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The only problem? I still hadn’t called Hen’s dad to ask his blessing. I’d already fucked up, and I knew this was a conversation we needed to have in person. But with how hard we’d been working on the schoolhouse, I hadn’t had the time to fly to California.
For the last week, Hen and I had worked all day every day to get the top part of the schoolhouse up and running so we’d have our own place to stay, hopefully by our wedding night. But at this rate, we were still a couple weeks behind. And with my chicken-shit behavior, the wedding would have to be pushed back too unless I found a way to talk to her dad.
Except with Bertrand coming, I wasn’t sure how much longer we could keep our engagement a secret. What if Bertrand told their parents before I had a chance?
I reached the airport and exited into the cell phone lot to wait until Bertrand texted me that he was ready. My hands were jumpy on the steering wheel with nerves. In an hour, he’d see the ring on his sister’s finger. He’d know I’d done things in the wrong order.
Bertrand: I’m here. Hope you have extra room in your truck. Brought a lot of baggage.
I laughed at the phone, his text breaking the tension.
Tyler: You must pack like your sister.
I put the truck in drive and pulled around the curb, taking deep breaths. Bertrand came into view, standing next to a single duffel bag. Rolling down the window, I said, “What happened to all your bags?”
He nodded his head over his shoulder, and two other Joneses came through the airport doors. My jaw dropped at all of Hen’s brothers being in Dallas.
“What the hell?” I laughed out, grinning wide as I got out of my truck. I hugged Bertrand, Johmarcus, and Justus. And then I saw Murphy walk out the door.
My blood went cold. I had two hours between here and Cottonwood Falls before he saw the ring on his daughter’s hand and found out I was a coward.
My knees buckled, and I knelt in front of Murphy. “Can I marry you?”
He stared at me, confusion scrunching up his nose. “You okay, son?”
I shook my head, standing up. “Sorry, I fucked up. Shit. Sorry for cussing.Shit.” I wasreallyfucking this one up. I ran my hand over my face, trying to give myself an internal pep talk.
“I asked Henrietta to marry me.” Shock raised his eyebrows, but I pressed on. “I know I should have asked you first, but I was so excited she wanted me back that my heart spoke before my mind thought. And now that I asked, and she said yes, I can’t take it back from her. But I wanted to know if we could have your blessing, despite my lapse in judgment.”
Murphy shook his head, grinning. “Her yes was all the blessing you needed.” He wrapped his arms around my shoulders. “Welcome to the family.”
Hen’s brothers joined in the celebration, patting my back and whooping it up. Until a security guard yelled, “HEY! Get a move on.”
The guys were still laughing as we piled into the truck and headed toward home.
* * *
I parkedthe truck at the schoolhouse in between the plumber’s truck and the electrician’s van. Gary Johnson, the plumber, had been working around town since I was in diapers, and he’d been thrilled to get his hands on this school to turn it into something of use. He’d been working with us the last week to plumb a new kitchen and bathroom upstairs. When that was all done, he’d plumb bathrooms and kitchenettes in the units downstairs.
Grant Arnold, the electrician, had worked with me on projects in Dallas back when I was starting out on a construction crew. He was cutting us a special price to upgrade the wiring in the entire building. He’d also hang new ceiling fans and decorative lights for each room.
Meanwhile, Hen and I had worked on framing out the bedrooms, hanging up drywall and repairing cracks that had formed in the ceiling over the years. This week, I had hoped Bertrand would help us lay flooring and maybe even install some stock cabinets from the nearest box store, but now that the four of them were here, I couldn’t wait to see how much we’d accomplish. I knew firsthand how hard and fast these guys could work.
As we got out of the truck and walked toward the front entrance, excitement rushed through me. Maybe we would get this all done on time for our wedding, which could happen now—with her father’s blessing.
Everything was finally falling into place.
79
Henrietta
Confession: I used to think moving meant leaving my home. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
I scrapedthe drywall knife over a seam, making it disappear in one quick movement. I’d helped Dad with drywall patches around the house, but Tyler had to show me how to hang big sheets of drywall, making walls appear where there had been none. It was heady, seeing something this big come together thanks to the work of my own two hands. I couldn’t wait for Bertrand to get here so we could show him all we’d already done.
From downstairs, Tyler called out, “Babe! We’re here!”
I grinned, setting down my bucket of joint compound and wiped my hands on my work overalls. I put my hand on the oak stair railing and went down the stairs, excited to wrap my brother in a big hug and show him this life I was building.