Chapter Forty-Three #2
I ruined the moment by not telling her how happy I was over our baby. I should’ve hugged her and thanked her for the precious gift.
Goddamn it. How do I salvage this?
I can’t disown my parents. So I’ve got to convince her that I’m worth the drama and bullshit named Auric and Elita Kingswood.
I need to prove to her I’ll be a good husband and father to our baby.
I’ll never be another Auric Kingswood or, worse, a subhuman like Trevor Loomer.
“What can I do to get her to take a chance on me?” I mutter.
Silas shrugs like it’s obvious. “Be yourself. So she can see what kind of man you are.”
“No.” When I was just “myself,” I lost the woman I thought I’d marry because of my parents’ behavior. A depressing thought lodges in my heart like burnt charcoal. “All I have is money.”
“Don’t be stupid,” Liam says. “You’re much more than your bank account. You’re one of the nicest, most loyal men I know.”
“You were the first person I called when I got into my car accident,” Gideon says quietly.
I remember that. He lost control and hit a tree not so long after he got his license. “I thought you called me after you called Jeremiah.”
He snorts. “Nope. She was getting paid to care, but you were always there for me,” he explains. “I knew you’d always have my back. You’re family—my brother.”
“I think we all called Rhys first when we got into trouble back then,” Roarke says.
“Yup. Even Mom and Dad. Remember the love hotel incident in Japan?” Liam says.
Finn shudders. “How could anybody forget?”
Silas turns to me. “Back to you and Max, she’s always known your net worth. Was she ever impressed by it?”
“Not really,” I say morosely. “I almost wish she were.”
Finn rolls his eyes. “If she were, you wouldn’t have liked her. Look, forget the money. Do something personally significant for her. Maybe she likes something…you know…homey. And, uh, emotional.” He looks to the others for help, but all he gets is squints and furrowed brows.
I heave a sigh. He’s right…but I can’t think of anything either.
I love everything about Max—and it’s killing me that I might not be enough to be part of the future she wants.
She doesn’t just want normalcy for normalcy’s sake.
What she said about her mother’s bucket list…
She isn’t just living for herself, really.
I lift my eyes heavenward. Would her mother approve of me? Enough to entrust her daughter’s happiness to my hands? Or would she say, “Sorry, kiddo, your family’s too weird for my precious daughter”?
Silas gives me a glass of brown liquid. “Here. Drink this. It’s my best bourbon. My thinking drink. It’ll help.”
I look at him. “Bourbon?” Silas has always seemed too staid to need alcohol to lubricate his brain.
“No freaking way.” Roarke stares at Silas in disbelief.
“What? Something about good bourbon gets my brain going.”
I take a sip, then bite into another sausage. Suddenly something else she said hits me. “Max was disappointed that she couldn’t get a cheeseburger to taste like her mom’s.”
“There you go!” Xavier gives me a thumbs-up.
“Right,” Silas says. “And you have me. Just give me the recipe and I can help you out.”
“That’s the thing… I don’t have the recipe.” My shoulders sag. “Not only that, I’ve never even tasted her mother’s burgers.”
An oppressive silence falls over us.
“How am I going to replicate it?” If I can, I might have a chance. After all, it’s intensely sentimental, and she still loves her mom so much.
My brothers look at me helplessly. Or perhaps it’s hopelessly. Hard to tell in a situation like this. Actually, we’ve never been in this type of circumstance before.
“Did her mom have close friends? A brother or sister? Or some other relative who might know?” Xavier asks finally.
“Max mentioned something about an aunt, but it didn’t sound like they were particularly close. She said she hasn’t seen her or anything since her mother passed away.”
“Yeah, but that’s her and her aunt. Maybe her aunt had a good relationship with her mom, like mine and her aunt. You don’t know until you ask,” Finn says.
True enough. I straighten my back and shoulders. When have I ever feared a challenge? This is too important for me to give up without trying my damndest.
I pull out my phone.
–Me: Find out where Max’s aunt lives.
–Angelo: Got it.
–Me: And DON’T ASK MAX. There’s a pause before the reply comes.
–Angelo: Why not? That’s the easiest way.
–Me: Because I’m planning a surprise. This is top secret.
–Angelo: Secrets kill relationships.
I roll my eyes.
–Me: Not that kind of secret. If she knows, it won’t be a surprise now, will it?
–Angelo: Does this surprise maybe involve a ring?
Suddenly, I realize I haven’t even thought about the most basic fundamentals of a proposal. Cheeseburgers are nice, but Max deserves a ring. Plus I want something to show every asshole in the world she’s mine.
I put my phone down and turn to Liam. “I need a solitaire diamond ring.”
He blinks at me. “For Max?”
“Yeah. After I recreate her mom’s cheeseburger, I’m going to propose.”
Roarke shakes his head. “That might take a century.”
“Or just a few days, you negative asshole.”
“Do you know her ring size?” Gideon asks.
I blink. “No.” I didn’t think about it—I’ve never had to buy a ring.
Liam sighs theatrically. “That’s sad. How can you not know her ring size?”
“I never asked.”
“Bet you know her bra size.” He smirks.
I don’t deny it, because I do.
Gideon shakes his head at Liam. “That’s different.”
Liam waves him away. “Don’t worry about it. I have her ring size.”
“How?” I ask in shock. “Did she ever buy a ring from you?”
He shakes his head with an exaggeratedly superior air. “I’ve seen her fingers and shaken her hand.” He speaks as though I just asked him how he knows that the earth is round. “How can you not know? All you have to do is look. Like how you look at Max’s chest and know what her bra size is.”
The reason I know her bra size is from seeing the tags from Danica’s place. But I keep that to myself.
Liam texts, then lifts his head. “Willie says she’s ready whenever you are. I’ll make sure to show you the best in the collection. If the proposal goes well, you can thank me by naming your firstborn after me.”