It took me a second to understand, but Dani caught on faster.
“There’s a betting pool?” Dani’s eyes danced with laughter.
The waitress scoffed.
“The second this one rolled back into town.” She nodded her chin at me. “Welcome home.”
Dani dissolved into giggles.
Word spread fast, and half the town came to gawk.
“I hope you’re okay with everybody knowing,” I said after half a dozen people congratulated us on finally figuring out what was obvious to everyone else.
Her eyes were clear. “The only thing Crust & Crumble does better than pie is gossip. I want everybody to know you’re mine, and I’m yours.”
I swallowed against a swell of emotion. Dani gripped my hand.
“You’re stuck with me,” she said, her eyes shiny.
“Good.”
Our foreheads touched, and I was filled with a profound peace.
After we ate, we walked around the square. The festival was winding down, but there were still people everywhere.
It was such a cliché, but today was everything I’d dreamed: walking around the town I loved, full of all the people I cared about, holding hands with my girl. Life didn’t get any better than this.
I regretted the thought instantly. Life could turn on a dime, and I knew better than to tempt fate. Dani’s phone buzzed in her pocket. Shit. I jinxed us.
“It’s Shayla,” she said with surprise. “I wonder what she wants.”
Dani answered.
“You’re on speaker.”
I put my hand on her lower back, and she moved closer to me.
“I hope you had a good time last night,” Dani said.
“It was amazing but that’s not why I called.” Shayla’s excitement was palpable.
“What happened?”
“Beau settled. He paid everything, so you don’t have to go to court, but you’ve got your money back.”
“What? How?”
“He’s got some new rich girlfriend who thought this was bad for her image, so she paid it all off. She’s moving him to LA, so you don’t have to worry about him calling you or bothering you at work anymore. He wired the full amount.”
Dani and I exchanged shocked glances.
“Don’t think he’s coming out ahead, either. I checked out the girlfriend, and she’s a real nightmare. He’ll earn every penny.”
Shayla cackled.
“It’s done?” Dani marveled.
“It’s done. Go celebrate.”
