Page 101 of Not On Your Life

“No, I can’t take you—” my words are cut off with another deadly glare from Maria.

My palms start to sweat. Okay, I guess this is happening.

No big deal. I’ll just ask Maddie to satisfy her mother, then we can talk about it later.

Shoot. Millie is going to kill me. She already warned me not to go ring shopping without her, but I assured her an engagement was a long way off.

“Ah!” Maria pops back out of the closet and ambles toward me. “Here.” She thrusts something at my chest.

I gather up the box before it tumbles to the ground and try to peek inside, but Maria shuts it before I can. “You go.”

“Now?”She has the audacity to stare at me likeI’mthe crazy person here.

“This is all a bit soon, don’t you think?” I try, but Maria only shakes her head. “I want to plan it out, do something romantic. How about next weekend.” I try again.

“Without me?” She gasps and clutches her chest like she’s afraid her heart might stop.

Well, yes, preferably. I’d like to propose to Maddie without her mother or an audience of any sort.

I swallow, seeing no way out of this. Should I ask Maria how she would like me to propose? It might be easier and less painful for all of us at this point.

“I haven’t asked her dad—”

“He approves.” She turns me around and pushes me toward the door because I am no longer in control of my own actions.

“Um, can I take her on a walk?” I ask because apparently I need her permission, but I can’t think of anything less romantic than asking Maddie to marry me while her mother stands as sentinel.

“We have a beautiful path behind the house. Come, I show you.”

She leads me through the house and right to the table where Maddie and her dad are discussing the Suns’ horrific loss. I’ve never been more jealous of a dull conversation.

“Maddie, Connor is taking you for a walk,” Maria says. She snatches up mine and Maddie’s plate of food. They were still half full, and I watch in despair as she carries the glorious food away.

Maddie studies me with narrowed eyes. “You alright there?”

Not really. “Yup. Wanna go?”

She frowns like she doesn’t quite believe me but grabs my outstretched hand, anyway. I barely know where we are going, and I’m grateful when Maddie pulls me along the path behind the house. All I can focus on is the box in my pocket. The ring inside that box changes things between me and Maddie.

Everything right now is perfect. We fight, we tease, and boy, do we make up. I can’t imagine life without her. I want to marry her. More than anything in the world.

Her thumb on the back of my hand pulls me out of my thoughts, and I peer over at her.

“What would you have said if I told you two years ago you’d be dating me, happily?”

She grins, and the sight is even more beautiful than the fading sun. “I would have said not on your freaking life.”

I chuckle and squeeze her hand. “I think I would have said, all my wishes have finally come true.”

Maddie stops walking and pulls me to a halt beside her. “Okay, what’s up? What did my mom do to you?”

“What do you mean?” I pull at the collar of my shirt.

“She freaked you out. I can see it in your eyes. Did she mention our future children again? Or is she trying to push you to propose to me?”

“What?” How in the world did she know?

Her gaze darts back and forth between my eyes. “It’s the proposal one, huh? Let me guess, she even gave you a ring.”