A united chorus of gasps and laughter blended together as everyone’s attention turned to Boden and Lakelyn, where they stood locked in an embrace. The way she looked up at him, grinning ear to ear, the same sentiment returned by him, there was no denying they were hopelessly in love, and it made me so happy that Boden had found his happiness.
He and I were part of a club that no child wanted to join at an early age: the lost parent club. I was just eight when I lost my mom, while Boden was of legal age when both his parents were tragically killed in a plane crash, and he took over guardianship of his younger sister, Brooke.
Aside from his commitment to the police force, he devoted himself entirely to Brooke. He was the best big brother anyone could wish for; even after she married her husband, Luke, their bond only strengthened.
While he was genuinely happy for his sister, I quietly suspected he shielded himself away from the thought of finding his own special someone to share his life with. Then Lakelyn moved to our little town, seeking privacy from those who thought she owed them an explanation of her life. Her presence breathed new life into Boden, which was truly inspiring to witness. It planted a seed of hope that maybe I shouldn’t be soclosed off, so I allowed Lily to convince me to give the dating app another try.
Lily: Really?
Me: Yep!
I sighed, and of all the nights.
Lily: His loss!
Me: Maybe, however, that doesn’t make me feel any less foolish. To make matters worse, my blind date coincided with an impromptu engagement party Brooke is throwing for Boden and his fiancée, Lakelyn, and you know what that means . . .
Lily:The guys are all there?
Me: Exactly, with one certain someone here to witness my downfall.
That was the problem with living in a small town; everyone knew everyone. It was both a blessing and a curse. At the same time, I’d willingly accepted this as my reality in exchange for staying close to my dad; a day like today was a challenge and had me questioning ifmaybeI needed a slight change of scenery. After all, I visited Lily in Rockwood often. Tara commuted there three days a week, and it’s where my date was driving in from, so it wasn’t too far in the grand scheme of things.
Lily: Don’t let Jameson mess with your head. You’re stronger than that; own it. You’ve totally got this.
“Now, most of you know this already, but Lakelyn,” Jaxon addressed the room, “I don’t just have two brothers; I’ve got three because that man of yours—he’s one of the best goddamn men that I know.” He pointed at Boden with a beer in hand. “Boden, your determination and drive to press on through the toughest of life’s obstacles has been inspiring to witness. Your morals and integrity when it comes to protecting those you care for are commendable. You’re loyal to a fault, and I’ve got nothing but pure respect for you, my man.” He paused, seemingly needing a second to gather himself. “And now, to see you find your other half, it’s a day, admittedly, I wasn’t sure would come, but I’m glad as hell it did and that I’m fortunate enough to witness you experience all you so rightfully deserve.”
I fought back my wavering emotions and internally echoed his kind sentiments. Boden was one-of-a-kind, and he deserved to find his person.
“So, please, will you join me in raising a glass and toasting the happy couple. Here’s to Boden and Lakelyn and what’s to come as you embark on this next chapter.”
“Here, here,” everyone chanted in celebration and took sips of their drinks.
I finished my champagne and felt pure joy in my heart as Boden dipped Lakelyn backward and gave her a passionate kiss straight out of a fairy tale.
“Did you want another?” Cavan leaned against the bar’s edge and jutted his chin toward the empty glass in my hand.
I really ought to say no and head out, yet for some inexplicable reason, I couldn’t stop myself from making another bad decision. “Actually, I’ll take a tequila shot.”
Cavan didn’t miss a beat or shoot me the look of sympathy I deserved, which I appreciated. “Just so you know, the guy you were supposed to meet doesn’t deserve to share the same air as you.”
I smiled and lifted the shot glass to my lips.
Wait, what?
My lips parted in shock. “I’m sorry. What did you just say?”
“The guy you were supposed to meet—the blind date?” His brows furrowed.
“He was here?” I looked back over my shoulder at the door as if that would have somehow explained things. “Oh my God, are you telling me he saw me and left?”
Someone, seriously, kill me now!
“Nah. You’re gorgeous, Arizona. The guy was early and seemed really nervous. Jameson chatted him up for a few minutes before he dipped.”
Oh, no, he didn’t.
“Are you serious right now?” I couldn’t contain my fury.
