With Every Heartbeat

“No. No.” He shook his head. “It wasn’t corny at all. It was…it was perfect actually. Thanks, Zoey.”

My heart beat hard in my chest as I realized in that moment, I didn’t just have a crush on Quinn Hamilton. I loved him.

Oh, God. I loved him.

“Hey,” he murmured softly, knocking on the table in front of me to get my attention.

When I lifted my face, he pointed at a couple passing by us on the sidewalk. “You can tell he likes her.”

They weren’t holding hands or even touching, and they were facing their attention down instead of ahead of them where they were going, but I totally agreed with Quinn’s assessment.

Still, I had to ask. “How can you tell?”

He smiled softly. “Watch. He picks a leaf off every tree they pass. It’s like he has to keep his hands busy to keep from reaching for her.” And on cue, the guy reached up and tugged at a new leaf from the tree he passed.

I grinned at Quinn. He grinned back and returned his attention to the couple as if he was waiting for the guy to bypass the next leaf and reach for the girl instead.

“Shawn and Jules kissed,” I blurted out.

He turned back to me slowly. Then his eyes widened. “On Psych?”

I nodded. “I saw it this weekend.”

“How far along are you? I’m going to have to catch up.”

I began to play with my food, realizing I hadn’t touched a bite. “Do you think they’ll end up together?”

“I don’t know,” he answered. “I hope so. They better.”

“Yeah. I hope so too.” Because if they didn’t, I’d probably lose my hope in love altogether.

I had a home game on Thursday and was off work on Friday, so I planned to take Cora to Jenny’s Crab Shack then.

We won our game, of course. We always won. With Noel at the helm, we were practically unstoppable. We’d actually won so hard I got to play quarterback for the last five minutes.

Jazzed about that and nervous about my proposal to Cora, I couldn’t stop drumming my fingers on my thigh as I sat at the table and waited for our main course to arrive.

Any minute now, they’d come out with our food…with her ring. I kept trying to remember the words Zoey had said, the words that I’d thought would make the perfect proposal, but my head was fuzzy and I couldn’t concentrate long enough to remember anything.

I picked up the glass of water and took, like, the hundredth sip for the evening. I was worried about my mouth drying out when the time came, but then I was equally worried about drinking too much and having to go the bathroom at exactly the time they brought out the ring.

The staff had been tickled to participate in my plans when I’d brought the ring in earlier. I guess they were all romantics at heart too. I kept seeing waitresses and waiters stealing secretive grins my way every time they passed, which made my stomach knot with even more nerves.

I don’t think I’d ever done anything so big and public before in my life. But for Cora, I would. Except...what if she said no? What if I’d totally been reading her wrong last Sunday morning?

Heck, what if she said yes? Was I really ready to get married?

Across from me, Cora’s phone dinged with an incoming text. About the twentieth text she’d received since we’d gotten here. I glanced at her as she picked up her phone and read the screen. Whoever she was talking to had quite a bit to say, because she studied the screen for a while before grinning and typing back an answer.

When my own phone chimed, I glowed, thinking she’d just written to me.

But when I checked my screen, it was from Zoey. Relax already. You look like you’re going to toss your cookies any second.

I lifted my face and glanced around until I spotted her sitting all the way across the restaurant on a stool at the bar.

When she realized I’d found her, she smiled and waved, giving me a big thumbs-up as she swung her legs cheerfully.

I don’t know why, but knowing she was here immediately eased my nerves. I let out a breath and all my muscles stopped clenching.

Then I shook my head and texted her back, since Cora was still on her phone. What’re you doing here, crazy girl?

I couldn’t stay away. I’m dying to see Cora’s expression when she says yes. That’s okay, right?

I rolled my eyes. Sure. Just make sure she doesn’t see you before then. Or she might get suspicious.

You got it, boss.

When I read that and glanced at her, she sent me a salute. Then she wiggled in her barstool as if she was doing some kind of sit-dance. I had to cover my mouth with my hand to keep from laughing aloud.