Page 107 of Between Hello and Goodbye

Silas shut the box and slid it back to me. “She’s going to love it.”

I eased a breath and tucked the ring back into my jacket pocket. A waiter came by with a bottle of sparkling water Silas must’ve ordered earlier.

“The champagne of the mineral water world,” he said once two glasses had been poured. He held up a glass to me. “Congratulations. I’m really happy for you. And her.”

“Thanks, man. That’s actually what I needed to hear. Maybe it’s some old-fashioned shit, but I came here to ask for your blessing.”

Silas stiffened. “Myblessing?”

“Her father’s not around and he sounds like an asshole, anyway. But you know that because you’re closer to Faith than anyone. Youmeanmore to her than anyone else.” I shrugged. “You’re the guy to ask.”

Silas sat back wearing a small, mystified grin. “Well, I’m honored and…touched. You don’t need my blessing, but you have it. Absolutely, you have it. From the second I laid eyes on you—no, correction—from the second I sawFaithlay eyes on you, I thoughtfinally. Someone for my girl to share her life with. Because it couldn’t be me.”

“When you put it that way…” I said, my throat thick.

“She deserves to be happy and so do you,” Silas said, blinking hard. “And now we need to talk about something else.”

“Amen,” I said, and we both laughed, glad the emotional shit was out of the way. “What do I do now?”

“I’m supposed to attend that awards show with her on Sunday night,” Silas said. “I was going to pick her up at six, take her to dinner, then to the ceremony at Bell Harbor.” He shrugged with a smile. “You show up instead.”

“Just surprise her like that?” I frowned. “You don’t think she’ll give me a kick in the balls?”

“She might,” Silas said. “But just a little one. To get it out of her system.”

We both laughed again, and he raised his glass to mine.

“Asher, my friend, welcome to Seattle.”