Bonnie’s tinkle of laughter seemed loud to her ears, even with the music and noise of the crowd in the background. “Is that a proposal? I think I accept.”
It was an odd night. The man next to her softly sang part of an old song. Randomly broke into it like actors did in a musical.
“I think I love you so what am I so afraid of. I’m afraid that I’m not sure of a love there is no cure for.”
Her laugh was full and contagious. JT stopped singing and joined her.
“You’re a great baritone, but do you sing Partridge Family songs to all the girls?”
He snorted. “Only ones I propose to. Only to a girl who confuses me.” That low voice gave her tingles.
The voice changed, growing very serious. “I don’t believe in love at first sight. At least, I didn’t before tonight.”
Bonnie couldn’t help it. She squeaked, “You mean me. No guy’s ever interested in me.”
In the dark, she felt her hand lifted. Warm lips caressed the back of it briefly. “Then the guys in Oak Grove are either blind or idiots.”
Maybe it was the night around them that hid so much or the party atmosphere. Nearby, Elvis crooned the words to Can’t Help Falling In Love With You.
For whatever reason, anxiety-ridden Bonnie leaned into him. With her head against his chest, she breathed out, “I believe you. And I feel it, too.”
A line from a song Amy Winehouse redid about fifteen years before popped into his mind. Not thinking first, the words slipped off his tongue. “Tonight you’re mine completely.”
Bonnie added another line from the song when he trailed off. “But will you love me tomorrow?”
JT nodded, a movement she only saw because of the faint glow cast a ways off by overhead security lights dotting the parking lot. They came on automatically, usually. The mall’s maintenance man had set them to come on later that evening because of the luau.
“We’ll have to see, won’t we?”
She grinned. “If you’re asking me out on a date, I accept. Let’s see how we feel about each other then.”
“Breakfast tomorrow before church?”
That tickled her funny bone, and she laughed softly. “I was thinking more about dinner. Say six o’clock?”
His mock pout pulled more of that low laughter from her. “What’s your hurry? It’s not like either of us is going anywhere.”
An unsettling tension settled around them. Bonnie felt it suddenly radiate from him. For some reason, her words broke his playful mood.
“You’re right. Dinner tomorrow will be fine.”
The world rushed in on them after that. Chuck toddled over to them with his usual unsteady gait. He had a problem with his knees and obviously had stood too long. Bonnie hadn’t been watching over him.
“Go home, Bonnie?”
She knew Chuck wasn’t asking her to go home. Standing quickly, the skirt around her rustled. “Yes, it’s time for you to head home. Is your brother here to drive you?”
He nodded before hugging her. “Love you.”
Returning the hug, she spoke sincerely. “I love you, too.”
JT stood also and dared to wrap his arm around her shoulders as he watched the other man’s retreating back. “You certainly are popular in Oak Grove.”
She gave a small shrug, not wanting to somehow cause his arm to fall away from her. “What can I say? It’s home.”
“Home is where a person makes it. It doesn’t have to be the place you grew up.”
“Maybe, but I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
The arm fell as JT stepped away from her. “Let me walk you back. Are you headed into your business or back to the platform?”
He’d stiffened up again with her. “To my restaurant. I need to check on things.”
He’d withdrawn as if he wanted to get rid of her. That was fine. Bonnie knew she needed time to replay their conversations in her mind and piece together what was said. There might be a clue to what upset him.
Taking her hand, he walked her away from their secluded spot and back into the crowds. The luau was winding down and people headed to their cars. Bonnie sighed wistfully. “The clock must be striking midnight.”
“Well Cinderella, I’d better get you back before something turns into a pumpkin.”
He understood her reference. No one ever got her odd comments like that one. They usually laughed and said something like, “There she goes, being Bonnie again.” He really was the man for her.
But would he still be interested in her—boring, hardworking Bonnie Miller--tomorrow? Dinner would reveal that. If he showed up.
Chapter 5
They almost made it to the restaurant. As she crossed the parking lot, her arm looped through the one JT offered her, Hal Owens called to her over the PA system.
“Come on up here, you two. Elvis needs to leave and has one more duty to perform this night.”
Under the tall parking lot light, Bonnie shook her head in the man’s direction. He didn’t give up, signaling the drummer who started a beat.
The remaining crowd picked up on it, clapping to that beat as they chanted her name. “Bonnie! Bonnie!”
Resignedly, she met JT’s gaze and inclined her head toward the platform. He headed them in that direction as the crowd parted for the couple. They made a sort of aisle for them to walk down, hushing as the couple passed. The action felt almost reverent as people watched them. One of the old ladies who pinched JT earlier, Maude Hollis, even wiped a tear from her eye.
A blush bloomed on Bonnie’s face. She spoke softly, turning her face to JT as he led them closer to Elvis. “I think he’s going to sing to me. It’s so embarrassing!”
JT crooked an eyebrow as he stared down at her, stopping
