“What are you painting, Ira?” I asked, sitting down next to him on a kid’s chair.
No one else was here, so I wasn’t taking up any space.
“It’s a woman with flowers,” he said.
I smiled, watching him copy Rooney’s art. Maybe I should get a painting for my apartment, as Ira already had his superheroes hanging on his bedroom wall.
“Here you go, sir,” the waitress said, holding her tray with the water on it toward me.
“Thank you.” I took the glass and placed it in front of Ira, telling him to take a few sips every now and then.
“If there’s anything you need, I’ll be around here somewhere.”
Her flirtatious voice had been ignored by me immediately, but I smiled at her and said thank you again before she left.
No need for her to flirt.
I had my girl, and I wanted her to be mine forever.
“Wells, so good to see you here,” a familiar voice then said shortly after, and I turned to look up at Rooney’s parents, looking a whole lot different in a dress and suit.
“Hello, Louise,” I greeted, standing up and taking her hand. “You too. Rooney didn’t tell me you two would be here tonight.”
I shook Devon’s hand as well with a nod. “We wouldn’t miss this. We’re surprised this building is so big,” he said.
“Yeah, it’s incredible. Hey, bud? Look who’s here,” I said, making him snap out of his focus.
“Hi!” he said, standing up on his chair and reaching his hand out for Devon.
He definitely took a liking to Rooney’s dad, which I found incredibly sweet.
“Hello, Ira. Wow, you look good tonight! Did Daddy help you get dressed or did you choose this outfit on your own?”
Ira looked at me for a second, then he pointed at me and said, “Daddy did. Rooney said I look handsome.”
“Oh, you do, sweetie,” Louise told him with a smile, then she placed a hand at my upper arm. “Rooney told us a little bit about what happened between you two after driving back home from the ranch. We’ve noticed both of you being a little tense, but I’m happy you talked it out.”
I nodded. “She’s the one for me. We both had our struggles, but we’re happy,” I told her, taking another look at Devon still holding Ira.
“We know you’ll take good care of her. Not that she needs to be looked after, but I’m glad she has someone to lean on. Someone other than Evie,” he said, not meaning it in a negative way.
Evie was just a little…wild. And Rooney needed someone she could slow down with. Take a breath and just let go every now and then.
“Daddy loves Rooney,” Ira assured her parents.
“Oh, we know he does. And she loves him right back,” Louise said with a wink.
She looked back at me and smiled. “I’m sure you’ve talked to her already tonight? She looks gorgeous, doesn’t she? It’s been a while since I’ve seen her in a dress like that.”
I looked at the crowd and found Rooney standing there, talking to an elderly couple.
Her smile lit up the whole room, making me smile as well. “She looks incredible,” I said in a hoarse voice.
While I watched her, I could see her eyes light up, and after she shook both their hands, she stood there in shock for a second before looking around to find a familiar face.
Evie walked over to her, her eyes wide and their hands holding each other’s tightly.
Something must’ve happened that made them try their hardest not to freak out in the middle of the room, and when Evie’s dad walked up to them with a small note in his hand, they couldn’t contain their excitement anymore.
“Ohmygod!” Evie said, and Rooney added something I couldn’t quite understand.
“Can I have everyone’s attention, please?” Evie’s dad, Dan, said loudly.
Rooney looked our way before Dan continued to talk, and her smile brightened even more as the room quieted down.
“Thank you all for coming tonight. First off, I wanted to say thank you to Michail and Morgana for making this possible for my daughter, Evie, and her best friend, Rooney. They both had a dream ever since they were little, and it seemed as if painting was the only thing keeping them close. Their special friendship helped each other to become better at what they were doing, pushing each other to give their all and become the best versions of themselves. Their