Page 118 of Cookout Carnage
‘I wouldn’t want to drive you around the bend.’
She narrowed her eyes.
‘You want me to quitwheelI’m ahead?’
Sherilyn could hear Fender chuckling.Chuckling.
‘Are youtyredof my jokes, or simplyexhausted?’
‘Oh my god, stop it!’ She laughed, batting him on the shoulder.
‘You know I’m onlyfuellingaround, Hot Sauce,’ he replied, taking her hand in his.
She grinned at him, her heart overflowing. If she wasn’t surrounded by her parents and brothers, she would have kissed him until she forgot her own name. Mr. Fawcett-Underwood had fitted into the Bodean family as if he’d always been there. Nothing could make this moment more perfect.
Tristan swivelled in his seat to face her. He was still smiling but he also looked nervous. He cleared his throat.
The table fell quiet. What was going on?
‘Sherri-Lynne, Sherilyn, Darling Beloved, Hot Sauce Bodean,’ he began, squeezing her hand in his. ‘I love you to the end of the universe and back. You make me happier than I ever thought possible and I want to be by your side, always. Please, will you consider marrying me?’
He reached into the small pocket of his vest, pulled out a ring and presented it to her. She stared at it.
‘That’s my nana’s ring,’ she whispered.
‘I know,’ he replied.
She looked at her parents. Her father was sitting back, his eyes bright. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod. Her mother was clutching her chest, her head vibrating up and down as if willing her daughter to agree.
Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod.Shock and joy whirled inside like a tornado until it burst out with a gasp. ‘Yes! Yes! Oh my god, yes!’
His shoulders slumped in relief and he slipped the ring onto her finger. Her brothers whooped and her mother started sobbing. Ford pushed his chair back. ‘Goddammit, Lynnie, you’re meant to be happy,’ he grumbled.
‘Iamhappy. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier!’ Her mother wailed as Ford comforted her.
Sherilyn threw her arms around Tristan’s neck. ‘I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.’
He kissed her. ‘I love you too. You’re my hot sauce.’
‘My baby’s getting marrrriiiiieeddddd!’ cried Lynne.
‘Shortstuff!’ barked Ford. ‘Git over here and sort your mama out. You’ve got the rest of your life for kisses.’
She disengaged from Tris with a smile and went to her mother, leaving him to have his hand shaken off and his back slapped into submission by the Bodean brothers.
Her mom held her, looking at the ring sparkling in the light. ‘Oh, Sherri-Lynne honey, it’s so pretty. She would have been so happy to know you had it.’
Sherilyn ran her thumb over the diamond. It felt so unreal, yet so perfectly right.
‘And our family’s gonna be so fancy now,’ her mother said, wiping her eyes. ‘My daughter will be a Fawcett-Underwood.’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ said Tris. ‘I think I might become a Bodean.’
‘Thank god,’ said her father, slapping him hard on the back. ‘Our name has a chance to live on.’ He indicated Fender and Axle. ‘Cos these two sure as shit can’t find anyone to take ’em.’
* * *
TRISTAN:Anyone there?
