Page 46 of Betsy
“After.” He took a small step back and put his hands on my shoulders. Squeezed. “I have to go mingle. Try to sell some CDs and other merch. But after. I’ll find you and we’ll talk. Okay?”
I nodded, and he looked like he wanted to pull me into another hug but stopped himself. I congratulated Tricia, Dave, Jimmy, and Marcus, then they, too, went to the lobby to grab refreshments, mingle, and man the table they’d set up to sell their music.
Considering how people-y the lobby was, I sat back in my chair. I’d rather hide with my soundboard than make small talk with a bunch of strangers I didn’t care about. Instead, I powered my phone back on, saying a silent prayer that I wasn’t about to read bad news. I unlocked the screen and opened the text message app. Not an emergency from my family. A group text from the girls. I clicked on the unread thread and scrolled to the top to read from the beginning.
Jocelyn: Guess what?!?!
Molly: WHAT!!!
Jocelyn: *A picture of an engagement ring on her finger* Malachi proposed! I’m getting married!
Finally, I said in my mind even as I smiled. Jocelyn and Malachi getting married had never been a matter ofifbutwhen.
Nicole: Congratulations!
Amanda: Tell us everything!
Jocelyn: Well, he told me to meet him on top of the Empire State Building.
Amanda: Like inSleepless in Seattle?
Nicole: Like inAn Affair to Remember?
Molly: As long as it wasn’t like inKing Kong.
I rolled my eyes as I chuckled. Leave it to Molly.
Jocelyn: Do you want the story or not?
Amanda: We want!
Jocelyn: So he asked me to meet him and I didn’t really think anything of it. I’ve been super swamped here in NY getting everything settled, so we haven’t had time to do any sight-seeing so I thought that’s what it was. But when I got to the top, there were flowers everywhere and Malachi stood in the middle of them all dressed in a suit. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, he got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife.
Molly: You can’t hear me, but I’m screaming.
Nicole: That’s the sweetest thing ever.
Jocelyn: I’m so happy. I love him so much.
Amanda: When’s the wedding?
Jocelyn: Don’t worry. We won’t encroach on either your or Nicole’s big day.
Amanda: You know I wasn’t worried about that.
Jocelyn: We’ll probably just have a small ceremony at the ranch. Family and super close friends only.
Molly: Are you going to ride up on Domino? *horse emoji*
Jocelyn: Oh! I hadn’t even thought of that.
Nicole: I’m so happy for you guys.
Amanda: Now all we need is for Betsy to fall in love and get engaged and we all can live happily ever after.
Nicole: You do realize a woman can live happily ever after without a man, right?
Molly: Says the woman two months out from her wedding day.
