44. Beau
Beau
B eau’s phone dinged in his pocket. After wiping his hands on a grease rag, he pulled it out to read the message.
Anna: I have good news!
To Anna, good news could mean anything from finding a new moisturizer that smelled like coconuts and sunscreen to winning a huge case at the law firm.
Beau typed out a question, trying to manage his expectations for whatever the good news might be.
Beau: What’s the good news?
Anna: We’ll be there in fifteen.
That meant she was leaving her house, and Brittany was probably with her. After Anna bought a house, she asked Brittany to move in, and the two had been inseparable.
Beau glanced down at his grease-smeared T- shirt and jeans. Shoot. He needed a shower. Anna knew his job was dirty, but cleaning up a little before she showed up was the only polite thing to do since he wouldn’t be able to keep his distance once she was within his reach.
Shouting toward the next garage bay, Beau headed for the back. “Tim! I’ll be back in ten!”
“Tell Anna hi!” Tim answered.
Breaking into a jog, he headed for his apartment in the back. He’d beat this timer dozens of times before when Anna gave him a warning, and ten minutes later, he was back in the garage without a single grease smear on him.
“Lookin’ sharp!” Gage said with a punch to Beau’s shoulder.
“Shut up. You’d shower too if your girlfriend wore fancy clothes. Hadley works on a ranch.”
Anna’s car pulled into the lot, and she and Brittany both hopped out as soon as the tires stopped rolling.
Having Brittany in Blackwater was the best thing for both women. Anna was happy to have a friend and roommate, and Brittany was almost unrecognizable from the sad girl who’d shown up in town four months ago.
Anna’s heels clapped against the concrete as she made her way to Beau. Her smile hit him like a line-drive to the chest as usual, and he opened his arms seconds before she barreled into him .
“I can’t believe it!” Anna squealed as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“It would be nice to know what you can’t believe,” Beau whispered against her temple before pressing a kiss to her soft skin.
Anna tilted her head up and pulled him down to kiss her. The connection was over before he knew it, leaving him wanting more.
“You tell him,” Anna said, looking back at Brittany.
Brittany pressed her glasses higher on her nose before clasping her hands at her chest. “The fall release was a hit when we posted it on the website today, and we already have fifty orders.”
Beau’s eyes widened. “That was today? And you have fifty orders already?”
Anna gripped his wrist with both of her hands. “We decided to do a soft release. We didn’t tell many people, but the reception was amazing, and it’s already spreading all over social media. Three journalists have requested interviews with us already.”
Beau glanced from Anna to Brittany and back to Anna. “Wow. That’s amazing.”
“What’s amazing?” Olivia asked as she entered the garage. “What did I miss?”
“The fall release is a hit!” Brittany shouted.
Anna pulled out her phone and tapped on the screen. “Actually, we have fifty-five orders.” She pressed a hand to her forehead. “How are we going to fill these orders?”
Brittany rested a hand on Anna’s shoulder. “Relax. We planned for this, remember? We already approved five potential hires, and we have plenty of time to fulfill orders.”
“I know. I just can’t believe it. I knew your designs were amazing, and I’m so glad everyone else is seeing them too.”
Brittany shook her head. “I couldn’t have gotten started without your help. You’re the one person who believed in me.”
“And me!” Olivia wrapped Brittany in a bear hug. “You’re awesome. I knew it. I called it first!”
Seeing Brittany accepted by their friends was the answer to Anna’s prayers, and she’d poured a ton of her energy into getting Brittany’s designs out into the world. It was also nice to see Brittany using the money she got from Catherine to build her own business.
Beau leaned back against the toolbox and watched Anna glow. Just when he thought he couldn’t love her more, she showed him just how selfless and encouraging she could be.
The three women chattered on about designs and the growth of the business, and Beau took the opportunity to do a little research. Pulling out the top drawer of the toolbox, he grabbed a combination wrench and lifted Anna’s hand .
Lifting the wrench to her ring finger, he measured the width. It was too big. He picked up another and did the same until the open end of the wrench bracketed the base of her finger perfectly.
Anna was still talking, oblivious to what he was doing. How much could he get away with?
Olivia noticed his attention on Anna’s ring finger, but she didn’t say anything. Her smile widened as she tried not to look his way.
While Anna gestured with her other hand, Beau pulled the ring out of his pocket and slid it onto her finger. Liv had been right about Anna’s size. It fit perfectly.
Beau’s heart pounded in his chest. He’d been carrying around the ring for weeks, but when would he get the nerve to ask her?
He slid the ring off just as Brittany gasped.
Anna looked down and spotted the diamond he still held at the tip of her finger. When she froze, so did he.
“Is that what I think it is?” she whispered.
Beau glanced down at the ring. “An engagement ring.”
“Yes!” Olivia shouted.
Beau glared at his sister. “No one asked you.”
Olivia covered her mouth, then waved. “Sorry. Continue.”
Lowering to one knee, Beau looked at Anna who was already crying. “Anna, I love you with all my heart. You’re the best person I’ve ever met, and you’re way too good for me.”
“It’s true,” Olivia whispered.
He poised the ring at the tip of Anna’s finger. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes! A thousand times yes!”
Beau shot to his feet and slipped the ring on her finger. How could this be real life? He’d been so content to be alone that happiness like this hadn’t seemed real. Anna had turned his world upside down, and he’d be thanking her for it until they were old and gray.
He slid his arms around her and pressed his mouth to hers. Fireworks lit up his entire body as Anna kissed him back. Every move they made was a silent promise to each other. Through better or worse. Through sickness and health. In good times and bad.
He had the rest of his life to love her, and he wouldn’t waste a single opportunity.