Daphne's Questionable Bet, page 26
“Ah, young Miss Richards,” he said with a British accent. “How are you doing on this fine evening?”
I had to bite back my laugh. Not that he was bad at the accent or anything, just the ridiculousness of the whole situation.
“Wonderful, thank you,” I finally said. “I have been enjoying the weather we’ve been having.”
“Much better than snow, I presume?” he asked.
I nodded. “Much. Have you been? In snow?”
He shook his head. “I usually go on holiday somewhere warm.”
I circled away from him, passing Mom on my way back to Weston.
“We’re taking Cody with us on our next trip back to Utah,” I said to her. “The guy has never been in snow!”
Huh. The thought of Cody going on a vacation with my mom and me didn’t bother me. I mean, no way they’d sleep in the same room. Probably not even at the same place if I had my say. But I liked how nicely he fit in my family.
By the huge grin on Cody’s face, you’d think I’d made his night. In fact, Mom’s smile was just as big.
After the dance ended, Weston took me out to the porch swing in the front of the house. It was a tad chilly outside, but not too bad. I snuggled into Weston to keep warm, though. He had his arm around me, holding me close.
“Having fun?” I asked.
“A lot more than I thought I would.” He fiddled with the lace on the sleeve of my dress. “I wasn’t too sure about a Regency ball at some random dude’s house.”
I snickered. “Well, you better get used to it. I have a feeling Cody will be inviting us to more costume parties in the future.”
He kissed the top of my head. “If you’re there, then I’m in.” He pulled a square box from his pocket, wrapped up in Care Bear paper. “Your birthday present, as promised.”
Shimmying, I snatched it from his hands, then carefully opened the package, trying not to rip it too much.
“Are you one of those people who keep wrapping paper?” he asked, amused.
“No, I would just feel terrible if I decapitated a Care Bear or something.” I set the wrapping in my lap, then took off the lid.
It was a necklace, a Captain America shield on a silver chain. I picked it up, running my finger over the front. “I love it.”
“Check the back,” he said.
I turned it over to see an engraving. I’m with you until the end of the line.
“Weston,” I whispered. “This is absolutely perfect.”
He kissed my cheek. “So are you.”
I held the necklace out to him. “Will you put it on me?”
“Of course.” He wrapped it around my neck, clasping it together.
I looked at it, hanging against my chest. “Totally goes with the Regency dress, doesn’t it?”
He laughed. “Totally.”
Putting my hand on his cheek, I rubbed my thumb across his freckles, something I’d wanted to do the day we met. Thank goodness I’d kept my hands to myself back then, because how weird would that have been?
He spoke in a low, reverent tone. “I am, you know. With you until the end of the line.”
“Same.”
He kissed me softly, one hand on my neck, the other on my waist. I kept my hand on his cheek, wanting to feel his warmth.
“Do we have to go back inside?” he whispered.
“I’m not in a hurry,” I said.
With a smile, he kissed me again, pulling me close to him, while “Speechless” by Dan + Shay serenaded the moment in my mind.
Epilogue
The flashes from Cody’s camera blinded me momentarily, making me stumble over a fake vine running along the gym floor. Thankfully, Weston was right there, arm already hooked with mine, keeping me from face-planting as we walked into prom.
As I blinked away the spots dancing across my vision, Cody came up next to us, showing us the picture he took with his digital camera. In addition to all his other amazing skills, the man was a wonderful photographer. I hadn’t found a flaw in him yet, but I’d never give up, no matter how long he and Mom stayed together.
“Turned out perfect,” Cody said, smiling wide.
He’d caught both Weston and me in a moment of awe as we entered the gym, seeing how the entire place had been transformed into a beautiful garden. Large, fake, weeping trees surrounded the perimeter, their vines running across the ground—total trip hazard, but whatever. Different style fountains canvased the area, adding a serene feel. Strings of lights hung from the ceiling and trees, giving the whole thing a romantic vibe. Flowers, benches, and fake stone paths filled the space, with a large opening in the middle for dancing. There was even a small, wooden bridge crossing over a fake pond, blue shimmering paper beneath it.
Mom saddled up next to Cody, beaming at the screen. “Look at you two. So adorable.”
She had on a navy knee-length dress, Cody with a matching navy suit and tie.
Mom’s eyes lit up as she took in the background behind Weston and me. “Oh, go stand in front of that tree.”
Without waiting for a reply, she ushered us to the tree, making sure we were in the correct position. She adjusted the silk bottom of my magenta evening gown, then made sure the lace halter top was smoothed out.
She eyed my Captain America necklace. “Any chance you would take …”
“Nope,” I said, cutting her off. “It stays on until I die.”
Weston looked fake offended. “You aren’t going to be buried with it? Harsh.”
I rolled my eyes. “Bad phrasing. It’s never coming off, okay?”
Face all business, Mom took a stray curl of mine and set it against my cheek, right above my faint scar. “Make sure you smile with your teeth.”
I pushed her hand away. “Mom, I know how to smile.”
“I know, but you always look so beautiful with your big smile.” She moved onto Weston, straightening out his magenta bow tie. “This white suit with the bright pink was a brilliant move. Makes it pop.”
Weston grinned at my mom, his crooked lips making me want to kiss him.
“It was Daphne’s idea,” he said.
“Laura,” Cody said as he pointed the camera at us, adjusting the lens. “Out of the frame.”
“Just a second!” she hissed, getting on her tiptoes and fluffing out some of Weston’s hair.
I sighed. “Mom, this is prom, not our wedding.”
Weston snickered, causing Mom to glare and his laugh to cut off abruptly. With her eyes narrowed, she stepped back so Cody could take pictures of us.
I had my arm wrapped around Weston’s waist, my other hand holding onto the lapel of his jacket. “I told you that you look hot tonight, right?”
He smiled, facing the camera. “Yep. Almost as many times as I’ve told you that you look gorgeous.” He pressed his warm lips against my cheek, Cody’s flash going off in the background.
“Us next!” Taylor said, rushing over and pushing us out of the way. She yanked a confused Zander along with her until they were in front of the tree. She wore an emerald green halter top dress that went to just above her knees, plus her black leather jacket that was so perfectly her.
Zander had on a light-gray suit with a green tie to match her dress. Taylor threw her arms around him, kicking up her leg behind her.
“Make sure my booties are in the picture!” Taylor said to Cody. She dropped her smile, turning on her sexy smolder for the camera. Zander had a brooding thing going on that made them look like a couple on the cover of a magazine.
Veronica and DeShawn came next, looking all debonair and cool. Veronica’s long, maroon dress hung nicely around her curves, the striped back showing some of her smooth skin. DeShawn wore a maroon suit, his muscular build and sure stance looking like he was at the NFL draft. Which, with his talent, that day would probably come in a few years.
Sierra and Bentley came last, and my heart swelled. Seeing Sierra back in her black with red lipstick made me happy. Her black dress was two pieces, a long, silk skirt and the black top with long, sheer sleeves. Bentley looked like James Bond with his classic black tux, one hand on the small of Sierra’s back, the other tucked in his pocket.
Mom took the liberty of fixing everyone’s hair and clothes, making sure the pictures were perfect.
Weston pressed his lips against my ear. “She’s not going to follow us around all night, is she?”
“I sure hope not,” I said.
Mom and Cody had signed up to be chaperones, which I had mixed feelings about. Having Cody there to snap candid pictures throughout the night was going to be priceless. But having Mom at my prom had the chance of being all sorts of awkward.
I patted Weston’s chest. “We better keep the making out to a minimum.”
He grinned. “I make no promises.”
A flash made us whip our heads to the right. Cody narrowed his eyes at the screen, a small smirk on his lips. “What were you two talking about? You both have a mischievous look in your eyes.”
“Nothing,” Weston and I said at the same time.
“Jinx!” I quickly counted to ten. “You owe me a Cherry Coke.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “You count way too fast. I’m not even sure you said all the numbers.”
Mom took Cody’s arm and steered him away from us. She smiled at me as they backtracked. “Just pretend like we aren’t here. You two have fun!”
Sierra scoffed behind me. “How can we pretend they aren’t here?” Her glare fixed onto her mom standing near the refreshments. “I can’t believe our moms did this to us.”
I patted her arm, fake consoling her. “This was a chance for them to work through their differences and whatever other crap they said to us.”
Mom and Kimber had been slowly working on their relationship, seeing as they were neighbors and their daughters were now friends. It had been rough, with lots of snarky comments and burns, but their hatred for each other had chipped away, revealing the possibility that they could be civil to one another. They’d helped plan prom, making a surprisingly efficient team. It probably helped that they wanted to limit the time they were around each other.
It also helped that Sierra’s parents had finally filed for divorce. I mean, divorce sucked, but everyone in their family had seemed happier since the papers were signed. Sometimes fresh starts were needed.
Bentley draped his arm around Sierra, smiling at Weston and me. “Twenty bucks says Sierra and I win Prom King and Queen.”
“No bets!” Sierra and I shouted.
Bentley grimaced. “Yeesh. Okay.” His smile came back. “But we’re so winning.”
He leaned down, kissing a grinning Sierra on the lips. They really did go well together. And it had been nice that we could double date with them, everyone now with the person they were meant to be with.
“What a Man Gotta Do” by the Jonas Brothers started playing from the speakers. Weston and I turned to each other, shouting at the same time, “I love this song!”
We ran out onto the dance floor, immediately finding the groove. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Cody snapping pictures, and I did my best to ignore him, focusing on having the time of my life with Weston.
The others came over and joined us, the eight of us creating a circle as we danced. Laughter bubbled up inside as I watched everyone let loose, none of us caring how we looked.
When it came time to announce Prom King and Queen, we lined up, facing the front of the room.
“We so got this,” Bentley said.
“Of course we do,” Sierra said.
Everyone at school had loved them together, becoming the power couple I worried they’d become.
Weston wrapped his arms around me, pulling my back into his chest and whispering in my ear. “But they don’t have what we do.”
No, they certainly didn’t. Weston and I had something special. We eased into each other’s lives naturally, making the perfect blend. I’d never been so happy in my life.
Kimber and Mom were standing on the stage, for once being next to each other without looking like they wanted to kill the other. They were actually smiling. Like, genuine smiles.
“And the Prom King and Queen are,” Mom started, doing a little shimmy with her shoulders.
Kimber opened the envelope like this was the freaking Oscars or something. She grinned madly, and my heart sunk.
Bentley and Sierra had won.
Sierra squealed next to me as she and Bentley moved toward the stage.
“Taylor Thomas and Zander Morris!” Kimber shouted into the microphone.
Bentley and Sierra skidded to a stop, spinning around to look at the other couple in shock.
Taylor threw her body around Zander as he lifted her off the ground and spun around, both of them shouting in glee.
“What in the what?” I whispered.
“Oh, look at that,” Veronica said next to me, the sarcasm obvious. “Another couple in the universe besides you guys. So weird.”
I shoved her on the arm, making her laugh.
As I watched Taylor and Zander get crowned, I couldn’t help but smile. They really were an adorable couple, well-liked at school, and had been together for a year, which is like eternity in high school. It made sense.
Weston dropped his arms from around me, then took my hand, pulling me away from the group.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
He smiled over his shoulder at me. “It’s the first time tonight your mom and Cody have been distracted. Thought we could take advantage of the situation.”
“I like where your head is at, Mr. Ashworth,” I said.
“Thank you, Ms. Richards.”
He led me over to the wood bridge tucked into the corner of the gym, surrounded by the pond and fake trees. The twinkling lights hung down all around us, setting the perfect mood.
When we neared the center of the bridge, Weston suddenly dropped my hand, his face going pale.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
He nodded vigorously, his head bopping up and down. “Totally fine. Cool.” He cleared his throat. “There’s just been something I’ve wanted to say to you but didn’t know how, and haven’t really had the chance, and life has been crazy with school and family and everything. The timing has never been right. But we’re here now and it’s, like, all romantic and stuff with the trees and lights and crap, and I just need to get this off my chest before I explode.”
He sucked in a sharp breath, then suddenly spewed, “I love you!” He blew out a long breath of relief. “Oh, man, it feels so good to say that. I love you. Like, a lot.” He put his hands on top of his head, clasping his fingers together. “Whew. I feel like this huge weight has been lifted off my shoulder, you know? I should have said that forever ago and saved myself all the stress.” His face went red. “Unless you don’t feel the same. Then, that would suck. Maybe don’t say anything if you don’t. We can just pretend this didn’t happen and go back out onto the dance floor or something.”
I’d already known that I’d fallen in love with Weston, but this moment just confirmed it. He was my other half.
Throwing my arms around his neck, I looked in his eyes. “I love you, too. Like, a lot.”
His nose inched up with his crooked smile, and I wanted to remember the moment forever. Being in his warm embrace. Knowing I’d found my forever, and together, we could conquer the world.
A loud click of a picture being taken sounded to the right. I looked over to find Cody peering out from behind a tree, holding his camera up, a smile on his face.
“Just ignore me,” he whispered.
Well, at least he’d captured one of the most amazing moments of my life before he went and made it all awkward.
“Let me see,” Mom said, coming out from behind Cody. She put her hand on her chest as she stared at the screen. “Aww. You two. So cute.” She twisted her lips to the side in thought as she looked over at us. “Daphne, turn to the side. And then, Weston, come up behind her, interlocking your fingers, both of you looking at the ground.”
I threw my head back and groaned. “Seriously, Mom, stop. This isn’t a photoshoot.”
Weston took my hand, shaking his head as he steered me off the bridge and away from my crazy mom.
“Did I overstep?” Mom asked from behind me.
“A little bit,” Cody said. “But they’ll get over it.”
Weston tugged me close to him. “You’re lucky I love you.”
I grinned up at him. “Say it again.”
Coming to a stop, Weston set his warm hand on my cheek, his thumb caressing my skin. “I love you.” He closed the distance between us, his kiss the perfect melody of my soul.
Acknowledgments
A monster shout-out to everyone at Monster Ivy Publishing for their continuing awesomeness. Working with them has been a dream, and I’ve grown so much as a writer thanks to the ideas and edits that come from them. Cammie, I LOVE the cover so much—it’s perfection. Mary, thanks for the texts as you read. Hearing someone be as excited about my book as I am gives me all the feels.
Chad, thanks for putting up with my quirkiness through all these years of marriage. Like Daphne, I’m constantly singing and dancing (and not very good at either), no matter where I am, including in public. I just love music. If it’s not playing somewhere around me, it’s playing in my head. It just always takes me to my happy place. Chad, you are, and always will be, my Weston.
To all my middle school and high school friends, thanks for always sticking by my side and being the best of friends a girl could have. Kayla, Evelyn, Jenny, Michelle, Candis, and Kacie, I’m not sure I would have survived those years without you!
To my secret water-polo-playing-and-swim-team-dude crush who was the inspiration for Bentley, thanks for being you. No one knew about my crush, even my best friends, because you were so out-of-my-league-it’s-never-going-to-happen that I kept that nugget of information to myself. Besides, I’m a Daphne and you’re a Bentley. And I needed a Weston (and scored big time with him).
A big thanks to my cats, Harper and Aviendha, for keeping me company through the edits. You girls light up my life.
