Page 150 of Dear Future Husband

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

Hand in hand, I led Maybelle down the pathways of tombstones. The quiet peace created a sanctuary in the field of resting souls. I tilted my head to glance at the girl dressed in a white tee and jeans. I couldn’t ignore the clog of emotion in the back of my throat.

She was glowing.

My mom must’ve sensed my blooming emotions because she hugged me tighter.

A harsh intake of breath from Maybelle had me looking ahead to see a man standing before of our intended destination. The man was tall. He wore a black shirt, dark jeans. His skin was tan. He had black, straight hair with white highlights. There was a disheveled amount of facial hair along his jaw and a slump to his shoulders that I once related to.

“Xavier,” Maybelle breathed, and the man spun.

His dark eyes widened at the sight of her. Without another word, Maybelle was striding from me to the stranger—Xavier.

He held his arms out to accept her. They met in a heart-wrenching hug. Maybelle was crying, and so was he. They both grasped to one another, with only their tears, nearby birds and far off traffic to fill the silence.

Mom sniffled beside me. I twisted to her and she smiled up at me with tears in her brown eyes as she pointed. “Stephanie told me about him.”

Maybelle pulled back, the two of them still embracing as she giggled through a sob. “You’ve gotten old,” she said, running her fingers through the patches of white hair.

Xavier guffawed through his tears.

“And you talk,” he pointed out. They both embraced once again, their laughter combining into a merry melody.

They parted from one another, and Maybelle’s smiling eyes turned to Mom. “Xavier, this is Chelsea.”

He shook Mom’s hand with a courteous nod.

Then Maybelle’s eyes found mine. “And this is Trey. Liam’s best friend and my—my boyfriend.”

The adorable flush to her cheeks had me stepping up next to her, hooking an arm around her waist.

I locked hands with Xavier in a firm shake.

“Yes, I think we’ve met,” he said, and the pieces clicked into place.

“Tacos?” I asked, and the man grinned.

“Yes, I served you and Liam once or twice in my parents’ restaurant.”

I nodded, remembering a few nights Liam dragged me to his favorite taco shop after a wild party or two. Where Xavier would leave the restaurant open for us, feeding us all the free tacos and water, he could get us to eat.

My laughter was a ruckus of humiliation as I remembered the time I barfed in the restaurant bathroom. All while Liam and Xavier laughed their asses off at me.

“Damn it, Sir. You might have the most humbling stories to tell about me. That being said, you’re not allowed to give a toast at our wedding so I can keep hold of at least an ounce of my pride.”

Xavier’s smile grew. Maybelle slanted me a sidelong glance. Mom beamed.

“No promises,” he remarked with a wink, then turnedto Maybelle, smile still bright. “Wedding? How exciting for you two. When is it?”

Before Maybelle or Mom could open their mouths, I quickly cut in with a promising, “Soon.”

Again, Maybelle was giving me a curious side-eye, but I didn’t turn from the man in front of us.

Xavier’s chuckles were deep as he clapped me on the shoulder. “Well, I’ll keep my schedule open for the near future.” Then his dark eyes fell to the two partnering stones in the grass.

Stephanie Anne Mason

Mother