Dear Rose 3: Winter's Risk (18 page)

She shook her head and shot him an expression that stopped him from speaking. “Don’t.”

“Don’t?”

“I realized just now, I was wrong.” These were words Devyn hardly ever said, and Rose had never said before.

His eyes widened to a size she wasn’t even sure was possible. “Come again?”

“I know. Record it, right?” Good thing Carl didn’t have a tape recorder, or he might try. Rose could be happy for one small wonder—that Carl didn’t have a recorder.

“For posterity. That’s something I’ve never heard before.” Carl shifted in the chair. “Go on.”

“I shouldn’t have put marriage in the bet. It wasn’t fair. This should happen because we both want it to. Not because of some silly bet. You can still grow your hair long. I’ll do that concert of Aretha I was going to do anyway. But I don’t want you to propose to me like this. I want it to be because
you
want to.”

Carl sat forward and stopped moving. “You’d give up making me marry you? Despite the fact you won.”

She nodded and tapped one finger on her other hand. “I don’t want it that way. I want you to propose because you need to and want to. Not because you have to. So no, I won’t marry you on a bet.”

Carl seemed to think it over. “Are you sure? I know
you
want this.”

She did. But not like this. “I am. You’re absolved of that part of the bet.” She came over and placed her hands on his shoulders. She settled down in his lap, the evening gown going over his knees. She ran her hands through his hair. “You in long hair will be enough for this one.”

A smile. The first one she’d seen in a while. “You did it, Rosie. You brought three relationships over the edge of getting together. And made seven people happy. You’re going to be great as an advice columnist.”

“Damn straight I am. Like there was ever any doubt.” She shook her head like any thought she wouldn’t succeed was impossible.

He cupped her ass in his hands. “How much time do we have before you go on?” He had that glimmer in his eye.

The one she’d seen often. “Not that much. Unfortunately.” Rose shifted off his lap and smoothed down her dress. “But Devyn says you better eat your protein tonight. Because you and he are going to celebrate.”

“It’s a date.” Carl got to his feet. “See you in the audience.”

It hadn’t exactly gone the way she wanted, but she was happier than she’d been in a long time.

As she headed out to the dance floor, her phone rang. It was her dad. For the first time in years. She answered it in Devyn’s voice. “Hello? Dad?”

“Yeah, I wondered if we could have lunch tomorrow.” No gear up or small talk. Right to the issue.

“I don’t know, Dad.” Rose wasn’t about to get lectured on her lifestyle. If that was all he wanted, he could fuck off.

“Ben has been missing you.”

“And I’ve been missing him.” His throat caught at his little brother’s name. For the first time, he realized Carl was now standing nearby. He must have come back to find Rose because she wasn’t on cue. Rose never missed a cue.

“I still don’t agree with what you are. I’m not excusing it by any means.” His dad’s voice was gruff. “But his momma”—who would be Devyn’s stepmom—“says I can’t cut you out of Ben’s life for things I don’t agree with. And she’s been saying for a while now I need to let you see him. And he’s been asking. And crying over some rough stuff. We’ve been in counseling. He’s almost a teenager now. I think he needs you. Despite what you are.”

It was the longest Devyn’s dad had talked to him since he’d found out Devyn was gay. And it was life changing. “I’ll be there tomorrow, Dad.” He gave Carl a thumbs-up. His dad would never accept him. But it sounded like his stepmom and Ben might. And that was something.

“We need to set some ground rules. I ain’t having you visit him while in a dress. Or acting fruity.”

Dev could handle that. “I’m in a relationship, Dad.” He mentioned what would be a sticking point.

“Long as you don’t jump bones in front of the boy, I guess I’m okay with that. His mom…my wife…she’s on me to set this right, along with some other things. And she don’t care about you being that way. Long as you’re a good person.”

Devyn closed his eyes. He was going to see his little brother. And who knew, maybe it would open doors between him and his father.

“Bye, Dev.” His dad clicked off.

Rose held the phone up to her forehead. It might not be divine intervention, but it was close. “I’m having dinner with my dad tomorrow.”

Carl seemed as discombobulated as Rose felt. “Wow. That’s amazing.”

“It sure is.”

“Are you going to be able to go on? You missed your cue.”

Rose pulled up her evening gown. “The show must go on. Of course I’m coming out. Don’t let them take the spotlight from me. I’m ready.” She used her best drag-queen-goddess voice.

Carl rolled his eyes and walked back out to the front of the stage.

Once Rose reached the area on the floor they called her cue spot, she stood waiting for the music to sound.

“And the diva of divas…” The DJ played it up. “The sexy. The sultry. The siren of Temples. Miss Rose Winter.”

Rose sashayed out and climbed up the step to the stage. “How’s everyone doing out there? Come on, bitches, I know you can do bettah.” She walked the stage like she owned it. Looked out and saw Neo and Phil catching a kiss before Neo had to change for the show. Saw Josie between Zach and Quinn, who’d better be getting his late ass backstage to change like Neo. Rose saw Tucker with his arm around Ally. She’d been successful. She’d taken a risk, and it had paid off in spades.

Even if she couldn’t fix her relationship.

Carl might never ask her to marry him now. Her or Devyn. But she would be okay with that. She loved what she had with him. She’d take it as it came. And they would be fine. Maybe there was nothing to fix.

She had picked an appropriate song to start out with even before this epiphany went down. “Stronger,” originally sung by Kelly Clarkson. The first chords of the song blared from the speakers. Rose sang it to the rafters. She’d started to wail it, to rock the song, when she noticed something she hadn’t before.

Carl was at the edge of the stage. With a rose in his hand. He waved it around at Rose.

Carl had brought Rose flowers before when she’d been onstage. Rose hadn’t expected them tonight. That was odd. How had he known Zach, Quinn, and Josie would finish off today? Rose hadn’t been giving him updates. Hell, she hadn’t even known it was close to fruition. She’d expected it to be another day or so before it reached the happy-ending stage.

Rose sashayed over, and Carl waved the flower at her again. And he stepped up onstage.

Her Carl. The one who didn’t like the spotlight. Several hundred eyes were watching.

The music stopped. Not anything Rose expected either. After all, the show didn’t stop for anyone. Not even when she’d had a wig fall off or tripped after getting a little tipsy one night.

Her mouth dried out. Something was up.

“Even before you were tapped to be an advice columnist in the local paper…” Carl then spoke to the audience. “Yeah, folks. Rose will soon be dispensing relationship advice as Dear Rose. Some of you have already benefitted from her expertise. You know who you are.”

Yes, the seven whom she’d had a hand in bringing together all gazed at their significant others. Kisses were exchanged.

The audience exploded into applause.

Which was wonderful but explained nothing about what Carl was doing up here. Rose tried to ask with her eyes but got nowhere.

“Where was I? Oh yeah, before it was official you’d be taking on Dear Rose and having some personal matters cleared up…” Leave it to Carl to mention it for her benefit but not fill everyone in.

Ally looked like she was going to burst onstage and ask. Tucker was the only thing holding her back. Devyn would have to fill her in later or face the wrath of Ally.

“…I planned this. I should have done it a long time ago, but I’m slow. You know that. You know me. I have to do things in my time. I came to be gay in my time. I came to be yours in my time. And I had to do this in my time.” He handed her the rose and slid down on one knee.

Slid. Down. On. One. Fucking. Knee.

“Oh God. You don’t have to do this. I called off the bet.”

Carl stared up at her, and his eyes glistened. “I know. This is not part of the bet. I had no idea it would resolve tonight. I’m doing this because
I
want to. And because you need it and so do I. If I’m in love with you, I need to do this. And I am.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m finally ready after all these years. I can’t lose you, and I need to make this permanent. The fighting we’ve done over this showed me the way, because we so rarely fight and I realized I might lose you over this. That I needed to be with you with a forever commitment.” It was the most talking Carl had done in a while. He let out a tight smile. “So you can’t get away, Rose Winter.”

He pulled out a box from his pocket. Black velvet.

Rose brought her hand up to cover her mouth. She could feel tears brimming in her eyes. This couldn’t be happening. And yet here they were.

“Devyn Matthews. Aka Rose Winter. Will you marry me?” Carl flipped open the box to reveal a mannish set of wedding rings. There was something that appeared like Norse inscriptions on them.

Now she was crying. And her false eyelashes were starting to unstick. She’d be a mess. Her makeup would run. And she didn’t give a fuck.

The audience held its breath.

Carl had done this on
his
own.

“Of course I’ll marry you.” The tears were streaming freely, and the eyelashes were everywhere down her face. She looked crappy, and she didn’t care.

Neither did Carl, because he jumped to his feet and slipped a ring on Rose’s finger. “These are promise rings for now. I’m promised to you and you to me. In a few weeks, when we hold our reception at Maymont, which
I’ve
already scheduled, they will be official wedding rings. We can plan it together.” A few glances were exchanged. “And some have thought about taking the plunge with us. Two other relationships plus one, maybe, to be exact.” From the gazes exchanged, Rose could bet what three he was talking about. “Which is fine with me. As long as it happens on that day with us.”

It was to show Devyn, aka Rose, Carl was on board with this. Despite the fact it still wasn’t legal in their state.

One day. One day.

For now, one step at a time. He pulled Carl in for one long, passionate kiss that curled his toes even in high heels.

Rose had taken the biggest risk of all, and now she was reaping the rewards of all she’d put on the line.

And it was good.

Loose Id Titles by Mechele Armstrong

A Walk on the Wild Side of Wicked

Another Dream, Another Reality

Another Night, Another Dream

Be My Moon

Desert Surrender

Dinah’s Christmas Desire

Dinah’s Dark Desire

I Heart That City: Body Shots

Solstice Spell

Veterans: Nothing to Lose

* * * * *

The BLOOD LINES Series

Blood Kiss

Conduit

Crimson’s Rose

Night’s Journey

Bitter Love

Surge

Currents

* * * * *

The DEAR ROSE Series

Winter’s Source

Winter’s Gamble

Winter’s Dare

Winter’s Risk

* * * * *

The FIRE RIDERS Series

Taming the Fire

The Fire Within

Beyond the Fire

* * * * *

The SETTLER’S MINE Series

The Rivals

The Lovers

The Woman

The Wolf

The Man

The Rogue

* * * * *

The SIX CURSES Series

Six Curses of Christmas

The Sixth Curse of Spring

The Sixth Cursed Halloween

Mechele Armstrong

Mechele Armstrong lives in Virginia and writes while technoing with a computer geek hubby, chauffeuring two girls, ball throwing to a spaz cat, playing psychiatrist to a neurotic dog, and serving one diva kitty. She loves open bedroom doors and things that go bump in the night, which is why she probably writes what she does. She's always looking for new worlds to play in so she never knows what will come up next. Her world is where sensuality and wonder collide.

Find out what’s new with Mechele at
http://www.mechelearmstrong.com/
.