Setting her down, I stared at her, still shocked she was there when I’d been thinking about how much I missed her.
“Always,” I answered.
Then I looked over my shoulder at the table to see the other ladies already in their men’s laps. Kace glanced up, and I mouthed athank youto him. He gave me a nod before turning his attention back to Teal.
I didn’t know how he pulled it off or how the ladies got the kids settled somewhere so fast, but I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Entwining my fingers with Patience’s, I pulled her over to the table and dragged her down onto my thighs like the others had their wives.
Braxton introduced the ladies to Harland. “And you met Patience earlier, the one who keeps our place running.”
Pride swelled inside of me. Patience had such a difficult home life and then got pregnant so early; I felt like she never got to dream of what she really wanted to do with her life. She was a brilliant songwriter and sang like an angel, but thatwas never something she thought of doing as a career, especially after she had Griffin.
I once asked her what she wanted out of life because I’d have done anything to help her achieve it. She told me that she just wanted to be the best mom she could be, providing for her son and making sure he always felt loved—something her parents never did for her.
She was a kickass mother. Griffin was an amazing little man because of her, and he was so happy. Patience had even started teaching him how to play the guitar, drums, and the kid could sing too.
Watching them create music together was a sight that always stole my breath.
Patience also once told me that she was blessed to find me, my family, and our friends. That getting the job atNo Surrenderworked for her because she was surrounded by people who always supported her. She was damned good at her job; I’d heard the guys say it many times, and Braxton just acknowledged it again.
I looked at my wife, and she was blushing—it was charming.
She was about to protest—I could tell—but a guy tapped a microphone, grabbing everyone’s attention to announce it was karaoke time.
“Who’s the lucky one that gets to go first?” the dude asked as he scanned the room.
It was as if the room froze; the guy was met with silence and shaking heads. Then as fast as a Jack-in-the-Box toy, my sister popped off Lyric’s lap and pointed at Patience and me as she yelled, “They will go first!”
Turning to look at Patience, I raised a brow in question. “Do this with me? Let’s make memories.”
Her face softened, and she gave me a sweet, goofy smile.
All our friends started chanting, “Do it! Do it!”
I stood, taking my girl with me so we were both standing, and held out my hand.
“What do you say?”
Patience put her hand in mine as we started walking toward the stage. The crowd hooted and hollered louder with each step until we made it to the mics.
“What is your song of choice?” the same guy from moments ago asked us.
Turning to my wife, I said, “Your choice.”
There was a twinkle in her eye, and I knew exactly what she was going to say. My wife was a romantic when it came to music, but also when it came to movies, andDirty Dancingwas one of her favorites.
I leaned closer to the man waiting for our answer and quietly gave it to him without her even saying a word. When the music started playing “The Time of My Life"by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, Patience threw back her head and laughed with pure joy, reminding me of the final scene in the movie where Jennifer Grey, who played Frances, did the same thing.
Our friends were screaming; hell, the whole room was. Moving back to Patience’s side, just before we began to sing, I whispered in her ear, “Don’t forget the lift at the end.”
Her musical laugh drifted through the mic, making everyone smile, and my heart soared with love.
Chapter Thirty-Five
PATIENCE
It was our first road trip together.
I wished we were going under different circumstances, but my husband needed this to find peace, so that we could have many family outings together—ones that included our son.
