“What do you want?”
She smiled gesturing at the entrance. “We can’t leave. I have to introduce you to my parents and my grandmother. They just walked in.” She dragged him away from the buffet.
Her parents, Langston and Gloria Beausolie, rushed over to her. Her mother was a tiny, elegant woman with black hair threaded with gray, large brown eyes and a mouth deeply framed by laugh lines. Her father was tall and muscular with his own hair almost completely gray. He grabbed Hendrix and drew her into a bear hug.
“You came,” Hendrix cried. “I wasn’t certain you’d make it.”
She leaned over slightly for her mother to kiss her. Her grandmother just grinned.
“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” her mother said. She handed Hendrix a narrow box. “We knew this would be a big day for you.”
“What’s this?”
“A little good luck,” her father said.
She tore open the box to reveal a bracelet with four leaf clover charms dangling from the links.
“Thank you.” She kissed her mother and father.
“All the way from Ireland,” her mother said as she wrapped the bracelet around Hendrix’s wrist and secured the clasp.
She introduced Donovan to her parents and grandmother. Her father looked Donovan over from head to toe, his dark eyes scrutinizing every detail. “So you’re Donovan. Nice to meet you, son.”
Donovan looked nervous. “I’m pleased to meet you, too.” He glanced at Hendrix who simply smiled.
“This is quite an occasion,” Olivia said.
“Hendrix is the one who made this all possible.” Donovan put an arm around her.
From the look on her parents’ faces, they knew immediately what his possessive gesture meant. Miss E. joined them and Hendrix introduced her. After a moment, Donovan said something into Langston’s ear. The man glanced sharply at Donovan and nodded. The two walked off.
“What are they doing?” Hendrix asked.
Miss E. laughed. “He’s asking your father’s permission to marry you.”
Olivia clapped her hands. “How delightfully old-fashioned.”
“That’s my Donovan,” Miss E. said, pride in her eyes.
Heat bloomed on Hendrix’s cheeks. “He hasn’t asked me, yet.”
“He will.” Miss E. patted her on the arm. “Just be patient, dear. Donovan always wants to have things perfect.”
Hendrix was so happy she thought she’d float away. She leaned toward Miss E. “Just so you know, I’m going to say yes.”
“I already knew that, dear.” Miss E. grinned at Olivia and Gloria. “Come with me and I’ll get you situated in one of the family suites.”
Hendrix soared through the rest of the party. As the employees left regular customers began to filter in.
Donovan grabbed Hendrix and pulled her into the lobby. “Can we leave now?”
“Sure,” she said, letting him lead her through the main kitchen to her own private kitchen. “I thought you wanted to go swing dancing.”
“In a minute.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly. “I’ve been wanting to do that for hours.”
She grinned.
“Cover your eyes,” he ordered.
Surprised, Hendrix raised her fingers to her eyes. She heard him rustle about.
“Okay, you can look now,” he ordered.
She lowered her hands and stared at him. He stood in front of her, a cupcake in the palm of his cupped hands. The cupcake was lopsided and the icing looked as if it was supposed to resemble a rose, but she wasn’t certain.
“Eat it.”
She took the cupcake reluctantly.
“Eat carefully, I don’t want you to chip a tooth.”
Eyes narrowed, Hendrix peeled the paper casing away and carefully took a bite. The cupcake tasted pretty good. She didn’t want to reveal how surprised she was. She took another bite and glanced down. A gleam of something metal showed in the crumbly texture of the interior. She pushed a finger into the center and gently pried the ring from the crumbly cake.
She licked the crumbs off the ring. “Who knew diamonds tasted so good?” She held it out. The center diamond was square cut and surrounded by dark blue sapphires. “It’s beautiful.”
“Will you marry me?” He stumbled a bit on his words.
“Like, yes.” She slid the ring on her finger. “Girls like me don’t let boys like you run around free-range.”
He kissed her. “Promise me you’ll make me laugh for the rest of my life.”
“Promise me you won’t make cupcakes for anyone else but me.”
“Done. You realize we’re going to have a fabulous life together.”
She nodded her head. “It’s going to be legendary. So let’s get this started and go dancing.”
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781460379615
Bet on My Heart
Copyright © 2015 by Miriam A. Pace and Jacqueline S. Hamilton
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Bet on My Heart Page 17