All She Wanted (2) (34 page)

BOOK: All She Wanted (2)

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Charlie

It was hard to focus on the speeches
when I could see Briggs sitting out in the audience—waiting for me. It had been
two full weeks since the last time we were face to face and I ached to be near
him again. I had been looking forward to our drive home tonight for months—four
hours alone with Briggs, life couldn’t get much better than that.

It had been over a year since we had
lived in the same town; I was definitely over being a long-distance girlfriend.

I had kept my performance a surprise,
mostly because I loved to catch him off guard, but also because I wanted to be
sure that I could go through with it. The second I saw him walk into the
auditorium with my parents, my courage was strengthened.

This year, I learned what it meant to
fully love and be loved in return. I had reached the impossible depth of my
inability to feel wanted, realizing in the process that my mama’s decision
didn’t diminish my worth. Years of therapy had finally been cemented in my heart
the moment I chose to believe that as truth.

I no longer felt bound by the word that
had owned my childhood, or the shame I had worn because of it.

The auditorium erupted with shouts and
applause as my class made its way off the stage. I linked arms with Camille,
grinning from ear to ear as we looked for our families in the crowd of people
outside minutes later. I didn’t have to look for long.

My feet were off the ground as I was
wrapped in an embrace that sent my heart into a spastic fit.

“Shortcake,” Briggs said, “You’re
amazing.”

I kissed him, oblivious to the hundreds
of people swirling around us.

“Ahem…”

We broke apart just in time to see my
parents smiling at us. Briggs lowered me down again, so I could hug my parents.

“Charlie…” My dad pressed his lips
together, swallowing hard, “We are so proud of you. Thank you for what you
said—although I might have shed more tears than mom.” He turned to my mom who
was wiping her smiling eyes, “We love you, sugar.”

**********

“You
sure this is everything?” Briggs asked, rolling his eyes at me. My convertible
was stuffed beyond recognition with boxes and bags.

“Yes,
as long as you can still fit, I have everything I need.” I smiled my cheesiest
grin at him and in a second
flat,
he was in front of me,
pulling me close.

“I’ve
missed you.” He nuzzled his face into my neck, sending flames of heat
throughout my body.

“Not
nearly as much as I’ve missed you.”

He
laughed, “You will never win that argument—
ever
.”

He
opened my door for me, kissing me one last time before hoping in the driver’s
seat. He laced his fingers through mine as I reminisced. I had shed a few tears
saying goodbye to Camille, but I knew it wasn’t really
goodbye
,
we were too close to
stay apart for long. My smile was bittersweet as we headed out of the city. All
in all, Austin had been good to me.

When
Briggs turned onto a side road, I thought that maybe he was looking for a place
to eat, but there were no buildings.

“What
are we doing?”

He
only smiled in response.

We
drove for a few more minutes, my curiosity mounting as I stared at him.
Whatever he was up to, he was keeping me in the dark, deliberately.

And
then we stopped.

I
looked around; there was no sound, or lights from the city—no people anywhere
in sight. It was just us, in a large field lit only by the moon and stars, parked
in front of an old, vintage gazebo. It looked to be weathered by time and
exposure, but it was beautiful nonetheless. I moved toward it, touching the
post and feeling the texture of the chipping white paint beneath my fingers as
I started up the steps. I wanted to get a better look at the acres of farmland
around us.

“Wow…this
is really something, I didn’t even know this was out here.” I said, quietly.

When
I turned around, Briggs was reaching into the car, tuning the radio. When he
found the station he wanted, he started toward me. Immediately my heart began
to race. His steps were purposeful, and his eyes were focused only on me.

“May
I have this dance?”

“You
may.”

His
hand pressed at the small of my back as he held me close, swaying to the music.
The night was warm, but not stifling. It felt good to be close to him—it felt right.
As the song ended, Briggs grip loosened, his hands moving slowly down my arms
to my fingers as he dropped to his knee. I heard myself gasp—feeling instantly
dizzy with elation.

“Charlie
Lexington, I don’t know how I lived without you for so long, but I can never go
back—you’ve ruined me in the best possible way. Any day I spend with you is not
long enough—I
always
want more. You
are my forever, Shortcake. I love you. Will you marry me?”

“Oh Briggs, yes!”
I dropped to my knees and threw my
arms around his neck, kissing his face over and over, “I’m yours, forever. I
love you.”

He
placed the ring on my finger, emotion bursting inside me as I stared at the
sparkly symbol of our love. I looked up at him.

“I
changed my mind about something.”

“Well
that was quick.” He winked, as he took my face in his hands.

I
shook my head. “No, no—never about you.” He kissed my lips again.
“About my name.”

His
eyebrows rose in surprise, “Your name?”

I
nodded, tears pooling in my eyes. “You don’t have to give up Shortcake, but I
think it might be time to give Charlotte a second chance… don’t you think?”

“
Charlotte
.” He smiled, the name like a
sweet song on his lips. “I couldn’t agree with you more.”

THE END

1 Cor. 13: 1-8

Love
is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it
keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes,
always
perseveres.

Love
never fails.

Special Thanks

Thank you, God.
You are my cornerstone.

Thank you, Tim.
You are my heart, forever.

Thank you to my boys, my family and my
friends.
Your support and encouragement are never far from my mind.

Thank you to my Beta Readers:
Lara Brahms,
Desi
Brown,
Nicki
Davis, Bethany
Deese
,
Helen
Deese
, Renee
Deese
,
Kacy
Koffa
,
Britni
Nash, Kim Southwick, Aimee Thomas, Ashley Thomas,
Rebekah
Zollman
.
You are all a HUGE part of my heart and this story.