Promised (The Promised Series)

hand with the beer to my waist, giving me a one armed hug in return and says, “We’ve been waiting on you, Winnie.”
    Looking up confused I ask. “Why were you waiting on me?” I rarely take an active part in these parties, choosing to hide in the least crowded spots.
    “There’s Dad. He’ll tell you.” Adam says, looking behind me.
    I release my hold on him and turn around to find my dad strutting towards me with my mom on one side and Shay on the other. A huge smile is plastered on my dad’s face and I’m not sure if it’s from the news he’s getting ready to deliver, or because he’s had one too many drinks. It’s probably a combination of both. Shay’s smile could rival Dad’s and it doesn’t look calculating or mean, like you’d expect from the person trying to ruin your life. He looks honest to God happy. And that breaks my heart even more because I know I’ll never return that feeling, not with him anyways.
    I take a huge gulp to swallow down the sickness that’s threatening to come up and then I plaster a smile on my face. This is supposed to be a happy time for me, for my family, for Shay. I have to play my part, but I can’t stop Linc’s golden brown eyes from flashing through my mind.
    Dad fits his arm snug around my shoulder, holding me close to his side as he shouts. “Quiet down, I have some wonderful news to share.” Now you have to understand that this approach at getting this crowd’s attention wouldn’t work for everyone, but my dad is a force to be reckoned with and these people know it. So when he says to quiet down, they do and it gets so quiet you can hear the faucet dripping in the kitchen.
    “What’s this about, Al?” One of the guests shouts from the back of the room.
    “If you’d shut up long enough to listen, I’d tell you.” My dad shouts back. He waits to make sure no one else has a comment to make and then continues. “Now, most of you know my beautiful daughter, Arwyn.” He pushes me in front of him so I’m the center of attention. I give an awkward wave to the masses and fight my tired cheeks to keep the smile plastered to my face.
    “And most of you know Shay Dawson.” He claps Shay on the shoulder. Then he pushes him to stand beside me. “Well Shay has asked for my Arwyn’s hand and I’ve accepted. They’ll be married on her eighteenth birthday. So prepare yourselves my brothers and sisters, because we’re going to show this town how you really throw a wedding.”
    The room erupts in cheers and congratulations as all the guests converge on me and Shay.
    “Where’s the ring?” Someone in the crowd hollers.
    “Yeah, let’s see the bling.” Someone else chimes in. Probably one of the girls I saw by the door.
    Beside me, Shay fumbles around, pulling something out of his pocket. He finally releases the little black box and smiles at me shyly. “I almost forgot about this.”
    He opens the box, takes the ring out, and then turning to me, grabs my left hand and slips it on my ring finger. I look down at the foreign object now taking up space on my slender finger. It’s pretty, a two karat heart shaped diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds on a platinum band that’s also encrusted with diamonds. It’s very pretty, yet not me.
    “I know girls like hearts, so I thought you’d love it.” Shay explains his choice. I look up at him and force my smile a little wider, though I wish I could tell him some girls prefer four leaf clovers. My fingers tingle with the need to pull my new necklace out from under my shirt. I want to remind myself it’s real and maybe let myself pretend this isn’t, but I can’t draw anyone’s attention to my new charm. It would lead to questions that I can’t answer honestly without causing myself and Linc loads of trouble. So I ignore the tingle and I hold my hand up high so the room can take in my new ring.
    “We have so much to do before May.” My mom squeals from behind us, causing me to turn around to face her.
    “Dad, what about school?” I ask as quietly as I can in a room full of people.
    “I told you that you can finish. Your last class is the week before the wedding, so you’ll have time to do the last minute things the week of the wedding.” He smiles down at me.
    “But graduation is the day of the wedding.” I protest.
    “You have better things to do then go to that sad excuse of a celebration.” He grumbles.
    “But…”
    Tipping my chin up with the scarred up knuckles of his left hand,