by Shelley Wall
Annie hiccupped and Reva turned to see Annie’s make-up smeared face watching her. “I’m sorry Reva. You saved Eric’s life and I never really thanked you. I was so angry at myself and how badly I’d botched everything up, I just saw you…”
“As the bitch who’d weaseled into your family?” Reva grinned.
Annie giggled. “Well, yeah.”
All four adults stood staring at the floor for endless minutes until the back door flung open. Eric swept in and hugged Todd, then Reva. “Dad, how are you gonna box up all that stuff in the backyard?” he asked.
Annie seemed to welcome the interruption that broke their tension. “What stuff is that, sweetie?”
David groaned. “Not you, too, Reva? Ben’s filled your yard up with all that junk?”
Reva laughed. “Hey, now. It’s art. Some of it isn’t all that bad either. In fact, he’s sold a few pieces to Todd’s company. They’re putting it in their catalog this fall.” “Good.” David looked at Todd. “Maybe you can buy all mine too then.” He grabbed a box and started loading it from the kitchen cabinets. Annie joined him and rubbed a hand across his back. Well, well. Looks like they worked out more than just Todd’s parental rights.
Todd leaned into Reva’s hair, his breath warm against her ear, and whispered. “He could do a lot worse, I guess.” She turned and kissed the corner of his mouth. “Yeah, they’re cute. Who would have thought that?”
Eric flipped on Reva’s music and pressed the button that she’d programmed to Disney tunes for him when they’d painted shirts. He grabbed a box and joined the packing party, though he danced more than packed. Within thirty minutes, the small team had moved to the bedroom when voices calling caught their attention.
“Where’s the party?” That had to be Ben.
“Back here,” Todd called. He and Reva went out to meet him. Only it wasn’t just Ben. No, Ben, his kids, Tim, and Reva’s parents all strolled in.
Reva’s mom held a big bucket of KFC. “I thought you guys might be hungry.” She smiled.
“You’re an angel.” Todd hugged her, covering her forehead in sweat. He swiped the boxes off the table and grabbed paper plates.
“Hey, David! Why don’t you guys get in here and see this.” Some scuffling in the back occurred, then David and Annie appeared.
“What’s up? Oh, food! Whew, thanks.”
Todd motioned to Reva. “Hey, gorgeous, why don’t you dish it up for everyone?”
“Are you really trying to get me to serve food to this group? I think they can handle it themselves. I’m not your waitress,” Reva huffed. She picked up a plate. “But I’ll go first if you don’t mind.”
She slipped the lid off the chicken and started to reach in when her fingers touched—fuzz.
“What the?” A felt box. She stared down at it, befuddled. A breeze hit her sweaty legs as Todd dropped down next to her.
“So, what do you say, babe? Think you and I could do it right this time?” He glanced over his shoulder at Annie. “No offense, Annie.”
“None taken.” Still, there were tears in her eyes.
Reva looked at the box, then at the man on his knee in front of her. “Todd Grisham, are you proposing to me with a box of chicken? Seriously?”
He laughed. The whole room clapped. Her family roared with laughter. All of them. “Yes, honey, that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m being normal. Straight up normal and I’m asking you to be boringly and exquisitely average with me for the rest of your life. Right here. In front of your whole family. With this ring and a box of chicken. And I promise I won’t lay a hand on you if you turn me down.” Todd crossed fingers over his heart and held them up, then stood. He lifted the box out of the chicken and brushed the crumbs away, then opened it and placed it in her hand. “So, what do you say?”
She smiled around the room. Yes, this is how it was intended to be. Everyone around for all the big moments. Nothing hidden in the dark or behind closed doors. This is how someone loves you. And you love them.
She gulped down the knot in her throat and took the ring out. “Wow, that Datemydad.com website really works!”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shelley grew up on a farm outside of Kansas City, Missouri. She‘s a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a bit of post-graduate work at OSU and University of Wyoming-Casper. She now resides near Houston with her family.
Other titles by Shelley K Wall include:
Numbers Never Lie
Bring It On
The Designated Driver’s Club
For a more current list, go to
www.shelleykwall.com
Table of Contents
Copyright
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
1 CHAPTER ONE
2 CHAPTER TWO
3 CHAPTER THREE
4 CHAPTER FOUR
5 CHAPTER FIVE
6 CHAPTER SIX
7 CHAPTER SEVEN
8 CHAPTER EIGHT
9 CHAPTER NINE
10 CHAPTER TEN
11 CHAPTER ELEVEN
12 CHAPTER TWELVE
13 CHAPTER THIRTEEN
14 CHAPTER FOURTEEN
15 CHAPTER FIFTEEN
16 CHAPTER SIXTEEN
17 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
18 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
19 CHAPTER NINETEEN
20 CHAPTER TWENTY
21 CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
22 CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
23 CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
24 CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
25 CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
26 CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
27 CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
28 CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
29 CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR