Page 156 of Certified To Handle You 2

Couture looked over from where he stood with his uncles. “I tried to warn y’all.”

The whole table started laughin’, and I ended up playin’ three games before Couture came over and took my cards out of my hand.

“You done,” he said while standin’ behind my chair.

Then the music changed before Couture could fully get me to himself. Somebody near the speakers called for everybody to get up, and the line dancin’ started in the middle of the field. I joined before Couture even asked.

He stood off to the side at first, but one of his aunts grabbed his arm and pulled him in with everybody else. I laughed when he missed the first turn, but after a few songs, he caught up enough to stop lookin’ lost.

The hours passed without me payin’ attention to the time. I danced, ate again, helped Ms. Emoree carry a few trays andsat with his grandma long enough to hear stories about Couture when he was little. Every person I met made room for me like they already expected me to be around next year.

That should’ve felt simple. Instead, every new introduction made me realize how deep I had got into Couture’s life without stoppin’ long enough to think about where it was headed.

By the time the sun started droppin’ lower, people gathered closer to the main tent. Some of the older relatives sat in foldin’ chairs while everybody else stood around talkin’ and takin’ pictures. I was near Ms. Emoree and Justice when Couture came over and reached for my hand.

“Come with me,” he said while holdin’ my eyes.

I frowned but let him pull me forward. “Where we goin’?”

“Right here,” Couture answered as he led me toward the middle of his family.

The conversations around us started fadin’, and that was when somethin’ inside me began to move. I looked around and noticed his cousins smilin’. One of his aunts lifted her phone like she was ready to record, and Ms. Emoree stood near Justice with one hand already close to her mouth.

I turned toward Couture and searched his face. “What you doin’?”

Couture kept holdin’ both my hands. His expression was calm, but there was somethin’ different in his eyes that made my heart start beatin’ faster.

“I need to say somethin’ to you,” he told me while his family watched.

I swallowed and tried not to look around again.

Couture rubbed his thumbs across my hands before continuin’. “I love you, Sha’Nelle. I know we ain’t been together forever, and I know things ain’t always been perfect, but none of the hiccups changed how I feel about you.”

I knew exactly what he meant by hiccups, even though nobody else standin’ here did. My heart raced harder while I watched him, and I had the strongest feelin’ that I was about to be put in a position I wasn’t ready for.

Couture kept his eyes on mine as he spoke. “You came into my life and became part of everything that matter to me. My mama love you, Justice light up every time he see you and my family been hearin’ about you long before today. You brought peace into my life, and you made me want things I wasn’t even thinkin’ about before you.”

The family got quieter as Couture released one of my hands and reached toward his pocket.

My whole body went hot.

“Couture,” I said low as hell under my breath, but he was already lowerin’ himself onto one knee.

Gasps and excited sounds moved through the family while he pulled out a black box. When he opened it, the diamond caught the last of the sunlight and flashed right in front of me.

Ms. Emoree covered her mouth while tears filled her eyes. His cousins started smilin’ wider, and somebody behind me whispered, “Oh my God.”

I stared down at Couture while he held the ring up.

“Sha’Nelle,” Couture said, keepin’ his voice clear even with everybody watchin’ us. “I know what I want, and I know who I want it with. Will you marry me?”

My heart slammed against my chest while every face around us turned toward me.

I looked down at Couture first. He looked sure about me. There wasn’t no doubt in his face and no fear that I might embarrass him in front of everybody he loved.

Then I looked around at his family…

His grandma had tears runnin’ down her face. His grandfather sat beside her smilin’ proudly. Ms. Emoree still hadone hand over her mouth while the other rested on Justice’s shoulder. His cousins held they phones up, and everybody looked like they was already waitin’ to celebrate.