Southern Devotion

by Kaylee Ryan

  “I know, I just—”

  “You’re just impatient.” McKinley laughs. “You always have been.”

  “It’s hard not to be when I’m holding this little guy, or when he talks about our future.”

  “He’s always done that,” Whitney says gently. “He waited a long time for you to tell him that you were ready to move forward. Give him this time to make it special for you. You said he told you he didn’t care how big or small the wedding was, just that he wanted you to be the one walking down the aisle toward him. Maybe the proposal is what he cares about. Maybe he wants a story to tell your kids and grandkids. Maybe he wants to blow your romantic fantasies out of the water.”

  “Y’all are Team David tonight,” I laugh.

  “No, we’re Team Olivia and David,” Jamie says. “We want you both to be happy. We can see it, from the outside looking in. It’s going to happen.”

  “I know. He loves me. I’m so damn lucky to have him in my life. I just… want it all. Now,” I admit with a laugh.

  “See, impatient.” McKinley nods.

  “Fine, I’m impatient,” I agree. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I continue. “I know I’m the one who kept us from moving forward, and well, I just thought that the night I told him I was ready, it would be soon.”

  Before the girls can reply, the front door opens and Evan, followed by Aaron, Mike, and my man, walk into the room. I watch as each of them makes a beeline for their girl.

  “Livy,” David says, taking a seat next to me. “Have a good night?”

  “We did. How about you?”

  “Played a few games of pool over at Aaron’s.” He places a kiss just beneath my ear. “Missed you,” he whispers.

  I turn to look at him, a smile on my face.

  “That’s what I want,” he says softly, just low enough for me to hear. “I want that smile on your face every day for the rest of our lives.”

  I don’t have words, so I lean in and press my lips to his. My love for this man grows every damn day. I never want to know what it’s like to not have him in my life.

  “Where are you taking me?” Liv asks from the seat beside me.

  We’re in my truck headed to our date. “If I tell you, that will ruin the surprise.”

  “I love your surprises, but I also love knowing.” She laughs.

  “How was your day?” I rushed home from work, grabbed a shower, and we raced out the door. She’s known about this date all week, so she was ready when I got home.

  “Good. We interviewed a new bartender to rotate and give the others some weekend nights off. Mike and I both liked her.”

  “Good. You offer the job?”

  “Not yet. We’re waiting for her references to come back, but I have a good feeling about her. My gut tells me she’s going to be a great part of the team.”

  “That’s great. Y’all need that. I’m sure the others will appreciate it too.”

  “Yeah, I mean you have to enjoy your job, and no one likes working every single weekend night. This way we can keep our good bartenders, add another good one to the roster, I hope, and keep everyone happy.”

  “I’m proud of you,” I tell her. “You’re stepping up instead of hiding in the shadows, and look at what you’re doing, helping make Mike’s Tavern even better. I know Mike appreciates it.”

  “Does he? I mean, he tells me, but it’s nice to know he also told you.” She smiles over at me.

  “Yeah, especially with Jamie and now the baby. He likes the fact that the two of you share the burden, but neither of you has to live there. It’s a well-oiled machine the two of you are running. You should both be proud.”

  “I am.” Her voice is soft. “I don’t know where the idea that my kids would be embarrassed, or even you would, came from by me working there, but I really do love it. I love it even more that I’m not there every night and instead I get to come home to you at the end of the day.”

  I don’t answer right away; instead, I wait until I reach the stop sign. Checking there’s no one behind me, I reach over the console and slide my hand behind her neck, pulling her lips to mine. I kiss her, tracing her lips with my tongue. “That’s my favorite,” I tell her. “Nothing is better than coming home to you and waking up with you in our home. We’re living the dream, Livy.” I rest my forehead against hers. “I love you, Olivia.” Before she can answer, a horn sounds from behind us.

  Her laughter fills the truck as I pull away from her, check both ways, and drive through the stop sign. “Love you too,” she tells me through her laughter.

  That sound, that smile, it’s my addiction. I just hope tonight ends with that same sound falling from her lips and that smile gracing her beautiful face. I’m nervous as we get closer to our destination, which I know is ridiculous, but it’s the truth all the same. I want to wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans, but that would give me away; instead, I keep both hands on the wheel. I want to reach over and lace her fingers with mine, but I refrain, keeping both hands on the wheel and drive as if my insides are not twisted.

  “Where are we going?” she asks again. I’ve just turned on the road to her parents’ house. “Are we going to Mom and Dad’s?”

  “We are,” I confess.

  “We’re having date night with my parents?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “I’m totally confused.”

  “Just be patient.”

  “This is me you’re talking to.”

  I laugh. “I know, baby, but you’ll find out what I have planned soon. I promise.”

  We pull into her parents’ drive, and all the lights are off. Just like we planned, they left the house tonight to give us this time together. “Looks like they’re not even home,” she says, looking at the same dark house.

  “Nope. They went out to dinner.”

  “Do you have some fantasy of us getting a little freaky in my childhood bedroom or something?” She’s half joking, half serious by the tone of her voice.

  “No.” I laugh. “Although, now that you mention it.” She reaches over and lightly smacks at my arm, causing me to laugh even harder. Driving past the house, I park my truck by the old barn. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” Rushing out of the truck, I make my way inside the barn and fire up the Gator. The bed is already packed with a picnic basket, blanket, and champagne, everything we’ll need for our night together. I even grabbed a hoodie for both of us, just in case it gets too chilly. Eventually, she’ll find out that I wasn’t at work today, I was here, making this night special for her. At least I hope it is.

  I drive the Gator up to her side of the truck and hop off, making my way to her door as she pushes her door open. “What are you doing?”

  “Come with me.” I offer her my hand and she takes it, jumping out of the truck. I guide her to the passenger side of the Gator and she climbs on.

  “I told you it’s a surprise,” I say when I see she’s about to ask me again. “Just be patient with me.” I kiss her lips lightly before rushing around and getting behind the wheel of the Gator. We drive in silence, me because I have a million different scenarios running through my mind, though her, I’m not sure. A quick glance tells me she’s enjoying the scenery. It’s just about sunset, and I know she loves this time of day.

  “Are we going to the field of wildflowers?”

  “We are,” I concede.

  “I haven’t been here at sunset in years. This is a great idea,” she assures me. She glances back to the bed of the Gator and sees the blanket and picnic basket. “You’re pulling out all the stops,” she teases.

  “Nothing but the best for my girl.”

  We reach the front edge of the field and I stop. Just over the knoll is yet another surprise for her, but I need to take this one step at a time. “This looks like a good spot.”

  “It’s perfect,” she agrees.

  So far, so good. “Give me a minute to get everything set up.”

  “I can help.”

  “Just sit tight.
” I kiss her lips, just a quick peck before getting to work setting up our spot for the night. I spread out a king-size quilt, which gives us plenty of room, keeping the extra blanket folded in one corner with our sweatshirts on top of it. Then I unpack the picnic basket, setting it off to the side as well. I stopped by earlier today and mowed this area, just outside of the wildflowers, for this very reason. I’m surprised she hasn’t commented on the fact. Hopefully she’s too busy with the view to notice, at least not yet. I need to get through my surprise for her first. Both of them.

  Once everything is set up, I go to her side of the Gator and offer my hand. “Ready?”

  She smiles up at me and nods. As soon as she climbs out, I bend down and pick her up bridal style, carrying her to the blanket.

  “I can walk,” she tells me, but her smile tells me more. She likes this, and that helps to relieve my nerves just a little. Setting her feet on the blanket, I cup her face in my hands and kiss her. I try to show her with the gentle glide of my tongue against hers everything I’m about to say, or at least I hope to. I’ve practiced this a million and one times. I just hope I don’t fuck it up with as nervous as I am.

  “I know you can,” I say, breaking our kiss. “However, I like you in my arms better.”

  “It is a nice place to be.”

  “Let’s sit,” I suggest, and she drops to her knees.

  “What is all of this?”

  “Well, we have chicken salad sandwiches, cool ranch Doritos, and peanut butter pie for dessert. Water to drink.” I keep the bottle of champagne in the basket with the two fancy plastic flutes I picked up a week ago.

  “All my favorites. Are you trying to get lucky?”

  “I’m hoping that if I play my cards right, tonight will most certainly be my lucky night.” I lean in and kiss her again, just because I want to, just because I can. It might also be so I don’t blurt the words out right here, right now. I was expecting to see a gleam in her eyes, one that tells me that she knows what I’m up to, but so far, if she does know, she hasn’t let on. Then again, maybe I’m just too damn nervous to pick up on it.

  We eat our dinner, talking about anything and everything. That’s how it is with us; it’s always been so damn easy. Loving her is easy.

  “What are your plans this weekend?” I ask her.

  “I’ve got nothing, unless you do. I texted the girls earlier this week asking if they needed anything with the new babies and pregnancies, but they assure me they’re all good. They plan on just having a quiet weekend in, so I figured maybe we could do the same.”

  “Any time with you is time well spent.” Packing up our leftovers in the picnic basket, I lean back and open my legs, patting the spot between them. “Come here.” She doesn’t hesitate to crawl over to me, her back against my chest. I wrap my arms around her as we watch the sunset over the trees.

  “I really love this place,” she says softly.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  “I hope my parents never sell. If they do, do you think we could consider buying it?”

  “Babe, you have nothing to worry about. This is their home and will be for years to come. You’ll be able to bring our kids here.”

  “Yeah, and I can tell them how their dad made me a romantic picnic dinner in my favorite spot, and we watched the sunset together.”

  “I don’t know. If this is a story for our kids one day, I need to step up my game.” I nuzzle her neck before whispering in her ear, “Stand up.”

  She doesn’t even question me, just climbs to her feet. I follow after her, pulling my phone out of my pocket and turning on some music. Brantley Gilbert’s “Fall Into Me” croons from my phone’s speaker as I toss it to the blanket and pull her into my arms. I hold her tightly as we barely sway to the music.

  Just as the song ends, I pull back and drop to my knees. I can see the confusion on her face, then clarity as I reach into my pocket and pull out a ring. Not just any ring, her ring, the one I hope she agrees to wear for the rest of her life.

  “Olivia,” I say, my voice cracking. I swallow hard. “I’ve loved you longer than I can remember. I want to grow old with you. I want to sit on the back porch and watch our kids and our grandkids grow. I want to hold you when times are tough and laugh with you when they’re not. I want your name attached to mine. I want you to fall into me.” A tear slides down her cheek, and I ache to brush it away with my thumb, but I have yet to ask her that one important question. “Livy, will you do me the incredible honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?”

  She’s nodding before I even have the question out. “Yes,” she murmurs through her tears. “A thousand times yes.” She drops to her knees and crushes her mouth against mine.

  “Baby, as much as I love this,” I say against her lips, “can I give you your ring?”

  She laughs, a beautiful sound that soothes my soul. “I love you.” She kisses me one more time, then pulls away and holds out her hand.

  I slide the round diamond solitaire, surrounded by smaller round diamonds with rows of them on the band as well, onto her finger, and I swear her smile sparkles just as much as the ring.

  “Good surprise?” I ask her.

  “The best.” She wraps her arms around me in a hug, and I gently fall back on the blanket, bringing her with me. We get lost in each other, kissing like teenagers, neither one of us willing to or wanting to break our connection. We kiss until the sun has finally set beyond the trees, the stars and the moon our only light.

  When we finally come up for air, she rests her head on my chest, and I hold her tightly. This moment is one I will never forget in my lifetime. Every detail will forever be etched into my memory.

  “This was perfect,” she whispers. “Definitely a story to tell our kids one day.”

  “You think so?” I ask her.

  “Most definitely.”

  “I don’t know, I was kinda thinking I still need to step up my game a little.”

  “You can’t be serious.” She raises her head to look at me. “This was the most romantic proposal ever. In my favorite spot with my favorite person. What more could a girl ask for?”

  Here goes nothing. “Well, I have one more surprise for you.”

  “What else could there possibly be?” she asks.

  I run my fingers through her hair, pushing it back from her eyes. “There’s still something,” I admit. “However, I’m more nervous about this one than I was to propose.”

  “You were nervous?”

  “Hell yes, I was nervous. I don’t know how I would’ve handled it if you had said no.”

  She laughs. “Like there was ever a chance for that.”

  “A man never knows until he hears that three-letter word.”

  “Yes. Yes. Yes,” she says, kissing my chest between each one.

  “So, are you ready for your next surprise?” My heart is beating double time, and she has to hear it, feel it as she’s still resting on my chest. I took a gamble with her next surprise, and I hope it was a good one.

  “Yes,” she says again.

  Standing, I lace my fingers through hers. “Let’s take a walk.”

  “It’s dark. Do we need a flashlight?” she asks.

  “Nah, it’s fine.”

  She nuzzles into my chest as we walk through the wildflowers. There’s a small path that’s cut large enough for the Gator to get through, a trail we use not only for the Gator but for the horses to get down beside the big pond that’s nestled in the back corner of the field.

  “Where is that light coming from?” she asks, staring straight ahead.

  “That’s part of your other surprise.”

  “What did you do?” she asks, her voice full of happiness.

  I can’t help but feel like I should be standing a little taller knowing I’m the reason for her happiness. “I had an idea, and well, I hope I didn’t go too far.”

  At the top of the hill, there’s no hiding the lights or where they’re coming from.

  “Is
that a gazebo?” she asks.

  “It is.”

  “You bought me a gazebo?”

  “Well, I built it. Me and the guys.”

  “I wanna see it,” she says, then takes off running down the hill, her laughter following her. I go after her and reach her just as she stops in front of the new gazebo lit up with battery-operated lights.

  “Wow,” she breathes as I wrap my arms around her from behind.

  I take in the scene before us, seeing what she sees. There are pink and white roses and wildflowers decorating the railing. Small strings of lights hang from the roof, giving off a romantic glow.

  “You did all this?” she asks.

  “I did.”

  “Thank you,” she whispers.

  “I had another idea.”

  “Oh yeah? You seem to have a lot of good ideas this evening.”

  “Well, I was thinking we could get married here.” She sucks in a breath and I know she’s picturing it in her mind. “Tomorrow,” I add.

  She immediately turns in my arms to face me.

  “What did you just say?”

  “Will you marry me? Here, tomorrow evening, just as the sun sets?”

  She studies me. “You’re serious?”

  I nod. “I have the guest list, all of our closest friends and family, just like you wanted. I have the food, just as you asked, pulled pork barbecue and some sides. I have a small wedding cake, big enough to feed our guests and for us to have a small top tier for our one-year anniversary. I have a bouquet of wildflowers with pink and white roses. I have a pair of dark jeans with a button-down shirt, and my cowboy boots are already shined.” I pull her closer, needing more of her. “Now,” I say softly, “I have a fiancée, who I know has a dress. I even arranged for her hair and makeup to be done. Everything is all taken care of. I just need you to give me that three-letter word one more time tonight.”

  “Dave, I—” She stops and places her hands on my cheeks. “Yes.”

  One simple word causes my heart to beat so hard in my chest, I feel it may burst.

  “I love you so fucking much.” I press my lips to hers.

  “It’s bad luck to spend the night together before our wedding,” she informs me.