Page 43 of Until Now
Dominique
Over the past few years, July has told me stories of the parties at her parents’ best friend’s house. Whether watching the yearly arrival of the fireflies or celebrating a holiday, they all sounded fantastic.Special.
Secretly, I wished I would be invited, and imagine every other person in Tennessee did too. But this party is extra. It’s awesome! Familiar famous faces pop up in the kitchen or outside on the dance floor. The Cy Young Award winner from last year just asked me to dance as I was making my way from the bathroom back out to Maxen. I declined with an ‘I’m here with my boyfriend’ response. It didn’t seem to have made an impact. He shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘So?’. I kept walking.
I need to write about this night in my journal. Everyone is so damned happy about being in the Series. It reminds me of kids who just found out they are headed for Disneyland. Big, strong, prime of their life, kids. With alcohol.
The warm early September night, and the inky black sky with twinkling stars, are the background. Music sets the mood. Moods, that is. We have gone from Sinatra to H.E.R., Billie Eilish to Drake. Everyone’s tastes have been satisfied.
Atticus Swift is a good guy. He and Charlotte ended up at our table about an hour after dinner. His brother Brick and their brother-in-law, Sawyer, are holding court at one of the bars at the patio's edge. Every so often, Sawyer’s wife, Bristol, breaks out in laughter. It carries across the dance floor where couples sway shoulder to shoulder.
“Let’s have a dance, baby,” Maxen says, rising and extending a hand.
“I’d love to.”
We move to the small square of real estate still left to claim. In a smooth move, he brings me close.
“You smell great,” he says, nose nestled against my hair.
“You dance great. I like that you’re into it.”
He pulls back and locks eyes with me. “I’m into you, Dominique.”
“You are?” I say, feigning innocence.
“And something more.”
We stop swaying to John Legend’s soulful song. I wait for the more.
“I love you,” Maxen says softly.
A dancing electrical current moves up my body, toes to nose. The beautiful words settle in my heart, where they find their home. Then my own words rise.
“I love you, too,” I say, taking his face in my hands.
“Damn it, woman, you paused. Scared the hell out of me,” he chuckles.
“Don’t mistake that for indecision. I love you without hesitation, darling man.”
Our smiles give us away. I literally cannot stop smiling like a goon. Luckily, he’s a goon too.
“Well, aren’t you two happy as larks!”
Grandpa Davis and Grandma Birdie dance up next to us and sway in place to talk.
“We are, Davis. It’s all this one,” Maxen says, looking at me. “She’s put a spell on me.”
“Son, that’s how it works. My Birdie cast her spell over half a century ago.”
“He likes to say it was magic, but it was these blue eyes of his,” Grandma Birdie says with a wink.
“Good luck, lovebirds.” Davis gives his girl a tight twirl, and they move further into the center of the floor.
Maxen and I hold each other close. He whispers in my ear, “Want to make it official?”
For a moment, I think he’s talking about marriage. What? Then his expression turns naughty.
“Let’s seal the deal in the bedroom.”
