13. Beau
13
BEAU
B eau looked around the table, feeling strangely exhilarated.
Quinn had given him such a scare earlier. He’d been convinced she’d seen right through his false front and was alarmed by the glimpse at his true feelings.
Try as he might to resist it, Beau had been enjoying their time together a lot—probably too much. Even if they weren’t real dates, he loved going out on the town with Quinn, hearing her thoughts on the day, and catching the approving smiles and nods from all the people who knew them.
He’d wanted so badly to kiss her that first night, and the feeling never seemed to leave him. Each time he brought her back home, it was all he could do not to grab her hand, tug her close, and plant his lips on hers until her cheeks turned pink.
Her blushes drove him wild, and it was getting harder and harder to quiet the little voice in the back of his head that told him maybe this was real, and that maybe she felt it too.
But from today’s conversation, it was painfully clear that she didn’t share any of his secret thoughts or unexpected feelings. She was only worried that he might want to date someone else during the time they had to spend together. Which was most likely because she thought she’d be tempted to date other people herself.
Beau wasn’t the jealous type, but he felt his blood heat and something feral coiling in his chest at the thought.
It’s fine, he told himself again. It’s what we agreed on.
But he still couldn’t fight the bitter disappointment at the idea that she wasn’t feeling any kind of spark between them, or the strange sense of elation he got when he thought about what he was about to do.
His mom looked happier than he’d seen her in a long time. Even if it was only for this one Thanksgiving, he was glad they had plenty of company. Dad would have loved this too.
Dad would have seen right through it…
“What’s the matter?” Mom asked him suddenly.
“I was just thinking,” he said, looking up. “We have some exciting news, and this feels like the perfect time to share it.”
He glanced over at Quinn to be sure she was okay, and his heart gave a tug.
Zandy was seated between them, but she had been slowly inching her chair closer to Quinn’s throughout the meal. She was half perched on Quinn’s lap now, leaning her head on the young woman’s shoulder.
Quinn nodded, looking nervous but happy.
“Oh my,” Mom said quietly.
“Quinn and I are engaged,” Beau said.
He had intended to make it seem as real as possible. But he hadn’t expected his voice to be so husky and serious as he pretended to stake his claim.
“Really, Quinn?” her mother asked her, looking surprised but hopeful.
Quinn nodded, her lips pressed together.
Thankfully, they had spent enough time together lately that Beau knew she was just nervous and not regretting their decision.
“Oh, that’s wonderful,” her mom exclaimed. “Congratulations to both of you—to all of you.”
“ Beau ,” Mom wailed happily.
He was out of his chair in a heartbeat to hug her close, even as his stomach twisted with guilt.
How can you play with her emotions this way?
“I’m so proud of you,” Mom murmured in his ear as they embraced. “Your father would have loved this.”
“Goodness, Zandy,” Quinn’s mom was saying. “You can be the flower girl.”
“I’m Flower Girl,” Zandy said happily to no one in particular.
“That’s right,” Quinn told her. “You’ll be the best flower girl in the whole world. And it will be so much fun to throw the flower petals, won’t it?”
“Yes,” Zandy agreed regally. “I’ll throw them.”
Quinn spontaneously pulled the little girl the rest of the way onto her lap for a hug and Beau suddenly felt like his heart was too big for his chest.
“I don’t see a ring,” Mom said quietly to him.
“We haven’t picked one out yet,” he told her. “We just couldn’t wait to tell everyone.”
“Hang on,” Mom said, slipping out of her chair and disappearing up the back stairs.
Beau was pulled immediately back into the conversation with Quinn and her family. They all seemed so happy. Maybe this was all going to be worth it in the end.
“Why so quickly, though?” her mother asked. “We have to make sure the relatives can all make it.”
“When you know, you know,” Quinn said, trotting out one of the phrases the two of them had practiced ahead of time in case anyone asked about how fast they were moving.
Quinn hadn’t been too worried about getting the third degree from her family. But after one whirlwind courtship and marriage that ended in disaster, Beau figured the people who loved him would be questioning him this time.
But instead, even his mother just took it at face value that he and Quinn were happy together. A moment later, she appeared again in the threshold and beckoned to him.
“Can I steal you for a minute?” she asked him softly.
He got up right away and headed out to the living room with her.
“I know Quinn is a modern girl and she’ll probably want to choose something she likes from the shop in town,” Mom said, glancing down at the faded velvet box in her hand. “But this was my mother’s, and I just thought I would offer it.”
Beau stared down at the little box, amazed. Mom was very attached to Grandma’s ring.
She didn’t even offer me this ring when I got married the first time.
He ached to grab the box and slide that ring onto Quinn’s finger immediately. But something slowed him down.
“You really like her, don’t you?” he asked, placing a hand on Mom’s upper arm instead.
“Who wouldn’t like her?” Mom asked simply. “She’s perfect.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Beau said, pride blossoming in his chest.
“Thank you, Beau,” Mom said, sniffing a little. “Thank you for bringing so much life back into this house. Having you and Zandy back here, and now Quinn and her family… He would have loved this.”
Then they were hugging again, and Beau thought his heart would break as his mother sobbed happily against his chest.
Stepping back into the dining room, he took in the sweet scene all over again—their table covered with bowls and dishes of fragrant food, Zandy snuggled on Quinn’s lap while her mom regaled her with wedding ideas.
“Oh,” Quinn’s mom said, looking up at him. “We’re just so happy for you.”
“Thank you,” Beau told her. “Quinn, my mom has offered us something…”
“Only if you like it, dear,” Mom said firmly.
“It’s my grandmother’s ring,” Beau said softly, moving to kneel beside Quinn’s chair.
Her eyes widened, and he felt like he could hear her heart beating.
It’s just pretend…
But as he opened the little box to show her the delicate ring inside, he realized his hand was shaking.
“We can have it sized, if you like it, Quinn,” his mom was saying. “Or you can just choose something that suits you. No harm, no foul…”
His mother’s tone was light, but to Beau it felt like the whole world was fading away at the edges, and there was nothing and no one but himself and Quinn, and his daughter cuddled in her arms.
He looked up at Quinn and she didn’t have to speak for him to know that she loved the ring. When her eyes met his, they were misty with emotion.
He plucked the tiny thing from the box and Quinn held out a trembling hand.
When Beau slid the ring onto her finger, it fit like it had been made for her.
“Oh,” Quinn said softly, gazing down at the twinkling stone on the slender golden band. “Oh, wow.”
“It fits,” her mother breathed from beside her.
“Pretty,” Zandy said.
“Oh, Beau,” Mom sighed happily.
But when Beau looked up, Quinn’s dad caught his eye, and it occurred to him suddenly that the man hadn’t said a word about all this yet.