Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
W hen Cassie stepped inside the barn and saw her country music star friend Carly warming up to perform, she squealed with delight and ran over as fast as her sparkly heels would carry her to hug her. When they stepped apart, both women were in tears.
The evening went surprisingly well, considering they didn’t have a professional planner. Trays with appetizers circulated through a crowd that included college friends of Cassie’s, former clients, friends of the family, and relatives. Michelle and Simone took care of passing out hors d’oeuvres. Amy kept an eye on the cupcake area to make sure it stayed tidy-looking. People kept pulling a cupcake out of the middle and messing up the heart shape Simone had worked so hard on.
Instead of cutting a cake, Cassie and Greg sliced into a cupcake and fed each other a bite. Simone had made the requisite tiny cake they could freeze and eat a year from now. Amy found that icky because almost no baked goods could survive a year in the freezer and still be tasty. But who was she to argue with tradition?
Amy kept on the move through the venue, ensuring things were orderly and going smoothly. Every once in a while, she’d search for Scott. He’d be working security in one part of the venue or another. When the event started to wind down, Amy stood off to the side for a moment and watched him again.
Simone stepped to her side. “He’s easy on the eyes, isn’t he?”
Amy could play dumb, but she decided not to bother. “He is.”
“You make a great couple.”
Amy sucked in air as she fought for a response.
“You’d have to be blind not to see what is happening between you and Scott. And yet you’d let him drive away tomorrow and go back to Chicago forever, wouldn’t you?”
Amy nodded quickly, fighting the tears that threatened. “He has a life elsewhere.”
“Who cares? People move all the time. Do you really think Scott would be upset about moving if he thought you cared about him?”
Scott smiled at her and gave a small wave.
Simone said, “I rest my case. I saw that little thing between the two of you there. Don’t let him go.” Simone punctuated every word by tapping on Amy’s shoulder. “When you find a good one, and it all seems to click, don’t let it go.”
Amy felt her lip quiver as she thought about him leaving. She breathed in and out slowly a few times, focusing on the wedding around her. She’d get through this. The event officially ended when the bride and groom stood, ready to leave.
The couple passed by her on their way out. Cassie leaned close and whispered as she went by, “Don’t let him get away.”
Greg, apparently overhearing, said, “My thought exactly.”
Two of her friends and one of his had weighed in with their opinions about her love life. Was anyone telling him things like this? She picked up a napkin and plate that had dropped to the ground and threw them away. Scott came over and lobbed a cup in the trash like a basketball.
Just having him beside her set off a chain of emotions. “I need a breath of fresh air.” She hurried toward the exit.
He kept pace with her. “I could use a breather too.”
Standing beside her and staring up at the stars, he said, “We were supposed to have one more proposal before I left.”
Amy nodded. “Life became so busy that my push to grow the newspaper was set aside. I’ll have to find another man to do the proposals with me.”
“I’d rather you didn’t. I’d like to be the only one who proposes to you.”
She turned toward him, the moonlight overhead glazing the top of his head with a glow. When he didn’t say more, she asked, “What do you mean? I’ll have to be proposed to again to continue the articles.” And she hoped to be proposed to—someday—by a man who loved her and wanted to marry her. She’d even eat year-old cake for their anniversary.
Scott leaned closer and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Amy, I mean it. I’d like to be the next person to propose to you. But not here, not now.”
She realized he wasn’t talking about the newspaper. “I want for you to be the only man who proposes to me,” she said, laying her cards on the table.
Scott grinned and picked her up, spinning her around in a circle before he set her down and kissed her.
“Does that mean you’d like to have me stay here in Two Hearts?”
“What kind of question is that? Of course, I want you to stay in Two Hearts. But your life is in Chicago.”
“You used the wrong tense. You need to say my life was in Chicago. My mother reminded me that Archer, a college buddy of mine, has wanted to start a computer coding business with me. I’d ignored his repeated offers and all but forgotten about them because I loved my job. There was no point in even considering what he’d suggested. When she mentioned it, my mind started to wonder if it was possible. I’ve spent hours on the phone with Archer in the last few days.”
Amy started to feel a glow from the inside. “You decided to take him up on it?”
“I did. I have a lot to wrap up in Chicago. My family won’t like it that I’m moving so far away, but they’ll be happy I found you. I know they’ll love you.”
Amy met him halfway when he leaned down for a kiss.
When they broke apart, Amy couldn’t fight the grin on her face. “I know you need to leave to wrap things up in Chicago. Take as long as you need but not a second more.”
“I’ll be back in a month.”
“And this proposal, how long do you think I’ll need to wait for it?”
He pulled her close and held her in his arms. “We’ll have to figure that out. But I have a feeling you won’t be waiting too long.”
Neither did Amy.