She looked over at Nick and their eyes met. He had the deepest blue eyes of any man she’d ever seen.
“Hey, there you are.”
Charlie Grace looked up to see Jason had returned. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” he said, wearing a wide grin as he took her hand. “I have a surprise.”
“A surprise?”
“Yeah, follow me.” He led her through the crowd, past Oma, who winked as they passed. She followed as he climbed the steps to the gazebo. When he motioned to the band members, they immediately stopped the country tune they were playing and broke into the romantic ballad “Through the Years” made popular by Kenny Rogers.
Jason stepped to the microphone and cleared his throat. “Everyone, could I have your attention.”
Charlie Grace’s eyes widened as she watched a crowd gather, all eyes on them.
Jason dug in his pocket and plucked out a little black box. Before Charlie Grace could grasp what was going on, he dropped to one knee.
Charlie Grace couldn’t breathe. “Jason, what are you doing…?” she whispered.
Before she could protest further, he looked up at her. “I’m not so good at things like this, but I wanted to make this special…so I’m doing it in front of the whole town.”
Charlie Grace’s eyes filled with tears. Not of joy, but of sheer panic.
As the crowd grew hushed, Jason, trembling with nervous energy, plucked a ring from the small velvet box in his hands. Gasps of delight filled the air as everyone, including Charlie Grace, realized what was about to happen.
“No, Jason. No!”she mentally screamed.
No amount of opposition could stop what was happening.
Jason fixed his gaze upon her face. “Charlie Grace…will you marry me?”
26
“He proposed at an oyster fry? How romantic!” Capri’s voice dripped with sarcasm. She leaned against the sink in the public restroom. “I mean, you don’t see many country songs written about that.”
“Stop! This isn’t funny!” Charlie Grace protested. “What am I going to do?”
Reva parked her hands on her hips. “You’re going to stop and make this right. You can’t marry Jason. We won’t let you.”
Lila pulled the straw cowboy hat from her head and straightened her hair before putting it back in place. “Why in the world did you take that ring in the first place? I mean, you aren’t going to marry him.”
Charlie Grace groaned. “What was I supposed to do? Humiliate him in front of all those people? Did any of you miss the fact that the whole town was watching, including Oma?”
“Dumb move on his part, if you ask me.” Capri turned to the mirror and checked her hair. “How did he know you’d say yes in the first place? That little stunt was a risk he chose to take.”
The locked door rattled.
“Just a minute,” Reva called out. She turned to her stricken friend. “Charlie Grace, I’m not sure what got into you up there, but you’ve got to get with Jason and correct this immediately. A match has been lit and this entire thing will blow up into a wildfire if you don’t put it out immediately.”
The door rattled again.
“Just a minute!” they all called out.
Charlie Grace’s eyes filled with tears. “It was Oma. His mother’s face was filled with such an expression of happiness. The most joy I’ve ever seen from the dear woman, and that’s saying a lot. And Jason, I mean…I—what was I supposed to say with him holding my hand and looking at me like that?” She sniffed and searched for a tissue. “I couldn’t even think!”
Lila crammed a wad of toilet paper into Charlie Grace’s hand. She wasn’t normally a crier, but this had her completely undone.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake!” Capri parked her hands on her hips. “You have got to stop trying to please everyone. Your happiness counts as much, if not more, than anyone’s. Put yourself first, for once.”
Reva held up her hands. “Okay, we’re getting nowhere chastising Charlie Grace for what she said up there. Right now, she needs our support.” She took both of Charlie Grace’s hands in hers. “What do you need, Charlie Grace? We’re here for you.”
