Page 206 of Detectives in Love

He drags a hand down his face, still red to the roots of his hair. His eyes flick to me, then away.

“Sorry. Not now, obviously. I just thought…maybe…someday. If you’d want that.”

The table goes quiet. Monica’s eyes go wide, lighting up with excitement. Ernest leans back, hands folded like Xavier just got down on one knee and now it’s time for my answer.

Heat rushes to my cheeks, but it’s not dread—it’s something else entirely. A strange, impossible happiness lodged just beneath my ribs.

“You mean it?” I ask softly.

Xavier swallows, throat working. “Yeah. If it’s something you’d like. In the future,” he repeats, dying of embarrassment. “Theoretically.”

“It wasn’t theoretical five minutes ago,” Ernest snorts, fanning the flames.

Xavier looks like he might lunge across the table, but I take his hand before he can do anything stupid. He turns to me, gaze glassy, like he’s bracing for impact.

I can’t help but laugh, heart pounding with this ridiculous rush of excitement.

“Well,” I say, “theoretically, if you proposed to me in the future—I’d say yes.”

Xavier freezes—breathless, stunned by the words. Monica squeals, and I think I catch Ernest smiling out of the corner of my eye. But I’m only looking at Xavier.

“Alright,” he says it like he can’t believe he gets to—soft and dark and breathless.

“Alright,” I echo.

I smile, lean in, and press a quick kiss to his cheek. If Xavier could blush any harder, he would—but his complexion has officially maxed out.

For a second, he just stares, like he’s still trying to process what I said. Then his mouth curves, eyes bright, and he squeezes my hand in both of his.

“Alright,” he whispers again.

And the look on his face—flushed, wide-eyed, hopelessly in love—already feels like forever.

THE END