I nodded my head. “And your dad makes my mom happy.”
We both looked at each other and started laughing.
“Welcome to the family!” Billy said.
I shook my head and punched him on the arm. Then, his smile faded, and he looked down at the floor.
“What’s with the long face, Billy?” I asked.
He took in a deep breath and then ran his hand through his hair. “I did something I regret.”
My heart dropped, and I looked away. So help me God, if he says what I think he is going to say, I will kill him.
I slowly turned and looked at him. “If you are about to tell me that you cheated on Margie, you should probably think twice before you do it.”
Billy’s face dropped, and he took a step back. “What? I would never cheat on Margie, you stupid fuck.”
I let out the breath I had been holding in as I ran my hand through my hair.
“Thank God. I didn’t want to kick my new brother’s ass.” I winked at him.
“Fuck you,” Billy whispered.
I started laughing and punched him on the arm. “What did you do that you regret?”
“I bought Dad tickets to a Johnny Cash concert,” Billy said as he glanced at our father.
I looked at him with a confused expression on my face. “Why would you regret that?”
Billy looked at me. “Because that’s his wedding gift.”
It took a few seconds for it to sink in before I started laughing. “Holy shit! I just moved into the top position as favorite son, and they haven’t even been married for two hours!”
Billy rolled his eyes and gave me a push. I couldn’t stop laughing.
“You want the tickets, don’t you?” I said in between bits of laughter.
“Do you really want a knuckle sandwich, Mathews?”
I held up my hands and tried to stop laughing.
“Garrett Mathews, are you rattling your brother’s cage?” Emma asked as she walked up and wrapped her arms around my waist.
Billy smiled and shook his head. “You are so lucky you’re my best friend, you jerk.”
I watched as he turned to Margie and asked her to dance.
The moment I heard Elvis singing “Don’t,” I grabbed Emma and led her to the dance floor. “Have I ever told you how much I love Elvis?” I whispered in her ear.
She giggled. “Maybe once or twice.”
I held her closer to me and took in how she felt in my arms. As we glided across the dance floor, I memorized her smell, her laugh, and her touch on my body. I began singing the words to her as she held on to me tightly.
“Garrett,” she whispered as the song ended, “I love you.” She pulled back and smiled.
I smiled back. “I love you more.”
Right when I thought I wanted to take her right there, “All Shook Up” started playing.
“Ah, hell yeah,” I said.
We took off, doing the jitterbug. Emma started laughing as I spun her around the dance floor.
This was my song to Emma, and she loved it when Elvis sang buttercup. When Emma and I danced, we commanded the floor. We fit together perfectly in more than one way, and I was totally lost in her. When the song changed to Nat King Cole’s “Send for Me,” Emma smiled as she raised her eyebrows. As we moved across the dance floor, I closed my eyes and thought about this afternoon.
“I love you, Em,” I whispered in her ear.
I looked over at her father. He nodded his head and winked at me. I got a sick feeling in my stomach as my heart started pounding, and I swore the room was spinning.
I’m going to throw up.
“Garrett, I love you so much,” Emma whispered back.
My nerves were immediately settled.
When I looked at Billy and Margie, they had huge smiles on their faces. Margie gave me a thumbs-up, and I smiled at her. They had both helped to set up my surprise for Emma. I was surprised Margie had been able to keep it a secret, but I’d made her swear on Billy’s life that she wouldn’t even tell Peggy.
Emma pulled back and looked into my eyes as she smiled. That crazy feeling I got in my stomach took off, and I wondered if my body would always have such a reaction to her.
“I wish we were alone,” she said in a hushed voice.
I quickly looked at the clock. My mother and David would be leaving any moment now, and then I was going to whisk Emma out of here and to our special place. I took her hand and led her over to my mother and David.
“Darling, you look so handsome,” my mother said as she placed her hands on my face. She gently kissed my cheek.
David was talking to Emma, but it was like I was standing in a tunnel. I couldn’t hear a thing.
“Are you nervous?” she asked as she pulled away.
I smiled and nodded my head. “Yes, ma’am, I am.”
My mother touched my arm. “Garrett, have one dance with me before David and I leave?”
I held out my arm for her and led her to the dance floor. “Sincerely” by The McGuire Sisters was playing as I took my mother in my arms. We danced in silence for about a minute.
“Garrett, I want you to know that I will never love another man like I loved your father.”
I looked down into my mother’s eyes. “I know that, Mama. I just want you to be happy.”
She gently smiled and said, “I am happy, sweetheart, so very happy, but not just because I married David. I’m happy because of the man you are becoming. Your father would be so proud of you, and I want you to know that.”
I nodded my head and looked away. It was still hard for me to talk about my father. I missed him so much, and there had been so many times I wanted to ask for his advice on something.
“Garrett, don’t ever be afraid to talk to David. More than anything, he wants to be a father to you. He would never want to take the place of your daddy, but he is here for you. Please don’t hesitate to ask him for advice with anything.”
I held my breath as I looked at her. It was like she had read my mind.
“I’m not naïve, Garrett. I know that you and Emma have…well, that the two of you have been together. I’m not going to say I approve or disapprove, but I do want you to be careful. Please treat her with respect and never do anything she is not comfortable with. Now, I know I raised you right, but I want you to always put Emma before anything, even the ranch.”
I nodded my head. “Yes, ma’am. I would never, ever hurt Emma, Mama. She is my entire world. I’d do anything to make her happy.”
She smiled at me and let out a small chuckle. “I know you would, and from just watching the two of you together, it is evident how much you love each other. Hold on to that, darling, because that kind of love comes along only once in your life. Never take it for granted, and thank God every morning and every night.”