Not Quite Over You
Page 70
He pulled her close and she hung on as tight as she could. She rested her head on his shoulder and breathed in the wonder of him. Then his mouth was on hers and the world slowly righted itself.
“Okay,” he said as he pulled back. “Let’s get some things straight. I don’t want to move to D.C.”
“Are you sure?”
“Silver, I’m sure. I want to stay here. I want to be your business partner and your husband. I can do both.”
“Technically you haven’t proposed, but okay, I’ll go with it. I want to stay here, too.”
“Good. That’s out of the way. Now, about the other part.”
Before she knew what was happening, he dropped to one knee. “Silver, I love you. Will you marry me? Will you join me in promising we will always fight for each other? Marry me, love me, let me love you.”
Happiness bubbled inside of her. She smiled at him. “Gee, Drew, this is so sudden.”
He was still laughing as he stood, pulled her close and swung her around. “Answer me, woman!”
“Yes, of course, yes.”
He set her down. “Are you going to give that check back to my grandfather? Can I still be your business partner?”
“You are my everything, but I had a thought about the check.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Which is?”
“You made a very impassioned speech about helping out in the community. It seems to be something you care about. Why not do that along with working at the bank?”
“I’d like to start an angel fund and give start-ups the cash to get going.”
“Don’t forget the financial literacy classes. Maybe that could be some kind of a nonprofit thing. Oh, you could work with the local high school.” She grinned. “You know, your grandfather was willing to give me a hundred thousand dollars just because. Imagine what he would give you if you asked.”
“I might have to do that.”
She touched his face. “Your parents aren’t going to be happy.”
“I can live with that, if you’re okay with it.”
“I never wanted you to choose, Drew. I don’t want you to lose your family.”
“My mom’s going to take a while to come around, but I think my dad will work on her. As for the rest of them, they love you already.”
“Not Libby.”
He chuckled. “I think you’re going to be Libby’s best friend. After all, she’s about to get her heart’s desire. I’m going to tell the board I’m withdrawing my name from consideration.”
“What? Are you sure? You love the bank.”
He kissed her. “I love you and I like what the bank can do for people, but I have a feeling I can do a lot more outside of the bank. Besides, I still have the franchise thing to work on.”
She studied him. “Are you sure?”
“I am. Of being with you and of my future.” He looked at her. “I love you, Silver.”
“I love you, too.”
“Ready to face the world?”
“Absolutely. As long as we’re together.”
They went back into the board meeting. Silver waited while Drew withdrew his name from consideration. Irene wept but Howard gave his son a thumbs-up and Grandpa Frank winked.
Later, at Drew’s place, they sat on the patio, watched the giraffes and talked about their future together. There was no more looking back—just looking forward to a lifetime full of love and wonderful possibilities.
“Okay,” he said as he pulled back. “Let’s get some things straight. I don’t want to move to D.C.”
“Are you sure?”
“Silver, I’m sure. I want to stay here. I want to be your business partner and your husband. I can do both.”
“Technically you haven’t proposed, but okay, I’ll go with it. I want to stay here, too.”
“Good. That’s out of the way. Now, about the other part.”
Before she knew what was happening, he dropped to one knee. “Silver, I love you. Will you marry me? Will you join me in promising we will always fight for each other? Marry me, love me, let me love you.”
Happiness bubbled inside of her. She smiled at him. “Gee, Drew, this is so sudden.”
He was still laughing as he stood, pulled her close and swung her around. “Answer me, woman!”
“Yes, of course, yes.”
He set her down. “Are you going to give that check back to my grandfather? Can I still be your business partner?”
“You are my everything, but I had a thought about the check.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Which is?”
“You made a very impassioned speech about helping out in the community. It seems to be something you care about. Why not do that along with working at the bank?”
“I’d like to start an angel fund and give start-ups the cash to get going.”
“Don’t forget the financial literacy classes. Maybe that could be some kind of a nonprofit thing. Oh, you could work with the local high school.” She grinned. “You know, your grandfather was willing to give me a hundred thousand dollars just because. Imagine what he would give you if you asked.”
“I might have to do that.”
She touched his face. “Your parents aren’t going to be happy.”
“I can live with that, if you’re okay with it.”
“I never wanted you to choose, Drew. I don’t want you to lose your family.”
“My mom’s going to take a while to come around, but I think my dad will work on her. As for the rest of them, they love you already.”
“Not Libby.”
He chuckled. “I think you’re going to be Libby’s best friend. After all, she’s about to get her heart’s desire. I’m going to tell the board I’m withdrawing my name from consideration.”
“What? Are you sure? You love the bank.”
He kissed her. “I love you and I like what the bank can do for people, but I have a feeling I can do a lot more outside of the bank. Besides, I still have the franchise thing to work on.”
She studied him. “Are you sure?”
“I am. Of being with you and of my future.” He looked at her. “I love you, Silver.”
“I love you, too.”
“Ready to face the world?”
“Absolutely. As long as we’re together.”
They went back into the board meeting. Silver waited while Drew withdrew his name from consideration. Irene wept but Howard gave his son a thumbs-up and Grandpa Frank winked.
Later, at Drew’s place, they sat on the patio, watched the giraffes and talked about their future together. There was no more looking back—just looking forward to a lifetime full of love and wonderful possibilities.
