by Taylor Hart
Sara was uncertain, she thought of her conversation with Jonathon two days ago. She’d finally called him and told him everything. He’d been so kind and caring, but at the end of their discussion he’d asked if she was dating this guy who had taken her to Montana. Which she’d adamantly said no, she wasn’t.
They were friends. That’s all. “I don’t think we need help.”
Martha vigorously nodded behind Beau’s back. “I’d say, let’s give the man a shot.”
She glanced at Martha and Larry, who were now both nodding and smiling at her.
“Let’s give him the old college try,” Larry agreed.
A little smile played at Beau’s lips. “Yes, give me the old, college try.”
Outnumbered, but still uncertain because of all these crazy feelings she’d been having in regards to this man, she turned back to the music. “Fine, let’s try the Cha Cha.”
Martha moved to Beau. “I’ll try him out.”
Beau ceremoniously put out his hand to her. “Madame, may I have this dance.”
Martha laughed.
At the end of the dance lesson, Sara watched Beau easily twirling Martha and laughing with her.
She and Larry had been practicing together, but both of them had watched Beau and Martha most of the time.
The song ended, and he turned to Sara. “Do you want me to switch out the music?”
Pulling away from Larry she shook her head no. “I think that was the last dance guys.”
“What?” Larry followed her. “We just started. And I need to practice with Martha.”
Martha twirled over to him and lightly placed her hand on his shoulder, posing. “We need one more song to cement our moves.”
Sara laughed, feeling much lighter in spirit than when she’d first walked into the building. “Okay.”
The music began and Larry put his hand out formally to her. “May I have this dance?”
Martha took his hand and said in a sultry voice, “But of course.”
Beau moved next to her and laughed softly. “I hope I’m still in love like that when I’m their age.”
“They’re not married, you know that, right?” Sara folded her arms, feeling anxious even just thinking about what Beau had said to her after he’d kissed her in Montana.
That kiss! She’d thought about it a lot. She’d dreamed about it just last night.
“They’re not?” Beau whistled under his breath. “They look like they’re crazy about each other."
“Oh, they are. They just deny it to themselves.” Sara shook her head, feeling disgusted for them and wishing she could change things.
“Yeah.” Beau cleared his throat and turned like he would say something to her. “I’ve known people like that.”
“What?”
Beau picked up her phone and looked through the music. “Nothing.”
She turned to him. “Thanks for coming. It was nice to have help.”
Beau nodded, holding her eye. “Have you talked to him?” He looked down and pulled a string off of his shirt.
“Who?” Sara didn’t want to discuss this with him.
Leaning back, he paused. “Come on, Sara.” He laughed a little, but he didn’t back down. “Is Jonathon home?”
Looking away she bent to stop the music and pull the plug. “Yep, he’s home.”
Martha and Larry walked over to hug her and shake Beau’s hand.
“Come next week, Beau.” Martha nodded vigorously as they walked Sara and Beau down the hall. “We’d love to have you.” She smiled and turned to Sara winking. “It’s not every day that someone can keep up with Sara.”
“I just might do that,” Beau said.
Sara felt her cheeks flush, and she waved off the compliment. “You’re sweet, Martha. See you both next week.”
Beau walked her to her car and opened the door for her when she’d unlocked it. “Did you read the Beatrice article last week?”
Stunned, she turned right into him, coming within inches from his face. “Why?”
He leaned back against her car, crossing his arms and looking her up and down sheepishly. “She said that true love should make you feel weak in the knees and butterflies in your stomach.” He leaned closer to her. “And look at a bad day and see the good in it, knowing that you’re safe with that person.” His breath was on her face, and she thought of their kiss in the grove. “I just wondered if that’s how you felt when you talk with sainted Jon?” He stepped back.
She didn’t realize she was leaning into him too and had to step forward so she wouldn’t lose her balance. “Don’t call him that, it’s rude.”
“See ya later, Sara.” He did a little salute to her and walked to his truck.
Chapter 19
Sara stared at herself in the mirror, adjusting her hair up then back down again. It was the big day. The day she would finally see Jonathon after he'd been gone for a whole year.
“Are you ready to go?” Genova stepped into the room with Kevin behind her. They had agreed to drive to Cody, Wyoming with her. Jonathon’s family was having a celebration.
“Yeah.”
Genova picked Sara’s sweater up off of the bed for her and waved Kevin out of the room. “Are you okay?”
The door clunked as Kevin walked out.
“We gotta hit the road, ladies, if we plan on attending the nine o’clock church service. I’ll be in the car.”
Sara decided to leave her hair up. She grabbed her clip off of the bedside table and messed with her hair, again. “I just don’t know about anything anymore.”
“It looks perfect.” Genova stood behind her.
Sara turned and picked up her phone. “Do you think Jonathon will like it?”
Genova looked her up and down thoughtfully. “I think Jonathon is the least of your problems, girl.”
Sara frowned. Of course she’d told Genova everything.
Sara focused on the mirror, adjusting her hair. “I can’t think about all of that right now.”
Sara and Genova and Kevin all sat at the back of the Christian fellowship church in Cody, Wyoming.
They’d come a bit late and had snuck in and listened to Jonathon speak about his time in Africa.
At the end, Jonathon had rushed toward her and held her for a long time.
They’d been laughing and then kissing.
“Jonathon.” An older gentleman interrupted him. “Thank you for sharing so many interesting things about Africa.”
“Absolutely.” Jonathon smiled.
Sara couldn’t help but take inventory of him. His brown hair was a little longer, down to his shoulders.
Sara’s butterflies were worse than she’d ever remembered them being. She could hardly breathe as Jonathon turned back to her and gathered her up, again, in his arms. “I’ve missed you so much,” he said, breathing into her neck contentedly. Gently, he kissed her again. “I’ve been waiting to do that for a year.”
How come all she could think about were Beau’s lips?
No. No. No.
There was a low whistle in the foyer.
“Son.”
She turned.
Jonathon’s dad, Howard, stepped to them and had a twinkle in his eye when he looked at Sara. “Everyone's invited back to the house." He turned to her and Genova and Kevin. "We'd love to get to know you all better."
He reached out and shook Sara’s hand and Kevin’s and Genova’s. “So glad you could make it. Help yourself to whatever at the house. We’ll be coming in a little bit.”
Sara thought about how different Jonathon’s father treated her now compared to before.
Jonathon’s father paused next to her. “I’m sorry to hear about your father, Sara.”
Trying to relax Sara nodded. “Thanks.” Of course he would know—Jonathon would have told his parents. It just felt a little awkward.
His eyes were serious, and he pulled her into a big bear hug, squishing her against him. “Your family has been in our prayers.”
Jonathon’s mom, Cindy, appeared next to them, her arms open. “Oh, Sara, let me have a hug too.”
This slightly overwhelmed her. “Uh . . .” She was wrapped into another hug and tried to pat his mom gently on her back, but she really just wanted to be released from this madness.
His mother held to her shoulders but pushed her back, studying her. “Oh, you’ll have to get used to our family hugs. And, yes, we heard about your father. You poor girl.” She looked between Jonathon and her. “Well, you have a new family now.” His mother nodded her head firmly.
Sara stiffened and she wanted to punch his mother. How dare she say that? She didn’t need a new family, but she kept her lips tight.
His mother let her go, putting a possessive arm around Jonathon’s waist. “Yep, that’s right. If you’re his—you’re ours.”
Sara assumed that her smile was meant to be comforting, but nevertheless a knot began to form in her stomach.
Jonathon beamed, turning to his parents and made introductions between Genova and Kevin. He seemed so at ease with himself, especially since he’d never met them either. Sara reflected this was probably because he’d been in a foreign country, dealing with a lot of different people. But, Jonathon just seemed so … not the same, as she remembered him.
“Hey,” his father hesitated as they were all walking outside. “How is that cousin of yours from Denver?” His overly bushy eyebrows went into a slight frown.
Taken off guard, Sara floundered. Beau. “Uh . . . um . . . yeah, he’s good.” She hated that her face was turning red.
“Who’s this?” Jonathon was beside her, lacing his fingers through her own, and Genova and Kevin were still talking with his mother a little bit ahead of them on the sidewalk.
His father looked at Jonathon. “Didn’t she tell you? She broke down the day you were flying out at the airport—and she was lucky enough to have a cousin in Denver that came to help her.”
He squeezed her hand. “No,” Jonathon said giving her a concerned look. "You didn't tell me."
Sara didn’t want to explain it all. It seemed stupid now, but she didn’t want to talk about Beau. "I wanted you to just focus on Africa."
"Sorry to butt in," Kevin said, stepping closer to them and pulling Genova to his side. “We want to take a little tour of the town.” Sara knew he was trying to give her some time alone with Jonathon.
“Great, I'll text you my parent's address,” Jonathon said. “Mom, dad—I think Sara and I will just walk.” He dropped his voice and peered into her eyes. “If that’s okay with you?”
Her heart picked up speed at the intensity in his eyes. “Yeah, that’s great.” She tried to pretend this was no big deal—that she hadn’t been waiting to see him for a whole year.
“Okay,” his mother said, fluttering around them for a moment. “You kids help yourself to whatever you want. And you are all invited to stay for dinner—we’ll be having some neighbors and friends coming over too—to celebrate.” She smiled, and Sara noticed his mother looked so happy. It was such a sharp contrast to the last time she’d seen her in Denver.
Genova turned to her. “We’ll see you in a bit.”
Jonathon waved off his parents and pulled her quickly down the sidewalk. “Okay.”
One of her heels fell off and Jonathon ran back, stooping dramatically to pick it up. She laughed at his happiness.
He helped her put it on and then pulled her a little farther and backed her up against a large oak tree. Moving the hair out of her face he said, “I missed you so much, Sara.” Searching her face he inhaled deeply. “You are so beautiful. Do you realize that?”
His nearness made her aware of every line in his face, and she inspected him too, forgetting that his left cheek had a dimple that deepened when he smiled.
He paused.
She couldn’t stop the way Beau’s face entered her mind.
“Are you okay, Sara?”
She blinked. “Of course.”
He smiled. “Can I kiss you?”
She nodded.
He leaned down and touched his lips with hers. Gently. “It was worth it. Being with those people in Africa was worth it, but I can't lie … being with you is better." He kissed her again.
Sara kissed him back, feeling how right it felt between them, thinking about that summer when she met him and how she had known it would work out and how she couldn’t wait to tell Beau that he was wrong.
Beau. Dang it!
Jonathon pulled back and gazed into her eyes. “Sara, tell me that you’ll marry me.”
She had not planned on this. “Wh—what?”
“I’ve thought of you every single day while I was gone. Of course I didn’t let it get in the way of my work, but we’ve waited long enough, don’t you think?” He put both of his hands on her shoulders. “I know I want to be with you forever. I know it here.” He put one hand on his chest and tears were in his eyes.
Sara felt her head start to spin. “Jonathon . . .”
“Shh—I know you probably want a ring, and I’m working on that.” He looked sheepish. “And I already spoke with the coach for UW basketball. It looks like there's a possibility I could get a scholarship. He’s having me down next week to schmooze me. I was pretty good before I left, but we'll see how it goes."
"I thought you weren't sure about going to college or not?" Sara asked.
He squeezed her hand. "Well, I'm sure about you and you're sure about college."
Her head started spinning, and her throat felt parched. “Wait—what?”
“I thought with us both working, we can cover expenses, especially if I get this scholarship. And," he said, hesitating. "I hope this doesn't feel too soon for you, but I was thinking we could start a family right away."
Shock hit her.
A family?
"Uhhh…"
"Sorry if I'm overwhelming you. I've been thinking about you and us and our lives and I want what my parents have."
Unrest filled her. She thought of what his mother said about them being her new family.
"I thought we could come back here, when we're done with college, and settle down and live next to mom and dad."
If Jonathon had been meaning to throw a bucket of cold water on her, he'd just succeeded. "But what will I do here?"
Gently, he pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it. “Sara, you won’t ever have to worry about working once I get through dental school."
"Dental school?" She pulled back, evaluating this person she'd thought was so free and good and only wanted to help kids in Africa.
"Yeah, dad and I have been talking about how I can take over the family business. And," he said, letting out a light laugh. "Mom loves the idea of you being right next door to her."
That was it. She moved out of his arms. "This is a lot to think about." Everything had just gotten way too real.
“Sara, I am so sorry. I'm just … excited to start our life together." He reached for her hand, again.
Sara didn’t respond.
"Wait, ohmygosh, I'm being horrible." He pulled her into a hug. "Here I am, running on and on about starting a life together after you just lost your dad."
She let his embrace comfort her. She blinked. She thought of her father and wished he were here. She needed him so badly.
“I mean, I know we talked a little about this on the phone. You know that your dad is happier up in Heaven."
Sara couldn’t stand it another minute she shook out of his grasp. “Stop, Jonathon. Just stop.”
He turned to her, looking like a hurt animal.
“Don’t talk about my dad being in a better place to me. Of course I know that.” She snapped at him. “But I want him here. If I got to choose, he’d still be here.” She turned away from him and shook her head, feeling completely dazed. It was like her dream world and real world were suddenly colliding, and she didn’t know what to do.
Another couple moved past them, pushing a stroller.
"Excuse us," the
man said.
She and Jonathon moved out of the way.
But all she saw was the stroller and the baby. Would that be her soon? Did she want that? Living in this small town next to his parents? She felt her face burning in frustration.
Jonathon’s face softened, he reached for her hand again. “I’m sorry, Sara. Let's slow it all down. And I'm sorry about your dad.” He pulled her into walking easily down the sidewalk with him.
The nauseated feeling she’d had the whole drive up or, if she was honest with herself, since she’d left Montana last week was back.
Jonathon began rambling on and on about how wonderful Africa had been and how the people were so amazing. She tried to be a considerate listener and smile and nod at all the right times, but she kept thinking about his marriage proposal and the possibility of him coming down to University of Wyoming. By the time they got to his house she felt frazzled and on edge.
They sat on the swing in front of his parents’ quaint, two story home with blue shutters. Fall colors dropped from the trees all around them. Jonathon searched her face. “Did I scare you off already?”
Sara laughed, looking into his deep, brown eyes and remembering their last time together at the airport. Shrugging, she decided to be honest. “A little.”
He leaned over to kiss her and noticed the expression on her face. “What’s wrong, Sara?”
Sara didn’t even know what to say or how to begin. “Nothing, Jonathon.”
Two cars pulled up and, what appeared to be, taller than average boys descended out of them. “Right on.” Jonathon stood up and started running to the boys.
“Dude—look at you—all back from saving the world.” One boy with long hair that curled up at his ears and a shark teeth necklace bumped knuckles with Jonathon. He nodded to the basketball court next to Jonathon's back yard. "Let's ball it up, you need the practice."
Sara stared at Jonathon and wondered if her whole world was falling apart.
Hours later, after dinner and talking and playing nice with his parents and neighbors, Sara was grateful it was time to go back to Laramie.
