Chapter 44
Jessica fidgeted in her seat at the pub, leaning forward and back. She reached up to scratch behind her ear, and Teddy’s laugh caressed her face.
“What’s funny?” Sam asked as he scooped up a far too big spoonful of ice cream. Heaven help them getting him to sleep tonight with all that sugar buzzing around his body. Still, tonight was a special night.
“Nothing,” Teddy and Jessica said in unison, earning them several suspicious glances from his family.
“Will Rafferty make it in time?” Jessica whispered, her hand sliding over Teddy’s thigh. She loved that she got to touch him like this, any time she wanted.
“Hope so. I told him he had to be here for when trivia started.”
She eyed the door, willing it to open.
“If he misses it, he misses it.”
But Teddy would be disappointed, and that was right at the top of the list of things Jessica was going to spend her life trying to prevent. She pushed her spoon through the caramel sauce drizzled over the top of her sticky date pudding.
A loud tap echoed through the room as Wyatt tapped the microphone on the small stage before asking, “Is everyone ready for trivia?”
“Yes!” Lulu called from where she was sitting next to Joan.
Both women already had their glasses on, pens poised over the answer sheets that were always waiting on the tables on a Monday night.
Trivia was serious business in Wattle Junction, but Jessica was sure no one would mind what was about to happen.
“Alright—” Wyatt started.
The front door burst open, and Rafferty slipped through the crowd, dropping into the empty seat next to Teddy.
“—Nice of you to join us, Raff,” Wyatt teased, and Rafferty shook his head and waved sheepishly.
“Glad you made it,” Teddy said.
“I’m a man of my word, even if I still don’t know why you insisted.” Rafferty grabbed a piece of leftover garlic bread and lifted it to his mouth.
“You’re about to,” Teddy promised, squeezing Jessica’s hand.
“Okay, folks. Let’s go. Question number one for this evening. It’s a hard one, not going to lie. Which beloved members of our Wattle Junction community recently eloped?”
Lulu gasped, drawing the attention of the crowd. “Really? What happened to it being a secret?”
Wyatt disconnected the microphone from its stand and headed for the Jameses table.
“Who got married?” Joan whispered, swivelling to look at Eloise, her granddaughter.
“Not us!” Eloise laughed.
“But one day,” Nate added, tugging on the end of Eloise’s braid affectionately.
“Who would like to share the correct answer?” Wyatt asked.
Like they’d rehearsed this—oh God, had they rehearsed this?—Owen started to stand just as Teddy leant back in his chair, looping his arm across the back of Jessica’s casually.
“Actually …” Teddy said, jumping to his feet and snatching the microphone from Wyatt’s hands before he could pass it to Owen. “Have you guys met my wife, Jessica? She’s the best, and I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”
There was a beat of shocked silence, and then the room erupted with cheers. Teddy pulled Jessica to her feet and tucked her into his side. Their gazes locked together, and he stopped addressing the crowd, instead directing his words just to her.
“But I owe her an apology.”
Jessica froze. This wasn’t part of what Teddy had told her he planned to announce tonight.
“See, I did things a bit backwards and never got her an engagement ring.”
Jessica’s eyes widened. “I don’t mind.”
“I mind, Starshine. And it’s something I’d like to rectify right now.”
Teddy handed the microphone to Rafferty and dropped to one knee, but instead of looking at Jessica, he turned towards her son.
“Hey Sammy, still got the secret treasure, mate?”
It was a good thing Jessica had skipped mascara because there was no way she was making it through this without ugly crying.
Sam wrapped an arm around her leg as he passed Teddy a dark green velvet pouch. “I kept it safe all night!”
“You did such a good job.” Teddy ruffled his hair, and Jessica couldn’t believe she got to be this happy every day.
“We’re already married, but I wanted you to have a proper proposal.”
She didn’t need that. All Jessica needed was right here with her.
“I’ve never met anyone like you before, Starshine. The way you treat everyone with kindness and always do your best makes me want to do the same so you can have everything you deserve. I can’t wait to love you for the rest of my life.”
Teddy pulled a gorgeous ring out of the jewellery pouch. The centre stone was yellow, and it was surrounded by a cluster of dark stones. Her mouth dropped open.
“If I could give you a real star, I would, but I promise to never stop trying to make all your dreams come true because you’re my dream come true. I love you, Jessica Sonoto.”
Her hand shook as Teddy slipped the ring onto her finger until it was nestled next to her wedding band.
“How was that?” he whispered.
“Please kiss me,” she begged.
“Always.”
Teddy stood, scooping Sam into his arms and leant forward until he and Jessica were eye to eye. “To new beginnings,” he whispered.
“To new forevers,” she said, pulling his head closer.
And then he kissed her.
The End.