Chapter 40
forty
MADDOX
Sitting on the end of the bed, I’m a Nervous Nelly. My palms are sweaty and my heart is racing. Is this what a heart attack feels like? I’m in my jeans and purple Henley. Reindeer is in the bathroom, right now she’s all soapy and wet, I couldn’t be in there with her because I’d cave and I can’t ruin this.
The shower turns off and that somehow makes me even more nervous because it means we are one step closer to getting to the fair and my surprise.
Slipping my feet into my boots, I sit back up and stare at the wall. I don’t know why I’m so nervous. Reindeer and I have been to the fair together plenty of times, but this will be the first time as a couple. A real couple.
“Mad, babe, you okay?” The sounds of her voice causes me to yelp and jump. Turning my head toward her, my eyes bug out of my head when I see her standing in the doorway in a deep purple bra and panty set. “Fuck, babe, you’re stunning.”
She smiles and then she spins around and shows me her delectable ass. “Fuck it,” I growl. Standing up, I walk over to her and take her hands in mine. “Reindeer, I know you just ended an engagement but when you know, you know and, Ruby Olsen, I love you to the moon and back. I’ve loved you since you were a teenager and I would be honored if you’d be my wife. So, what do you say, will you marry me, Reindeer?”
She blankly stares at me, she doesn’t blink and she doesn’t utter a word. Not one peep and I’m almost positive she’s stopped breathing. Then her head starts to bob up and down. “Y-y-yes,” she stammers, then she clears her throat and lets out a husky, “Yes, Mad, I’ll marry you.” She’s smiling like a carnival clown, and I’m pretty sure my face mirrors hers right now.
“The ring,” I scoff, reaching into the side table. I dig to the back and grab the velvet box. Opening it, I take out the ring, a pear-shaped ruby flanked by round and marquise diamonds. I slide it onto her finger and just like her to me, it fits perfectly.
I want to shout, “ She said yes!” for the world to hear, but there’s no one here but the two of us. I was a little eager and I did it before we got to the fair. Dennis and Drew are gonna be pissed I ruined our hard work, but seeing the smile on her face right now, I don’t really care about them and their feelings.
She admires her hand, the light from behind her in the en suite reflects off the ruby and diamond, and she’s smiling just as bright as the gems on her finger. She lifts her head and stares seductively at me. “Do we really have to go tonight? I’m suddenly not in the mood to go out … and I have a new jar of coconut oil, we can celebrate our engagement, just the two of us.” She winks at me, and my cock springs to life in my jeans.
“As much as I love that plan, we really need to go, because I kinda had this amazing romantic proposal organized. Dennis and Drew will be pissed if we don’t turn up.”
“Is that what you three were colluding about yesterday?”
“Yep. You arrived with coffee and cake when the jeweler was there. Drew knew someone who knew someone and she came by the station, coming in through the back so no one would know. She’d just left when you arrived but the ring was still sitting on the counter in the back.”
“You’re lucky I didn’t just barge in, otherwise, the surprise would have been ruined … But then again, you kinda ruined the surprise by proposing now and not waiting to do it at the fair, but to be honest, I’m glad we did it like this … even if I am half naked.”
“So what you’re saying is we need to go to the fair and have a public, suitable for work proposal?”
The plan was for me to do it tonight at the fair on the carousel. Dennis was going to Nadine’s Nursery to pick up a bouquet of her favorite flowers, peonies, and because I’m a corny bastard, I got a dozen ruby -red roses too. The ring was going to be sitting in one of the flowers and they would be hidden on the carousel near the Christmas wagon. Reindeer and I were going to hop on. and I would propose when the lights dimmed and the music stopped.
“Yes … plus we wouldn’t want to upset Drew and Dennis. Dennis is already surly enough over his Syd drama, and I hate seeing him down.”
“Like us, I’m sure they’ll get their shit together, after all, love is in the air.”
Reindeer gets dressed—boo—and then we head to the fair. She gives me the ring back and in front of all of our friends, I propose for a second time, on the carousel like I had planned.
The other day I said this year was pretty good, but now I can unequivocally say, it’s the best fucking year ever. My luck started to turn when I was on my way back into town and I found the Christmas ornament that led me to “the one.”
Happy fucking New Year to me!