Page 84 of Resisting Fate
“Maybe you should take Rose home,” Missy told Hailey. “Josh said no dogs allowed. It is a restaurant.”
Hailey lifted her chin. “Rose is my therapy dog. You’re allowed to have therapy dogs in restaurants.”
“How can she be your therapy dog when you just got her? Don’t you have to have special training for that?”
“We’ll start our training right after the new year. In the meantime, she’s my emotional therapy dog. I do feel more relaxed and calm when she’s with me.”
“But Josh—”
“Can pry her out of my cold dead hands.” Her icy tone was surprisingly intimidating coming from the normally perky woman.
“Your call,” Missy said. Her phone vibrated with a text from Ben.I’m here. Meet me by the front door. “Gotta go,” she told Hailey, who didn’t notice, she was so busy cooing to little Rose.
Her eyes locked on Ben standing in the entryway in his usual black leather jacket, faded jeans, and hiking boots. Her heart thumped a happy beat and she practically ran into his arms, hugging him. “Happy New Year!” she exclaimed.
He smiled, his eyes warm and tender. “Not yet. Soon.”
“What took you so long?”
“I had a few things to do around the house.”
She stared at him in confusion. “You were late for the party because you were cleaning?”
“You’ll see,” he said mysteriously.
They joined their friends, everyone in good spirits. Soon she was dancing crazy with her friends, Ben watching her with open amusement and affection, Missy’s heart full to bursting with all the love and friendship in the room. The time just flew by.
Next thing she knew, it was nearly midnight, and Josh turned off the music for the big countdown.
“Almost time!” Hailey shouted. She handed Rose’s carrier to Mad and stood on a chair, holding up ten fingers for the countdown. All eyes were on her—the women shocked that Hailey would climb up on a chair in a miniskirt. With her hands in the air, her midriff was exposed too. She was in great shape, all toned and curvy. The men stared at her bared belly while Hailey stared at the time on the TV over the bar with the Times Square New Year’s Eve countdown.
Hailey started the countdown. “Ten…nine…eight—ah!”
Josh had appeared out of nowhere, lifting her by the waist off the chair. Rose barked ferociously at Josh, and Hailey took her dog from Mad, talking to her soothingly and quickly moving away from Josh.
Josh took Hailey’s place on the chair, continuing the countdown, the volume in the room getting louder with excitement. “Five…four…three…two…one!”
“Happy…” Missy trailed off. The room was utterly silent. What happened? Why was everyone so quiet? She sucked in air. Ben was down on one knee in front of her, holding up a diamond ring.
“Missy Higgins, my first and last love, will you marry me?”
She slapped a hand over her mouth, trembling in shock. She nodded, her vision blurry from tears.
He smiled. “I need the words, sweetheart.”
She dropped her hand. “Yes.”
The room erupted in cheers. Ben slipped the ring on her finger, rose to his feet, and pulled her into his arms. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. Wild applause rang through her ears, confetti raining down over them. By the time they came up for air, grinning like fools, their friends were busy wishing each other happy New Year.
All of the couples were kissing—Mad and Parker, Charlotte and Ty, Lauren and Alex, Carrie and Zach, Ally and Ethan. Sabrina accepted a kiss on the cheek from Marcus, as did Lexi. Logan elbowed Marcus out of the way and hugged Lexi. Logan then held out his arms to Sabrina, smiling and letting her come to him. Sabrina held out her arms awkwardly, all stiff, her arms at weird angles. They engaged in the world’s most awkward hug—Sabrina patting his back with one hand, the other hand on his elbow—before breaking apart, both of them looking away. Weird. Missy had thought Sabrina, being a relationship counselor, would be much smoother with men. Well, she was a little shy. Maybe she didn’t have a lot of personal experience. Sabrina had never shared much about men, but Missy had assumed that was because she was a private person.
“Let’s get some champagne,” Missy told Ben.
“A toast to a new year and a new life.” He brushed his thumb over her lower lip and pressed on it before kissing her gently. “With my soon-to-be wife.”
She beamed. “I love you so much I want to yell it to the world.”
“Feel free.”
