Chapter 47
forty-seven
Nessa
It’s New Year’s Eve, and tonight, I’ll use comically large scissors and cut a ribbon in front of the library as the incoming Executive Director of the Peacock Springs Community Center.
Construction won’t start until the spring thaws the ground, but this truly feels like the start of a new life.
As much as I’ll miss Ruth Anne, I’ve learned to put myself on the to-do list. Though I don’t often make it anywhere close to the top.
The women have all gathered at the house Delia and I share to get ready for tonight. It reminds me of Stef’s wedding day and a sorority party rolled into one. I cherish the moment, realizing how infrequent they’ve become for us.
We take turns in the chair Delia has dragged into the living room, getting our hair and makeup done, laughing and discussing our celebrity doppelg?ngers.
There’s a knock, and Shae appears at the front door. Her gown is in hand and she gives a gregarious hello to all. We’ve found a good path forward these last few months.
“I’ll have you know, this is now your official Chanukah present.” She points to the blanket on the couch.
“Fine.” I shuffle over and pull her into a hug. “I’m sorry it took me so long to acknowledge your growth. But it’s on a podcast, so it’s really real now. Forgive me?”
“Always,” she says, holding out a hand to ruffle my finished hair.
I dodge her before she can mess it up.
“No!” Delia says sternly, pointing the curling iron her way.
My phone goes off in my pocket, startling me. I nearly kick Wyclef, who’s winding himself between my feet. I dig it out and reading to myself.
“Shoot!” I call out. “Mateo and the boys will be here in a few, are we almost all ready?”
The whole group peers around the room, eyeing the chaos we’ve created, and laughs. We take turns changing into shimmery new year’s dresses in the bathroom and the bedrooms before taking a group selfie.
Delia serves as photographer, of course, having the longest arms.
The guys roll up in a pair of oversized SUVs and step out, all of them dressed in dapper suits and ties.
Millie grabs a box from the front door, and goes from person to person, handing over corsages and boutonnieres.
I chuckle to myself. It truly is like going to prom again.
Mateo slips a gorgeous oversized purple dahlia bloom onto my wrist before kissing my cheek. “I got us a room at the Honeybee Inn tonight, since my sister is back home,” he says in my ear.
“Mmm. Why don’t we just skip the party and go there now?” I tease a finger over his dress shirt.
“I think they’d notice if the primary donor and new Executive Director didn’t attend.” He kisses the tip of my nose and pulls back with a grin.
Lily pins a fiery tiger lily onto River’s lapel, and then Delia and Millie, descend on Seth trying to pin a boutonniere to his jacket. Once they do, they slip blooms onto their own wrists, Shae too, and we pile into the SUVs.
Five minutes later, we pull up to the square. The energy at the party going on at the dance studio and library is buzzing.
Lily’s studio is open for partygoers to dance.
Outside the library, folks mingle beneath the twinkle lights, not straying too far from the outdoor heaters.
It’s beautiful, the way this town has come together.
These people and this man are mine. There’s no point fighting the swell of my heart, the love I’m filled with cannot be dulled.
We spend the evening chatting and drinking and dancing.
As we get closer to midnight, during a slow song, Mateo leans into me. “What do you want to accomplish next year, gorgeous?”
“I think next year I want to get to love you for all three hundred and sixty-five days.” I smile at him.
“I love you, mischievous girl. Have for a while. I’m glad you caught up.” He winks, and when he smiles, that dimple pops, doing me in like it always does. As my knees weaken slightly and he pulls me closer, his lips are on my cheek, my chin, and finally my lips.
“What else, goal-getter?” he asks, his tone oozing with pride.
The crowd begins to count down and we enter the new year laughing, kissing, and holding each other.
From now on, I want every year to begin just like this.