Chapter 4

 

 

Shelby held the diamond ring in one hand, her other hand in Jackson’s grasp. Tears were in her eyes and her throat worked, but no words came out. Jackson merely waited, his lips betraying a hint of a smug smile, as if he knew he’d done good.

“It’s about time,” Shelby finally said.

“Is that a yes?” Jackson asked.

“Of course it’s a yes,” Shelby said.

The smile finally broke free and Jackson stood. Wrapping his arms around his newly minted fiancé, he spun Shelby about as they kissed. The students who had gone silent at her entry now cheered, whistling and stomping their feet to voice their approval.

The DJ leaned over and turned a dial, amping the sound until the speakers boomed the song, Highway to Hell. Kate snorted and looked to Reed, but he shrugged and gestured to Jackson and Shelby.

“Apparently it’s their song,” he said.

“Of course it is,” Ember said, her voice incredulous.

Jackson finally put Shelby down. Unable to contain it any longer, Kate led Reed, Ember, and Brittney across the gap to embrace Shelby. Flushed with excitement, she hugged them all and let them admire the ring, which was large enough to spark a touch of envy in Kate’s chest.

“It’s beautiful,” Kate said.

“I thought tonight was just an invite to a date,” Shelby said, swatting Jackson. “And what was with the water balloons?”

“That was us,” Kate admitted.

“We were the other racers on the track,” Brittney said, motioning to Ember.

“And I did the lasers at the third location,” Marta said, stepping into view, now dressed in a beautiful red dress.

“You certainly made me run a gauntlet to get here,” Shelby said, her words exasperated.

“I couldn’t let you get here without a sense of victory,” he said, his smile turning smug.

“Is that what marrying you is going to be like? Victory?”

“Of course it is,” he said. “But like I said, you get to be captain.”

Kate grinned as she watched them kiss again, but her eyes drifted to Reed. He watched his roommate with an expression of deep satisfaction, and she recalled that Shelby had met Jackson because she’d gone on a date with Reed. Then Shelby rounded on Reed and Kate.

“I must be the only girl ever that had to brave water balloons to get an engagement ring.”

Reed laughed wryly and swept his hand to Jackson. “He made us practice on him until we could aim better.”

Kate watched Shelby as she looked between her friends and Jackson, the excitement evident in her eyes. She’d known her for only a few months and had frequently been impressed by her caliber.

When the initial euphoria of the proposal faded they joined the dance in earnest. When a slow song came on Reed asked her to dance, and whisked her into their own space. Surrounded by people, she only had eyes for Reed.

“I’ve never seen Jackson so happy,” he said.

“Shelby looks pretty happy too,” Kate said, glancing at the newly engaged couple. Shelby was admiring the ring, showing it off to a few girls who had approached.

“Has all this reminded you of Jason’s proposal?”

She met his gaze and cocked her head to the side. “You know, it hasn’t. You’ve made me forget all about him.”

She said it in a teasing tone, but the truth to the words surprised her. Even with all the planning, she’d never once thought of Jason’s failed proposal, and she marveled that Reed had made her forget one of the most painful memories of her life.

She draped her hands on his neck and looked into his eyes. Partially hidden behind the dark mask, his smile was soft, the tenderness extending into his eyes. He brushed a finger across her cheek, eliciting a tremble.

“You make me happy too, you know,” he said.

“I hope so,” she said. “Because I can’t imagine a life without you.”

Because I love you.

The words were on her lips, aching to be voiced. But a burst of fear kept them in check. He leaned down and kissed her, and she sought to convey what she felt with her lips. As the music picked up she continued to turn a slow circle, trapped in his embrace.

When they parted his eyes revealed a hint of excitement. “Can I show you something?”

“Of course,” she said.

Reed caught her hand and led her to Jackson. Pulling him aside, he spoke in an undertone away from Shelby and the others. Curious, Kate tried to eavesdrop, but by the time she closed the gap Jackson was nodding.

“We’ll see you when you’re done,” he said.

Reed nodded. “It shouldn’t be more than an hour.”

“What won’t take more than an hour?” Kate asked.

“We have a stop to make on the way home,” Reed said, leading her from the dance floor.

“At this hour?” she asked. His gait was hurried and she picked up on the thread of excitement. “It’s nearly ten.”

“I know it’s late,” he said. “But it won’t be there tomorrow and I’d really like you to see it.”

Leaving the arena behind, they got into his car and he pulled out of the driveway, turning in the opposite direction of the road leading to his house. Before she could ply him for answers, he asked a question of his own.

“Have you ever been involved in a proposal?” he asked, removing his mask. She did the same.

“My first,” she said. “You?”

“Second,” he said, “but I don’t think I can count the first one. I was six, and my uncle made me stand in a little suit holding the ring.”

She imagined a tiny Reed holding a ring, his hair combed perfectly, his suit pressed and neat. But at six he’d probably been fidgeting and annoyed at what he was being asked to do. She wondered if he’d dropped the ring.

“Jackson’s proposal was beautiful,” Kate said. “Right down to the choice in song.”

“Everyone’s story is unique,” he said. “But it still surprises me how there’s no correlation between why two people fall for each other.”

“You’re doing the psychology thing again.”

“Sorry,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh.

“People just fall in love,” she said.

“That makes it sound like it’s an accident,” he replied. “Like it’s a star that’s just waiting to strike them on the skull and suddenly they’re in love.”

“Isn’t that how it happens?”

“I think that’s how attraction happens,” he replied. “But I think love is a choice.”

“How so?” she asked.

“Attraction gives a push,” he said, “but it’s our choices afterward that will determine if that attraction deepens to love.”

“So that’s what happened with Jackson and Shelby?”

“Jackson liked her and decided to ask her out. Then they decided to play on the same team, a choice that led to a number of fights and a breakup.”

“You did say their early relationship was rocky,” she said, recalling a comment he’d made at the crash derby. “But I didn’t know they broke up.”

“They were broken up for two weeks,” he said. “Then he saw her in a pickup game and they ended up on the same team again, only this time the game was just two-on-two. They each kept hogging the ball and ended in a fight about it. Turned out they both wanted to impress the other, and their fight ended in an embarrassingly passionate kiss.”

“I take it you were watching?”

He grinned and nodded. “They lost the game, but they’ve been playing together ever since.”

“Now I understand the captain comment,” Kate said.

“Exactly,” he said. “And their choices then led to now.”

“What’s this all about?” she asked with a teasing smile. “Are you trying to say something?”

“Maybe,” he said.

Her heart fluttered as conversation took a sharp turn. His blue eyes glimmered with emotion, his easy smile on his lips, but it was not an expression of amusement. She swallowed as he took her hand.

“Would you mind clarifying that statement?” she asked.

“In a moment,” he said. “We’re almost there.”

She scowled. “I don’t think I like this teasing.”

“Sorry,” he said, and she could see he meant it. “This is just something I really want you to see.”

“And it will be gone tomorrow?”

“It happens once a year,” he said. “But I actually missed it the last few years.”

“So you’ve done it before?”

He grimaced. “I know I promised you I wouldn’t take you on a date where I’d taken another girl, but this is something you don’t want to miss.”

“What was her name?”

“Kendra, I think,” he said. “She was nice and liked the outdoors, so I took her to the pile.”

“The pile?”

“That’s what I call it. I’m actually surprised no one else had done it, but I guess if they had, the city would have taken measures to stop it. It does make a little bit of a mess.”

“You’ve really piqued my curiosity,” she said.

“I’m hoping it’s there,” he said. “I wanted to drive by and check but I never got the chance the last couple of days.”

“Is this Reed Hansen admitting he didn’t plan a date?” She feigned shock.

He laughed and pulled into a parking lot behind one of the government buildings near city hall. “I hope this makes up for it,” he said.

She squinted into the grounds of the building. Trees dotted the area but lights from the building and parking lot illuminated the grass. Many of the trees showed the fall wear, their branches a patchwork of remaining leaves.

He pulled off the road into a parking lot, where he exited and came around to open her door. When they got out he led her around the corner of the building into a field lit by towering lights. During the day it was the grounds of the government building.

She came to a halt when she saw their destination. A massive mound of leaves. Raked to the center of the park, the pile had likely been gathered from throughout the grounds. The leaf pile was at least ten feet high and as wide as a house.

She shook her head in disbelief. “I’ve never seen one so big.”

He smiled at her surprise. “Every year they gather every leaf around the building into a single pile. For one night only, the pile sits until the trucks come to haul it away.”

“Are we going to . . .”

He gestured for her to go first, his expression one of delighted anticipation. “Care to jump in a leaf pile?”