Boyd
With shaky legs, he climbed the porch stairs and knocked on the door.
“It’s just me. I was hoping I could talk to the both of you.”
Camila nearly exploded with joy, but Christopher only cocked his brow. “A little soon, don’t you think?”
“Hush you!” Camila protested, smacking her husband’s arm. “It took three dates to get you on one knee.”
Boyd grinned, relieved that he had immediate support from at least one of them. “Queenie is the one. I have no doubt that I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I love her deeply and I want her to know that I would like nothing more than to be her husband.”
“Just look at him,” Camila swooned.
Christopher, however, was still playing hardball. “I need to know you will take care of her.”
“She will be taken care of. There won’t be a single day that she’ll have to worry about the roof over her head or food on the table. I will protect and love her for the rest of my life.”
Camila smiled, tears swirling in her eyes.
“Should your feelings ever change, I need you to return her to us safe and sound,” Christopher insisted.
“I will. If tides change and my heart no longer belongs to her, I promise she’ll return to you without harm.”
Camila shot to her feet, returning with a small box in her hands. “This was the ring Christopher proposed to me with. We don’t have a son, so I always hoped that one day, Queenie would be blessed enough to wear it.”
Boyd took the box with shaking hands. Inside was a modest solitaire diamond nestled on a gold band. When Camila saw him quivering, she laid her hands over his. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. We are happy she met a wonderful man in you.”
“My mother gave me my grandmother’s ring as well. If it’s okay with you, why don’t I have a new one crafted from both?”
“That is a wonderful idea.”
“I take it permission’s already been granted,” Christopher grumbled.
Camila pinned her husband with a stern glare. “You and I both know we just want our daughter happy. Give them your blessing.”
Christopher sighed and then nodded. “I guess that would be okay.”
“Thank you.”
Camila insisted on that tea and with his stomach a bit more settled, Boyd happily accepted.
The next day, he met up with Oliver and Archie for lunch. They’d known something was up immediately but didn’t press when he insisted on talking in person.
“So what the hell is so important?” Oliver asked the second Boyd sat down next to Archie.
Archie looked up at him feigning offence. “Hello to you too.”
“You’re irrelevant right now. What is important, is our big old softy over there looking like a teenage boy going on his first date. So what’s going on? Is Queenie’s dad sitting in a corner somewhere polishing his rifle?”
“I’m going to propose to Queenie,” Boyd blurted.
“Fuck yes!” Oliver cheered, complete with fists in the air. “Finally, time you got on one knee.”
He rolled his eyes but grinned, happy to see both Oliver and Archie visibly excited. “We only met a few months ago.”
“You were a dating grave for years before that.”
Archie grinned from ear to ear. “You two are perfect for each other.”
“Is she suspicious?”
“Not at all. Unless anyone lets the cat out of the bag before I can get to it myself.”
“Who have you told?” Archie asked.
“Her parents, along with Mom and Luka.”
“Seeing as you’re going forward, I assume there haven’t been any riots.”
“Everyone’s been more than receptive. I’ve taken both her mother’s and my grandma’s ring to the jeweller hoping he can combine them.”
“Such a romantic.” Despite his teasing, Oliver’s eyes sparkled.
“Anything we can help you with?”
Instead of responding to Archie, Boyd turned to Oliver. “I was hoping you’d agree to take some pictures.” Oliver had quite the eye, spending his free time as an event photographer when he wasn’t punching the corporate clock.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Archie patted his friend’s shoulder. “Better not be the one to spoil the surprise.”
“Why don’t we have a photo booth so you have an excuse to run around with your camera?”
“Sneaky fucking bastard. I love it!”
With a much lighter heart that his friends also agreed this was a good idea, they discussed more of their plans over lunch. When it was time to leave, Archie rested his hand on Boyd’s shoulder.
“I’m thrilled for you. You deserve this.”
“Thank you. Now it’s time for our last bachelor to get a woman too.”
Oliver shrugged, visibly fighting the urge to rubberneck when an attractive-looking brunette strutted by. “Nah, let me be a whore for just a little longer. But Archie is right, you two are so freaking adorable.”
Boyd had no words to express how much that meant to him.