Page 119 of Love Deep
I shake my head. “No, she’s saving it for the show. But she showed a collector and they loved it. Apparently they’re interested in some of the darker stuff the Club didn’t want as well.”
“This is incredible.”
Riley pokes her head out of the front door. “Do you guys want privacy to make out or something?”
“Your mom just sold a painting!” Fisher says like the Yankees just won the World Series.
“Which one?” Riley asks. “The blue one?”
This kid has a knack of knowing exactly what’s going on at all times. It’s mildly terrifying.
“Yup. The blue one.”
She sighs. “I love that one. I knew it would sell super quick.”
“We should celebrate. Shall we go up to the Club for dinner?”
I glance at Riley. She’s always been at the center of all my celebrations since she was born. Everything to celebrate was celebrated with her. I don’t want to leave her out of this. It feels like a big deal—a New York gallery selling something of mine—the girl who never went to art school who paints in an abandoned candy store in rural Colorado.
“All three of us,” Fisher clarifies as if he’s reading my thoughts. “We should celebrate as a family.” His words make my heart melt. Of course he wasn’t suggesting we leave Riley out. That’s not who Fisher is.
“I have questions,” Riley says.
“Let me have ’em,” Fisher says.
“Questions about what?” I ask.
“Well, you said that when you sold a painting, you might give up work. Are you going to do that?” she asks. “What happens if you don’t sell another one. Can you get your job back?”
The question catches me off guard. Riley’s growing up every second. I don’t want her to have to think about things like this. It’s not for her to worry about. But it is for me to worry about. Riley and putting a roof over her head are my responsibility, even though I’m with Fisher. “I haven’t thought about it yet, Riley. But I promise when I have, we can talk about it.”
“Okay. Seems fair. And also, Fisher, you’re in love with my mom. And you say you want to celebrate as a family. So, when are you going to marry her?”
I’m sure I turn beet red, but Fisher chuckles. “Any time I think she’ll definitely sayyes.”
“Well, I found a ring with a huge sparkly stone that looks like a diamond in your coat pocket and I figured that you were going to propose, but you haven’t and I want to know when it’s going to happen.”
If ever I’ve wanted the ground to swallow me whole, it’s now. “Riley!” I say. “You can’t?—”
“She absolutely can,” Fisher interrupts. “She’s got skin in this game.” He gives me a reassuring nod, but I’m a thousand percent more embarrassed than when she announced to Marge that she liked to fart.
She’s the love of my life, but honestly, I could happily murder her right now.
“I have a dilemma,” Fisher says to Riley. “I want to marry your mom. I’ve wanted to marry your mom for a long time now. But she’s just about to become this art star. And I don’t know if she’s going to say yes when she’s got all this other stuff going on. And she’s smart and independent and I think she might want to go to her first show as a single woman rather than as a woman engaged to me.”
My heart squeezes at his words. He’s thought about this way too hard but I love him twice as much for it.
Our eyes meet and I see all his vulnerability. All the love he has for me. All his heart.
“There are no circumstances where I don’t want to be engaged to you,” I say in a whisper. And then I stop myself. “That’s not true.” Fisher clutches at his heart, dramatically and I grin. “I mean, I don’t want to be engaged to you when we’re married. But I’d never say no to you. I love you. For the rest of my life.”
“I know,” he says. “I’m not unsure of your love for me. But you got Grace’s attention on your own. You signed with Rachel because you’re talented. I don’t want other people to think you got this because of me.”
I slide my palm up his cheek. “I don’t care what other people think. Fisher, will you marry me?”
A small smile curls around his lips and it turns into a chuckle. “Here? Now? Like this?” I know he will have been thinking up some elaborate way to ask me to marry him, but I don’t need any of that.
I shrug. “Why not?”
“You’re right,” he says. “Star Falls works in mysterious ways. But the three of us are here in the place I fell in love with you. So, this is the perfect place for a proposal. Of course I’ll marry you.”
“I’m going to get the ring,” Riley says. “You two can make out while I do.”
We both laugh and Fisher pulls me toward him and into the best kiss of my life. Every single one of his kisses is better than the last. I just know that’s how it’s always going to be with us. Things just get better when I’m with Fisher. Life is better with him. That’s how it is and how it always will be.