Page 117 of Fragile Lives

She gives me another look but pulls to the curb. Once she’s parked, I click the button on the box and show it to her. When she recognizes the ring, her mouth falls open.

“Stephan,” she whispers.

She saw this ring in the window while we were walking to get my favorite coffee when she came to Boston the first time. She subtly looked at it, but I knew she loved it. It’s just like her—unique and beautiful. It’s not flashy, but very classy. It’s made of white gold with three emeralds, the center one being the largest, with a few tiny diamonds around them. If it was up to me, I’d get her the biggest fucking diamond I could find, and she would be walking around with that rock on her finger to let everyone know she’s mine. But it would be that—just a rock. And this ring is so her.

“Stephan,” she repeats quieter, and my heart begins sinking.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Did I misread the signs? Fuck! How can I change her opinion now?

I look to the back seat, wishing Kenneth would disappear so I could pull her pants down and start convincing her to change her mind, but he keeps snoring away, oblivious to my turmoil.

“You don’t like it?” I brave a question, and her eyes well. “Fuck, you don’t want to marry me.” My happiness deflates in an instant.

“No, you idiot!” she cries out and punches me in the shoulder. She’s about the only person I can tolerate it from.

But that’s it. She told me she doesn’t want to marry me and that I’m an idiot for even entertaining the idea. She’s always felt my mood swings, so she must have sensed this one as well, because her eyes go round, and she starts talking rapidly.

“No!” She rolls her eyes. “You’re really an idiot! Of course, I want to marry you!”

“Then I don’t understand…” I blink, trying to figure out what just happened. “Why are you crying?”

“Because you’ve waited so long!” She throws her hands in the air. “You’ve had this ring for what? A whole three months?”

The understanding finally dawns on me, and a wide smile stretches across my lips. My woman is angry that I waited a whole three months to propose. I think we’ll get along just fine.

“So, is that a yes?” I give her that lopsided smile I know she likes, and she instantly turns to goo. The apples of her cheeks pinken, and she smiles shyly.

“It’s a yes.”

“Fucking yes!” I cry out and pull her in for another kiss.

“Not again.” A loud groan from the back seat once again reminds me that we have an audience.

I pull away from the kiss and give him the stink eye. He flips me off and buries his face into the collar of his wool sweater. “Just get me home before you eat each other’s faces again.”

He’s going to be my official brother soon, so I turn back and flip him the bird, making sure he sees it. He rolls his eyes and looks outside. The corners of his eyes wrinkle in an attempt to hide a smile.

I have a family now. A big and instant one. I’m a lucky bastard.