Page 68 of Love at Teamsgiving

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“Don’t get me wrong. I love and honor my family, but what if we took on their stuff?”

“Or let it get in the way.”

I squeeze her pinky. “Both. Having you back in my life, I’ve been thinking about all the things I love about you.”

“But we proved that we’re not good for each other, Miguel.” A plea enters her voice.

I go still before gently brushing her bangs out of her eyes. “Junie, I’m sorry that I hurt you. That my actions caused you to feel vulnerable. Put you in a position to fear risking your heart.”

She bites her lower lip and looks up at me, eyes liquid.

I repeat, “I’m sorry. What if we work things through?”

She brushes her fingers through my hair.

The air sticks in my lungs as I hold my breath. Hold onto hope.

But instead of answering my question, she says, “You do need a haircut, especially with the wedding coming soon.”

“Give me one,” I say, going along with her silly attempt to distract me. But I’m not turning away this time. Not even to get a haircut. The only person who can take a set of scissors to my hair is her and I’ll prove that even if it takes the next fifty years.

“No,” she says.

“Please.”

“No.”

Recalling what Mrs. Popovik said about patience, I say, “Classic Junie. So disagreeable.”

“No,” she says with a smile.

“I’ll pay you.”

“No.”

“I’ll even leave a tip.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because the last time I gave you a haircut ...” she trails off.

“I proposed,” I finish the sentence.

She was working late, so I brought us dinner and dessert. She gave me a trim, I helped her clean up, and then, after she locked up, I got down on one knee right there on the sidewalk outside Guys and Dolls.

Jarring me from the memory, Junie asks, “Are you bringing a date to the wedding?”

I sling my arm around her shoulders and continue to walk. She can play hard to get all day ... and night, but eventually, I’m going to win her back.

“Of course.”

She stiffens and comes to a stop. Looking up at me, fire blazes in her eyes. “Who?”

“The girl who wore my jersey tonight.”

“There were like a hundred of us.”

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