave?”
I held out my arm for her and led her to the dance floor. “Sincerely” by The McGuire Sisters was playing as I took my mother in my arms. We danced in silence for about a minute.
“Garrett, I want you to know that I will never love another man like I loved your father.”
I looked down into my mother’s eyes. “I know that, Mama. I just want you to be happy.”
She gently smiled and said, “I am happy, sweetheart, so very happy, but not just because I married David. I’m happy because of the man you are becoming. Your father would be so proud of you, and I want you to know that.”
I nodded my head and looked away. It was still hard for me to talk about my father. I missed him so much, and there had been so many times I wanted to ask for his advice on something.
“Garrett, don’t ever be afraid to talk to David. More than anything, he wants to be a father to you. He would never want to take the place of your daddy, but he is here for you. Please don’t hesitate to ask him for advice with anything.”
I held my breath as I looked at her. It was like she had read my mind.
“I’m not naïve, Garrett. I know that you and Emma have…well, that the two of you have been together. I’m not going to say I approve or disapprove, but I do want you to be careful. Please treat her with respect and never do anything she is not comfortable with. Now, I know I raised you right, but I want you to always put Emma before anything, even the ranch.”
I nodded my head. “Yes, ma’am. I would never, ever hurt Emma, Mama. She is my entire world. I’d do anything to make her happy.”
She smiled at me and let out a small chuckle. “I know you would, and from just watching the two of you together, it is evident how much you love each other. Hold on to that, darling, because that kind of love comes along only once in your life. Never take it for granted, and thank God every morning and every night.”
Her voice cracked, and I knew she was thinking of my father.
“Mama,” I said as I brought her closer to me and held on to her.
“I miss him, Garrett, and I feel so guilty for feeling happy.”
It was tearing me apart to hear the hurt in her voice. “Mama, Daddy would want you to be happy, and I know he trusted David with his life. He would want the two of you to find each other. Please don’t feel guilty. Be happy, Mama. Please be happy.”
She pulled back and quickly wiped her tears away. “Garrett Thomas Mathews, God has blessed me with you for a son. I hope you know that. Now, back to you and Emma. Make it special for her tonight. Make it a moment she will never forget, a moment she will tell your children about. When I close my eyes at night, Garrett, I see you and Emma surrounded by your grandchildren, telling them about your amazing love story.”
I smiled and nodded my head. “I will, Mama. I promise, I’ll make it special for her.”
My mother raised her eyebrows. “Just be careful, Garrett Mathews. Now, I’m going to go back to my little world I created where I have no idea as to what is going on between you two.”
I laughed and pulled my mother in. I gently kissed her on the cheek, and when I stepped back, I held her hands and looked her up and down. “You are the most breathtaking woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on. You look beautiful, Mama.”
Her cheeks flushed, and she rolled her eyes. “Liar,” she said as she held her arm out for
me to take.
As I walked her back to David, I caught sight of Emma standing off to the side. She was laughing at something Margie and Billy were saying to her. I looked back at David, and as my mother and I came to a stop in front of him, I handed my mother’s hand to him.
He took it and kissed the back of it, and then he looked at me. “Thank you, Garrett.”
I nodded my head and said the one thing I had been determined to say before they left, “Take care of her, Dad. I love her more than the air I breathe.”
I heard my mother let out a sob, and David’s eyes glassed over. He reached out, grabbed me, and pulled me in for a hug.
He slapped me on the back and gave me a small push. “You will never know what it means to me to hear you call me dad. I promise you, son, I will always take care of her and you and Billy.”
David and my mother had left about thirty minutes ago, and I was frantically looking around for Emma. She had disappeared on me about ten minutes ago, and we needed to leave.
Someone walked up behind me and put their hand on my arm, causing me to jump. “Shit, Mathews. Calm the hell down, will you?”
I ran my hand through my hair and then down my face. “I’m a fucking nervous wreck, Margie.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Nice language in front of a lady, you ass.”
I looked at her, confused. “You just swore in front of me. What’s the difference?”
“Listen up, you need to get your ass out of here now. Everything is all set up.”
“You used the quilt I gave you, right?” I asked as I continued to look around for Emma.
“Yes, and let me just say, I was slightly disgusted by touching it.”
I spun around and looked at her. “Why?”
She put her hands on her hips and tilted her head as she gave me a look. “Please. Emma has told me about the nastiness y’all do on that thing.”
I let out a chuckle and looked up. I had to catch my breath when I saw Emma standing across the room. I’d never seen anyone so beautiful in my life. She made my heart pound in my chest and my stomach flip around like I was on an amusement ride.
“By the look on your face, I’m going to take it that you’ve found Emma. Go get her, and get out of here,” Margie said as she turned to follow my gaze.
“You don’t have to tell me twice, Marg. I’m leaving.” I gave her a good-bye kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Margie. I appreciate everything you and Billy did to help me with this.”
She smiled. “She loves you, Garrett. She loves you so much. Don’t ever forget it.”
I nodded and began walking toward Emma. Right before I got to her, Dr. Birk stepped in front of me.
Oh, great, like I’m not nervous enough.
Emma’s parents had gotten back in town yesterday, and I had this fear they would find out that Emma and I had been going to their house.
“Garrett,” Dr. Birk said with a smile and nod.
I reached out for his hand and shook it. “Dr. Birk, I haven’t had a chance to ask you. How was the trip to Europe?”
He smiled bigger. “It was nice and relaxing.”
“Did y’all get to visit all the places Mrs. Birk had hoped to see?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Yes, she got to see all the places she had hoped to see.” Then, he looked at me and shook his head. “Son, are you nervous?”
I let out the breath I’d been holding and nodded my head like a fool. “Sir, I’m so nervous that I feel like I’m going to throw up. What if I don’t make it special enough for her? What if she says no? What if…” I wasn’t sure why I’d decided to express every fear I had about asking Emma to marry me at that moment and to her father of all people.
He put his hand on my shoulder and relaxed his smile. “Garrett, my boy, take a deep breath. Slow that heart rate down, or you’re never going to make it through this.”
I pushed both hands through my hair and then ran them down my face. I can’t do this. There is no way I’m going to make this special enough for her. She deserves so much more.
“Garrett, look at me,” Dr. Birk said. “She is going to say yes because she loves you. I see the two of you together, and I see the way you both light up when the other enters a room. She was ready to walk away from college to be with you. You could ask her with a paper bag over your head, and she would say yes. Stop stressing over this. Now, Emma tells me you doubled up on classes this summer. Garrett, I want you to take it easy and not stress yourself out. Like we’ve talked about, I want you to eat, drink lots of water, and take it easy on the football field this summer. Do you understand me?”
I just stood there and stared at him. One minute, he had been talking to me about my proposal to his daughter, and the next, he had been worried about my health. In that moment, it all hit me. I’d lost my father, but in losing him, I’d gained two more fathers who both truly cared about my future and me.
I smiled as I nodded my head. “Yes, sir. I’ll be sure not to take a heavy load in the fall. Yes, I’m eating like you said, and I will be sure to stay hydrated.”
He smiled and slapped my back. “That’s my boy. I’m not going to lie, son. I can’t wait to see you kicking ass on that football field.”
I laughed and nodded my head. “Yes, sir.”
“Daddy, are you talking football again?” Emma asked as she walked up and hooked her arm with her father’s.
“Yes, darling, I am. I think Garrett is going to make a hell of a good linebacker for the university. Number eighty-eight—that’s a solid number.”
“Yes, it is, and I’ll be his own private cheerleading section, cheering him on at every game.”
I grinned and shook my head. I was disappointed that I wouldn’t be playing for A&M, but there was no way I was going to tell Emma’s daddy that.
“Well, I hear Garrett has a surprise planned for you, so I will let the two of you go. Your mother wanted me to ask if you could both come over for dinner on Sunday night?”
“Yes, of course. Five o’clock?” Emma asked.
Her eyes met mine. She knew something was up because her parents hadn’t invited us over for a formal dinner before. I shrugged my shoulders and nodded my head.
“Five o’clock indeed. We will see you kids then.” Emma’s father leaned down and kissed her cheek.
Then, he reached his hand out for mine. We shook hands, and he winked at me before walking away.
I took in a deep breath. “You ready?”
She gave me an innocent grin. “My father didn’t ask where I would be staying this weekend.”
I took her hand in mine and began leading her out to the car. “He didn’t have to. David told him that a bunch of us are staying at my house and that the girls would be upstairs while the boys stayed downstairs. I don’t think your dad liked it too much, but David said it would be just like the coed dorms at school, and your dad didn’t really say anything after that.”
I opened up the car door and held her hand as she got in. I shut it, took a deep breath, and said a silent prayer to God that I wouldn’t mess this up.
As Garrett drove back to the Mathews’ ranch, I could tell something wasn’t right. He was a nervous wreck. If his hand went through his hair one more time, I was going to crawl over, sit on his lap, and make him release this tension building in the pit of my stomach.
He pulled up and parked the car. Looking over at me, he asked, “Do you want to change into something more comfortable?”
I nodded my head. “Yes, I need to get out of this dress as soon as possible!”
I waited for Garrett to get out and come around to my side of the car. He would get upset if I didn’t let him open the door for me, so it was just easier if I waited. He opened my door and reached for my hand. The moment our hands touched, I felt the jolt of electricity move through my body. I looked into his eyes, and they were sparkling. He slowly gave me that crooked grin of his that just melted me on the spot. I looked at the house and then back at Garrett.
I raised my eyebrows up as I bit down on my lower lip.
He began laughing. “Oh no. Don’t even think about it. I have somewhere I need to take you, and we are running out of time.” He opened the back door of the car and pulled out my suitcase. He carried it into the house.
When he started to make his way up the stairs, I stopped short of the steps. “Garrett, are we not staying together this weekend?”
He turned around. “Of course we are. Why are you asking me that?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Well, you’re taking my suitcase upstairs, and I thought we would be staying down here in your parents’ room.”
His mouth dropped open. “In my…you want to…stay in my parents’ room?” he asked, stumbling on his words. He shook his head like a five-year-old boy who had just been told he did something wrong. “Oh, hell no. There is no way I’m making love to you in the same bed where my parents conceived me. No way. No. That is not happening.”
He turned and started back up the stairs as I let out a giggle.
I sat in Garrett’s truck with a hanky covering my eyes. Since we were in his truck, I knew he was taking me somewhere on the ranch. Why he wouldn’t let me see where we were going was beyond me. As we drove in silence, I tried to guess what my surprise would be. My stomach was in knots, and I wasn’t sure why. I’d tried to see if Peggy knew what the surprise was, and she had been a dead end. Margie had seemed to know what was going on, but she had been locked up tight like Fort Knox.
The truck came to a stop, and I heard the driver’s door open.
“Don’t move,” Garrett said.
I chuckled. “Okay!”
Then, my door opened, and I was about to get out, but then Garrett scooped me up and began carrying me.
I let out a little squeal and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Mr. Mathews, where could you be taking me?” Then, a thought occurred to me. “Garrett, if you even think of throwing me in the river, I will never talk to you again. Do you hear me?”
He didn’t say a word. His silence was killing me.
“Garrett? Garrett! I’m going to rip this thing off my eyes if you don’t talk to me.”