Page 94
Story: Code Name: Typhon
I slipped the three-emerald-cut-diamond ring on her finger. We both looked down at it at the same time, then turned to look at the couple dancing in the fountain’s water.
“Mike insisted we were already married so many times. It seems so perfect that this is where you chose to propose. Today of all days. It’s almost as if he’s standing somewhere close by, watching us.”
I was not a man who cried often, but Eliza’s words moved me to tears. I hadn’t planned to propose until Christmas and certainly not here, in Hyde Park. But it felt so right, so perfect, that I knew I had to act now.
“It’s entirely up to you whether we tell my parents or wait.”
El was gazing down at her ring, but looked up at me and smiled. “Just try to stop me. I’m never taking this ring off, Levi, and what’s more, I plan to tell every person I see today. Prepare for great embarrassment.”
28
ELIZA
Levi’s parents were genuinely thrilled for us and so gracious and welcoming to me. In the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but think my own parents, even Niven, would not react to the news of my engagement the same way.
I tried my best not to let it dampen my spirits but knew Levi sensed what was on my mind. The one other person I wished I could tell today was Mike. He would’ve been elated for us. That’s what I wanted: people in my life who would celebrate our news in the same way I would for them. That included my cousin.
I’d told Levi, in a roundabout way, that if he ever made me choose between him and Niven, I wouldn’t side with him. I couldn’t say if that was still true. I loved Niv, but there hadn’t been a single person in my life before, including him, who cared for me the way Levi did. He hadn’t failed—even once—to let me know how much he loved me.
“It’s as if I can read your mind,” Levi said, snuggling me close on our way home from dining with his parents.
“I’m sorry.” I shook my head. “I’m the happiest I’ve been in my entire life, and I’m apologizing.” I turned to him. “Levi, you know it isn’t you.”
“I do know, and I wish I had the power to make it different.”
“I want to tell Niven. I’d say I’d like Harper to be there too, but I don’t know if that would be fair to her.”
He kissed my forehead. “I’d ask how you’d feel in the reverse, but that isn’t applicable to our situation. I’m the problem.”
I looked up at him. “I disagree. Niven is.”
Levi tensed. “I’ll never allow myself to come between the two of you.”
“If he puts himself there, how is it your doing?” I raised my left hand and wriggled my fingers. “Plus, we’re engaged now.” He smiled, which had been my goal, and I rested my head on his shoulder. “I don’t want to go back to Brighton tonight.”
“There’s no reason we should have to.”
I sighed. “Niven.”
“I understand, my love. By the way, Z promised we’d catch up this afternoon or tomorrow.”
Once we returned to my apartment, Levi contacted Z, who said this afternoon would work best as long as I didn’t mind.
“I don’t. In fact, I might lie down for a bit while you’re gone.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Just let yourself in, okay? You don’t have to knock, Levi. We are engaged, after all.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He kissed me once more and left.
I doubted I’d been asleep for ten minutes when a knock at the door woke me. I could only assume Levi had forgotten something, but why did he knock when I’d just told him not to?
He’d installed a coded entry system for me, so it wasn’t as though he would’ve forgotten the key. I was halfway to the door when I heard the second knock.
“Coming!” I shouted.
I pulled the door open, ready to tease him, but it wasn’t Levi. It was Niven. Never in my life would I have minded the doorman letting him come up without alerting me—until now.
“Mike insisted we were already married so many times. It seems so perfect that this is where you chose to propose. Today of all days. It’s almost as if he’s standing somewhere close by, watching us.”
I was not a man who cried often, but Eliza’s words moved me to tears. I hadn’t planned to propose until Christmas and certainly not here, in Hyde Park. But it felt so right, so perfect, that I knew I had to act now.
“It’s entirely up to you whether we tell my parents or wait.”
El was gazing down at her ring, but looked up at me and smiled. “Just try to stop me. I’m never taking this ring off, Levi, and what’s more, I plan to tell every person I see today. Prepare for great embarrassment.”
28
ELIZA
Levi’s parents were genuinely thrilled for us and so gracious and welcoming to me. In the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but think my own parents, even Niven, would not react to the news of my engagement the same way.
I tried my best not to let it dampen my spirits but knew Levi sensed what was on my mind. The one other person I wished I could tell today was Mike. He would’ve been elated for us. That’s what I wanted: people in my life who would celebrate our news in the same way I would for them. That included my cousin.
I’d told Levi, in a roundabout way, that if he ever made me choose between him and Niven, I wouldn’t side with him. I couldn’t say if that was still true. I loved Niv, but there hadn’t been a single person in my life before, including him, who cared for me the way Levi did. He hadn’t failed—even once—to let me know how much he loved me.
“It’s as if I can read your mind,” Levi said, snuggling me close on our way home from dining with his parents.
“I’m sorry.” I shook my head. “I’m the happiest I’ve been in my entire life, and I’m apologizing.” I turned to him. “Levi, you know it isn’t you.”
“I do know, and I wish I had the power to make it different.”
“I want to tell Niven. I’d say I’d like Harper to be there too, but I don’t know if that would be fair to her.”
He kissed my forehead. “I’d ask how you’d feel in the reverse, but that isn’t applicable to our situation. I’m the problem.”
I looked up at him. “I disagree. Niven is.”
Levi tensed. “I’ll never allow myself to come between the two of you.”
“If he puts himself there, how is it your doing?” I raised my left hand and wriggled my fingers. “Plus, we’re engaged now.” He smiled, which had been my goal, and I rested my head on his shoulder. “I don’t want to go back to Brighton tonight.”
“There’s no reason we should have to.”
I sighed. “Niven.”
“I understand, my love. By the way, Z promised we’d catch up this afternoon or tomorrow.”
Once we returned to my apartment, Levi contacted Z, who said this afternoon would work best as long as I didn’t mind.
“I don’t. In fact, I might lie down for a bit while you’re gone.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Just let yourself in, okay? You don’t have to knock, Levi. We are engaged, after all.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He kissed me once more and left.
I doubted I’d been asleep for ten minutes when a knock at the door woke me. I could only assume Levi had forgotten something, but why did he knock when I’d just told him not to?
He’d installed a coded entry system for me, so it wasn’t as though he would’ve forgotten the key. I was halfway to the door when I heard the second knock.
“Coming!” I shouted.
I pulled the door open, ready to tease him, but it wasn’t Levi. It was Niven. Never in my life would I have minded the doorman letting him come up without alerting me—until now.
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