We’d all been moving our glasses to our lips, but at Reid’s words, we stop and stare.
“What did you just say?” Willa says.
And that mother fucker goes down on his knee and takes Willa’s hand in his.
“Eep!” Goldie’s hands fly to her mouth.
Willa stares at Reid.
And right when I’m trying to decide if I’m pissed that he’s stealing my thunder—okay, potential thunder, whatever—I see Ox appear out of nowhere, his phone trained on Reid and Willa and out of Willa’s line of sight.
God damn, Reid’s good.
Reid takes a deep breath and lets it out, smiling with absolute love at my best friend. “Willa Dean Dash.”
“Reid,” she whispers shakily.
He gives a soft laugh as he reaches up to wipe her cheek with his thumb. “Don’t cry yet, sweetheart. Let me get the words out.”
She sniffs and nods.
“From the very beginning, I was absolutely smitten with you. You walked up to the table, dropped your pen, banged your head, and swept me off my feet. And even though you spent way too much time running away from me, I knew all I had to do was keep wearing those running shorts and I’d wear you down.”
Willa snorts out a laugh, and I can see how red her cheeks are burning.
“Ah, you laugh, but it worked.” He winks at her, then reaches into his shirt pocket and pulls out a ring. “Willa, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
“Has that ring been in there the whole time?” Willa asks.
Goldie huffs. “Answer the man!”
“Yes!” Willa says. “Yes, yes, yes.”
Reid slides the ring onto her finger, then stands and pulls her to him. The entire restaurant explodes into applause, and the Mariachi band appears and begins to play. Carmen and others pop streamers over the couple, and in moments it’s clear we are in the middle of one heck of a celebration.
Goldie leans into me. “Did you know about this?”
If you only knew.“I didn’t,” I tell her, “but this is amazing.”
I give Reid a congratulatory handshake that he turns into a hug while Goldie squeals and grabs Willa into a fierce embrace. Ox ambles up, waving his cell phone.
“Did you get it?” Reid asks.
“Of course I did,” Ox answers. “It’s already sent.”
Finally, Goldie releases Willa, and I get to congratulate my best friend. Pulling her into a hug, I squeeze tight. “I’m so happy for you. You deserve all the happiness in the world.”
She sniffs. “So do you.” We break apart, and she wipes at her eyes, smiling wider than I’ve ever seen. “Why do I keep crying? Holy shit, Matty, I’m gettingmarried!”
I hug her again. “Yeah you are!”
It’s another hour before Goldie and I get home. We let the dogs out, and while Goldie’s back is turned, I slip the box out and hide it. Tonight was for Willa and Reid, but it won’t be long before I propose to my golden girl.
I pull her to me in the dark bedroom, her soft skin and plush lips a heaven that I’m still not sure I deserve, but that I’ll do whatever it takes to be worthy of. I’ll do anything for this woman. When she tells me she loves me, I whisper it back, then I show her. Again, and again. Forever, and always.
