Tides and Tidings

Chapter 42

Charlie

“W hy is it so bright?” Blythe asked as she covered her head with the blankets.

I pulled one of the pillows from under my head and put it over my face. “I think we forgot to close the curtains before we went to sleep.”

What was a romantic moonlit night has turned into my retinas being seared.

“I hate us.” Blythe rolled over and laid her head on my chest.

Keeping the pillow firmly against my eyes, I outstretched my arm and wrapped it around her small frame.

“What time is it?” Her voice was hoarse from all the singing and yelling over the music she did last night.

Blythe removed her head from under the covers and put it back onto her pillow.

I reluctantly rolled over and checked my phone. “Looks like it’s just after eight.”

There was a text from Rose from a half hour ago.

Rose: Why does Blythe have a paper ring on her finger and not the one we picked out?

Confusion ran through me because last night was a blur. I remember bits and pieces, but that’s it. I typed back a quick response.

Charlie: What are you talking about?

“What time do you want to head home?”

“I figured we could get up soon to pick up the Barbie Jeep for Wrenny and get home before noon so my parents could have some semblance of a weekend.”

A small smile spread across Blythe’s face, “Can we give Wren her present today? I can’t keep this from her.” She paused, “I don’t think we have the space to hide a massive toy car.”

My gaze met hers, “Of course we can. She’s going to want to ride around the property all afternoon. Are you ready for that?”

She gave me a lazy salute, “Born ready.”

My phone vibrated on the nightstand. I figured it was Rose. I had no idea what she was talking about—what paper ring?

Blythe slapped her hand against her nightstand. “Do you know where my phone is?” There was a slight panic in her voice.

I scanned the room and spotted it over on the desk. I pointed to it, “Desk.”

She placed a sleepy kiss on my lips before getting up, “Thanks.”

There was a slight wobble in her step—was her foot hurt?

“Are you okay?” I sat in bed, my back against the headboard as I grabbed my phone.

She nodded, “I think we had good sex last night because my area,” she motioned towards her lady region, “is a little bit sore.”

“I’m sorry.”

Blythe plugged her phone in to charge while I responded to Rose.

Rose: In the pictures Blythe posted in the wee hours of the morning, she has a paper ring on. I assume she said yes and that was just a placeholder while you went out to celebrate?

Charlie: What pictures?

Rose: On Instagram.

“Oh shit.”

I started to type back a response when Blythe stood up, pulling my attention away from my message.

“What’s up?”

“I posted photos from last night.” She swiped through her post. “A lot of them.”

That explains it.

She handed over her phone to me to see. I swiped through them all, noting a paper ring on Blythe’s hand in three pictures. The caption was sweet: “The best night with my favorite guy!” Judging by our drunken smiles, we had a great time.

I handed her phone back, “It’s an innocent post. Don’t stress about it.”

“Did you read the comments?” She outstretched her phone back to me.

I shook my head. She motioned for me to take the phone from her again.

“Mom and Dad finally had a night out!”

“Blythe has let loose tonight!”

“Y’all are so freakin’ cute.”

“Is that an engagement ring?”

That comment grabbed my attention. Now I understood what Rose was talking about. Does Blythe remember why she had that paper tied around her finger?

“You posted pictures. It’s fine.” I tried to calm her down because she was about to spiral downward for ‘not being professional.’ She ran a popular book account and wanted to keep it professional, but she drunk-posted. “Look at the engagement on these pictures! People love seeing the real you and not the perfectly curated feed.”

She shrugged, “I guess.” She scrolled through the photos again. “Do you know why I have a piece of paper tied to my finger?”

“I have no idea.”

“It was probably some silly joke we came up with.”

I swallowed hard, “Yeah, probably a joke.”

All I could think about was how last night was supposed to be when I asked her to marry me, and the stupid restaurant had to be closed. Don’t get me wrong, we looked like we had a great time from the photos on Blythe’s phone, but we were supposed to be going home engaged.

Blythe went to the bathroom to get ready to leave, and I got out of bed and replied to Rose.

Charlie: We just saw the pictures. The restaurant shut down earlier in the week and never called to let me know. The engagement didn’t happen.

Rose: NO! This is the worst news possible. Are you going to try again?

Charlie: Absolutely. The time just needs to be right.

Rose: Did you ask her to marry you with a damn paper ring last night?

Charlie: Of course not.

Something about the way she asked the question made all of last night’s memories come rushing back. I remembered the key events. Being hit on by the bartenders. Dancing with Blythe. Asking her to marry me with a paper ring…

I don’t remember the sex, though, which is disappointing.