Ethel knocked back the last of her drink and ambled to the front door. “Live a little, woman. Are you allergic to fun?”
The old women locked eyes, and they scowled at each other. Then Hazel said, “No, but I wasn’t invited to have any, was I?”
“Come on in. I’m inviting your cranky ass.”
Hazel seemed stunned. “But…I’m not dressed for a party.”
“Whatever,” Ethel said. “Get in here.”
Somehow, Danica’s crabby neighbor ended up teaching everyone how to play euchre while Goliath wandered the house like a religious pilgrim who was finally permitted to enter the promised land. The party ran late, ridiculously so. Titus probably wouldn’t get any sleep before work in the morning.
Danica was laughing at something Dante said, trying to get to know all Titus’s friends one-on-one. Miguel was too drunk to say much, as Ethel had a cast-iron liver, but Titus appreciated everything. Every look, every touch, every moment, every smile.
Maybe he’d eventually take Danica’s time and love for granted, but he doubted it. Not when this relationship had been so hard-won that he’d almost lost all faith that somebody could return his devotion.
Never again. I believe in her, always. I believe in forever-love.
With every beat of his heart, he trusted that Danica was his future, and he was ready to see what awaited them on the far side of happily ever after.
