Page 117

Story: Love and Cherish

Cherish flicked her gaze up before settling back on Haylee. “Yes.”

Haylee stood up immediately and wrapped her arms around Cherish’s back, dragging her in for a deep kiss. Their mouths melded together to the applause surrounding them. Haylee didn’t even pay attention to it. She sucked in a sharp breath and whispered in Cherish’s ear, “I love you so much.”

“I can’t believe you did this. Here!”

“It seemed fitting,” Haylee said, pulling back a little.

Cherish kissed her swiftly before snagging the ring and sliding it onto her finger. She cupped Haylee’s cheeks and kissed her again. “You had help, didn’t you?”

“I always have help.” Haylee chuckled. “Febe and Allegra were both in on it.”

“You sly, sly woman.” Cherish didn’t let go of Haylee’s arm as they turned around to find Febe and Allegra standing together.

“Congratulations!” Febe came forward and wrapped Cherish up in a hug. “You deserve this and so much more. Both of you.”

Febe hugged Haylee too. Allegra clapped her hands together before stealing Cherish’s hand to look at the ring. “Febe wouldn’t let me look before.”

“Before?” Cherish asked.

“I needed a handoff. I um…” Haylee’s cheeks burned. “I had a feeling you might find it in my pocket on our way here.”

“Oh my God!” Cherish said again, her cheeks aflame one more time.

“Come on, Cherry. You have to say that by now I have some idea of who you are and what we’ll get up to.” Haylee chuckled, folding her hand together with Cherish’s. “And as excited as you are, you need to prep Febe to get up on that stage tonight.”

“This’ll be the perfect distraction to make that possible,” Cherish murmured into Haylee’s ear. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.”