Chapter 71 Destined
Chapter 71 Destined
Mollie
I stared out Lanna’s kitchen window, overlooking the valley. The trees below bent violently in the wind, leaves thrashing despite how bright and sunny the day was.
I was out there, over a year ago. It’s amazing, really, how everything comes about. That same land brought me here unwillingly, and it’s also the same land that brings Vaughn here each week. My boyfriend, and possibly my fiancé. And then my husband.
I don’t know why, but when I think Vaughn, the word husband just doesn’t come to mind. And me, a wife? It’s all so surreal. I never pictured myself, in a million years, actually jumping at the step of becoming a wife. It’s not that I don’t believe Vaughn would be a good husband, or that I wouldn’t be a decent wife. It’s just such a new, fresh thought. I don’t know what to expect from it.
But what if he doesn’t even say yes? He has to agree to it in order for him to be my husband. I mean, he agreed to moving in with me, but marriage is a whole different ball field. What if he doesn’t want to?
I took a deep breath, pulling my attention from the violent wind to Lanna and Julia, who were flipping through fashion and makeup magazines on the couch. This time next week, the girls might be looking at wedding magazines instead of fashion ones. And I’ll be the one stuck in the middle of them, unwillingly, of course.
I wouldn’t give two shits if I wore a garbage bag to my wedding, as long as my mother’s locket was around my neck and Vaughn’s eyes were the ones looking back at me.
He has to say yes in order for him to be at the wedding.
I’m dying to talk to Lanna about my stress. What if Vaughn says no? Could we pretend nothing happened and move on with our lives together? Or would he get creeped out and take off?
I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts. I have to stop worrying.
I remembered the promise I once made to Paisley. If we were both single at thirty five, we would marry each other. Not because we were madly in love, but because the idea of dying alone is terrifying. Will Paisley find someone to marry? Will I be leaving her alone?
Julia giggled at something in the magazine, her blue eyes sparkling. Lanna smiled too, but when her eyes caught mine, her smile faded into something more serious. I love Julia, I really do. She was the first girl here who gave me the time of day. But right now, I just really needed her gone.
“Um, girls?” Lanna started. “I hate to be rude, but Denny should be here any minute. Could you both leave us alone?”
I rolled my eyes. Of course she’d use Denny as an excuse. And of course she’d never single Julia out.
“Oh, Lanna,” Julia teased. “Denny, Denny, Denny.” She stood up, hiding a smile. “What would you do if I ditched you for Elliot all the time?”
I smirked. “You do.”
She stretched. “Well, Molls, I guess we could go for a walk or something.”
My eyes darted around the room, searching for an excuse. The dirty nacho dishes in the sink caught my attention. “Actually, I feel bad leaving our dirty dishes. I’ll stick around and clean up.”
I smirked at Julia. “Feel free to help, lazy ass.”
She crinkled her nose. “Nah. I’ll see you around.” And just like that, she was gone.
“Lanna,” I breathed anxiously. “Tomorrow.”
“I know, darling,” she said confidently. “You can do it.”
Tomorrow, Vaughn will be here. Tomorrow I’ll use the feather that’s been taunting me all week, sitting perfectly on my nightstand. Does it realize what it represents?
I never imagined proposing to a man. When I was a kid, I dreamed about being proposed to. Outdoors, maybe by a river. Some romantic song. A simple ring.
Instead, I’m proposing with a feather, and I don’t even know if Vaughn is religious. Wouldn’t he want to be the one proposing?
“Can I even propose to him?” I asked. “The guy is supposed to ask the girl.”
“Shut up,” Lanna hissed. “You’re just making excuses.”
“I know,” I sighed. If he says no, then so be it. If he says yes, wonderful. But there’s one thing Vaughn has to know before he agrees.
“He has to find out that I was a stripper.”
“You never told him?” she accused.
“I will,” I promised. “Right before I propose. I’ll tell him everything.”
She nodded. “Better before than after.”
I shook my head. If there was nothing to lose, I would’ve told him already.
There was silence for a moment.
“Mollie,” Lanna said awkwardly. “Have you sung since you left the city?”
“Have I what?”
“Sung.”
“No,” I answered honestly. “I don’t even know if I remember how.”
“Why?”
“I promised Paisley I wouldn’t sing again until I knew exactly what I wanted out of life.”
She smiled. “And tomorrow you’re asking a man to be with you forever. Sounds like you know.”
She sat at her keyboard. “Come on. Sing.”
The Song
I sat beside her on the bench.
“What do I sing?”
“Anything.”
I placed my fingers on the keys. The melody came naturally. Strong, emotional.
I thought about Vaughn’s violet eyes. About losing my mother. About every wrong path that led me right here.
When I opened my mouth, my voice was shaky at first. But it was still there.
When I finished, I removed my hands from the keyboard, heart pounding.
“He’s going to say yes,” I said confidently.
“I know,” Lanna smiled.
Sabrina
“Finally,” I whispered, crawling out of the bushes and into Mark’s arms. “It’s been too long.”
His smile was bright. “We went crazy a long time ago.”
I pulled away. “Where is he?”
“Oh, right there.”
The man stepped forward. Perfect jaw. Cold eyes.
“Where are they?” he asked. “I want my reward and I want out.”
“Vaughn arrives tomorrow,” I smirked. “Mollie plans to propose. We catch them off guard.”
He laughed. “I can get inside one of their heads.”
Mark frowned. “What if it isn’t enough?”
I pulled matches from my pocket. “What did you do to your sister’s barn?”
His face drained. “I burned it.”
“Well then,” I smiled, “burn Mollie’s life down.”
Vaughn
I couldn’t stop staring at the ring.
“Gray,” I muttered, “you’re brilliant.”
He laughed. “After years of training, yeah.”
The feather-shaped ring glimmered under the light.
“She’s going to love it.”
“You gotta plan what you’re gonna say,” Gray warned.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Practice.”
He made me kneel. Made me rehearse.
It felt stupid. But it mattered.
Tomorrow, I’d ask Mollie to be my wife.