Miss Demeanor

by Beth Rinyu

“Yeah, well…I think I have a little more growing up to do before I think about settling down.”

  “Been there, done that. But when you find the right person, everything changes, and that person you once were ceases to exist.”

  “I hope so. I’d like to maybe have what you and Alex have one day.”

  “Well, you’ll always have one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You kissed me first.”

  We both broke out in laughter.

  “Do you mind if I cut in?”

  My eyes widened when I turned my head in Marisa’s direction.

  “Sure can!” I took a step back, so she could join Brock in a dance. I couldn’t contain my smile as I watched her get back in the game, and I was so happy for her.

  “Don’t get any ideas,” Alex said, sneaking up behind me.

  “I think he may be just what Marisa needs.”

  “I love him to death, but trust me, he is not relationship material.”

  “Who says she’s looking for a relationship?” I turned around to face him. “For a booty call, I think he’s the perfect match for her. You know, every once in a while, us girls can think like guys too. Until we find that one special person who changes everything.” I stood on my tippy toes and whispered in his ear, “I love you, pompous ass.”

  He chuckled. “I love you too, pain in my pompous ass.”

  “I have a special request from Lucy to two very special people,” the D.J. spoke as the song that was playing came to an end, and “I Got You Babe” began to blare through the speakers.

  Alex and I busted out with laughter. I looped my arms around his neck and he moved his around my waist as we swayed back and forth, and I serenaded him, doing my best Cher rendition. This truly was the happiest day of my life filled with everyone I loved the most. It was hard to believe I was no longer Miss Rose Perkins. Instead, I was Mrs. Alex Andrews. For the first time in my life, I finally felt like I belonged and was right where I wanted to be…for the rest of my life.

  Epilogue

  ___________________

  Alex

  “DADDY, I TOLD JACOB he’s not my boyfriend because he pushed Eliza, so I don’t like him anymore. He said I was mean and now Caleb believes him and doesn’t want to be my boyfriend anymore.”

  Four years old, and she was already so much like Rose it scared me.

  “You don’t need any boyfriends, Kaitlyn…ever,” I said, as I pulled down her covers and she got into bed.

  Her bottom lip protruded out, and she gazed up at me with her big brown eyes, tearing up. “But I have lots of boyfriends, Daddy. Does that mean Jayden can’t come over and play anymore?”

  “No, Jayden is fine. You’re allowed to have friends who are boys just…” I stopped myself, realizing my version of a boyfriend was way different than her innocent version. She scooted under the blankets, and I placed them over her.

  It was hard for me to believe that the six-and-a-half-pound little angel who was placed in my arms what seemed like not so long ago was growing up so fast. She was the perfect combination of Rose and me, stubbornness and all, and I wasn’t ashamed to admit she had me wrapped around her finger. Rose would tease me constantly over how I was turning her into that spoiled little daddy’s girl I once detested so much about her. But now that I was seeing things from a different perspective, it was so hard not to. We named her after three special women in both our lives. Kaitlyn was a combination of Rose’s aunt and mother’s names, and her middle name, Charlotte, was after my mother.

  I was pretty much running my uncle’s magazine now that he was semi-retired and traveling the world with Rose’s aunt. Turned out Rose was right about the spark she saw between the two of them. Over the years they had become inseparable.

  Rose and I bought a home in a suburb outside of the city in a quiet neighborhood—the perfect place to raise a family. Rose had finally opened that clothing boutique she always dreamed of owning, but instead of selling those high-end women’s fashion items she was once so crazy about she was peddling her latest obsession—kids clothes. I was so impressed with the way she juggled being a successful businesswoman, an awesome mother, and the best wife a guy could ever ask for. She had established such a reputable name for herself by always giving back and helping out the less fortunate by donating clothing and holding her annual children’s fashion show that raised thousands of dollars for underprivileged children. She was always volunteering for causes she was passionate about. I didn’t know where she found the energy, but she did, and I was so proud of her.

  I took a seat on Kaitlyn’s bed as she rambled on.

  “Mommy said when I turn five, I can have my birthday party at the place where we get our fingernails painted…and everyone can have pink nails. They have a princess chair there too. They let me sit in it when we get our toes painted.”

  “Can I get my nails painted pink too?”

  “No, silly, you’re a boy!” She giggled.

  “Ah, well, how about if I get them painted blue?”

  “Nope!” She shook her head. “Daddy, can you tell me a story?”

  “Sure, which one should we read?” I dug through the basket of books on the side of her bed.

  “I want you to tell me a story?”

  “Hmm…what do you want to hear a story about?” I asked.

  “A princess.” She smiled.

  I nodded and moved next to her. “Okay, the name of this story is called The Prissy Princess.”

  She looked up at me and grinned. “Is there a prince in this story too?”

  “Oh, yeah, a very handsome prince. Like super handsome. That princess is a really lucky girl.”

  “Is that so?” Rose stood in the doorway with a smirk on her face.

  “Mommy! Come listen to the story Daddy’s gonna tell. It’s called…what’s it called again, Daddy?”

  I tried my hardest to stifle my laughter before blurting out, “The Prissy Princess.”

  Rose took a seat on the bed on the other side of Kaitlyn. “I think I actually heard this story before.”

  “You did?” Kaitlyn’s eyes widened in surprise.

  “Yup,” Rose replied. “And the prince, he wasn’t always so nice at first. He was a mean old dragon.”

  Kaitlyn gasped. “He was? He was even mean to the princess?”

  “Yes, he was,” Rose answered.

  “Then I don’t like him very much.” Kaitlyn pouted.

  I chuckled. “Hey, I thought this was my story.”

  “Oh, sorry. Go ahead. I’ll tell you the story about the prince tomorrow night,” Rose said.

  “What’s the name of the prince’s story?” Kaitlyn asked.

  “The Pompous Prince,” Rose replied and then gasped. She grabbed Kaitlyn’s hand and placed it on her belly. “Did you feel that?”

  Kaitlyn couldn’t contain her smile. “That’s my baby brother. He’s dancing again!” Kaitlyn giggled and moved her head to Rose’s belly. “I love you, baby,” she whispered.

  Suddenly, the baby took precedence over the story as Kaitlyn rested her head on Rose’s stomach and smiled with each move her brother made. Two more months until I got to experience that unconditional love I never knew existed once again, and this time with a son.

  “Daddy, feel the baby dancing!” Kaitlyn moved my hand to Rose’s stomach just as the baby did a somersault.

  It amazed me how I once thought the most important thing in life was the adrenaline rush of going on a dangerous mission, and how I thought my life was over once that part of it was cut short. Now I realized everything that mattered most in this world was right within my reach, sitting beside me—Rose, Kaitlyn, and my unborn son. I had been blessed in so many ways, but my greatest blessing came on the day I met that Prissy Princess, who was finally able to work her magic and tame that mean old dragon.

  The End

  About the Author

  _____________________________

  Ever since I can remember, I have always enjoyed C
reative Writing. There was always something about being able to travel to a different place or become a different person with just the stroke of a pen - or in today’s world a touch of the keyboard. I love creating deep characters who you will love or love to hate.

  My life is not as interesting as my books or the characters in them, but then again, whose life is? My happy place is a seat by the ocean with my feet in the sand or on the busy streets of New York City. You will more than likely find one of these places as the setting for most of my books.

  I Hope you enjoyed spending time with Rose and Alex, and would love for you to meet some of my other characters...there’s plenty more! And one tiny little favor from me: if you could leave a review, big or small, it would mean so much.

  Until my next set of characters...XO.