Page 87 of Trust Issues

“Come on, Max! It’s getting ready to start!” I was already in front of the TV with my pajamas on and my hair tied up. We were celebrating the fact that I’d been a partner at Allen and Allen for one whole year. After I settled Bill’s divorce and he got to keep every penny, he made me partner immediately. Amber was offered alimony but she declined after I had a talk with her. That was all it took for Bill to think I had magic powers. I wasn’t mad at it.

Max and I were celebrating by doing what we loved to do more than anything else, binge-watching reruns and falling asleep together. “Pause it!” He shouted back. I rolled my eyes and paused the TV. I wanted the authentic 90’s experience of not being able to pause everything whenever you wanted to but Max was being a pain in the ass.

When he finally strolled his sexy ass in the living room, Avant and Barkley were behind him. All three of them looked suspicious as fuck. I lifted my eyebrow and folded my arms. “What the hell have you three been doing?” I asked.

“Barks, give it to mommy,” Max said, patting Barkley on the butt. At his command, Barkley hopped up beside me on the couch and dropped my big ass book of standards in my lap. I frowned and picked it up. When I did, a small, black velvet bag fell out.

My heart stopped.

“Maxwell…” I said, my voice shaking like a leaf.

“Open it,” he smiled. I cracked open the velvety soft bag and let out a small scream before covering my mouth. Inside was a beautiful engagement ring. I looked at Max and he lowered to one knee. “Kyla Bradshaw, I know that somewhere deep down I’ve loved you since I first met you. I think I loved you so much that I was afraid of you but…I’m not afraid anymore. I want you forever. I want you every day. Will you marry me?”

The tears wouldn’t stop falling. Barkley and Avant were both fidgeting. They hated seeing me cry. I nodded my head because I couldn’t speak and Max smiled with all the pride in the world as he took the ring and slid it on my finger with a shaky hand.

“I love you so much,” I cried as he crushed me against him in a hug.

“I love you too. Now I get to love you forever.”

“Lucky you,” I laughed and he laughed along with me. “You know what?” I sniffled. “Fuck this book. You’re everything I need. You’re everything I want. Whatever is in this book could never come close to you, Max.” We shared a kiss and I knew my lips were salty from the tears but he didn’t care. He kissed me anyway.

That summed him up perfectly.

He accepted me just the way I was in every circumstance no matter what. That was all I could ever ask for. Max hit every standard I had and he hit the ones I didn’t even know I had.

How fucking lucky was I to have him for the rest of my life?

I was winning.

As long as I was with Max, I’d be winning forever.

The End.