“Seth, we can’t get married tonight,” she laughs, but she’s thinking about it. She didn’t say she didn’t want to; she just said we can’t. Two very different things. “People will think we’ve lost our minds. What will our parents say?” Ahh, she’s only worried about everyone else’s opinions, and I can’t blame her too much for that.
In a town like Waverly, people will gossip about us for weeks until the next scandal happens and draws their attention away from us. Colby won’t like it, which is why I don’t plan on telling him until after the fact. My parents will be angry they didn’t get to have a fancy wedding for their only child, but they’ll forgive me when I remind them of all the money they’ve saved.
“Why not?” I ask her. “I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Why can’t we start the rest of our lives right now?” She chews on her bottom lip as she considers it. She has always been one to weigh each and every possible outcome before making a decision, and I would expect nothing less from her now. I remember her debating whether she wanted a cookie cake or chocolate cake for her twelfth birthday for almost an hour. This decision is just a little bit more important than a birthday cake. It’s the most important decision either of us will ever make. But she’s taking so long that I’m starting to think she’s going to turn me down. I would be disappointed, but I wouldn’t blame her if she did. Asking someone to marry you while you’re on your first date is insane. I can admit that.
“Let’s do it!” she says just when I’m starting to give up all hope.
“Really?” I ask, sitting up straighter in my seat. My heart’s pounding, and my stomach is suddenly in knots. I adjust the collar of my shirt to give my shaking hands something to do. I’m getting married. I’m going to marry Hannah Stuart. Holy crap! This is awesome!
“Yes! Definitely!”
I lean forward in my seat, look her straight in the eye, and ask, “Are you absolutely sure?”
“Seth Miller, I want to marry you. I’ve wanted to marry you since I was a little girl in pigtails eating cheap ballpark nachos in the stands at your high school baseball games,” she says.
“Then let’s go!” I jump out of my chair and rush over to her side of the table. I scoop her out of her chair, and she lets out a surprised squeal. I rush out of the restaurant with her still in my arms, laughing like the maniac I am. We get some curious stares from the restaurant staff, but who cares about them? Hannah’s crazy enough to marry me, and I’m not about to waste this opportunity.
I plop her down in the passenger seat of my Jeep and then run around to my side. “We have a few stops to make. The first is a surprise, and then we have to convince my dad’s friend, who’s a pastor, to marry us.”
“Okay, I have to tell you… I’ve always wanted to get married on top of a mountain,” she says with a sheepish look on her face. “As there are no mountains in Texas…”
“We could go to Arkansas,” I suggest, and her entire face lights up like I’ve just offered her a million dollars. “It’s like a twelve-hour drive, but if we drive through the night, we could make it happen tomorrow.”
“We can’t drive all the way to Arkansas tonight… Can we?”
“Why not? Neither of us are working tomorrow.”
“This is crazy,” she laughs.
“Hannanah, do you want to marry me?”
“Yes, I really do!”
“Okay, then, buckle up. I’m taking you to a mountain.”
“Mom, I need the ring,” I say as soon as my parents open the front door of the house I grew up in. They exchange confused looks with each other and then take note of Hannah standing beside me. My mom’s eyes grow wide with concern or maybe confusion—I don’t know what—as she realizes what I’m asking.
“You mean the ring?” my mom asks. I nod my head. “Seth, honey, you tell me what’s going on right now.”
“I’m getting married,” I announce, and my dad rubs the scruff on his chin, not quite sure what to think or say.
“What do you mean you’re getting married?” my mom asks. “Hi, Hannah. How are you doing, sweetie? We’re just watching a movie. You want to come on in?” Hannah steps into the entryway of the house, clenching her hands together in front of her, and then my mom continues her questioning. “Seth, you’re not even dating anyone. Who could you possibly be marrying?”
“Hannah, of course,” I say, gesturing to her. “Why else did you think she was here with me?”
“Huh,” my dad grunts, still scratching his chin.
My mom screams so loud that I am one-hundred-and-seventy-five percent positive that my ear drums have both burst. They’ve given up and died on me. She wraps Hannah up in a hug—at least I think it’s a hug. It’s so tight she could be trying to squeeze her to death. She’s rocking side to side, sobbing on Hannah’s shoulder. I should put an end to this spectacle, but I’ve never been one to get in the way of someone else’s emotional outbursts. Hannah’s looking at me to help her, though.
“Okay, Mom. We’re hoping to drive to Arkansas tonight. We really need that ring,” I say to spur Mom into action.
“Tonight? What are you doing in Arkansas?” she asks while wiping tears from her cheeks. Mom’s always been a crier.
“I already told you. We’re getting married!”
Mom stops moving and stares me down with indignant fire in her eyes. I’ve messed up big time. Perhaps this is one of those situations where I should have asked for forgiveness afterward. “Dave,” she says to my dad. “Go pack a bag. We’re going on a trip to Arkansas.”
“Uh, Mom. That’s not what I meant…” I try to explain the situation to her, but she holds up a hand, effectively shutting me up.