Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 60268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
They turned around in time to see Sophia on Nash’s arm with their daughter in front of them. The small family looked so beautiful and charming.
“You look beautiful, Rose,” Sophia said.
“Thank you. You don’t think it’s too much?” Rose touched her hair, and then the dress. “Hardy picked the dress.”
“It’s all beautiful.”
“This was all Hardy’s idea,” Nash said. “He wanted you to have the prom you missed out on.”
“I love it,” Rose said.
“We’re not even inside yet.” Taking her hand, Hardy led the way, hoping she loved every second of it.
****
Hardy thought of everything. Rose had her picture taken, and there was a glittery ball that glinted down on the floor. The main doors to the back of the clubhouse had been opened up, and the whole place looked like a high school. Well, a high school for adults. They grabbed a plastic cup of punch, and Hardy took her outside. She recognized Angel and Lash who were dancing close together on the dance-floor. They looked beautiful, charming, and utterly adorable. Anthony was standing with him, dancing with Tabitha and Miles. Eva and Tiny were close to them.
The whole club was a family. She even noticed that Daisy, Tabitha’s friend, was also there by her side. Rose doubted the family was even there. Daisy’s family was known as drunks, and didn’t really care about their daughter. Eva and Angel took care of Daisy more than her own parents did.
“What do you think?” Hardy asked.
“I can’t believe you did this.”
“Are you happy that I kept you away for it to be a surprise?”
“Yes, I’m so happy about it.” She leaned her head on his shoulder. “This is the best prom ever.”
“The high school is going to be so pissed with me. I’ve set the bar this year.”
She giggled and closed her eyes. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she knew everything was going to be more than okay.
“That punch doesn’t have alcohol. With the kids, and the pregnant women, I voted against spiking the punch,” Hardy said.
“You’ve thought of everything.”
“You bet I have. I wanted tonight to be perfect for you.”
“It is.” She released a little sigh, finished off her fruit drink, and took his hands. “Will you dance with me?”
“Yes. Be warned, I’m not a very good dancer.”
“I don’t care.” The song turned to a slow number, and Rose believed it was bliss just by being in his arms. “You can dance slowly. This we can handle.”
“Yes, I can handle this.”
“I can’t believe you did all of this for me.”
“I made a mistake. I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I’m not going to continue making them.”
“You’re making a woman feeling loved.” Rose knew she should be pissed that Hardy read her diaries, but she wasn’t. Those dairies were where she’d bared her soul. He’d not cared enough to ask her how she was, or to even talk. They’d talked a hell of a lot more in the last three weeks than they had in ten years of marriage. After all this time she couldn’t even begin to tell him the kinds of things she had to the open pages. No one cared about what was written on those pages. She didn’t have to worry about hurting a person’s feelings, or that her words were unkind. The pages gave her an outlet to bare her soul.
“You are loved.”
The song continued to play, and Rose rested her head on his shoulder. “What’s your favorite color?”
“Red.”
She smiled.
“You?”
“I love green.”
“That color contrasts with your hair.”
“I know. I think it’s why I like it. Chicken or steak?”
“Damn, that one is a hard one. I think steak wins. You can do so much with it, and you can grind it up for meatballs.”
“You can do the same with chicken.”
“It’s not the same. It’s nowhere near the same, and you can have a lot more flavor with steak.”
“Okay, fine. Mashed potatoes or roast?” she asked.
“Both. Why have one when you can have two?”
“You’re being greedy.”
“Maybe just a little.”
She leaned back and smiled at him. “I like this. We should do this more often.”
“I don’t know. Lash is probably going to be so pissed at me after all the mess is cleared up.”
“I don’t mind helping. What’s happening tonight?” she asked.
“Well, it’s prom, and so it’s a rite of passage for my woman to have sex.”
“With you?”
“There’s no one else you’re going to be with. This is all about giving you what you missed out on.”
Closing her eyes, she rested her head on his shoulder. It really was perfect.
They danced together for three more songs, and then Hardy had to disappear to the bathroom. She moved to stand beside the women of the club. Angel was standing in Lash’s arms, and the kids had taken up the dance-floor with some children’s songs while the grownups took a breather.