M. Leighton - Some Like It Wild

“Oh, no! You did not come all the way home just to crash on my couch, young lady. You will have fun this weekend if it freakin’ kills me. Do you hear me?”

“I’m pretty sure everyone hears you,” I tease, sliding off the sofa.

“Shower for you, my friend. You’ve got exactly forty minutes to wash, shave, and pamper that pretty ass or I’m taking you as is.”

I mumble all sorts of things about what she can do with a razor and a bottle of shampoo as I make my way to the bathroom.

Before I can close the door all the way, Tori shows up to press her face into the crack. “Were you giving me attitude? And did I hear a ‘up your tight ass’ thrown in there?”

Tori’s expression is comical. She’s probably never heard me say the first curse word. I grin at her. “Maaaybe.”

She squeals and pushes the door open to give me a bone-crushing hug. “Eeee, I love this new you!”

I can’t help but laugh as she darts out the door and slams it shut behind her. I don’t tell her that she’s got Jake to thank for this Laney.

“Um, why are we at the church?”

I look suspiciously through the windshield at the bright lights pouring out of the detached fellowship hall windows. Suddenly, I have a bad feeling.

“I’ll explain in a minute. Just come on,” Tori says, hopping out of the car and running around the hood to jerk open my door. “Move it, slowpoke.”

Earlier, I was curious why Tori didn’t want me wearing jeans and a T-shirt tonight. She insisted that I wear her little black cocktail dress, the one she reserves for special occasions. That right there should’ve been a huge red flag.

“What are you up to, Tori?”

I’m not sure at all that I want to go inside.

Tori takes my hands and pulls me to my feet. Even though we’re both wearing heels, she looks down into my face. “Laney, you know I love you. Please. Just trust me.”

Something in her eyes tells me that this is important to her, important to her proving herself to me like she’s tried to do for months now. That’s the only reason I go with her when she tugs me along behind her all the way up the walk to the front doors.

When we step inside, every head (of which there are literally dozens) turns toward me and everyone starts clapping. I smile uncertainly as I look around.

It looks like the cheesiest high school prom in the world is getting ready to take place. There are white streamers dangling from the ceiling, there are white silk roses gushing from vases on every surface and there is glitter sprinkled on the tables and floor.

All my church family is here, as well as my parents, who are standing at the front of the room in front of the lit gas fireplace that’s flanked by two long tables. Each is draped with a white paper cloth. My mother looks like she’s about to cry, and my father looks impressively smug.

The crowd seems to part as I make my way to them. A few of them move just enough that I can see who is standing at my father’s side.

Shane.

He’s wearing the worst car salesman smile I’ve ever seen. And he’s standing beneath a printed banner that reads, CONGRATULATIONS, SHANE AND LANEY!

I stop. Dead in my tracks, right in front of everyone, I stop. And I turn toward Tori.

“What the hell is this, Tori?”

She takes my hands in hers again and holds them up to her chest.

“Laney, you are my best friend. I’ve only ever tried to do what I think is right and what’s best for you. I would never, ever hurt you. If I ruined what was between you and Shane, please accept this night as my most heartfelt apology. I’m giving you back everything that I cost you. All you have to do is accept it. If, for some reason, a life with him isn’t what you want, then I still offer this as a gift to you. Tonight’s the night, Laney. You’ve come so far, and I know you have this in you. You can either walk down there and take Shane back, set a date to marry him, and live your life with him, just like you planned. Or you can tell him to go to hell, tell the rest of these people to kiss your ass, and you can take my car to Jake’s house and tell him how you feel about him. You go forward with him. Or back to this,” she says, sweeping her arm toward the front of the room, toward my parents and Shane. “It’s up to you. This time, you’ll get no interference from me. I’ll love you no matter what you decide. I just want you to be happy.”

I don’t even know what to say. My mind is quite effectively boggled. “Did you rehearse that?” I ask quietly.

“About four hundred times. In front of the mirror. How’d I do?”

“Nailed it.”

She grins. I grin. And then she steps out of my way and gives me the very physical choice of which direction to go—forward or back.

My foot twitches, but I still it. There’s one more thing to consider. Well, not really. My mind is already made up, but there’s one thing I need to know.

“You said drive to Jake’s house. I thought he was gone.”

Eyes sparkling, Tori shakes her head.

I lean up and kiss her on both cheeks, then I take a deep breath.

And I turn to walk up the aisle. Toward my parents. And toward Shane.

Some people don’t believe in premonitions and shit like that. I’m one of them. I do, however, believe in instinct. Especially when it comes to working fires.

And something tells me tonight is gonna be a busy night.

While everyone else is in the kitchen, shooting the shit and scarfing down potato chowder, I’m making sure everything is stocked and in order on the truck.

Call it a hunch. Call it whatever. It doesn’t matter. They are what they are.

But I never ignore them.

And they’re never, ever wrong.

As I walk toward them, I can’t decide whose grin is bigger, Shane’s or Daddy’s. Not that it matters. Neither will be wearing it very much longer.

I smile and nod to first my mother then my father. “Thank you both for coming. I’m sure you know this is a surprise to me¸ but I’m glad you could be here for it. I think that’s important.” My mother covers her mouth with her hand and my father squeezes her narrow shoulders.

“We love you, pumpkin.”

We shall see . . .

I turn to Shane. “I take it you had a hand in this, Shane?”

“Of course,” he answers proudly. “Nothing’s too good or too big for my girl. And that’s why,” he says, taking a black velvet box out of his jacket pocket, “I have this for you instead.”

And here come the first round of fireworks . . .

Everyone in the hall quiets when Shane, still grinning like a peacock, drops to one knee in front of me. He takes the ring out of the box then reaches for my left hand before he clears his throat.

I’m sure he wants everyone to hear his proposal. As well as my answer.

Or maybe he doesn’t . . .

“Laney Holt, love of my life, future mother of my children, will you do me the honor of once again agreeing to marry me?”

He looks so proud of himself , I think absently, like he has no reason in the world to think I might turn him down. To him, all is forgiven and it’s as good as water under the bridge.

But little does Shane know, my heart belongs to someone else.

“Oh, Shane. If only you’d asked me before you went to all this trouble.” For just a few seconds, I hold my tongue as I revel in the sight of his face going from shit-eatin’-grin to what-the-hell-is-happening. “I don’t love you, Shane. What you did to me was the best thing to ever come my way. It helped me to see who I really am, what I’m capable of, and what I want out of life. And I’m sorry, but you aren’t it.”