Page 21 of One Night Rebellion
I laugh, glancing over to see Betty indeed standing near the bar with an empty glass in her hand. "Five more minutes," I bargain. "Then I'll let you go back to work."
"Five more minutes," she agrees.
I spin her once more, slow and easy, then pull her back into a dip so deep her hair nearly touches the floor. The whole bar erupts in cheers and whistles, but all I can focus on is the womanin my arms, looking up at me with trust and love and a future full of possibilities.
Leaning down until my lips are right next to her ear, I whisper the words that have been building in my chest all evening: "If we aren't careful, Malcolm and Rachel won't be the only two getting married in the next year."
When I pull her back up, her eyes are wide and her cheeks are flushed, and she's looking at me like I just promised her the world.
Maybe I did.
BELLEHAVEN’S FUTURE
Laramie and I have had the most fun working on this series. It was a wonderful chance for us to work together and to create something that is reflective of the place where we live, the great Commonwealth of Kentucky. It’s not perfect, but it is home.
We’re not sure what the future holds for the residents of Bellehaven, but never rule out the possibility of another visit. We’ll keep you posted.
Chasity Bowlin & Laramie Briscoe
EPILOGUE
One Year Later
Addie
My feet are killing me. I kick off the heels and press my feet into the softness of the rug, letting my toes curl into it now that they’re not squeezed into pointy-toed hell. “Fuck, that feels good,” I mumble before stumbling over to the couch.
I sink down, a cloud of pink chiffon swirling around me. I love Rachel. But I’d rather die than be caught in this dress again. It’s hideous… okay, well, it’s hideous on me. I’m not a pastel kind of girl. It just doesn’t work for me.
I prop my feet on the coffee table and almost whimper with relief. It’s been a long day. Being a bridesmaid isn’t just showing up and walking down the aisle. The photos were endless. I have never smiled for so long in my life. My cheeks are sore from it. Well, that and clenching my teeth every time someone wagged their finger and said, “You and JT will be next.” Maybe we will. I don’t know. I’m glad people are happy for us and cheering for us to make things work, but I also still really want people to mind their own business.
The side door that leads in from the carport opens and JT walks in. He’s shed his tie and his jacket, but he’s still wearing the crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled back and the black pants from his tux. And damn he looks good.
“It was a nice wedding,” he says.
“It was,” I agree. “I think Mom cried an entire river tonight.”
He smiles and ducks his head. “She was happy for him. Maybe a little sad too, cause he’s her baby… well, one of ’em.”
I get it. I got a little choked up too. Malcolm is my big brother and for a lot of years, it was him and me. Mom was always trying to keep between us and my father. Then when he was gone, we all just went into survival mode. But then Lucas came along and our whole lives changed. Marriage, when it’s the right one, is a game changer.
“Well, I don’t think it’ll be too long before she’s that happy again,” he says.
I sit up then. “What do you know? Did Malcolm tell you? Because it’s one thing for her to be that happy about her eldest child getting married. It’s a whole other thing for her to find out she’s gonna be a grandmother!”
His face goes pale. “Addie, you’re not… we’ve been careful!”
“Not me, you jackass. Rachel. They’ve not told anybody yet. But since I had to hold her hair while she puked her guts up this morning, I get to be in on the secret,” I tell him.
He looks completely poleaxed by it. Then he laughs. “I cannot wait to see Mal changing diapers. Oh, this is gonna be good!”
“He loves kids. He’ll be fine. But you and I will be on babysitting duty, so you better make peace with the idea you’ll be changing a few too.”
He’s still chuckling to himself. “I think I can manage. But only the pee ones. The others are gonna have to be somebody else’s job.”
“Uh-huh. This isn’t 1950, sir. Things don’t work like that now. If… IF… you and I ever have a kid, we’re going to be sharing all the work.”
“Don’t you think we ought to talk about getting married before we start talking about kids?”
