EngagedMarried
Fiona
Scrubbing down the counter signals the end of my workday. It’s been a long one and cleaning up makes it feel even longer, but I’ve loved every minute.
“Fea?”
“Yeah, Hope?” I stop to turn towards where she’s refilling napkin holders.
“Can you talk to my dad?”
That’s a loaded question. “About what?”
“I think I’m ready to start my coffee shop and bookstore.”
What? “Hope, that’s a big step.”
“I know.” She sets the cloth to the side and sits down. “But I’m ready.”
Why the sudden change? “Did something happen with the guy you love?”
“Yes, and no. This isn’t about him. It’s about me.”
Oh, it’s definitely about him. “What happened?”
“We talked.”
That’s obvious.
“He understood my position.”
Which is an all-too-rational response for a teenage boy in love.
“But then he told me he’d kill any man who touched me. Isn’t that sweet?”
Um…who am I to judge? Max said the same…and I think he might have done it, but I’m smart enough not to ask questions like that. “I don’t know how many people would think that’s sweet.”
She shrugs. “Don’t care.”
“So what did you two agree on?”
“He’s still adamant that he won’t touch me. But he’ll take me to prom. And I can call him my boyfriend in school.”
That sounds like five-year-olds dating. They call each other boyfriend and girlfriend, walk to class together, and share their snacks.
“It’s better than nothing, I guess. But I need something else to distract me. I need to work. To get things done, instead of waiting for a boy to decide he’s man enough to marry me. Talking about getting married, when are you and Dad tying the knot?”
“Your dad hasn’t even asked me yet.”
“That’s just a technicality. You two are as good as married.”
Not quite. “But I had this idea. Maybe you could help me with it.”
Max
“Maybe I should have picked some other time. Somewhere private with just the two of us. I could have gotten some candles and roses and made it all romantic.” I start pacing back and forth in the library.
Everywhere else in the house is filled with family and friends. This event was supposed to celebrate Dash’s adoption, which I had expedited…
But I just can’t wait any longer to ask.
“What do you think Fiona would want?” Dad’s sitting by the fire watching me lose my mind with a smile on his face.
“This. I think. Or that. Maybe I should just toss her over my shoulder, carry her to my cave, and declare her mine.”
“Didn’t you already do that?”
I kind of did. “She didn’t mind that either.”
“And aren’t there flowers, candles, and twinkle lights set up all over the backyard?”
We might have gone a little overboard with that, but Mom and Nonna said it was perfect. “Yeah.”
“Then what exactly are you worried about? Because all I see is a man with his family already set, worrying about a question that’s been answered several times over.
Now, the real question that you’re going to be asked a hundred times tonight is when am I getting more grandchildren?
You need at least three more quickly because your mother and grandmother don’t share. ”
They stole Dash an hour ago and disappeared with him. “We think we’re going to do a mixture of adoption and births.”
“The more, the merrier.”
The library doors burst open, and Everett storms in. “Nonna said to tell you it’s time.”
It’s time. In just a few minutes, my ring is going to be on Fiona’s finger. Then, in a few weeks, we’re going to be married.
“Fiona is in the garden waiting for you.”
This is it. The next first step to our future.
Every time I see this woman, she takes my breath away. But her choice of dress couldn’t be any more perfect. It’s the dress I saw her in the very first time we met for the second time.
Without a worry, I walk up and wrap my arms around her. “Have I told you lately that holding you is my favorite thing in the world to do?”
“Oh, really?”
“Isn’t it yours?”
Fiona spins around so she’s facing me. “It’s close, but I can think of another thing I might like more.”
“Oh, really? And what is that?”
“Kissing you.”
“Good answer.” No, it’s a great answer.
“That’s what I thought.” She tips her head back, leaning in for a kiss.
“We need to do one thing first.”
“Oh, and what is that?”
I step back and sink down onto one knee. “Would you, Fiona Shaw, marry me?” I hold out the ring I got from Nonna and wait.
She’s silent for a long time…too long. “On one condition.”
Huh? “What?”
“That you agree to marry me. Right now. In front of all the people who love us.”
Hope steps forward and hands Fiona a bouquet.
“What?”
“I don’t want to wait. I don’t want something fancy or grand. I want to marry you, Massimo Vincenti, and I want to spend the rest of my life doing the hard things with you, as well as the easy things, and everything else in between.”
Gemma runs up. “Flowers.” She throws petals everywhere, but mainly at us, then runs back to Daria.
“So, right here and right now, you want to marry me?”
“Oh yeah. You ready to spend your life with me?” She steps forward, wrapping her arms around me.
“Forever.” I lean in and press my lips to hers.
“Ewww. They’re kissing,” Gemma whispers.
Fiona’s laugher blends into our kiss.
We start our lives together as we mean to end it. Filled with family, laughter, and love.
The end…for now!
Thank you for reading Dark Rage.