Page 63 of Keeping it Casual
“Oysters, eh?” I say to Dustin once the waiter has retreated with our menus. “Are you hoping to share them with me and get me in the mood?”
“Well, we do have the house empty tonight,” he replies.
Lucy is with Em and Lachie’s staying overnight at a friend’s house. Dustin has relaxed over the past few months and trusts Lachie more without vetting every social event he wants to attend.
Lachie has received more than his share of lectures aboutunderage drinking and how alcohol affects decision-making. I get the feeling Lachie’s memory of how much he hated having to rely on crutches while his leg healed will help him make better decisions in the future.
Our first course arrives, and sure enough, Dustin does encourage me to share his oysters. But I share my pumpkin risotto back with him, and I’m pretty sure that pumpkin has no sexy connotations whatsoever.
When we’ve finished, the waiter clears away the plates.
Dustin twists his napkin in his hand. He shifts in his chair, looking slightly uncomfortable.
“Are you okay? Are those oysters not agreeing with you?” I ask.
He huffs a laugh. “I’m fine. I just wanted to talk to you about something.”
I pick up my wine glass to take a sip. “Talk away.”
He fixes his gaze on me. Something serious in his eyes causes me to straighten and pay attention. I put my wine glass down on the table, my heart starting to pound.
“A year ago, we had our first date here.” He swallows hard. “And even though it was a fake date, it turned into the most real thing I could have ever hoped for.”
“It’s better than anything I hoped for too,” I say softly.
“And I honestly can’t even bring myself to think of my life without you. I don’t want to even try imagining it, because you make me happier than I’ve ever been. So, I…I was wondering…” Suddenly, Dustin slips from his chair down to the floor.
Dustin is a guy who always looks good on his knees, but this is a different stance from normal. This is him on one knee, holding out a small velvet box toward me.
“Jeremy King, will you make me the happiest guy on the planet by marrying me?”
Oh, holy fuck. There are no words to describe the absolutejoy flowing through me right now. I’ve been certain Dustin and I are forever, but I never expected this tonight.
To be honest, I didn’t expect he’d be able to surprise me with a proposal because we know each other so well I was sure I’d see it coming.
I gulp down a few deep breaths to compose myself before tilting my head to one side to regard him. “I have one question.”
“What’s that?”
“Are we going to be the King-Knights or the Knight-Kings? Because both sound like some medieval fantasy game, don’t they? People are going to expect swords when we turn up somewhere.”
Dustin’s lips quirk into a grin. “We can discuss the various options if you like. But you haven’t actually answered my question.”
I glance around, taking in all the people watching us from the surrounding tables. They are not even trying to hide the fact they’re staring at us. I lean forward to whisper to him.
“If I say no, is this going to rate high in the awkward-moment category? Worse than your swimming sports incident with the board shorts?”
“Definitely.”
I grin at him. “I guess it’s a good thing I’m not saying no then, isn’t it?”
“I think you’ll find I’m happy about that for a host of reasons,” he says, giving me one of his special, eye-creasing smiles.
I have a pulse of disbelief that I’m the lucky person who gets to be on the receiving end of that smile for the rest of my life.
I take the box from Dustin, my hand shaking. But I somehow manage to take the ring out and slideit onto my finger.
The close scrutiny Mineral Creek’s residents have been paying this conversation is evidenced by the spontaneous clapping now erupting around the restaurant. It very quickly turns into thunderous applause.
But I ignore everyone as I kiss my fiancé.