Page 11 of Dear Southern Belle
5
MAGNOLIA
I work for a few more hours in the café before heading home to get ready for my date. Momma calls a few times when I’m getting ready, but I ignore her calls. It’s like she has some six sense that tells her that I’m not doing what she asked and staying away from Braden. But when I check the voicemail she leaves, it’s just a message from her telling me about a new guy she found that she wants to set me up with.
I check the full-length mirror in my bedroom. I picked out a navy and white polka dot off the shoulder dress. Not too flashy but shows off enough to set the mood.
“Sorry Momma,” I say to my reflection. “But if tonight goes the way I hope, your matchmaking days will be over.”
I decide to skip driving over to Myer’s lake. It’s only a twenty-minute walk and the wedges I’m wearing won’t be a problem.
The sun low in the sky when I arrive and see Braden sitting on a red and white checkered blanket with a picnic basket sitting next to him. I take a moment to study what I can see of him in the orange hue of the setting sun. He looks tense from the slump of his shoulders. He never said he why he was down here to visit, but seeing as this is his first time that I know of, there must be a significant reason.
I step on a twig and it cracks beneath my foot, alerting Braden to my arrival. The concerned crease between his brows smooth out when he glances back over his shoulder and sees me standing there. He quickly pushes to his feet.
“I was worried you weren’t going to come,” he admits.
I love how he isn’t afraid to admit what he’s really feeling. Like he isn’t afraid to show me the real him from day one.
“I was worried you were going to change your mind after I was a jerk and cancelled.”
“Did I do something wrong?”
I shake my head. “No, it wasn’t you.”
“Then what was it?”
If he can be brave and open with me, so could I.
“When my momma found out who you were, she got all weird and made me promise not to see you.”
The crease between his brow returns. “And you came anyway?”
“Well I decided that I wasn’t going to let her dictate my life. She’s done that so much already, and I didn’t want her to ruin what I feel about you.”
“And what do you feel?” he asks, flashing me a mischievous grin.
“I’m not completely sure yet, but whatever I’m feeling, I know that I’m nowhere near ready for it to end.”
“I feel the same way.”
I look down and fidget with my charm bracelet.
“You look beautiful,” he says.
I glance up and see look of want in his eyes, but there is more there too. It’s not just something physical behind his eyes, but what I can only hope is the potential for love.
“Thank you,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Would you like to sit down?” He gestures to the blanket. “I wish I could take credit for the meal that I packed, but we can thank my grandfather’s caregiver, Martha. She saw my sad attempt at peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and she shoo’d me out of the kitchen.”
“I like peanut butter and jelly,” I admit.
“Grape or strawberry jelly?” he asks as we sit down.
“Strawberry.”
“Oh no,” he holds his hand over his heart like my answer has wounded him. “And here I thought we were going to live happily ever after.”
